Reconsidering Tiago Splitter . . .

[timvp]

Tiago Splitter re-entering the picture for this upcoming season is being talked about in a bunch of different threads. While I think it's still a long shot that he joins the Spurs this summer, there a few things to note:

-A couple of posters have reported hearing a call on local sports radio where the caller said that Splitter is coming. Obviously sports radio caller is about the lowest form of source available, but I guess it's worth something.

-There has been some talk on the internet about Splitter possibly getting paid late by Tau. It has also been stated that Tau may be losing a main sponsor.

-When Splitter didn't come last summer, he talked about not wanting to ride the bench in the NBA and said he didn't see where he'd get minutes. With the bigman positions gutted, Splitter now has a wide open opportunity.

-When he re-signed with Tau, he talked about his sick sister being a big reason why he chose to stay. His sister unfortunately has since passed away. RIP.

-The Spurs management spent some time in Spain during the offseason. A meeting with Splitter could have very well taken place.

-RC in his post-RJ trade interview said that that a couple of the prospects in Europe could be coming over soon. James Gist is one player. Could Splitter be another?

-When RC was asked whether the Spurs will target bigmen in the draft and free agency, he oddly talked as if the bigman position isn't a glaring need.

Bruno also had this to say:


Tau is in full rebuilding mode.
They have lost their starting, PG, SG and SF (Prigioni, Rakocevic and Pete Mickael). Teletovic (their best big aside Splitter) is also rumored to be on his way out.
They are building a team for the future with young players. If Splitter is set to leave the team in 2010, it makes few sense for Tau to keep him and his big salary in 09-10.

I'm a little looking at Tau forums and Spanish articles about Splitter since the end of his season. I have seen almost nothing hinting that he will leave or that he will stay. I've only read a rumor of him going to the NBA on the ACB forum ( link (http://foros.acb.com/viewtopic.php?t=303776&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=48630) ).




All in all, I don't expect Splitter to cross the pond this year. In all likelihood, he'll wait until the summer of 2010 when he can sign for an amount more than the restrictive rookie scale. But .......... perhaps there is fire where we see smoke.

[PeterBurns]

Great stuff TIMVP....We were just talking about this in studio. Andy said the same thing about the RC comment in last night's PC.

Clearly Spurs made this move feeling confident they can find a big man, or already have a big man ready to roll.

Please prepare for me to steal all of this and use it as my own for the show this morning....:)

[stxspurs]

go TEXAS!..... yeah hopefully something like this happens...but if it does how nba ready is he? hopefully bonner does not start!!

[TimDunkem]

One can dream.

[Spurs Brazil]

Here in Brazil there's no news about that

But any news here must be check after that BS interview with Varejao on a blog

[urunobili]

where is the praying dog?

[sonic21]

TAU will never allow him to come this summer, they hate the spurs

[silverblackfan]

Another thought could be that after talking to Splitter this offseason confirmed that the team will NOT be getting him this year or next without big money out. So, considering the big money committed to RJ, Tiago's rights may be the bait to dangle for the draft day move up...
Just a thought. I would love to see Splitter play alongside Duncan, but maybe the FO have a draft target big that they think will work instead.

[Spursmania]

I too can dream...

[Marcus Bryant]

It makes sense if Splitter's main reason for not joining the Spurs last season was not having an opportunity to start. Unless Tau is imploding financially, the rookie deal would still seem to be a limitation, unless Splitter opts to begin his NBA career now and not wait any longer. He'll be paid well after his initial NBA contract anyways.

Plus, as pointed out in the OP, there were other considerations which seemed to affect his decision last year.

[Das Texan]

Splitter actually coming over here this year would be cool.


And would shore up that huge hole we have currently. One can dream!

[DBMethos]

It would truly be a dream offseason if Splitter comes over.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Originally Posted by Bruno View Post

Tau is in full rebuilding mode.
They have lost their starting, PG, SG and SF (Prigioni, Rakocevic and Pete Mickael). Teletovic (their best big aside Splitter) is also rumored to be on his way out.
They are building a team for the future with young players. If Splitter is set to leave the team in 2010, it makes few sense for Tau to keep him and his big salary in 09-10.

I'm a little looking at Tau forums and Spanish articles about Splitter since the end of his season. I have seen almost nothing hinting that he will leave or that he will stay. I've only read a rumor of him going to the NBA on the ACB forum ( link ).

Bruno should be pinked. His distortions are DISGUSTING. TAU has a HIGHER budget next year.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Even if he did come over, we'd quickly trade him to the wizards for Etan Thomas.

[Mal]

Rakocevic is gone. Lior Eliahu is in. Thats facts. Didn`t heard anything about Mickeal nor Prigioni. I am sure Teletovic stay.

There is crisis and Tau Ceramica is considert to leave this team. May 1 mln euros buyout for Splitter is a great deal for managment ? hope so...

[manufan10]

I read in another thread that the Pistons sent Amir Johnson and cash to the Spurs for Oberto, and that the Spurs sent Johnson straight to the Bucks in the trade for Jefferson. If that is accurate, the Spurs can use that money to reach a buyout agreement with TAU and Splitter. I'm not sure if there's any truth to that, but it would be nice.

[bigdog]

I read in another thread that the Pistons sent Amir Johnson and cash to the Spurs for Oberto, and that the Spurs sent Johnson straight to the Bucks in the trade for Jefferson. If that is accurate, the Spurs can use that money to reach a buyout agreement with TAU and Splitter. I'm not sure if there's any truth to that, but it would be nice.

That would be nice.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Rakocevic is gone. Lior Eliahu is in. Thats facts. Didn`t heard anything about Mickeal nor Prigioni. I am sure Teletovic stay.

There is crisis and Tau Ceramica is considert to leave this team. May 1 mln euros buyout for Splitter is a great deal for managment ? hope so...

Eliyahu makes MORE than Rakocevic. Prigioni will leave. Lakovic will replace him for MORE than Prigioni made. Mickeal will leave. Tripkovic will replace him for similar amount of money. Teletovic if he leaves will bring TAU a BIG buyout which will be used to buy another player.

Their budget next year will be HIGHER than this year. Once again Bruno is just trying to stir up shit.

[whottt]

Bruno has like 7 billion times more credibility on this forum than KBP...pinked indeed.

[Russ]

Bruno should be pinked. His distortions are DISGUSTING. TAU has a HIGHER budget next year.

Okay, it's official. Splitter is coming.

[rayray2k8]

I wanna put in my 2 cents.

Don't you have some other Greek player to drool on and over hype?
What's the matter, Boarass didn't work out?
Just leave already and stop hating on Bruno. Don't be mad because he's who you wanna be.. :rolleyes

[CGD]

OK I get it, there are conflicting views as to whether Tau is in rebuilding mode, but hypothetically speaking, do we have a sense of what the buy out would have to approximate in order to get Tau to budge of Splitter?

Hypothetically (again), it seems to me that paying Tau a generous buy out ($1.5M euro?) and then signing Splitter to a rookie scale deal would be a huge feat for the Spurs. That option may be more financial sensible than paying a C/PF vet near the full MLE (approx. 6M).

The question then becomes what happens is the Spurs reach a buy out with the club but the player is not on board with the deal? Does the player have the opportunity to shoot down such an agreement? Under our hypothetical, Splitter of course would face making significantly less money.

[rayray2k8]

Spurs would not have been this confident trade 2 of our bigs if they didn't have a plan.
It would make sense if Splitter come over this year and would actually increase his value in 2010.
It's a pipe dream, but everyone gets the feeling that the spurs FO is brewing something...

[Bartleby]

Eliyahu makes MORE than Rakocevic. Prigioni will leave. Lakovic will replace him for MORE than Prigioni made. Mickeal will leave. Tripkovic will replace him for similar amount of money. Teletovic if he leaves will bring TAU a BIG buyout which will be used to buy another player.

Their budget next year will be HIGHER than this year. Once again Bruno is just trying to stir up shit.

Once again KBP forgets to use his Greek accent.

[EricB]

I would be beyond shocked if he even CONSIDERED coming over this summer.

[Stump]

Eliyahu makes MORE than Rakocevic. Prigioni will leave. Lakovic will replace him for MORE than Prigioni made. Mickeal will leave. Tripkovic will replace him for similar amount of money. Teletovic if he leaves will bring TAU a BIG buyout which will be used to buy another player.

Their budget next year will be HIGHER than this year. Once again Bruno is just trying to stir up shit.
KBP, chill out.

It's feasable that TAU is both willing to spend more AND uninterested in keeping Splitter. If they're wanting to rebuild but don't see him as part of their future, what's the harm in letting him go? It would also help cover the cost of signing the new guys to those big contracts you speak of.

Afterall, you're the one who said Splitter is overrated and not even close to the best big in Europe.

[EricB]

I'd say the chances of him coming over are about.0000000001%.

[anjlbitz]

Is it possible to sign a rookie for a one year contract? or maybe 2 years with the 2nd year being a team or player option?

[lurker23]

Is it possible to sign a rookie for a one year contract? or maybe 2 years with the 2nd year being a team or player option?

If we're signing him this offseason, he'll be subject to the first-round rookie scale:

"Rookie scale contracts are always for two seasons, with team options for the third and fourth seasons."

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q41

[Spur-Addict]

Don't you have some other Greek player to drool on and over hype?
What's the matter, Boarass didn't work out?
Just leave already and stop hating on Bruno. Don't be mad because he's who you wanna be.. :rolleyes

:lol

[Bruno]

Splitter coming to SA is still unlikely but without dreams offseason would suck. :)

The latest:
http://www.as.com/baloncesto/articulo/querejeta-ironiza-interes-madrid-prigioni/dasftb/20090624dasdasbal_5/Tes


Tiago Splitter es seguido por los San Antonio Spurs, aunque Querejeta ve "imposible" que el brasileño abandone el TAU, y no se ha mostrado disgustado por la propuesta que pueda recibir. "No hay que tener miedo a las ofertas y es bonito recibirlas", ha dicho.

I let Spanish speaking posters do a proper translation. :toast

[urunobili]

Once again KBP forgets to use his Greek accent.

he has the right to improve his english as well... :lol

[urunobili]

Splitter coming to SA is still unlikely but without dreams offseason would suck. :)

The latest:
http://www.as.com/baloncesto/articulo/querejeta-ironiza-interes-madrid-prigioni/dasftb/20090624dasdasbal_5/Tes



I let Spanish speaking posters do a proper translation. :toast

Tiago Splitter es seguido por los San Antonio Spurs, aunque Querejeta ve "imposible" que el brasileño abandone el TAU, y no se ha mostrado disgustado por la propuesta que pueda recibir. "No hay que tener miedo a las ofertas y es bonito recibirlas", ha dicho.

Tiago Splitter is being followed by the San Antonio Spurs, although Querejeta sees "Impossible" for the Brazilian to leave TAU but he is not disgusted by any offer he may receive. he said: You don;t have to be afraid of the offers and it's nice to get them"

[Libri]

In other words, Querejeta is willing to receive offers but hasn't gotten one that is worth considering.

[EricB]

Well theres only so much the Spurs can offer him.

But Querejeta, who is that exactly, does he work for Tau?

[samikeyp]

It doesn't matter because Bourousis is the Spurs savior!!!

:lol

[manufan10]

It doesn't matter because Bourousis is the Spurs savior!!!

:lol

:lmao

SHHH! Don't say that too loud.

[Bruno]

Well theres only so much the Spurs can offer him.

But Querejeta, who is that exactly, does he work for Tau?

He is Tau's president.

[TFloss32]

Well theres only so much the Spurs can offer him.

But Querejeta, who is that exactly, does he work for Tau?


Yes, Joxean (Jose Antonio) Querejeta is the President of Tau Ceramica.

[EricB]

He is Tau's president.


So he's the main dickhead.

Got it.

[anjlbitz]

If we're signing him this offseason, he'll be subject to the first-round rookie scale:

"Rookie scale contracts are always for two seasons, with team options for the third and fourth seasons."

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q41

Thanks.

The rookie scale goes away in 2010 correct?

What would be the realistic ceiling of the Spurs offer to Splitter during the summer of 2010? Maybe $3mill a year?

[Spursmania]

It doesn't matter because Bourousis is the Spurs savior!!!

:lol

+1:lmao

[Viva Las Espuelas]

i have no faith in brasilians.........

[Penya]

TAU has a HIGHER budget next year.

TAU will not have a HIGHER budget.
Crisis in Spain is being tough, especially for enterprises which invest in construction, TAU is one of these. For example, they are firing employees. There were rumors last months which said that they will give less money to the basketball team and IMO it will happen.

PS: When you try to impress people and you fail over and over again... Don't you feel stupid?

[samikeyp]

So he's the main dickhead.

Got it.


That's Senor Dickhead to you! :lol

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

KBP, chill out.

It's feasable that TAU is both willing to spend more AND uninterested in keeping Splitter. If they're wanting to rebuild but don't see him as part of their future, what's the harm in letting him go? It would also help cover the cost of signing the new guys to those big contracts you speak of.

Afterall, you're the one who said Splitter is overrated and not even close to the best big in Europe.

I never said he was not close to the best big in Europe. I just said there are some better than him. Bourousis, Pekovic, Reyes. The only one that he is not "close to" is Pekovic.

[tomtom]

Would be an epic offseason if he came but won't happen. I really hope he'll be available in 2010 though

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

TAU will not have a HIGHER budget.
Crisis in Spain is being tough, especially for enterprises which invest in construction, TAU is one of these. For example, they are firing employees. There were rumors last months which said that they will give less money to the basketball team and IMO it will happen.

PS: When you try to impress people and you fail over and over again... Don't you feel stupid?

You are full of shit.

[EricB]

I never said he was not close to the best big in Europe. I just said there are some better than him. Bourousis, Pekovic, Reyes. The only one that he is not "close to" is Pekovic.


Damn, his english is getting better.

[timvp]

You are full of shit.

Call me crazy but I'm going to trust the guy from Spain over the guy from Mountain Home, Arkansas.

[manufan10]

I thought I recognized KBP's phony accent:

http://www.h2dj.com/uclaradionews/files/borat-high-five.jpg

[wildbill2u]

Spurs have proved you don't have to have an All-Star center to win a championship. Almost anyone will do if they can play a little. Besides, I look for Tim to transition more and more to C as he ages. Less distance to travel to defend the weak side. He already plays there a lot in our small ball sets.

[Mugen]

bringing over splitter, resigning oberto, and picking up a vet big with the LLE OR bringing over Gist IMO would shore up the front line. that is if ian becomes an active contributor this year.

make it happen, fuck tau!

[xellos88330]

Unusual start to the off season by the Spurs swinging first. Makes me wonder if the likelihood of Splitter crossing the pond isn't so improbable.

[phyzik]

Call me crazy but I'm going to trust the guy from Spain over the guy from Mountain Home, Arkansas.

:lol

QFT

[rayray2k8]

Unusual start to the off season by the Spurs swinging first. Makes me wonder if the likelihood of Splitter crossing the pond isn't so improbable.

You're right, this is uncharacteristic of the spurs to make this type of deal.
It also makes you wonder if the spurs really are done dealing and what RC meant by bringing in draft picks from the past.
Thin at the 5 and Splitter being one of the past picks.
Not trying to get our hopes up, but at this point it's safe the say that all spurs fans have all the confidence in the world in the spurs FO now. :)

[TimDunkem]

You're right, this is uncharacteristic of the spurs to make this type of deal.
It also makes you wonder if the spurs really are done dealing and what RC meant by bringing in draft picks from the past.
Thin at the 5 and Splitter being one of the past picks.
Not trying to get our hopes up, but at this point it's safe the say that all spurs fans have all the confidence in the world in the spurs FO now. :)
What struck me was when RC said this last trade was only one "piece" to the off season changes they're making. I'm excited to see how they fill out the roster.

[Mel_13]

I still think Splitter is the best option for a big this season by whatever means. All other scenarios cost us in personnel.

Using the MLE only costs money, not personnel.

[Mugen]

its pretty obvious that RC was talking about Splitter and Gist when mentioned talking to the the picks playing in Europe.

Both make a lot of sense now after this trade.

anybody whose seen Gist play the past year think he can be a decent backup at the 3 in case bruce isnt brought back?

splitter would be a great defender to put on gasol, bring the kid over RC!

[angelbelow]

yes please

[rayray2k8]

It's good thing RC didn't say who specifically because then everyone would be expecting it to happen..
Lets see what happens..

[Spurtacus]

Where's that Master Splitter pic?

[Agloco]

Call me crazy but I'm going to trust the guy from Spain over the guy from Mountain Home, Arkansas.

:lol

[duncan228]

McDonald, tonight.


One player unlikely to be tapped to fill the frontcourt void this summer: Tiago Splitter. Spurs general manager R.C. Buford says he is approaching the offseason under the assumption Splitter will still be playing in Spain for at least one more season.

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129560