Andrea Trinchieri is knocking on the door of the star player leaving Olimpia
The ambitious PAOK Thessaloniki, which will be coached by Andrea Trinchieri next season, has also reportedly made a move for Shavon Shields: despite competing in the EuroCup rather than the EuroLeague, the Greek club is said to have presented a financially substantial offer that is tempting the player, who is set to leave Olimpia Milano. Anadolu Efes and Barcelona remain in the running as well, having already made their own proposals, and in the background there is also another Turkish club, Fenerbahçe, grappling with the situation involving Tarik Biberović, who is being courted by the NBA.
However, PAOK isn’t the only club keeping a close eye on the Greek market: Aris Thessaloniki had also already submitted its own offer for Shields, further proof of just how highly the player is regarded as one of the most sought-after prospects on the European market. Shields himself, when asked during the media day organized by Olimpia to celebrate their recent Italian championship triumph, preferred not to commit: “I love being here in Milan. I’ve been here for a long time, and my family loves this city. But time will tell,” said the 32-year-old, who has worn the red-and-white jersey since 2020, the year he arrived from Baskonia.
The season-long performance of the American with a Danish passport makes his potential departure even harder for Olimpia to swallow. Shields was named to the Unipol 2026 LBA Playoffs Dream Team, an honor recognizing the five most outstanding players of the postseason: he averaged 13.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and an average efficiency rating of 14.5 in 24.6 minutes per game—statistics that played a decisive role in winning the league championship, Olimpia’s third title of the season following the Super Cup and the Italian Cup, marking the club’s first treble in its history.
His potential departure comes amid an already complex transfer market situation for general manager Daniele Baiesi. Olimpia must contend with a particularly long list of players whose contracts are expiring, including names such as Zach LeDay and other roster members. Among the losses already confirmed is that of Armoni Brooks, MVP of both the regular season and the Finals, who has chosen to accept a two-year offer totaling approximately 4.6 million euros from Asvel Villeurbanne. The club must therefore take decisive action in the transfer market to build a competitive team ahead of the 2026–2027 season, with the goal of maintaining its position at the top of the Italian league and returning to a leading role in the EuroLeague, aiming for the playoffs that have eluded the team since the 2021–2022 season.
