MaNu4Tres
07-16-2010, 01:20 PM
Part 1: Executing The Plan
Reigning Black
(Note: The reported Jefferson agreement was -- at best -- premature. The following was posted July, 9 following Ticket 760's report.)
All eyes on the self-proclaimed King as he aired "The Decision," Gregg Popovich, R.C. Buford and Co. awaited the final verdict. The Spurs' front office awaited the biggest and most significant domino to be set into motion, as to reveal the landscape in its wake.
Thanks to Ticket 760 and the Union Leader, we now have an idea as to what this newly found landscape means to the Spurs -- the Spurs have apparently come to agreements with Tiago Splitter, Richard Jefferson and Matt Bonner, which would all-but complete their frontline and lock them into a roster with minimal addition, sans a trade.
Splitter -- a 25-year-old Brazilian bigman -- has long been on both the NBA and Spurs' radar. His draft status became a bit of a running joke, as word of his presence in it goes back to as far as 2004. He was thought to finally declare for the 2006 NBA Draft but with teams reluctant to use a high pick on him for fear of a contract buyout, Splitter would remain with his Spanish team. In 2007, at the age of 22, Splitter became automatically eligible for the NBA Draft. Still under contract and overseas with his Saski Baskonia team -- then sponsored by Tau Ceramica -- the Spurs would select him with the 28th overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Knowing full well Splitter was a year away from joining the team, the Spurs simply capitalized on an opportunity to draft a lottery talent that wouldn't otherwise be available to them. They were competing for championships -- just coming off their fourth -- and the value to be had with the 28th pick was just too great to pass on. Splitter would have another year to season his game in one of the finest leagues outside the NBA -- Spanish ACB -- and would seemingly be available to join the Spurs the following year. But confronted with a severely ill sibling and an economic downturn -- one that presented Splitter with an opportunity to sign a contract worth 8-times the rookie pay-scale the NBA had to offer -- the Spurs would have to wait at least another year. Splitter re-signed with his Spanish League team, Caja Laboral (Tau Ceramica sponsored Saski Baskonia before ceding way to Caja Laboral; like billboards... these things change), on a two-year deal that would keep him overseas through the 2009-2010 NBA season.
Continue Reading >>>> (http://reigningblack.blogspot.com/2010/07/part-1-executing-plan.html#more)
Reigning Black
(Note: The reported Jefferson agreement was -- at best -- premature. The following was posted July, 9 following Ticket 760's report.)
All eyes on the self-proclaimed King as he aired "The Decision," Gregg Popovich, R.C. Buford and Co. awaited the final verdict. The Spurs' front office awaited the biggest and most significant domino to be set into motion, as to reveal the landscape in its wake.
Thanks to Ticket 760 and the Union Leader, we now have an idea as to what this newly found landscape means to the Spurs -- the Spurs have apparently come to agreements with Tiago Splitter, Richard Jefferson and Matt Bonner, which would all-but complete their frontline and lock them into a roster with minimal addition, sans a trade.
Splitter -- a 25-year-old Brazilian bigman -- has long been on both the NBA and Spurs' radar. His draft status became a bit of a running joke, as word of his presence in it goes back to as far as 2004. He was thought to finally declare for the 2006 NBA Draft but with teams reluctant to use a high pick on him for fear of a contract buyout, Splitter would remain with his Spanish team. In 2007, at the age of 22, Splitter became automatically eligible for the NBA Draft. Still under contract and overseas with his Saski Baskonia team -- then sponsored by Tau Ceramica -- the Spurs would select him with the 28th overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Knowing full well Splitter was a year away from joining the team, the Spurs simply capitalized on an opportunity to draft a lottery talent that wouldn't otherwise be available to them. They were competing for championships -- just coming off their fourth -- and the value to be had with the 28th pick was just too great to pass on. Splitter would have another year to season his game in one of the finest leagues outside the NBA -- Spanish ACB -- and would seemingly be available to join the Spurs the following year. But confronted with a severely ill sibling and an economic downturn -- one that presented Splitter with an opportunity to sign a contract worth 8-times the rookie pay-scale the NBA had to offer -- the Spurs would have to wait at least another year. Splitter re-signed with his Spanish League team, Caja Laboral (Tau Ceramica sponsored Saski Baskonia before ceding way to Caja Laboral; like billboards... these things change), on a two-year deal that would keep him overseas through the 2009-2010 NBA season.
Continue Reading >>>> (http://reigningblack.blogspot.com/2010/07/part-1-executing-plan.html#more)