By Rigas Dardali/ Dardalis@eurohoops.net
Both of them are waiting for a call, or more accurately an sms from Panagiotis Aggelopoulos. It seems that George Bartzokas will receive it, since Ilias Zouros was approached by Panionios, something that leads to the conclusion that soon enough bench of Olympiacos will be occupied by Bartzokas!
Story goes like this: Ilias Lianos, president of Panionios set Zouros and Giannis Sfairopoulos as his primary goals for to fill the emerging void of Bartzokas. As he saw that his interest in Zouros could not proceed for various reasons, he had a meeting on Tuesday (3/7) with Sfairopoulos. The economical gap between the two sides, probably would have been already settled, if a new problem regarding Tyrese Rice didn’t occur. American point guard has won his case in FAT court and now FIBA wants Panionios to immediately pay him.
The urgency of Lianos to find a new coach, shows that he has stopped counting on Bartzokas, whom he was willing to wait until the last minute.
Now everybody is waiting for the next move of Agelopoulos’ brothers. After meeting with Bartzokas on the 25th of June, they stopped talking with him, but during this week, they will make their final move.
On the same time Ilias Zouros watches patiently from Caracas, since he knows that the next good “opening” in European basketball will be his. Like it happened last season, when after the baseless decision of Romanov to fire him from Zalgiris, Efes signed him. Now it is certain that he will again find a good job, even though it will not be in Olympiacos. Zouros is still a candidate, but with small chances.
Milan Minic was also offered to Olympiacos management as an assistant, but Milan Tomic is expected to return to the bench.