NBA Rumors: Cedi Osman Wasn’t Offered Lakers Contract Before Signing Deal In Europe | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats & Rumors

Rumors that the Los Angeles Lakers have extended an invitation to NBA veteran Cedi Osman, a seven-year NBA player who signed a one-year contract with reigning EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos on Saturday, to attend training camp are reportedly unfounded, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“Reports have been circulating in Europe that Turkish swingman Cedi Osman turned down an invitation to a Lakers training camp before signing with Panathinaikos in Greece. However, sources familiar with the situation told The Stein Line that L.A. has made no such offer, despite the fact that LeBron James has had a soft spot for Osman since their days as teammates on the Cavaliers.

“The Lakers have 15 guaranteed contracts and are less than $50,000 away from crossing into the second-tier luxury tax zone, so there would be no reasonable path to adding Osman to the team even if he had shown up to camp and played well. Sources say the 29-year-old, who played in San Antonio last season, signed a one-year deal with Panathinaikos in hopes of playing his way back to the NBA next season.”

Osman, 29, has played seven seasons in the NBA. He began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 before the team traded him to the Spurs in a three-team trade that also included the Miami Heat.

Last year, Osman averaged 6.8 points on 47.9 percent shooting (38.9 percent from three) in 17.6 minutes per game. He played in 72 games and started three.

Osman became a free agent after the season and eventually signed a one-year contract with the Greek professional club. Interestingly, the club also signed former NBA winger Evan Fournier to a two-year contract this offseason.

Osman is not a Laker, but as Stein noted, it seems like he hopes to return to the league in the future. Osman is a good shooter who should have plenty of potential if he is available to NBA teams again next offseason. If the Lakers are interested, that could be a possibility in the future.

For now, however, LA is scheduled to play in 2024-25 as the team prepares for its Oct. 22 season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves and hopes to rebound from last year’s first-round playoff exit.