...the race to sign [Kakiouzis] has already started...
He arrived in Siena one year ago, changing the destiny of Montepaschi (the Italian Euroleague team), a team that reached the qualification to top-16 after an unusual game (112-49 against Buducnost Podgorica), and they had to win with an enormous margin to advance to the 2nd round. Kakiouzis became easily a key player for the team at that time coached by Ergin Ataman, and without doubts together with his former team mate Vrbica Stefanov he carried the Montepaschi to an unexpected trip to the Final Four.
During the summer Montepaschi Siena made a complete restyle, renouncing Ergin Ataman, Mirsad Yehovic-Turkcan and Alphonso Ford, signing Giacomo Galanda, David Andersen, David Vanterpool and Marvin Thornton and the coach of the Italian NT Carlo Recalcati--who decided to use Kakiouzis exclusively in the power forward position (first mistake), preferring players like Andersen and Galanda to the former “AEKer.” Kakiouzis has now become the 8th player of Montepaschi, and his future is in question.
His contract will expire in June, 2005, but it is clear Mihalis (who got married last year) wants to leave Tuscany.
And the race to sign him has already started: Panathinaikos, which wants to return to its natural role in the European basketball after the Olympic Games, when the Greens will finally leave the unreal Sporting Arena, has Kakiouzis in the sight. AEK probably dreams the romantic return of one of the best players ever who have dressed the Byzantine colours, but Mihalis is too expensive for the Yellow-Blacks. Aris Thessaloniki in the past, when Kakiouzis left AEK last year, last summer was watching at him with interested eyes, but the player decided to remain in Siena.
Now Montepaschi has already reached the top-16 of the Euroleague and there are new clamorous rumours about Kakiouzis: a trade, something unusual in Europe, between Siena and the Piraeus Olympiakos. Olympiakos would sign Kakiouzis sending back to Siena the disappointing Boris Gorenc, who has already played in Tuscany, winning with Montepaschi the Saporta Cup 2002.
Fans of Siena would have back someone who’s still an idle there, while Kakiouzis would be free to play his natural position (small forward) at home, in Greece. Olympiakos would have a true small forward in the roster who can help in rebounding while loosing a player who doesn’t like his team (and who is not liked by his team-mates). Montepaschi would free a player who doesn’t want anymore to remain in the club, signing someone who’s only waiting to come back. Stay tuned, if that will happen, you won’t wait a long time!
