After failing to find an NBA home during the offseason, Cedi Osman has temporarily placed his NBA career on hold. The 2015 second-round draft pick will compete in the EuroLeague and Greek Basket League after inking a deal with Panathinaikos.
Osman may be returning overseas, but a recent report suggested he had an offer to stay in America which he ultimately declined to pursue.
"According to Eurohoops sources, the Turkish international was in advanced talks with Real Madrid but he ultimately didn’t find an agreement with the Spanish powerhouse," Eurohoops' Nikola Miloradovic wrote Saturday. "He also received interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, which invited him for a training camp; however, due to the lack of guarantees about making it to the season roster, he decided to refuse and come back to Europe."
While Osman isn’t known for being a lethal wing scorer, he has proven he can be a trustworthy three-point shooting threat in drive-and-kick situations. Excluding the 2020-21 season, Osman netted at least 35 percent of his triples as a contributor for the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs.
Osman also has a knack for making timely cuts during shaky offensive possessions, which amplifies his ability to assess troubling situations. His lone season playing alongside Lebron James wasn’t eventful, but he managed to gain the respect of the 20-time All-Star when it was all said and done.
With his NBA future uncertain, Osman’s decision to continue his career in a different country is completely understandable. There’s no guarantee that the Ohrid, Macedonia native would have secured a spot on the Lakers’ opening night roster and it’s clear that he's interested in playing professional basketball in 2024-25.
Furthermore, reports of Osman receiving an offer from the Lakers may have been fabricated.
"It has been reported in Europe that Turkish swingman Cedi Osman turned down a training camp invite from the Lakers before signing with Panathinaikos in Greece, but sources close to the situation told The Stein Line that no such offer was extended by L.A. despite LeBron James’ well-known fondness for Osman dating to their days as Cavaliers teammates," Marc Stein wrote on "The Stein Line" on Monday.
We may not get clarity on exactly what happened between the 29-year-old and Los Angeles but at the end of the day, he'll be suiting up for Panathinaikos.
Like Patrick Beverly, who is currently playing in Israel, Osman is willing to step away from the NBA to keep his career afloat for the time being. Osman will remain in the “under 30” club until April 8, so it would be foolish to rule out an NBA return for the young pro in the future.
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