By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Since the 18th of August, when the name of Guo Ailun was linked to Panathinaikos for the first time, there was a strange silence from both the player and the Greek team, with the only clue for the deal being the positive reaction to the news of daily sports newspaper “Prasini”, owned by the same boss with the Greens, Dimitris Giannakopoulos.
According to sources close to the team, however, the deal is already done. To be exact, there is an understanding between Panathinaikos and Ailun himself with the Greeks trying all this time to secure the blessings of his Chinese team, Liaoning, and CBA, the Chinese basketball federation. The brass of Panathinaikos believes that the process is near its end and soon there will be official announcements.
What seems to trouble more the Greens is their need to add an American in their front line. One of their rumored targets – and also of Barcelona’s – D’ Or Fisher, decided to continue his career at Ukraine with BC Donetsk. Panathinaikos is searching in the NBA market in order to fill the void in its roster and offered a contract to Lou Amundson, but there is a financial gap between the two sides that cannot be bridged easily. The team from Athens will wait for Amundson, hoping that he will take its offer, and in the meanwhile will examine other options from the other side of the Atlantic.