ATHENS (NBA) - The Houston Rockets have stepped up their bid to prise Greece national team guard Vasileios Spanoulis away from Panathinaikos.

The 24-year-old, currently training with the national team in preparation for next month's FIBA World Championship, is mulling over a switch to the NBA.

According to reports in the Greek press the Rockets have put forward a deal worth £2.4million for Spanoulis, whose buyout clause at Panathinaikos is just 240,000 euros.

"We will see. It is most likely that I will go to Houston," he told Greek radio station Supersport FM.

Spanoulis currently earns 340,000 euros a year at Panathinaikos, while Houston are reportedly offering around 470,000 euros a year. Further talks between all parties are set to continue on Friday with an improved contract offer from Panathinaikos expected to be put in front of Spanoulis, who returns to Athens with the rest of the national team squad on Friday evening.

The loss of Spanoulis would be a bitter blow to Pana coach Zelimir Obradovic's plans for the forthcoming season. Obradovic has already seen star point guard Jaka Lakovic leave for Winterthur Barcelona.

Panathinaikos have so far signed Lithuanian internationals Robertas Javtokas and Ramunas Siskauskas, and Greek national team ace Dimosthenis Dikoudis.

Spanoulis played for Greece last summer on their gold medal winning side at the EuroBasket. He was arguably Panathinaikos' best player this season as they won the domestic title and narrowly missed out on a place at the Euroleague Final Four.

Graham Wood
PA Sport, Athens Exclusively for FIBA