Panathinaikos reportedly striking a deal with Panagiotis Kalaitzakis

2022-06-28 15:37
Credit: LKL
Credit LKL

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens are on the lookout for their new head coach, who will replace Giorgos Vovoras. At the same time, the Greek powerhouse are after several players to boost their roster. 

According to a recent report by gazzetta.gr, the Greens have an agreement in place with Panagiotis Kalaitzakis who played for Lietkabelis Panevezys in Lithuania during the 2021-22 campaign. 

The 23-year-old guard-forward has shown great improvement on both ends of the court over the course of the season after taking his first professional steps at Aris and then Holargos, but his decision to go in 2019 to Nevezis allowed him to get more playing time and raise his stock.

3-pointers this season

36%
9,9
Points made: 9,9
Accuracy: 36,3%
Place in standings: 5
Record max: 19
Record min: 4
Most made 3FGs: Gediminas Orelikas

The Greek international had a breakout season with Lietkabelis in the EuroCup, which came to end after his team was eliminated by Virtus Bologna before the quarter-finals.

Kalaitzakis averaged 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals in the regular season, while shooting 59% on two-point shots, 36.2% on three-point shots, and 76.6% on free throws.

Kalaitzakis is still under contract with Lietkabelis for next season, but a small exit clause is included in his agreement with the Lithuanians. According to Rokas Pakenas from 15min.lt, the Greek international is expected to get a significant rise in his salary, scaling up from 35,000 to 280,000 euros per year. 

In recent days Panathinaikos and Kalaitzakis have settled the last details and soon the agreement will take an official form. Per SDNA.gr, the Greens will pay a small price to Lietkabelis (25-30,000€) for the player's buy out.

Kalaitzakis will sign a three-year contract and will essentially be another solution in the guard-forward positions. The player had been on Panathinaikos' radar for the past months, at a time when Olympiacos Piraeus also got in the mix for his signature. "My dream was always to play for one of those big Greek teams, Panathinaikos or Olympiacos," Kalaitzakis said in an interview with BasketNews' Donatas Urbonas last April. 

Over 62 outings across all competitions in Lithuania and the EuroCup, the 23-year-old point-forward averaged 11.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 turnovers.

According to the gazzetta.gr report, the deal is expected to become official once the Greens sign a head coach. 

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

Position Player Status
PG Stefan Jovic Signed until 2022 +1
PG/SG Nemanja Nedovic Signed until 2023
PG/SG Daryl Macon Signed until 2022 +1
SF Howard Sant-Roos Signed until 2023
SF Ioannis Papapetrou Signed until 2023
SF/PF Lefteris Mantzoukas
Signed until 2025
PF Okaro White  Signed until 2022 +1
PF Nikos Chougkaz Signed until 2025
C Giorgos Papagiannis Signed until 2023
C Vassilis Kavvadas Signed until 2022 +1
Coach Giorgos Vovoras
Expired contract Giorgos Vovoras, Peyton Siva, Lefteris Bochoridis, Leonidas Kaselakis (will not return), Jeremy Evans
Rumored to leave Giorgos Vovoras (story), Stefan Jovic
Interested Dejan Radonjic (story), Paris Lee (story), Panagiotis Kalaitzakis (story)


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