PAOK leave Metsovo for Udine: An early-season test for the Calathes – Osman duo

As PAOK's bus rolled away from Metsovo at dawn, I thought of my days sitting in the broadcast cabin calling athletics meets. The moment a runner steps onto the track, before the gun, before the start, the whole stadium holds its breath. PAOK is living in that quiet space – between pre-season phases, with an incomplete roster, and a long flight to Venice then up to Udine, where they will face the hosts in a tournament named after Piera Paglieta. Coach Andrea Trinchieri will have ten days in Italy. That is a small number when compared to the workload at hand: reconnecting with a 36-year-old Nick Calathes, building a bond between that veteran and Cedi Osman, and compensating for the absence of Bryn Tyree – the only player unable to travel due to recent arthroscopy. Trinchieri might see this as a first stumble in his preparation plan, but if I have learned anything from twenty years behind a microphone, it is this: the first stumble doesn't make me fall; it teaches me how to get up right on the running path. For PAOK, this Italian trip is exactly that test track for a roster full of question marks. Pre-season for PAOK is not just a series of friendlies. They are preparing for the EuroCup – a competition where they aim to go deep. After their training camp in Metsovo, the next stop is Udine. According to the schedule, PAOK will leave on Friday morning, September 4, flying to Venice before traveling by road to Udine. The tournament there is held in memory of Piera Paglieta, with a simple format: on Saturday, September 5 at 21:30 local time, PAOK will face hosts Udine; then on Sunday, September 6, they will play a small or big final depending on results, against either Reggio Emilia or Napoli. Right after, on Monday, September 7, the team moves to Milan, trains there all week, and then plays Armani Milan at 19:00 on September 12. The most notable aspect lies in the available roster. Nick Calathes – the veteran American-Greek point guard – and Cedi Osman, the Turkish player with NBA experience, are both ready. EuroCup, the league's official site, did not hesitate to call them a duo worth watching for PAOK's new season, and watching their style, I understand why. Calathes remains one of the smartest playmakers in Europe. He reads the game like a conductor reads a score – without looking up, he knows where his teammates are. Cedi Osman, with his 2.01m height and agile movement, is a versatile wing who can stretch opposing defenses. The combination of Calathes' playmaking and Osman's multifaceted offense creates an attacking layer that any defense must respect. In a friendly, when opponents are not fully prepared, this duo can shine in a few short minutes – but the long-term question is whether they can sustain a high level through a dense EuroCup season. I have had the chance to watch many teams prepare for big seasons; based on my experience following games, this period often produces misleading signals. Some teams win every friendly but play poorly when the season starts; others lose often but find a winning formula. I am less interested in the scorelines in Udine or Milan than in how PAOK handles two core questions. First, who will fill the gap left by Bryn Tyree? Tyree is a ball-handling guard with the ability to create off the dribble and score when needed. His absence in pre-season games means Trinchieri will have to rotate other options – perhaps extending Calathes' minutes or giving young players a chance. Second, can PAOK's defensive system hold up against physically imposing teams like Udine or Armani Milan? This is the time for the Italian coach to experiment with different lineups, even if it means accepting the risk of defeat. A contrarian view might be: Tyree's early absence during the preparation phase could be a blessing in disguise. It forces the coaching staff to make decisions earlier about each player's role, rather than relying on a key contributor who might get injured mid-season. Trinchieri has long been known as a coach who values flexibility – he is not afraid to change starting lineups and create a fiercely competitive internal environment. The empty-stands season taught me that silence is often the loudest coach: without crowd noise, you only hear the squeak of shoes on the floor, heavy breathing, and the coach's instructions. PAOK will not bring home any trophy from this tour. But they can bring something more valuable – understanding between Calathes and Osman, confidence for the bench players, and a clear picture of what needs improvement. Looking at the EuroCup schedule, I realize PAOK needs a strong start to build momentum. The match against Armani Milan on September 12 will be the final test before the regular season begins. Milan is a strong team, with deep roster and EuroLeague experience. But a friendly is a friendly – and here, what I want to see is how Calathes controls the pace, how Osman moves off the ball, and how Trinchieri reacts when things do not go as planned. A good host is not someone who has all the answers, but someone who knows where the story is going. With PAOK, where is the story heading? If the Calathes-Osman duo truly clicks, if the defense holds up against Italian opponents, if bench players seize their opportunities – then PAOK will enter the EuroCup as a team to be reckoned with. But if these question marks remain, then these ten days in Italy are precious time to find answers before it's too late. I look at the schedule and wonder: after this trip, will PAOK find their team voice, or will they still be lost in the noise of ambition versus reality?