Splitter's update

[JPB]

Euroleague (4 games)
16.8 pts (78.1 %) / 3.8 rbds / 1.8 ass / 1.5 to / 1.3 bl in 21:31 min.

spanish league (6 games)
11,5 pts (53 %) / 4.8 rbds / 1.4 ass / 1.5 to / 1.6 bl in 17:45 min (but 2 DNP made his PT decrease. It's more like 23-24 min).

Relatively good numbers considering his PT. I think he was injured because he got 2 DNP at the beginning of the spanish league and missed 2 other games.

78.1 % shooting in euroleague is obviously impressive. (6/7; 1/1; 3/5 and 7/8).

One quote from a 11-29-08 interview on http://www.baskonia.com :

-¿Por qué decidiste quedarte en el baskonia y no ir a la NBA?

-Fue una decisión difícil. Creo que será lo mejor para mi futuro e ir a la NBA es algo que siempre soñé pero que siempre tendré tiempo.

[benefactor]

Google translation of the Splitter question:

-Why did you decide to stay in the Baskonia and not go to the NBA?

-It was a difficult decision. I think it will be the best for my future and go to the NBA is always something that I dreamed but I will always have time.

I'm not gonna hold my breath....

[TDMVPDPOY]

bs....money played a big role

[m33p0]

:flipoff

[JPB]

bs....money played a big role

I think that it's basically what he means by "it will be the best for my future".

[Bruno]

Fuck him.
With all the BS he said, he screw Spurs and they wasted a first round pick.
I hope for him that he will enjoy his millions while playing in a scrub league.

[Tully365]

He did the same thing Corey Maggette did, same thing Stephen Jackson did, same thing lots of guys have done... the same thing that the vast majority of spurstalk members would probably do in the same situation-- he took the much more lucrative offer. I did that once too in my life. I left a really nice job for another one that paid more. I stayed at the new job a year & made more money, but the environment sucked, so I went back to the original & better place. I can't really fault Splitter for anything he has done. There's still a chance he'll wear a Spur uniform someday.

[tp2021]

There's still a chance he'll wear a Spur uniform someday.

The chances of it being with Tim is decreasing all the time. :depressed

[TheProfessor]

Fuck him.
With all the BS he said, he screw Spurs and they wasted a first round pick.
I hope for him that he will enjoy his millions while playing in a scrub league.
Sucks that he went back on his word, but I'm not going to blame the guy. He did what's best for him. You can't hold him to an unreasonable standard with the money that's involved.

[tp2021]

Didn't he do it because his sister was sick? What's the update on her?

[Obstructed_View]

Blame the NBA rookie salary rules, not him. The difference in money was WAY too much to pass up. I love the Spurs more than Splitter ever will, and I'd have done what he did.

[silk]

It sucks not getting tiago, once more spurs f.o selected the quasi- perfect player , skill -wise, to blend in...


But even Pop acknowledged Splitter would have to be a fool not taking the money from his spain team

[Allanon]

Blame the NBA rookie salary rules, not him. The difference in money was WAY too much to pass up. I love the Spurs more than Splitter ever will, and I'd have done what he did.

Agreed on the rookie salary rules....it just doesn't work with Euro star players because they'd have to pass up on millions and guaranteed playing time to come and play hard for peanuts (relatively).

My guess is that Guys like Splitter will change the way the NBA rookie salaries work and the buyout maximums.

We don't know what the buyout clause in Splitter's contract is but if it's > $500,000 the Spurs can't buy him out so he might not be in a Spurs uniform until his 2 years with Tau are up.

[Spurs Brazil]

I got so mad at Splitter that I didn't even know his stats there befire read this thread

[exstatic]

Call me when he signs. Other than that, IDGAF about him.

[BOHOLANO#21]

i still think popovich and the FO still reserved a spot for splitter to join in a couple of years.

[024]

i can still see him coming over. after all, ginobili, oberto, and scola all initially took a paycut after earning some solid money to come play in the nba. just don't trade away his rights for nothing and strengthen a division rival.

[T Park]

When you back out on a verbal agreement and said team was dependi g on you. Your scum and your word is worthless.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonathan-Givony/

the super productive Yiannis Bouroussis (who by the way is averaging an ungodly 25.5 points and 17 rebounds per game on 59% shooting per-40 minutes, and is an NBA player all day long like we’ve been screaming from the hills about for years now).

Like i say Spurs need forget about Splitter and get Bourousis.

[mystargtr34]

Tiago Splitter per 40 minutes

32.7 PPG
78% FG
7.6 RPG
3.4 APG
2.5 BPG

[mystargtr34]

oops

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Tiago Splitter per 40 minutes

32.7 PPG
78% FG
7.6 RPG
3.4 APG
2.5 BPG

Unjesusly 32.7 PPG on 78%

7.6 rebounds is better than 17?:rollin:rollin:rollin:rollin:rollin:rollin

Oh but I see Splitter get 7 more points because he plays in team average 20 more possession a game he is "better":blah

[sonic21]

no need to always write the exact same posts in the 2 threads.

[mystargtr34]

78% > 58%
32.7 PPG > 25 PPG
3.4 APG > 1 APG
2.5 BPG > 0.4 BPG

Loren Woods 3rd best player in Euroleague

[benefactor]

no need to always write the exact same posts in the 2 threads.
Indeed. It's not like we need more than one thread talking about Burstis and Spitter anyway.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

78% > 58%
32.7 PPG > 25 PPG
3.4 APG > 1 APG
2.5 BPG > 0.4 BPG

Loren Woods 3rd best player in Euroleague

Loren Woods team have not won any games all year.

You are motherfuking moron and motherfucking piece of shit. If you cannot figure out team Woods play on has won not any games all year and you still believe he is good player. He is even say by some to be worst American player in all of Euroleague you stupid fool.

Of course Splitter is a very good player but you think Woods is? You must have been drop on head when you was little.

[Ice009]

I got so mad at Splitter that I didn't even know his stats there befire read this thread

Hey Spurs Brazil.

What do the Brazilian fans think of Splitter not coming to the NBA?

There was a Tau game on ESPN international here in Australia recently and I couldn't bring myself to watch even a minute of it since I was mad at Splitter for not coming over.

I shouldn't really be blaming him for not coming over. He did what he thought was best. Most people would do the same thing. I don't know if I would, but I've never really been in that situation so I can't comment on it.

[Manufan909]

Hey Spurs Brazil.

What do the Brazilian fans think of Splitter not coming to the NBA?

There was a Tau game on ESPN international here in Australia recently and I couldn't bring myself to watch even a minute of it since I was mad at Splitter for not coming over.

I shouldn't really be blaming him for not coming over. He did what he thought was best. Most people would do the same thing. I don't know if I would, but I've never really been in that situation so I can't comment on it.

+ 1

If T park was put in the exact same situation, then he would become his definition of scum.

[Obstructed_View]

Tpark's full of shit anyway; Splitter never gave his word that he was coming to the Spurs.

[polandprzem]

Tpark's full of shit anyway; Splitter never gave his word that he was coming to the Spurs.

wtf?

In the press conference he said that he can't wait till the end of Euro season to be in the NBA.
If that's not giving a word I don't know what is.

[JPB]

That was before (and probably why) he was proposed a big contract by Tau.

[mountainballer]

like so many facts some Spurs fans ignore when bashing Splitter, they also ignore the facts about his history.
hey, Tau brought him to Spain when he was 15! they did absolutely everything possible for his development. after 8 years this team and the city of Vitoria have become his 2nd home.
Spurs fans hate Tau, but fact is that Tau is pretty much to same kind of organisation with the same kind of style, like the Spurs are. as a small market team they also had to be.
you think it's all about the money? it's also about loyalty. yes, that thing so many think is something only a player who commits himself to the Spurs can be credited for.

btw. show me where Splitter "promised" ("gave his word" etc) to join the Spurs as so many here claim? all I know (and I read dozens of interviews, even saw some on TV) is that he always said this typical "diplomatic" answers, like that he would love to play in the NBA and for the Spurs one day, etc.

we should see it as it is. Splitter would have never ever slipped to the end of 1st round, if there wouldn't have been so many questions when (if ever) he will come to the NBA. Spurs took the risk and lost. I'm as unhappy about it as any fan, but we should forget about Tiago. sometimes things go wrong, live with it.
the best thing for us could be, that ´we get something out of his rights. best chance could be Miami. they could also gamble on him, considering their time will come in 2 years from now (I'm pretty sure Wade will re sign and Boozer will join them 2009). maybe till then the CBA will have reacted to the rookie scale situation and allows to pay more money for international players like Tiago. or Tiago agrees to play for them, just because Miami is a huge market compared to SA and because south Florida has the largest community of Brazilian people in the states. just a guess.

(my pipe dream would be that Spurs can talk the Heat into a salary dump trade for Haslem. if the want to sign Boozer 2009, they need to clear some cap space, to be able to offer Boozer a max contract. as usualy, Spurs can't offer much, but a package including the Splitter rights will look better than one without.)

[Obstructed_View]

wtf?

In the press conference he said that he can't wait till the end of Euro season to be in the NBA.
If that's not giving a word I don't know what is.

Then you don't know what "giving your word" is. According to the above, all he said was he can't wait to come to the NBA. Show me where he said "I promise I'll come to the Spurs next year no matter what, even if it means taking a lot less money to do so". So far nobody has done anything other than act like he's a deceiver of the highest order for simply taking more money (a fucking boatload more) to stay where he was. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if if Pop didn't actually tell him he'd be a fool not to take the bigger contract.

[AnotherArgie]

Agreed on the rookie salary rules....it just doesn't work with Euro star players because they'd have to pass up on millions and guaranteed playing time to come and play hard for peanuts (relatively).

My guess is that Guys like Splitter will change the way the NBA rookie salaries work and the buyout maximums.

We don't know what the buyout clause in Splitter's contract is but if it's > $500,000 the Spurs can't buy him out so he might not be in a Spurs uniform until his 2 years with Tau are up.

I guess it's up to the player. Put Nocioni as an example, who had a 2 million euros buyout clause. He signed a 3-year deal with Chicago, for around 9 million, 2.5 the first year. He paid the buyout with his own money, so he virtually played his first year in Chicago for free. And he was undrafted, unproven, slightly small for a SF and plays in a position loaded with talent in the NBA. He had faith in himself, and wanted to play with the best.

Now, Splitter is almost 7 feet, with a talent unusual for his size, in a time when centers in the NBA are lacking. He had a chance to play, learn and improve next to Duncan, as a sure starter. He was destined to be a starting center in the NBA. To me, is a no brainer he could get loaded contracts in the future, specially considering his age.

So, it looks like either Splitter really-really needed the money right now, in expense of improving his game, or this kid doesn't have faith in himself, and believes he's not NBA material.

[polandprzem]

Then you don't know what "giving your word" is. According to the above, all he said was he can't wait to come to the NBA. Show me where he said "I promise I'll come to the Spurs next year no matter what, even if it means taking a lot less money to do so". So far nobody has done anything other than act like he's a deceiver of the highest order for simply taking more money (a fucking boatload more) to stay where he was. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if if Pop didn't actually tell him he'd be a fool not to take the bigger contract.

Yes because every player gives sucha promise :rolleyes

Boozer is a prime example

[Slydragon]

OK dumb question, why do Euro players make themselves available for the draft knowing they may not come. Is it to scare the team they are with into giving them more cash?

Or is it the teams fault for picking them and then not bringing them over that year?

[polandprzem]

OK dumb question, why do Euro players make themselves available for the draft knowing they may not come. Is it to scare the team they are with into giving them more cash?

Or is it the teams fault for picking them and then not bringing them over that year?

It's a play of oppurtunieties.
Everybody care about their business, something better on the table? Ok I take it, sorry spurs

[AnotherArgie]

I think all players are automatically eligible for the draft at the age of 22.

[JPB]

I think all players are automatically eligible for the draft at the age of 22.

You think well

[JPB]

He had a chance to play, learn and improve next to Duncan, as a sure starter.

Sure starter ? With Pop ?

[AnotherArgie]

Sure starter ? With Pop ?

I shouldn't have put the word "sure" for sure. :)

I meant that the center position is not very competitive in the Spurs roster. And the possibilities for Splitter to eventually become the starting center were very high. Don't you agree with that?

[JPB]

I don't know. Not at the begining of the season anyway.

This was a special first month and with the rebounding problem maybe Pop would have tried even if Tiago's not a pure rebounder.

I also remember Splitter worrying about Pop's reluctance to play rookie a lot.

[urunobili]

now if only RC would send him an email about his rebounding... :stirpot:

[mrspurs]

bs....money played a big role

Agreed. I can read spanish as well.

[mrspurs]

Fuck him.
With all the BS he said, he screw Spurs and they wasted a first round pick.
I hope for him that he will enjoy his millions while playing in a scrub league.

Since I dont cuss, not ever. Ill have to agree 100% with Bruno. And Ill add this is what I said when Manu decided to play hurt after told not to by his Coach Pop. There is no room for any other team but the spurs for me. Once they play for someone else. I hateum.

[mrspurs]

i still think popovich and the FO still reserved a spot for splitter to join in a couple of years.

As of late they have been making bonehead moves with signing and trading Bigs. So it wouldnt surprise me. For whatever reason, the Spurs FO and there love for overseas players is not the way of the world anymore. It worked well while it lasted. And who knows maybe, just maybe there is one more year left. And I dont think this one is it.

[mrspurs]

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonathan-Givony/

the super productive Yiannis Bouroussis (who by the way is averaging an ungodly 25.5 points and 17 rebounds per game on 59% shooting per-40 minutes, and is an NBA player all day long like we’ve been screaming from the hills about for years now).

Like i say Spurs need forget about Splitter and get Bourousis.

Like I said. Your boy is playing in a disney world league. He wouldnt last in the real world. American Basketball is the best all over the world. The Spurs drained the rest of the world of its best. Now the rest of America does the same. And wheres your boy? Still in disney world. If he was good, he would already be here playing in land of red white and blue.

[temujin]

Like I said. Your boy is playing in a disney world league. He wouldnt last in the real world. American Basketball is the best all over the world. The Spurs drained the rest of the world of its best. Now the rest of America does the same. And wheres your boy? Still in disney world. If he was good, he would already be here playing in land of red white and blue.


One of the top five european basketball players ever, never played in the NBA.

He wouldn't play in a country that bombed his own country.

Another of the top five did bother playing a few games, but couldnt' outlast the boredom of the endless, irrelevant, meaningless regular seasons "games". On top, he was picked by a looser, and he simply wouldn't play for less than a serious contender.
No money in the world could have bought him back.

[Fingaroll44]

He did the same thing Corey Maggette did, same thing Stephen Jackson did, same thing lots of guys have done... the same thing that the vast majority of spurstalk members would probably do in the same situation-- he took the much more lucrative offer. I did that once too in my life. I left a really nice job for another one that paid more. I stayed at the new job a year & made more money, but the environment sucked, so I went back to the original & better place. I can't really fault Splitter for anything he has done. There's still a chance he'll wear a Spur uniform someday.

yea but the time to win w/ the best power forward to ever play the game is NOW...not in four years when Tim is over the hill.

[Spurs Brazil]

Hey Spurs Brazil.

What do the Brazilian fans think of Splitter not coming to the NBA?

There was a Tau game on ESPN international here in Australia recently and I couldn't bring myself to watch even a minute of it since I was mad at Splitter for not coming over.

I shouldn't really be blaming him for not coming over. He did what he thought was best. Most people would do the same thing. I don't know if I would, but I've never really been in that situation so I can't comment on it.

People here doesn't know the whole thing so they think it was a smart decision to take 2 years and a good contract in Europe before go the the NBA. He's still young and they say he'll arrive in NBA a little younger than Scola.

But I think he wasn't far with Pop and R.C. When he was draft he said he had no doubt he'd come to San Antonio in 08. He knew about the rookie scale and even with that he said he would come. I don't know if the Spurs would draft him if he said he was undecided

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

OK dumb question, why do Euro players make themselves available for the draft knowing they may not come. Is it to scare the team they are with into giving them more cash?

Or is it the teams fault for picking them and then not bringing them over that year?

They have no choice. NBA drafts them without them have any say in it.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Like I said. Your boy is playing in a disney world league. He wouldnt last in the real world. American Basketball is the best all over the world. The Spurs drained the rest of the world of its best. Now the rest of America does the same. And wheres your boy? Still in disney world. If he was good, he would already be here playing in land of red white and blue.

You fucking idiot and American imperialist fascist. Spurs players that played in Europe never had numbers close to that.

[Soul_Patch]

Can we get more of that sig pls...it makes me very happy.

[mudyez]

They have no choice. NBA drafts them without them have any say in it.

as far as I know, they have to make themselfes available (declare) for the draft

...just not sure, why exactely they do s%&$ like that...its not like the spurs are a bad place to come over as a big (championshipcontender with a good chance of starting)...I think after all its about the money and the thing with "scaring their own team to give them more of it" isnt that far taken away

[objective]

international players who turn 22 are automatically eligible for the NBA draft, they don't have to declare or sign a document or anything, they're draft eligible no matter what.

That's what happened with Splitter.

He had declared early and pulled out several times before, but once the age of 22 comes then it's automatic.

[Obstructed_View]

Yes because every player gives sucha promise :rolleyes

Boozer is a prime example

"Give your word" = promise

"Go back on your word" = break a promise

Splitter never promised or gave his word about anything, he simply said he was looking forward to playing in the NBA. He may still be looking forward to playing in the NBA. Again, find a quote where he promised something and I'll join you in condemning him. Until then, you're just spinning your wheels.

Boozer is a prime example of a guy that gave the Cavs what they deserved for violating league policy to deal with him under the table. Boozer could not have agreed to sign a contract with the Cavs as a condition of letting him out of his option. See Joe Smith and the Timberwolves. Having an "understanding" is not the same as giving your word, either.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

as far as I know, they have to make themselfes available (declare) for the draft

...just not sure, why exactely they do s%&$ like that...its not like the spurs are a bad place to come over as a big (championshipcontender with a good chance of starting)...I think after all its about the money and the thing with "scaring their own team to give them more of it" isnt that far taken away

No. Foreign players have no say in it. NBA teams draft them without consent when they are at that age.

[arodz]

To Mr. Splitter:

:flipoff

[wisnub]

Fuck him.
With all the BS he said, he screw Spurs and they wasted a first round pick.
I hope for him that he will enjoy his millions while playing in a scrub league.

Agree..fuck him...a potential drama queen...Spurs should never trade his rights and just let it be...so he will never ever play in NBA

[mystargtr34]

:lmao at everyone having a go at Splitter. You would all play for $800K instead of $3 million with all your expenses paid, aswell as staying at home with family.

Relax, the dude just turned 23, he'll come over after 2010 and win ROY.

[wisnub]

"Give your word" = promise

"Go back on your word" = break a promise

Splitter never promised or gave his word about anything, he simply said he was looking forward to playing in the NBA. He may still be looking forward to playing in the NBA. Again, find a quote where he promised something and I'll join you in condemning him. Until then, you're just spinning your wheels.

Boozer is a prime example of a guy that gave the Cavs what they deserved for violating league policy to deal with him under the table. Boozer could not have agreed to sign a contract with the Cavs as a condition of letting him out of his option. See Joe Smith and the Timberwolves. Having an "understanding" is not the same as giving your word, either.


He supposed to be lottery pick material,but he did back out from draft two times...many teams reluctant to pick him and that is partially the reason he is still available (the other was a deep draft) at Spurs turn to pick a player. He did visit San Antonio once,meet with management and if not mistaken said looking forward to play along Duncan ( i forgot the link,but i guess someone in this forum might have it). At that time, people talked about his possible jersey number (because 21 already belong to Duncan,many predict that he choose no 25). Anyway its good that hoping he will someday play in NBA, but i'm afraid that will be the time when Duncan is looking to hang his jersey. I hope that day will never come...all the "supposed to be big time players" which projected to Spurs and none of them sign (up until Magette talk). Good thing we got George Hill, I guess we got another unpredicted steal in the draft.

[Manufan909]

I can't remember exactly but IIRC, someone suggested the Spurs could sign Splitter to the rookie salary, then give him a very generous deal afterwards. I wonder if he thought of that? I know the Spurs couldn't explicitly say that, but it couldv'e been implied. Maybe he wasn't confident enough, maybe he didn't believe he could earn that money. All that extra dough to stay was a really nice way out. Fucking Tau.

[tp2021]

KBP, the 3rd and last are my favorites.

[mystargtr34]

18 Points
10 Boards
2 Assists
2 Blocks
7/8 FG
25 Min

Best player in Europe :hat

[Ice009]

Thanks for posting this. I don't like reading this because I'd rather he be on the Spurs.

I don't get why he didn't come over. Was it strictly about money????

[mystargtr34]

Yea the rookie scale limits the salary first round picks can recieve in their first 4 years. If he came over he would have stood to lose something like $15 million - so its hard to be mad at him.

He has always said its his dream to play in the NBA, plus hes still only 23.

[bigfan]

As long as we hang on to his NBA rights Im ok with it for now, though I am disappointed. Maybe we can get him in a couple of years, have to remember Manu played over there for quite some time.

[Obstructed_View]

If the Spurs are working to get the rookie pay scale rules fixed before they have another shot at Splitter, they certainly aren't going the public route to do it. Seems like they'd be a little more aggressive about that.

[Big P]

As long as we hang on to his NBA rights Im ok with it for now, though I am disappointed. Maybe we can get him in a couple of years, have to remember Manu played over there for quite some time.

Bingo! Hold onto his rights. Lets hope we don't pull another Scola.

[mystargtr34]

Bingo! Hold onto his rights. Lets hope we don't pull another Scola.

Thats the one positive about Scola's breakout as a quality NBA starter, hopefully the Spurs dont make the same mistake.