Parker signs letter of engagement with French

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Parker has a ton of miles on him at 26. He's going to be broken down by 30 unless he start resting in the summers. Olympics I can understand but not every scrub tournament every summer.

If France qualifies (difficult against Italy) they play then in Eurobasket this is 2nd or third most important tournament in world. Maybe to people in US it means nothing but in Europe this is HUGE.

[DPG21920]

.......And suffered an injury which resulted in his missing a substantial portion of the regular season and the entire playoffs while being a starter/6th man in the NBA?

Not as I can recall.

Go rewatch the 2002 "World championships"

Go rewatch last summer.

He was hurt in the NBA Playoffs last year, and then played hurt in the Olympics.

[DPG21920]

Just like Parker as well

Successfull NBA career and succesfull team that relies on him?

Or go play some bull tournament.


Yeah I can see that choice.

that horse .

He is making his choice, so should you.

[Mel_13]

I've gotta agree with T-Park here. Business is business. You've got a contractual obligation to your employer. If you're going to accept millions, there needs to be some concessions on the players part. The country you're being paid in is irrelevant. Tau has every right to be upset about Splitter if he runs off to play for Brazil, just like the Spurs do with Tony.

I do think that we are naturally biased towards our own national teams however. I don't recall anyone ing when Timmy played for the US team. I think more would be cheering for Parker if he was playing for the US national team.

Agloco, I only quote your post because of the part I've bolded that always winds up in these debates. I appreciate posts like yours that try to make a point without personal attacks.

As to contractual obligations; all NBA teams and players are subject to the provisions of the CBA. Under the CBA, the owners get limits on players salaries, rookie pay scales, and other things that protect their interests. The players get guaranteed contracts and many other benefits. The CBA prohibits certain behavior and allows teams to seek remedies in the case of violations (Monta Ellis, Vladimir Radmanovic, for ex).

The CBA specifically protects the players right to play for their National Teams as long as certain insurability issues are addressed. Beyond that, the NBA actively promotes and markets the participation of its players. The NBA is an active partner in the financing, training, coaching and marketing of USA Basketball.

I have no problem with any NBA player participating for their national teams.

I also have no problem with a team doing what the Spurs with Manu last summer and withholding a contract extension to wait and see what the effects of such participation may be on a player's future contributions to the team.

If NBA owners want additional control over National Team play, they should negotiate it into the next CBA.

[Spurs Brazil]

[timvp]

If France qualifies (difficult against Italy) they play then in Eurobasket this is 2nd or third most important tournament in world. Maybe to people in US it means nothing but in Europe this is HUGE.

A tournament that consists of Finland, Portugal and Belgium is a scrub tournament ... no matter how much bounce you add to your sig.

[Brazil]

[quote=EricB;3289198]

How is it nonsense?

Its the TRUTH!

How it was rekevant in this discussion ? You were trying to explain he is not even French ??

[Phenomanul]

The obvious counter to TPark's unwarranted xenophobic remarks is that the Spurs managed to win NBA les in:

2003 after Argentina's 2nd Place Finish in the 2002 FIBA World Championship (with Ginobili's participation - even though he sprained his ankle)

and in:

2005 after Argentina's Gold Medal Finish in the Athens Olympics (with Ginobili's injury-free participation. Not to be ignored is the fact that Duncan also played ball that summer for Team USA - Duncan was actually hobbled by an ankle sprain suffered at Detroit latter that season).

The truth that people are reluctant to accept:
Ginobili was hurt in last year's playoffs and would have needed surgery regardless of whether or not he decided to participate in the Beijing Olympics (games he was actually cleared for by San Antonio's own medical staff). His Olympic mishap then was an eventuality.

Injuries are a part of sports...

Besides Parker's style of play is nowhere near as detrimental to his body as Ginobili's is to his. The argument isn't entirely reflexive.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Can somebody tell me how with the amount of talent that France has, they've never done too well? they should be fighting for championships in all the events they participate.

They don't have much talent compared to best European teams. Slovenia, Greece, Spain, Lithuania, Serbia. Even Croatia and Turkey probably have more talent also. Italy is also probably with more talent.

Compared to Spain, Greece, Serbia, Lithuania the France talent pool is laughable. NBA fans just believe they are one of best in Europe because all French players want to be in NBA.

[ajh18]

Can anyone explain why this HASN'T become a negotiating point in contracts? I would think it would add leverage on BOTH sides, depending on the player.

A player might take a slightly smaller contract to retain the ability to play international ball during the summer, or a team might have to pay more to get a player to agree to such a clause. There are already clauses banning certain risky behaviors. I'm curious as to why this hasn't happened, and your opinions.

[Agloco]

He was hurt in the NBA Playoffs last year, and then played hurt in the Olympics.

Which only amplifies my point. You can't possibly believe that playing in the olympics helped his injury right?

Manu knew full well that his actions were potentially detrimental to his ability to fulfill his obligations to the Spurs, written or not. Moral obligation fail for him.

[EricB]

He was hurt in the NBA Playoffs last year, and then played hurt in the Olympics.

Reinjured it.

REINJURED IT.


Could've sat out and got surgery and fixed it last june, but no, heaven forbid.

[kace]

How about France giving him a full month rest while they figure out whether or not their team is even halfway close to being a legitimate contender?

The Spurs gave Parker a month off this season. But considering Parker's size and the amount of hits he takes during the NBA, he needs the whole summer off to give his body a chance to survive the upcoming rigors. Parker takes as much of a pounding as anyone in the league. This year even more so than usual.

He needs a good three to four months off to get refuel, as ducks would say.

well, i guess the only thing we'll agree is that with this poor french national team, tony has to carry the load way too much. that's for sure.

but the first time i saw Tony showing his current level of leadership was with the french team last summer. he couldn't really capitalize on it because of his injury, but i really think it helped him to be the obvious leader of this team.

and you know what, let's say tony play for this pre qualification tournament and for the european championship: if the french NT fail to qualify, Tony will have plenty of rest in the next Olympics. if this team can qualify, then tony would have not been there for nothing since most of you agree that an Olympics participation worth it.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Obviously. But if France can't even get into the tournament that becomes the tournament to quality, that's a sign your team sucks and won't win it with Parker's help.

I've watched a ton of France games over the years. Their main issue is their role players are horrible around Parker. Even Diaw turns into the ultimate choker and Turiaf gets exposed. They have to learn how to win on their own before even thinking about adding Parker to the mix to try to make a serious run in any serious tournament.

They could theoretically run Parker into the ground to get in but that strategy isn't going to mean anything once the talent level is even.

No need to be so upset. If Italy send an A team then France might not even qualify.

[EricB]

The obvious counter to TPark's unwarranted xenophobic remarks is that the Spurs managed to win NBA les in:

2003 after Argentina's 2nd Place Finish in the 2002 FIBA World Championship (with Ginobili's participation - even though he sprained his ankle)

and in:

2005 after Argentina's Gold Medal Finish in the Athens Olympics (with Ginobili's injury-free participation. Not to be ignored is the fact that Duncan also played ball that summer for Team USA - Duncan was actually hobbled by an ankle sprain suffered at Detroit latter that season).

The truth that people are reluctant to accept:
Ginobili was hurt in last year's playoffs and would have needed surgery regardless of whether or not he decided to participate in the Beijing Olympics (games he was actually cleared for by San Antonio's own medical staff). His Olympic mishap then was an eventuality.

Injuries are a part of sports...

Besides Parker's style of play is nowhere near as detrimental to his body as Ginobili's is to his. The argument isn't entirely reflexive.

Yes, I'm xenophobic because I want the Spurs to be succesfull.


Right on skippy.

[Agloco]

Can anyone explain why this HASN'T become a negotiating point in contracts? I would think it would add leverage on BOTH sides, depending on the player.

A player might take a slightly smaller contract to retain the ability to play international ball during the summer, or a team might have to pay more to get a player to agree to such a clause. There are already clauses banning certain risky behaviors. I'm curious as to why this hasn't happened, and your opinions.

I believe the NBA has stated that these exclusions cannot be written into contracts. The original premise was to help entice foreign players to play here.

As more of these cases surface however, I think we will see some owners approaching the NBA about lifting that rule.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

The Argie national team isn't more talented, neither the German, Italian or Greek. IMO The U.S and Spain are the only teams with more talent on their rosters.

The best Euro countries can run 2 rosters worth of players that can beat France.

[EricB]

Which only amplifies my point. You can't possibly believe that playing in the olympics helped his injury right?

Manu knew full well that his actions were potentially detrimental to his ability to fulfill his obligations to the Spurs, written or not. Moral obligation fail for him.

Winner winner chicken dinner.

[DPG21920]

Reinjured it.

REINJURED IT.


Could've sat out and got surgery and fixed it last june, but no, heaven forbid.

Bull . How come you do not get mad at the Spurs for playing Manu when he was knowingly and visibly injured? How come only NT basketball gets your wrath?

Don't be a hypocrite. Criticize the Spurs as well for injuring Ginobili. Also, should players be allowed to train in the offseason? Should they be allowed to play, intense and compe ive pick up games with other pros to keep in shape and work on their game?

[kace]

I don't know maybe our French friends can give us their opinion.

no talent when most of the NBA players aren't there (that was the case last summer)
no gameplan
no winner outside Tony.
too much to overcome.

but the staff has changed, the best french NBA players could be there next summer. Noah could give some heart to this team. there's still hope for us. but none if tony doesn't play.

oh, and the Argentine NT has a lot more of talent than the french one. More talent and more heart.

[Bukefal]

Nice, I really want to see them at eurobasket in poland. But italy will be hard though.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

the french NT is certainly not good enough to win the Olympics and probably not the European tournament. does it mean that we don't even need to try to get qualified and participate ? i don't think so.


if all the NBA stars should only play when their teams has a chance to win it all, or at least to get far in the PO, half of them would never be seen on the court.

Do not worry about what they say. American NBA fans are very hateful and disrespectful against European game. This championship is just as important or more to Europeans as NBA is to Americans but they will argue and argue and say it is not. They only see world through America only.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Bad choice of words. I should have stated "moral" obligation, but the word might lead most to be highly cynical about it. Yes, employees have moral obligations just the same as employers do. These need not be explicitly stated.

Take money from someone, agree to keep yourself healthy and not run up the mileage on your body. It's just the right thing to do. Like timvp said, the Olympics is cool, but every scrub tournament is excessive.

Euro tournament is overall very close to level of Olympics. Many teams in Eurobasket are much better than many teams in Olympics. FACT

[Brazil]

The best Euro countries can run 2 rosters worth of players that can beat France.

In terms of talent you are dead wrong, what roster could put the equivalent of TP Diaw Turiaff Batum Pietrus Noah Ian Petro Ajinca just to name the NBA players ?? not a load may be two or three max

[lefty]

The Argie national team isn't more talented, neither the German, Italian or Greek. IMO The U.S and Spain are the only teams with more talent on their rosters.

TP and Diaw are talented; the other frenchies are impressive athletes, but they are not great talents

Argie has a higher BB IQ

Another problem with the French national team: they've had the same coach for a loooong time