Cedi Osman has opened up about his unexpected decision to leave Panathinaikos and join PAOK, revealing that a significant buyout demand played a major role in why a potential return to Turkey never materialised.
The move was one of the most surprising transfers of the European basketball offseason. Osman had one year remaining on his Panathinaikos contract, but eventually agreed to join PAOK on a three-year deal worth €9 million net. Panathinaikos received a reported €2 million buyout.
Why Didn’t Osman Return to Turkey?
Before choosing PAOK, Osman said he had discussions with Turkish EuroLeague giants Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe.
However, those talks did not progress because he was still under contract with Panathinaikos. According to Osman, Panathinaikos demanded a significant buyout, meaning any interested Turkish club had to first reach an agreement with his former team.
Osman rejected suggestions that he simply didn’t want to return to Turkey. He explained that he couldn’t ask Panathinaikos to reduce the buyout simply to make his own transfer easier.
In other words, the decision was largely influenced by the transfer economics and the clubs’ negotiations, rather than a straightforward rejection of Turkish basketball.
Why Did He Choose PAOK?
The biggest surprise was that Osman chose PAOK, a club competing in the EuroCup rather than the EuroLeague.
For a player with NBA and EuroLeague experience, dropping to Europe’s second-tier competition might appear unusual. But Osman said PAOK’s ambitions convinced him.
The club’s objective is to eventually reach the EuroLeague, and Osman believes the team has assembled a strong enough roster to pursue that goal.
PAOK officially announced Osman on a three-year contract through the 2028–29 season.
Osman Also Felt His Time at Panathinaikos Had Changed
Perhaps the most revealing part of Osman’s explanation concerned his relationship with Panathinaikos.
The Turkish forward suggested that, at times, a player can sense whether he is still wanted at a club. He indicated that he had begun to feel this during his time in Athens, before circumstances eventually led to his departure.
Osman spent two seasons with Panathinaikos after returning to Europe following his NBA career. During that period, he won two Greek Cup titles, in 2025 and 2026.
A Major Contract for PAOK
The financial terms underline just how ambitious PAOK’s project has become.
Osman’s reported €9 million net salary over three seasons makes the contract one of the biggest—and reportedly the biggest ever at the EuroCup level. Combined with the €2 million buyout paid to Panathinaikos, the overall financial commitment associated with the transfer is around €11 million.
PAOK clearly sees Osman as a central figure in its effort to compete at the highest level of European basketball.
A New Chapter in Greece
For Osman, the move represents an unusual but potentially rewarding career decision. Rather than returning to Turkey or remaining with a EuroLeague contender, he chose to stay in Greece and become one of the centrepieces of PAOK’s ambitious project.
He was given a huge reception when he was officially presented to PAOK supporters in Thessaloniki, with fans greeting the Turkish international with a standing ovation.
The Bottom Line
Cedi Osman’s move from Panathinaikos to PAOK wasn’t simply about choosing one club over another. Buyout negotiations, his contract situation, his feeling about his role at Panathinaikos and PAOK’s long-term EuroLeague ambitions all played a part.
Now, Osman will try to turn an unexpected move into a major success story—and help PAOK build a team capable of reaching the EuroLeague.