Panathinaikos reportedly offers record sum to lure back coach Obradović

Greek basketball powerhouse Panathinaikos is reportedly making a massive offer to bring back club legend Željko Obradović as head coach. According to Serbian media, the Athens-based club is prepared to offer Obradović a two-year deal worth 10 million euros, which would make him the highest-paid coach in Europe.

Obradović, a 66-year-old Serbian strategist, is a revered figure at Panathinaikos, having coached the team from 1999 to 2012. During his tenure, he led the club to five EuroLeague titles and 11 Greek League championships. He recently parted ways with Serbian club Partizan Belgrade due to poor results and disagreements with management.

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Panathinaikos has made an impressive offer to Ž. Obradović, according to which the specialist would earn 10 million euros in two years of contract and become the highest-paid head coach in Europe.

If Obradović accepts, he would replace current coach Ergin Ataman, who led Panathinaikos to a EuroLeague title last season. However, the team surprisingly failed to reach the Final Four this year, losing to Valencia in the quarterfinals after initially leading the series 2-0. The club's management is now seeking a new direction.

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All players and coaches will live in a hotel throughout the series to prepare responsibly and be maximally focused on the decisive battles for the title.

Meanwhile, Ataman has made an unconventional decision for the upcoming Greek League finals against rivals Olympiacos. He has opted to have the entire team, players and staff, live in a hotel throughout the best-of-five series. This move is intended to maximize focus and preparation for the crucial championship clashes.

Adding to the team's internal dynamics, Lithuanian player Marius Grigonis has been left off the roster for the Greek League finals. This decision, coupled with previous exclusions from playoff games, has intensified rumors linking Grigonis with a return to his former club, Žalgiris Kaunas. The team cited the return of center Kenneth Faried from injury as a reason for adjusting the roster, given the league's limitations on foreign players.

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The coaching staff decided to adjust the roster and include Kenneth Faried in the list of foreigners instead of the Lithuanian.