There was tension, there were strong statements, and even the EuroLeague got involved. In the end, however, the Thomas Walkup saga ended exactly where it seemed it would once Dubai decided it was genuinely prepared to pay to make him their player.
Olympiacos and Walkup are parting ways after five years, with the American guard continuing his career in Dubai. Yet this particular story does not necessarily have to be viewed solely as a loss for the reigning European champions. There is another side to it. Because, quite simply, Olympiacos no longer had any reason to keep Walkup at all costs.
Walkup was a key player. There is no need for much analysis to understand that. He was one of the players whose style became synonymous with Olympiacos’ identity, a guard who valued defense, ball pressure, playmaking and toughness above the numbers. During his five years in Piraeus, he celebrated 12 trophies, reached five consecutive Final Fours and, ultimately, won the EuroLeague. Teams, however, cannot plan their future solely around what a player has given them in the past.
Olympiacos had already moved to build a very deep rotation in the backcourt. Codi Miller-McIntyre arrived to provide playmaking and ball pressure, Cory Joseph remained on the roster as an experienced option, while Tyler Dorsey, Jean Montero and Omiros Netzipoglou are also part of the equation.
That does not mean Walkup suddenly became expendable. It means Olympiacos’ need to keep him at all costs had been significantly reduced. And when you are dealing with a team that is willing to pay to acquire a player who wants to leave, the conversation changes.
Thomas Walkup will continue his career with @dubaibasket , following an agreement reached between the two clubs.
We would like to thank @twalkup23 for his contribution to Olympiacos and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.
💻 https://t.co/YeynYCFPDv… pic.twitter.com/Hom5pBF3lF
— Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) September 7, 2026
Dubai initially made a much lower offer, which Olympiacos rejected. In July, in fact, the Reds turned down a $600,000 offer, before both the demands and the proposals increased significantly. Now, the story has ended differently. Dubai is reportedly paying more than €2 million to Olympiacos to secure Walkup’s release, while the player himself is set to earn a contract worth close to $9.6 million over three years.
The essence of it is that Olympiacos did not sell a player because it did not want him. It sold a player because Dubai reached a point where the deal made sense for Olympiacos. Those are two completely different things.
Welcome to Dubai, Thomas Walkup. 🇦🇪
Elite defense, high-level playmaking and toughness on every possession. Ready to make an impact in Dubai. 🔥
Read more: https://t.co/cSOaZ73NoZ pic.twitter.com/SMZrEt35r2
— Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) September 7, 2026
Walkup left a significant mark on Piraeus, and it would be wrong to try to diminish his value simply because he is no longer on the roster. At the same time, the old saying that no one is irreplaceable applies, especially when we are talking about the European champions, who have already invested in a deep and different backcourt rotation.
At the end of the day, the conclusion of this particular saga may be much simpler than it appeared for weeks. Walkup wanted a change. Dubai wanted him badly enough to pay. Olympiacos no longer had the same sporting need to keep him and, once the price became high enough, said yes. In the end, the logical outcome was reached, for all three sides.
