Unable to find a guaranteed NBA contract for the coming season, seven-year NBA veteran Cedi Osman is headed to Europe.
Osman has agreed to join Greek power Panathinaikos, club owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos said on Instagram (via EuroHoops.com). There had been rumors that Osman was going to Real Madrid and stepping into the new 76er Guerschon Yabusele‘s role with the Spanish powerhouse, but that deal was never finalized, so Osman is headed to Athens.
Osman had hoped for a guaranteed NBA contract, but one was never offered. He was rumored to have a camp invite from the Lakers, but Los Angeles already has 15 guaranteed contracts on the books.
It’s a little surprising no team did step up because Osman showed in his six seasons in Cleveland, plus last season in San Antonio, that he can fit as part of an NBA forward rotation. Last season with the Spurs, he averaged 6.8 points a game and shot 38.9% from 3 in 72 games. While he’s a minus defender, he fits in a bench role, is under 30, has good size (6’7″), and it seemed someone would make an offer.
That works out for Panathinaikos, which is coached by Ergin Ataman, who is Osman’s national team coach with Türkiye. That is rumored to be part of how the deal to go to Greece came together.