Project Spurs: Could Tiago Splitter become this season's George Hill?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Could Tiago Splitter become this season's George Hill?
Written by Trevor Zickgraf | 12 June 2012

The San Antonio Spurs have a slight problem. It's a problem that didn't completely rear its head until the Western Conference Finals, but once we saw it we couldn't get rid of it. When Tim Duncan wasn't in the basketball game, the San Antonio Spurs couldn't protect the paint and their overall defense went to Hell in a hand basket. Don't believe me? Check out the Thunder's offensive rating when Duncan is on the court and when Duncan is off the court. We've heard the Spurs want Boris Diaw back and that they want Erazem Lorbek to come over from Europe. That's a fantastic way to keep the offense flowing, but it's not going to improve their interior defense.

The Spurs faced a similar problem last season, just in a different position. They were undersized at shooting guard and small forward and were able to turn George Hill in to Kawhi Leonard, a cornerstone for the Spurs' future. The same thing might need to happen this season. George Hill was a great Spurs and a good fit for the franchise, but trading him was the only way to improve and keep the core of the team together. This year's draft has some guys in this year's NBA Draft that could help the Spurs some defensive issues, but it might mean they have to part with Tiago Splitter in the process.

Make no mistake, I write being a big Tiago Splitter fan. His work as the role man in pick and roll situations is some of the best in the league and he's almost too willing of a passer (people who aren't fans of Splitter will see he's weak around the basket). He's a decent defender and the only other guy on the team besides Duncan we can consider a true center. When Duncan sat out games due to rest Splitter almost always did a fantastic job filling in. He is the San Antonio Spurs second best big man.

Two questions must be asked moving forward. The first is why trade Splitter and second is what is his value. The first question is easier to answer because it involves less of a guessing game. The reason you trade Splitter is because despite his talents, trading him will help fill a need that will make the Spurs more complete. As for his trade value, that's more difficult to determine. At face value Splitter's numbers are decent but not overwhelming. But look at his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Per 36 Minutes numbers. 17 points and nearly ten rebounds per 36 minutes are very good numbers and one could argue, though they'd be using a small sample size, that Splitter could be an all-star if he's giving starter's minutes in the right system.

I would argue Splitter is worth a late lottery pick. Late lottery teams (teams picking from spots 10-14) are teams that are most likely a piece or two away from making the playoffs. This year is no exception. The Portland Trailblazers (picking 11) will no doubt be angling to return to the playoffs next season, the Milwaukee Bucks (picking 12th) nearly made the playoffs this season and the Houston Rockets... well, let's not discuss the Rockets and a prized Spurs big man. I would even argue that New Orleans, not wanting to overpay Chris Kaman, would be willing to trade the tenth pick in the draft if it got them some low post scoring. Let's remember, Splitter only costs three million dollars this season and is a restricted free agent the following year. That's a cheap price for a starting center.

Let's assume the Spurs were able to trade Splitter for anywhere from pick ten to 14. What kind of player are we talking about? Here's a quick rundown of some big guys that are projected to go in that range:

Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky: Versatile, athletic and excellent on defense. Jones is Josh Smith 2.0 right down to the occasional ill advised jumper. But given Chip Engelland and Chad Forcier's ability to work with guys on their jumper, those 20 footers may not be so ill advised. Oh, and did I mention this guy is a tough, athletic defender? He's all over the place on mock drafts. ESPN has him at number seven, Draft Express has him at 17.

Perry Jones III, F, Baylor: He's more of a small forward or stretch power forward then a traditional big man despite his 6'11" frame, but an athletic face up power forward might be the perfect person to put right next to Duncan. He's the ultimate boom or bust prospect, but if he's a boom he could San Antonio's next All-Star.

Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State: More of an offensive weapon than a defensive one, but Sullinger can score from several different spots on the court and he's a beast of a rebounder. Paul Milsap is a good comparison, so is David West. Kevin Love is what you want him to become.

Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois: Leonard was one of the darlings of last week's NBA Draft Combine. He's a legit 7'1", is super athletic and has nice touch for a guy his size. It's entirely possible he could move in to the top ten if his individual workouts go as well as the Combine did.

John Henson, F, UNC: Long, athletic, rebounds incredibly well and would be an ideal pick and roll defender. There's a decent chance he's going number nine to Detroit, but if he gains some weight he's going to an amazing defender at the four spot.

Tyler Zeller, C, UNC: Zeller is one of the safest picks in the draft. There's not a lot of ways for him to fail, but unless he really, really works on his offensive game, he's probably never going to be a good team's best big guy. Still, he's athletic, can finish around the rim and his turn around baby hook from the block is damn near impossible to defend. Someone's going to get a solid player with his kid.

There's nothing that says Splitter is a goner. Despite his Game Six blow up, Coach Popovich spoke very highly of Splitter throughout the season. We should also remember Splitter hasn't been through a full Spurs training camp which will make it easier for him to adjust to the Spurs' defense and will also make it easier for the Spurs to work him and Duncan together. That's the risk you face when you trade a known commodity for a draft pick. But it's what the Spurs did last year and that seemed to work out well.

http://projectspurs.com/2012-articles/june/could-tiago-splitter-become-this-seasons-george-hill.html

[silverblk mystix]

I am also a Splitter fan but let's call a spade a spade.

Splitter won't help the Spurs or his career by staying. Getting a decent defender like you mentioned will help the spurs so I hope he gets traded.

Two years and for anyone who can take their Spurs glasses off and cares to see reality-the coach tried his best to not develop Splitter. Let him go.

Don't force it and pretend you like him.

[intlspurshk]

I fully agree. Based on how Tiago is used by Pop, he will leave Spurs for sure when his contract expires. It is worthwhile to trade him for a centre at 10-16 pick (where some teams at this range need immediate help) but the new guy need to have the ability to pair with TD

[admiralsnackbar]

We were able to trade Hill because we were going to get similar (emphasis on similar) value from Neal and had the opportunity to bolster a position of need @ SF. We don't have that luxury with Splitter, and given his overall skill set, experience, and maturity, I wouldn't gamble on a rook.

[MR-Clutch]

This article makes some good points. Although I like tiago, if Pop isn't going to play him, then we might as well replace him with a young talent that can make an impact now and help build for the future.

We could then replace Splitter with Lorbek, and resign Diaw. I could maybe see the kings taking Splitter and maybe neal or blair for the #5 ,just for some veteran leadership and talent(cousins and blair are also supposed to be good friends). Splitters stats are pretty damn good per minutes based on the season. After the #5 although, Im not sure there would be any takers until that 10-15 range, and im not sure there's anyone there that could help the spurs more than splitter. I would love to see what the kind of talent the Spurs could uncover with that 5th pick.

[The_Worlds_finest]

IMO barring some crazy offer these are the guys off the table.
Parker Manu Kawhi Duncan jackson neal, Other than that they are all expendable.

[Destro]

delete every other sentence to make it more readable..unless you get paid by word

[SamoanTD]

IMO barring some crazy offer these are the guys off the table.
Parker Manu Kawhi Duncan jackson neal, Other than that they are all expendable.

Neal is a guy who has value if the opportunity to trade up in the draft using him I would do it.

[T Park]

Neal being untouchable is laughable.

I don't see Splitter's value being that high. If it is? Then yes if you can find a Kawhi Leonard like power forward or center then yeah you do it.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I could maybe see the kings taking Splitter and maybe neal or blair for the #5 ,

lol

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Any chance they have to move high into the draft, they have to take it. If we don't enter next season with an athletic post presence, OKC will still run all over us.

[ajballer4]

The thing is I'd take splitter over any of the guys just listed above. The article is all about needing a shot blocking, paint protecting big man and none of those guys fit the bill. Zeller is the closest but I think of him as a Gasol type player, very finesse.

John Henson could be great, but not what we need

[venitian navigator]

Splitter is a better player than most c/pf in nba...the point is that for several reasons (one of these being the fact that sometimes he looks a little "fragile") he didn't play a lot this year. But when given minutes he produced a lot, and the more he played the more he produced.

Blair has been our starting pf most of the season.

Neal has some wonderful offensive skills.

Their trade value is high, 'cause all of the three have just one last year of contract at a small price, all of them have potential to improve with more playing time and all three had some play off experience with a good organization.


All three for n° 5 ?

[mountainballer]

We could then replace Splitter with Lorbek, and resign Diaw.

No. MLE won't be enough for both. it's either or.


I could maybe see the kings taking Splitter and maybe neal or blair for the #5 ,just for some veteran leadership and talent(cousins and blair are also supposed to be good friends).

unfortunately you are the only person in the whole universe who can see this.
Splitter plus crap for a #5 pick in a pretty deep draft. yeah, sure. jezzz. why stop there? let's get Davis.

[thispego]

I am also a Splitter fan but let's call a spade a spade.

Splitter won't help the Spurs or his career by staying. Getting a decent defender like you mentioned will help the spurs so I hope he gets traded.

Two years and for anyone who can take their Spurs glasses off and cares to see reality-the coach tried his best to not develop Splitter. Let him go.

Don't force it and pretend you like him.

:lmao

[LongtimeSpursFan]

I am also a Splitter fan but let's call a spade a spade.

Splitter won't help the Spurs or his career by staying. Getting a decent defender like you mentioned will help the spurs so I hope he gets traded.

Two years and for anyone who can take their Spurs glasses off and cares to see reality-the coach tried his best to not develop Splitter. Let him go.

Don't force it and pretend you like him.


Why would a head coach try NOT to develop one of his players. That is just a ludicrous statement people who have no part of basketball other than being a fan make. As a coach I try to get the most out of my players. A coach spends a lot more time with his players than what you fans see on the tube. There is no better judge of talent than your head coach.

I love Splitter but he has a limited skill set. He is ineffective outside of 10 feet. Can't shoot a jumper to save his life nor does he have a post game. Defensively, he is active but not a shot blocker nor a great low post defender. Lets call a spade a spade.

[admiralsnackbar]

Splitter is a better player than most c/pf in nba...the point is that for several reasons (one of these being the fact that sometimes he looks a little "fragile") he didn't play a lot this year. But when given minutes he produced a lot, and the more he played the more he produced.

Blair has been our starting pf most of the season.

Neal has some wonderful offensive skills.

Their trade value is high, 'cause all of the three have just one last year of contract at a small price, all of them have potential to improve with more playing time and all three had some play off experience with a good organization.


All three for n° 5 ?

Good players on small contracts with one year on their contracts aren't valuable because they are one season away from cashing in and potentially leaving you. I can't imagine trading a #5 pick for three instances of this problem.

Even if someone were to go for it... on the Spurs end, it isn't that great an idea either, because it means they'd have to luck out and find 2 capable players around the same price point as the players they'd be shipping out, along with the trouble of training a rookie (who 95% of the time would not have the skills and intelligence of Splitter anyway).

[MR-Clutch]

No. MLE won't be enough for both. it's either or.



unfortunately you are the only person in the whole universe who can see this.
Splitter plus crap for a #5 pick in a pretty deep draft. yeah, sure. jezzz. why stop there? let's get Davis.

Splitter isn't exactly a scrub. He was close to Duncan in PER the whole year. His per minute #s were up there with some of the best bigs in the league. Blair would play for a majority of teams in the league. The kings have good building blocks building blocks in Evans, Cousins, and Thomas. Adding some depth and veteran leadership in Neal, Blair, and Splitter doesn't seem that far-fetched to me.

[MR-Clutch]

unfortunately you are the only person in the whole universe who can see this.
Splitter plus crap for a #5 pick in a pretty deep draft. yeah, sure. jezzz. why stop there? let's get Davis.

What player that is going at 5 has the same potential as Davis?

[MR-Clutch]

keep in mind that the kings were using Evans as a SF by the end of the year.

[SpursFaninMS]

Could Tiago Splitter become this season's George Hill?
Written by Trevor Zickgraf | 12 June 2012

The San Antonio Spurs have a slight problem. It's a problem that didn't completely rear its head until the Western Conference Finals, but once we saw it we couldn't get rid of it. When Tim Duncan wasn't in the basketball game, the San Antonio Spurs couldn't protect the paint and their overall defense went to Hell in a hand basket. Don't believe me? Check out the Thunder's offensive rating when Duncan is on the court and when Duncan is off the court. We've heard the Spurs want Boris Diaw back and that they want Erazem Lorbek to come over from Europe. That's a fantastic way to keep the offense flowing, but it's not going to improve their interior defense.

The Spurs faced a similar problem last season, just in a different position. They were undersized at shooting guard and small forward and were able to turn George Hill in to Kawhi Leonard, a cornerstone for the Spurs' future. The same thing might need to happen this season. George Hill was a great Spurs and a good fit for the franchise, but trading him was the only way to improve and keep the core of the team together. This year's draft has some guys in this year's NBA Draft that could help the Spurs some defensive issues, but it might mean they have to part with Tiago Splitter in the process.

Make no mistake, I write being a big Tiago Splitter fan. His work as the role man in pick and roll situations is some of the best in the league and he's almost too willing of a passer (people who aren't fans of Splitter will see he's weak around the basket). He's a decent defender and the only other guy on the team besides Duncan we can consider a true center. When Duncan sat out games due to rest Splitter almost always did a fantastic job filling in. He is the San Antonio Spurs second best big man.

Two questions must be asked moving forward. The first is why trade Splitter and second is what is his value. The first question is easier to answer because it involves less of a guessing game. The reason you trade Splitter is because despite his talents, trading him will help fill a need that will make the Spurs more complete. As for his trade value, that's more difficult to determine. At face value Splitter's numbers are decent but not overwhelming. But look at his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Per 36 Minutes numbers. 17 points and nearly ten rebounds per 36 minutes are very good numbers and one could argue, though they'd be using a small sample size, that Splitter could be an all-star if he's giving starter's minutes in the right system.

I would argue Splitter is worth a late lottery pick. Late lottery teams (teams picking from spots 10-14) are teams that are most likely a piece or two away from making the playoffs. This year is no exception. The Portland Trailblazers (picking 11) will no doubt be angling to return to the playoffs next season, the Milwaukee Bucks (picking 12th) nearly made the playoffs this season and the Houston Rockets... well, let's not discuss the Rockets and a prized Spurs big man. I would even argue that New Orleans, not wanting to overpay Chris Kaman, would be willing to trade the tenth pick in the draft if it got them some low post scoring. Let's remember, Splitter only costs three million dollars this season and is a restricted free agent the following year. That's a cheap price for a starting center.

Let's assume the Spurs were able to trade Splitter for anywhere from pick ten to 14. What kind of player are we talking about? Here's a quick rundown of some big guys that are projected to go in that range:

Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky: Versatile, athletic and excellent on defense. Jones is Josh Smith 2.0 right down to the occasional ill advised jumper. But given Chip Engelland and Chad Forcier's ability to work with guys on their jumper, those 20 footers may not be so ill advised. Oh, and did I mention this guy is a tough, athletic defender? He's all over the place on mock drafts. ESPN has him at number seven, Draft Express has him at 17.

Perry Jones III, F, Baylor: He's more of a small forward or stretch power forward then a traditional big man despite his 6'11" frame, but an athletic face up power forward might be the perfect person to put right next to Duncan. He's the ultimate boom or bust prospect, but if he's a boom he could San Antonio's next All-Star.

Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State: More of an offensive weapon than a defensive one, but Sullinger can score from several different spots on the court and he's a beast of a rebounder. Paul Milsap is a good comparison, so is David West. Kevin Love is what you want him to become.

Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois: Leonard was one of the darlings of last week's NBA Draft Combine. He's a legit 7'1", is super athletic and has nice touch for a guy his size. It's entirely possible he could move in to the top ten if his individual workouts go as well as the Combine did.

John Henson, F, UNC: Long, athletic, rebounds incredibly well and would be an ideal pick and roll defender. There's a decent chance he's going number nine to Detroit, but if he gains some weight he's going to an amazing defender at the four spot.

Tyler Zeller, C, UNC: Zeller is one of the safest picks in the draft. There's not a lot of ways for him to fail, but unless he really, really works on his offensive game, he's probably never going to be a good team's best big guy. Still, he's athletic, can finish around the rim and his turn around baby hook from the block is damn near impossible to defend. Someone's going to get a solid player with his kid.

There's nothing that says Splitter is a goner. Despite his Game Six blow up, Coach Popovich spoke very highly of Splitter throughout the season. We should also remember Splitter hasn't been through a full Spurs training camp which will make it easier for him to adjust to the Spurs' defense and will also make it easier for the Spurs to work him and Duncan together. That's the risk you face when you trade a known commodity for a draft pick. But it's what the Spurs did last year and that seemed to work out well.

http://projectspurs.com/2012-articles/june/could-tiago-splitter-become-this-seasons-george-hill.html


He overvalues Splitter. No way we could get a late lottery--unless someone wants to pick up his cheap contract to save money.

Sullinger would be a dream pickup, to me. With the right coaching, he will be an elite big guy.

People forget: Splitter is not young. He is a raw 27 year-old....that is not a good thing.

[-21-]

Tiago is a really good player but in the playoffs he got exposed, he's soft. Plus Pop doesn't seem to trust him. If you get a good offer, I say trade him.

[silverblk mystix]

Why would a head coach try NOT to develop one of his players. That is just a ludicrous statement people who have no part of basketball other than being a fan make. As a coach I try to get the most out of my players. A coach spends a lot more time with his players than what you fans see on the tube. There is no better judge of talent than your head coach.

I love Splitter but he has a limited skill set. He is ineffective outside of 10 feet. Can't shoot a jumper to save his life nor does he have a post game. Defensively, he is active but not a shot blocker nor a great low post defender. Lets call a spade a spade.

Ok, I'll humor you;

If I am right-then trade him he is of no value to this team if the coach won't play him.


If you are right-trade him because someone who knows a whole hell of a lot more about talent than the both of us has coached him for two years and decided it wasn't worth his time to play him over other players.

Either way;

Trade him.

[Budkin]

I'm confident Pop and RC will make a decent move.

[mountainballer]

Splitter isn't exactly a scrub. He was close to Duncan in PER the whole year. His per minute #s were up there with some of the best bigs in the league. Blair would play for a majority of teams in the league. The kings have good building blocks building blocks in Evans, Cousins, and Thomas. Adding some depth and veteran leadership in Neal, Blair, and Splitter doesn't seem that far-fetched to me.

oh well.
thanks for reveal Splitter's PER. none here followed him this season.
ever thought that playing exclusively against the 2nd unit of the other team might influence a players PER or per40 numbers?
Splitter is decent. he might in fact bring back the #16 pick.
if Splitter brings back #16, Splitter plus Blair brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Blair plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
forget this Blair and Neal nonsense. they might land you a 2nd rounder. and it is not a high one.

[Trill Clinton]

if we can trade his ass and get Henson or Zeller i'm with it.

[SamoanTD]

I think possibly right situation move splitter and Neal at best could get you maybe mid-late first tbh.

[mountainballer]

Spurs should try to get the #34 pick from the Cavs, which is said to be on the market. this could be good enough for Plumlee, James, Ezeli or Gordon. some of those guys are a bit under the radar and could become decent rotation players.

[fubarcrew01]

I'll start by saying I am a big fan of Tiago, I don't think any of the guys in the draft are far and away better than him. Like some have already said the G.Hill trade last year was perfect for the spurs because there was options at the backup PG instead of Hill. If you get rid of Tiago your Centers will be Blair, Bonner, a rookie & Diaw if your able to sign him. The fact of the matter is 7ft's don't grow on trees these days, the big defensive Centers are few and far between.

Now, if the Spurs want to take a low risk high reward I would look at Greg Oden. Before you start laughing he just had the same surgery as Kobe, A-Rod and countless other athletes have had in Germany. You invite him out to training camp and see what he's got, if he has something well then you give him a player minimum contract. I've always envisioned Oden in Spurs jersey, he would be a bust and somehow the Spurs would take a chance on him and he could revive his career or start his career really.

Just my two cents.

[SamoanTD]

Spurs should try to get the #34 pick from the Cavs, which is said to be on the market. this could be good enough for Plumlee, James, Ezeli or Gordon. some of those guys are a bit under the radar and could become decent rotation players.

That's what I said also Ezeli is balls slow he looked like Haywood when I saw him. Spurs should get James or O'Quinn.

[Vic Petro]

Fab Melo

[Man In Black]

Curious...

When Tiago played alongside Luis Scola, another low post presence who dominated the ball, how was his stats then and why did they make it work?

Tiago's game is quite the ENIGMA.

[Ditty]

Lottery pick or bust for Splitter

I think Sullinger is going to be a great player in this league. Henson and Jones will be more luxary players for upcoming teams.

[tesseractive]

oh well.
thanks for reveal Splitter's PER. none here followed him this season.
ever thought that playing exclusively against the 2nd unit of the other team might influence a players PER or per40 numbers?
Splitter is decent. he might in fact bring back the #16 pick.
if Splitter brings back #16, Splitter plus Blair brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Blair plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
forget this Blair and Neal nonsense. they might land you a 2nd rounder. and it is not a high one.

I agree that #5 is delusional, but without having studied needs for all the teams well enough to identify who might be a candidate, I could see a team that needs a center and doesn't want to wait to develop one picking up Splitter. If you run the pick and roll a lot, he could probably be an ok starter, and centers don't grow on trees. Late lottery doesn't seem completely insane to me.

[ChumpDumper]

I don't know how everyone thinks player development was such an easy possibility in a strike shortened season. Splitter was used many ways they found something that worked and worked impressibely well. If Splitter can truly do anything consistently on offense in the NBA other than the pick and roll, no one has seen it yet -- and it wasn't for lack of trying early.

[tesseractive]

I don't know how everyone thinks player development was such an easy possibility in a strike shortened season. Splitter was used many ways they found something that worked and worked impressibely well. If Splitter can truly do anything consistently on offense in the NBA other than the pick and roll, no one has seen it yet -- and it wasn't for lack of trying early.
I'm certainly not opposed to keeping him -- "we must trade Tiago" is a dumb idea. He's a useful player as is, and can be even more so if you're right that he can keep developing into a more complete player.

But I'm also not opposed to seeing what's out there. If we think we can grab someone even better in a deep draft, we should do it.

[Richie]

oh well.
thanks for reveal Splitter's PER. none here followed him this season.
ever thought that playing exclusively against the 2nd unit of the other team might influence a players PER or per40 numbers?
Splitter is decent. he might in fact bring back the #16 pick.
if Splitter brings back #16, Splitter plus Blair brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Blair plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
forget this Blair and Neal nonsense. they might land you a 2nd rounder. and it is not a high one.

I think you underrate Neal. If a team needs outside shooting, Neal is an excellent option. He's one of the best shooters in the league.

Blair I agree with. If we could get the Cavs 33 and 34 for Blair and could pick up O'Quinn and Bernard James with those picks it would be a big improvement. If they fell in the second round to where they are in the current mock drafts, maybe we could get them both with Portlands 40 and 41 for Blair.

Re: Blair, a known NBA performer who was All-Rookie, played in both his rookie and sophmore all-star games and was a starter for a team who won the west twice in a row should be able to net a couple second rounders

[spurs10]

Which is it, Splitter did "a fantastic job" of filling in for Tim, or our defense "went to Hell in a hand basket" when Tim sat?

[sehui]

We need people with upside and talent, anyone on our roster is okay to give up beside big 3 + leonard.

[SenorSpur]

I believe Splitter will get better over time, but I do believe the playoffs did expose some flaws in his game. While I'm not sure what Splitter's value is either, he certainly shouldn't be considered off limits for the right deal. If the Spurs are looking to make a leap back into the first round, you can bet they probably have their sights set on a particular target.

I don't necessarily like all the prospects outlined in the article, specifcallly Jared Sullinger and Tyler Zeller. The last thing the Spurs need is another undersized or underskilled big. As a matter of fact, they need to rid the roster of the two they have now (Bonner & Blair). What they need now is a very skilled young big, with some size and some upside. A young player with the talent, heart and desire that could thrive under the tutelge of Duncan. The best reasons to make such a leap, in my opinion, would be for players like Meyers Leonard, Perry Jones or John Henson.

As they did last year with the George Hill trade, if the Spurs can prearrange a deal involving Splitter, and if one of these young guys are available, then they should they absolutely should pull the trigger - and I believe they will.

[KaiRMD1]

I am also a Splitter fan but let's call a spade a spade.

Splitter won't help the Spurs or his career by staying. Getting a decent defender like you mentioned will help the spurs so I hope he gets traded.

Two years and for anyone who can take their Spurs glasses off and cares to see reality-the coach tried his best to not develop Splitter. Let him go.

Don't force it and pretend you like him.

I am a HUGE Tiago fan but unless dude can improve his defense which I doubt, we need to get a big that can defend for him. Sorry Tiago but you may well be doing more harm than anything

[TDMVPDPOY]

I am a HUGE Tiago fan but unless dude can improve his defense which I doubt, we need to get a big that can defend for him. Sorry Tiago but you may well be doing more harm than anything

whats wrong with his defense?

gtfo here b4 u spew some nonsense bullshit

his game and stats show that his > rasho

[venitian navigator]

The point is if we want to go all in for next season or we are gonna decide to re-build considering Parker is at the top of his market value.
In the first case, if we can't get the n° 5 pick I doubt ther's something in the draft better than Splitter as a second big. Imho he's definitely better for our team than Henson, Sullinger and others...expecially considering he already knows our system.
The main point will be to see what chances we have to sign both Diaw and Lorbek or a good free agent big (the dream is obviously Garnett).

[DMC]

We need someone to occupy the pine.

[jjktkk]

As they did last year with the George Hill trade, if the Spurs can prearrange a deal involving Splitter, and if one of these young guys are available, then they should they absolutely should pull the trigger - and I believe they will.

The difference, though, was the Spurs were deep at the guard position, so they could deal Hill. As you know, thats not the case for the Spurs, regarding the 4 and 5 position. Say, for example you trade Splitter for a 1st rounder. Whose to say that pick is ready to contribute right away? Theres no guarantee that any of the bigs in the draft, outside of Davis is a sure fire improvement over Splitter.

[Legacy]

I'm confident Pop and RC will make a decent move.

We can only hope and pray. *sigh* :depressed

[therealtruth]

Why would a head coach try NOT to develop one of his players. That is just a ludicrous statement people who have no part of basketball other than being a fan make. As a coach I try to get the most out of my players. A coach spends a lot more time with his players than what you fans see on the tube. There is no better judge of talent than your head coach.

I love Splitter but he has a limited skill set. He is ineffective outside of 10 feet. Can't shoot a jumper to save his life nor does he have a post game. Defensively, he is active but not a shot blocker nor a great low post defender. Lets call a spade a spade.

When Splitter's playing time was increasing before he got injured he was showing alot of development. It's when Pop started screwing with his minutes he started regressing. Pre-injury Splitter was much better than what we saw in the Thunder series.

[all_heart]

IMO Blair and/or Bonner need to go before Tiago. We are too thin at that position to be left with Bonner, Blair, TD and x, because there's a good chance x won't be a "savior" right out of the gate.

[tesseractive]

It's when Pop started screwing with his minutes he started regressing.

You have something of a cause and effect problem there. What makes you so sure that Pop didn't start cutting his minutes because he started regressing? It's quite possible that the alternative was Tiago regressing, only for more minutes per game.

[TD 21]

oh well.
thanks for reveal Splitter's PER. none here followed him this season.
ever thought that playing exclusively against the 2nd unit of the other team might influence a players PER or per40 numbers?
Splitter is decent. he might in fact bring back the #16 pick.
if Splitter brings back #16, Splitter plus Blair brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
Splitter plus Blair plus Neal brings back the #16 pick.
forget this Blair and Neal nonsense. they might land you a 2nd rounder. and it is not a high one.

You're being typical Spurs fan, by underrating the Spurs' assets. If Hill, who's ideal role is clearly sixth man, is worth a 15th pick, then why would Splitter, who's clearly a starting center in waiting, be worth a 16th pick? He's clearly worth a lottery pick.

The Trail Blazers (11th) and Bucks (12th), both desperately need a starting center and both appear to be in win now mode. I'm not saying I know for certain that either team would do it, but that's the type of offer it would take for the Spurs to consider trading Splitter. It might sound like a lot, but the reality is, before teams realized they were going to have to wait multiple years for him to come over, he was consistently rated as a lottery pick for about three years before leaving his name in the draft. And the odds of the guys in that range becoming clear cut better players are not good. In fact, you'd do well to get a player as good at those picks.

And Blair and Neal, are easily worth more than mid to late 2nd round picks.

My thoughts on why they should trade Splitter: http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199391

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

What makes people believe that Neal+Blair can bring in a first round pick? Teams aren't looking to dump potential talents for a ridiculously undersized center and a shooter that's non-existent on D.

[TD 21]

What makes people believe that Neal+Blair can bring in a first round pick? Teams aren't looking to dump potential talents for a ridiculously undersized center and a shooter that's non-existent on D.

I don't know that they can (in fact, I'm almost certain Neal can't). But a mid to late 2nd? I don't buy that. They're both useful, young, inexpensive (granted, that's going to change in both cases in a year; but even then, it's not like either is going to break the bank) rotation players, who have been in a winning, team oriented environment for multiple years.

See, there's two problems here. One is, as Spurs fans, we watch them on a consistent basis and nitpick everything about them. Two is, as Spurs fans, we've become conditioned to view everything through the lens or within' the context of a championship. But the reality is, most teams are just looking to stock their rosters with talent, particularly talent that possesses many of the qualities I mentioned. So on a championship team, is Blair a competent third big or is Neal a sixth man? Absolutely not. But on some run of the mill team, can they be? Absolutely.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

as Spurs fans, we've become conditioned to view everything through the lens or within' the context of a championship. But the reality is, most teams are just looking to stock their rosters with talent, particularly talent that possesses many of the qualities I mentioned. So on a championship team, is Blair a competent third big or is Neal a sixth man? Absolutely not. But on some run of the mill team, can they be? Absolutely.

I can buy that. Still though, I believe Neal+Blair can get us, at best, a pick between 30-45. They can't get us lottery picks, and the late first rounders are held by contending teams that will probably want to cultivate who they pick, rather than take our scraps. Early second round is the best bet, IMO.

[CGD]

Maybe next year after which the spurs have to make a decision whether or not to resign the guy. He's a solid player and I think should stick around a while. I just think folks in here had unreasonable expectations about him.

[Legacy]

Maybe next year after which the spurs have to make a decision whether or not to resign the guy. He's a solid player and I think should stick around a while. I just think folks in here had unreasonable expectations about him.

:tu

[HarlemHeat37]

Splitter's value depends entirely on whether this season's pre-injury form was fluky or real, tbh..

It seems like an eternity ago, but prior to Splitter's first injury, he displayed a much improved post-up game, with fluid moves, and a soft touch at the basket..outside of that stretch, Splitter's post-game has been atrocious..

Was that stretch of post-up play a fluke, or was it improvement that was derailed by injury?..

[Wild Cobra Kai]

We were able to trade Hill because we were going to get similar (emphasis on similar) value from Neal and had the opportunity to bolster a position of need @ SF. We don't have that luxury with Splitter, and given his overall skill set, experience, and maturity, I wouldn't gamble on a rook.

Splitter/Bonner/Blair/parts for Okafor and #10. Sign Diaw. Bring over Lorbek. Draft another stud wing player at 10. Go to war with:

Tim
Diaw
Okafor
Lorbek

Every big can play with every other big. The worst offensive combo would likely be Tim/Okafor, since neither shoots the long ball. That's your best defensive combo, though, so it's a wash. N.O. gets huge cap relief, like $20M+. They can cut Blair right away (if they want), and Bonner is only guaranteed next season. Splitter is a true asset.

[spurs10]

With regard to this article, Tiago played very low minutes in the WCF. The first three games he played 13, 11, and 12 minutes. The rest of the games were lower. In game two he shot 4-5. Is it fair to blame our defensive lapses, with Tim on the bench, mostly on him. He did seem to spell Tim in games 1 & 2 where we obviously won. Is it realistic to think we are going to find a better 5 to fill in for Tim in his remaining years. It's not like he ever has or ever will play next to Tim.

[Sean Cagney]

i'm confident pop and rc will make a decent move.

i really hope so.

[therealtruth]

I think the Spurs should try to go long and athletic players if possible. We've already seen how well Kawhi's length helps him. Imagine if he was 6'9. He would be a defensive monster.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

I think the Spurs should try to go long and athletic players if possible. We've already seen how well Kawhi's length helps him. Imagine if he was 6'9. He would be a defensive monster.

He's going to be one, anyway. You don't have to be 6'9". Bowen wasn't.

[iManu]

Splitter/Bonner/Blair/parts for Okafor and #10. Sign Diaw. Bring over Lorbek. Draft another stud wing player at 10. Go to war with:

Tim
Diaw
Okafor
Lorbek

Every big can play with every other big. The worst offensive combo would likely be Tim/Okafor, since neither shoots the long ball. That's your best defensive combo, though, so it's a wash. N.O. gets huge cap relief, like $20M+. They can cut Blair right away (if they want), and Bonner is only guaranteed next season. Splitter is a true asset.


If we could pull off:

Tim
Diaw
Okafor
Lorbek
Sullinger

We would be the favorites (along with the Thunder, Heat, and wherever Howard goes, as long as it's not with the Magic).

But, everyone says in this option it's either Diaw or Lorbek, if Sullinger's there (I don't think there's a chance in hell), I think we can take a gamble with Lorbek.

Tim
Okafor
Lorbek
Sullinger
Cheap Seven footer that can breathe (even like a Mikki Moore).

We might be sometimes defensively undersized when Tim or Okafor aren't on the floor, but my God Sullinger has two good knees and can be a perennial all star.

If we CAN get Diaw AND Lorbek, then we could take a swing on a swing man at 10 if Sullinger isn't there (I think that our bigs should be defensive bigs, and I'm even afraid that Diaw is too passive with his shot to be effective, unless he can start shooting threes with a clip).

Tim
Okafor
Lorbek
Diaw
Scrub 7'0 (a la Mikki Moore).
#10 (SG Dion Waiters)

This would be awesomeness.

I don't know if Michael Jordan is crazy, but Kwame Brown says that he is:
Tony Parker, Blair, Picks, Money, and I will personally give a Blowjob for #2.
(Based on Jordan's love that the Bobcats would have star power and can use cap and shop DJ or Kemba for a vet big.)

And the Hornets would do well if:
Splitter, Bonner, Neal and picks for the #10 and Okafor.

Thomas Robinson
Duncan
Okafor
Lorbek
Scrub 7.0

Starting 5:

Damian Lillard (Worst case scenario Kendall Marshall)
Stephen Jackson
Kawhi Leonard
Thomas Robinson
Timothy Duncan

Manu Ginobili
Nando Calrissian
Emeka Okafor
Erazem Lorbek
Cory Joseph
Patty Mills
Scrub 7.0

That's a hell of a defensive team (with a point guard who can shoot the 3).


We could give away all of our picks for years in this scenario to make this work and it WOULD NOT even matter, because we would already be rebuilt.

2014

Lillard
De Colo
Leonard
Lorbek
Robinson

That is a young team with 3 possible All Stars (Lillard, Leonard, Robinson) and a max contract to offer to a 4th.

[iManu]

I imagine that the Hornets will want Lillard, though, they could use another chance at a CP3.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Splitter's value depends entirely on whether this season's pre-injury form was fluky or real, tbh..

It seems like an eternity ago, but prior to Splitter's first injury, he displayed a much improved post-up game, with fluid moves, and a soft touch at the basket..outside of that stretch, Splitter's post-game has been atrocious..

Was that stretch of post-up play a fluke, or was it improvement that was derailed by injury?..

I forgot the injury but I do recall that 10 day stretch when he was in god mode down on the low block. Ninja was salivating over him on the telecasts. He was shooting something like 70% on the low block backing players down. If the Spurs can get that player back, then I think you would hold on to him, even with his defensive shortcomings.

[ace3g]

I think the Spurs should try to go long and athletic players if possible. We've already seen how well Kawhi's length helps him. Imagine if he was 6'9. He would be a defensive monster.


This is why I think Dominic McGuire would make a great fit for the Spurs, 6'9, can play multiple positions: Good rebounder/shot blocker/steal - stat sheet stuffer. The key is to get guys that are 6'7 - 6'9 that can play multiple spots on the floor (and defend).

[Kuestmaster]

anyone that thinks we'll get sullinger is delusional

[jag]

I forgot the injury but I do recall that 10 day stretch when he was in god mode down on the low block. Ninja was salivating over him on the telecasts. He was shooting something like 70% on the low block backing players down. If the Spurs can get that player back, then I think you would hold on to him, even with his defensive shortcomings.

He was getting reps during that stretch. Duncan sat a couple of b2b's and Tiago was getting more minutes and more shots. His post-up attempts dropped dramatically after the all-star break.

His spacing, off-ball movement and passing were well above average, but he really needed to work on adjusting to the athleticism of NBA bigs. The only way he was going to get better in the post was to get more attempts in the post. Outside of a few games here and there, Tiago never really got that opportunity. And it's not like he was hurting the team with his post-up offense; he ended the season with a higher post-up FG% than Duncan.

No one can argue that Tiago's offensive game wasn't incredibly efficient and impactful during the regular season. Overall, his defense was average to above average, but on offense he made the most out of every minute he got. Tiago can certainly be more than a pick-n-roll player, but he's going to need minutes and he's going to need reps. If the Spurs can't figure out a way to play him with Duncan, then they need to find a player who can.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

He was getting reps during that stretch. Duncan sat a couple of b2b's and Tiago was getting more minutes and more shots. His post-up attempts dropped dramatically after the all-star break.

His spacing, off-ball movement and passing were well above average, but he really needed to work on adjusting to the athleticism of NBA bigs. The only way he was going to get better in the post was to get more attempts in the post. Outside of a few games here and there, Tiago never really got that opportunity. And it's not like he was hurting the team with his post-up offense; he ended the season with a higher post-up FG% than Duncan.

No one can argue that Tiago's offensive game wasn't incredibly efficient and impactful during the regular season. Overall, his defense was average to above average, but on offense he made the most out of every minute he got. Tiago can certainly be more than a pick-n-roll player, but he's going to need minutes and he's going to need reps. If the Spurs can't figure out a way to play him with Duncan, then they need to find a player who can.

Good points. In the end, I think they should test the market with Tiago, mainly because Pop doesn't want to play him with Tim, and I'm not convinced Pop believes in Tiago either. Unfortunately, the lasting image for Tiago for the season will probably be Pop going ballistic and yanking him after what may or may not have been a bad play -- not exactly something to boost his trade value. On the other hand, I'd like to think the non-idiot GM's can see his worth statistically, and see that he has a good future.

[AFBlue]

Bump.

Obviously if the Spurs explored Splitter's trade value during the draft, they didn't find something to their liking. But that was before the Omer Asik deal that landed an offensively challenged, limited upside 26yr old $8M/yr for the next three.

I don't know what the Spurs FO had gauged his market value at before the deal, but I would assume the $8M/yr floor presented in the scenario above probably wasn't it. Given that, do you think the Spurs will actively look to flip Splitter this offseason or before the deadline to bring back value that's controlled at a lower number for the next two/three years? Or is he too valuable to their championship chances?

[Drom John]

This offseason, Asik has shown that Splitter is a bargain. Bargains are what the Spurs need to reach timvp's 3% last last stand.
Me, I want the 3%.

[swaggerjackson]

Are we able to negotiate an extension with him now? If we are it might be a good idea just to see what he is after. If he wants 8-10 million a year then we know we need to explore trading him now because we can't afford to pay that much for what he brings to the table. If he is content with 3 or 4 year deal in the range of 5 or 6 million a year it might be worthwhile to lock him up. He is a quality player and even if he doesn't fit here teams will not be afraid of taking on that contract for a talent like Splitter. This would all be after the major free agent chips have fallen, specifically llyasova. If we could turn Splitter and some combo of Bonner, Blair, or Neal into a sign and trade for llyasova that would be a big upgrade in my opinion.

[Mel_13]

Are we able to negotiate an extension with him now?

No.

He's on a 3-year contract. Contracts must be at least for 4 years to be extended.

[swaggerjackson]

Thanks.