Oberto's contract is 3 years/$7.5M (and some interesting Scola info)

[Kori Ellis]

Spurs reach agreement with Oberto, not Scola
Web Posted: 07/15/2005 12:00 AM CDT

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer


Unwilling to wait any longer for Argentine forward Luis Scola to arrange a buyout agreement with his Spanish team, the Spurs have decided to sign one of his countrymen instead.

Fabricio Oberto, the starting center on Argentina's national team and one of Manu Ginobili's best friends, has reached an agreement in principle with the Spurs on a three-year contract worth about $7.5 million.

Players can't officially sign contracts until the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement is completed. The league has set July22 as a target date for lifting its signing moratorium.

Oberto, 30, averaged 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds last season for Pamesa Valencia in Spain's top league. He stands 6-foot-10 and is a good passer and solid low-post scorer whose selflessness, toughness and basketball IQ have long attracted the Spurs.

Oberto teamed with Ginobili, Scola and Chicago's Andres Nocioni when Argentina upset the United States in the 2002 World Championships. The team beat Team USA again last summer on the way to the gold medal in Athens.

Having established himself as one of the best big men in Europe, Oberto had hoped in recent years to join Ginobili in making the jump to the NBA. The Spurs, whose center and power forward positions are basically interchangeable, think he will fit nicely into their rotation. He also is a poor free-throw shooter, so he should feel comfortable among his new teammates.

"He's really wanted this for a long time," said Oberto's agent, Herb Rudoy, who also represents Ginobili. "When I told him we had reached agreement, he said, 'I can't talk, I can only tell you same thing Manu said: My body is too small for my heart. I'm so happy; that's how I feel.'"

Scola likely didn't express the same sentiments when told of the Spurs' decision.

Scola, a 2002 second-round pick of the Spurs, is five years younger than Oberto and considered a more-skilled player. The Spurs had hoped to sign Scola this summer but became fearful of losing Oberto and other free agents if they waited any longer for Scola to reach an agreement on a buyout with his Spanish team, Tau Ceramica.

The NBA buyout in Scola's initial contract with Tau was a staggering 12 million euros or $14.5million. The team later revised the contract to give Scola a much more affordable buyout based on where he was drafted in the first round. Yet because the deal never specified anything about being selected in the second round, Tau officials claim Scola must pay the original buyout if he wants to leave for the NBA or wait until his contract expires in three years when the buyout is reduced to $1 million.

:wow :wow :wow No wonder Scola isn't here - who's going to pay $14.5M

The Spurs, who are limited by NBA rules to contributing no more than $350,000 to the buyout, have spent more than two years trying to resolve the matter. While Scola's agents tried to convince the Spurs they eventually will strike a deal with Tau — the issue could end up in the hands of an arbitrator — team officials decided they couldn't risk waiting.

Tau already has lost its head coach this summer, and two of the team's top players, Jose Calderon and Arvydas Macijauskas, could depart. As a result, Tau's owners might be hesitant about letting Scola also leave.

The Spurs have discussed trading Scola's rights, but any team interested in him is likely going to want assurances he will be able to free himself from his Spanish contract.

After Oberto's signing, the Spurs will have about half of their $4.9 million midlevel exception remaining, in addition to their $1.6 million exception. They would like to add an athletic wing player, a third point guard (re-signing Mike Wilks remains a possibility) and another reserve big man to occupy the role Tony Massenburg and Kevin Willis held previously.

Though the Spurs could re-sign Devin Brown without using either exception, they so far appear hesitant about giving him a significant raise because of health concerns. Doctors have assured team officials Brown's back eventually will heal. They just can't tell them when.

Sacramento's Maurice Evans and Indiana's James Jones are other options, though both are restricted free agents, giving the Kings and Pacers the right to match offers they receive from other teams.

The Spurs also might wait to see how much the free-agent pool deepens after the NBA's new amnesty rule goes into effect, allowing teams the right to waive one player and avoid his luxury-tax penalty. Dallas is expected to cut Michael Finley if it can't first find another team willing to trade for him. New York also figures to part with guard Allan Houston.

Center Rasho Nesterovic has generated some trade interest among other teams, though the Spurs have yet to find a deal they like.

[timvp]

Holy shizzle. So this whole time the talk of Scola's buyout being around $2M was BS? Man, that's hardcore.

Scola won't be here anytime soon. Three more years?!!?

Damn.

There goes his trade value and the ability to sign him before 2009.

[smeagol]

Bye-bye Scola

[slayermin]

Who the hell is Scola's agent? Does he own a piece of Tau Ceramica or something?

[shyne]

Man I was really looking forward to Scola, I guess I can forget that shit.

[timvp]

I'm a little disappointed that Oberto was signed with MLE money (was hoping for LLE) ... but at the same time, he's a perfect fit for this team.

[Guru of Nothing]

2.5MIL per is what caught my eye.

Not bad, but about twice what I presumed.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I'm a little disappointed that Oberto was signed with MLE money (was hoping for LLE) ... but at the same time, he's a perfect fit for this team.


how do you figure?



i have not read one legitmate hardcore reason why this guy shoulda been signed other than he's a backup center
then again i guess its hard for me to scrutinize a foreign player properly

[genghisrex]

Perhaps $2 MM is what the buyout would have been if Scola had been a late first rounder (and what the Spurs, Scola, and his agent thought Tau might be convinced to take)?

[Guru of Nothing]

Not the first time it has been asked, I'm sure, but in light of it all, for how long do the Spurs retain the rights to Scola?

[timvp]

how do you figure?


He's an unselfish player who is all about winning. He's a great passer and brings rebouding, defense and some shotblocking to the table. Next to Duncan, he could be deadly. He can play the high post and pick apart teams.

I've actually liked him better than Scola the times I've watched them both play. Basically, the Spurs got another smart player who is all about the Ws.

[Rick Von Braun]

I think the buyout is big because he signed a 10 years contract with Tau when he was 17 years old.

[timvp]

Not the first time it has been asked, I'm sure, but in light of it all, for how long do the Spurs retain the rights to Scola?

Until one year after his European contract ends.

In other words, until you have great grandchildren.

[EasilyAmused]

The NBA buyout in Scola's initial contract with Tau was a staggering 12 million euros or $14.5million. The team later revised the contract to give Scola a much more affordable buyout based on where he was drafted in the first round. Yet because the deal never specified anything about being selected in the second round, Tau officials claim Scola must pay the original buyout if he wants to leave for the NBA or wait until his contract expires in three years when the buyout is reduced to $1 million.

:wow :wow :wow No wonder Scola isn't here - who's going to pay $14.5M




YIKES!!! :wow

[TheTruth]

2.5 mil a year seems a little much. Bummer we had to use some of the MLE.


The NBA buyout in Scola's initial contract with Tau was a staggering 12 million euros or $14.5million.
Scola's agent advised him to sign that piece of shit contract?

[timvp]

Perhaps $2 MM is what the buyout would have been if Scola had been a late first rounder (and what the Spurs, Scola, and his agent thought Tau might be convinced to take)?

That's probably the case ... but there's no way Tau is going to lower that $15M number now. Scola is one of the better players in Europe. With three years left on the deal, it'd be dumb for them to let him go.








P.S.

Can you imagine the hype Scola when he actually crosses the Atlantic. In 2010 or whatever, it'll be a bigger event than the Second Coming.

[TheTruth]

Do you guys feel comfortable going into the season with this as our Frontline Rotation?
C - Nazr, Duncan, Rasho, Oberto
PF- Duncan, Horry, Oberto
Or do you see the Spurs making another move or two?

[Sense]

Is Ian gonna be a backup Center or F?

F right?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Countdown to Brutalis showing up and saying it's worth the buyout in 3....2...1...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Ian's gonna be in Europe for 3 more years.

[TheTruth]

Is Ian gonna be a backup Center or F?

F right?
Ian is 6'10" now, but with him only being 18 he could be well over 7 ft by the time he is done growing.

[Banks91]

man people dont understand something, we are set for the next 4-5 years with our
big 3, no changes needed. any pics added or anything from europe is a set up
for when its time for Duncan to retire. everything the spurs do is for the future

[clubalien]

now you see why the smarter than Spur franchises didnlt draft him
spurs always trading and throwing their picks away

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

now you see why the smarter than Spur franchises didnlt draft him
spurs always trading and throwing their picks away

Spoken like a true idiot.

[Sense]

Ian's gonna be in Europe for 3 more years.

Oh, oh right right...

The Project.

[clubalien]

ian is going to come over when tim duncan declines just like we had tim come with david and ian will be david reborn an athletic Center that plays like a forward

man God is a spurs fan to have all these great big man

[clubalien]

seriously how is waiting 5 years for a player with a huge buy out not throwing a pick away

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

seriously how is waiting 5 years for a player with a huge buy out not throwing a pick away

Seriously, how are Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Beno Udrih "drafting poorly and throwing away draft picks"?

It's called taking a chance that you can negotiate a cheap buyout. Fuck, every team in the league would love to have the Spurs success over the last 5 years of drafting talent.

[TheWriter]

15 fucking million?!

How the hell is it poosible we thought for the last three years it was a 2 million dollar buy out!?

[ChumpDumper]

Who would YOU have picked at that spot that year?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I suspect the 2 million dollar buyout was what it would have cost had anyone drafted Scola in the first round (the renegotiated part).

[TheWriter]

I suspect the 2 million dollar buyout was what it would have cost had anyone drafted Scola in the first round (the renegotiated part).

Yeah, but we and his team has known for the past three years that he was drafted with the very last pick in the second round.

Where did all the confusion come from?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Perhaps Tau indicated that when the time came they'd be agreeable to a similar buyout?

It doesn't help that two of Tau's top three players (scola being the other) have already left their squad.

If Tony and Tim left the Spurs tomorrow, would you be willing to easily let Manu get away?

[clubalien]

I don;t lie and fluff myself up liek some people I don't have the knowledge of all te players in the draft to tell you who was worth drafting. No benfit of flyinf over to china or watching video of everyone

simple put I am ignorant on who they could chooose

but drafting a player with a 14 mill buyout that is a backup
its not liek drafting jordan or larry bird that where paying 14 mil is still worth it
we have wait this long and we will have to wait a long time,\

all those people saying oberto is old now well scola wouldn't be getting younger

[timvp]

I wonder if an agreement is made to to buyout the contract now ... will the Spurs still offer Scola the money? I'd guess so.

Then again, Tau would be stupid to let Scola out of it. They have the "best power forward in Europe" locked up for three more years with an impossible buyout. On top of that, the Spanish league owners have a rep for being hardasses.

Hopefully Scola is on this side of 30 by the time he reaches America.

[ChumpDumper]

I thought some of these guys would've sold their computers for meth by now.

[Solid D]

Do you guys feel comfortable going into the season with this as our Frontline Rotation?
C - Nazr, Duncan, Rasho, Oberto
PF- Duncan, Horry, Oberto
Or do you see the Spurs making another move or two?

Very good frontline rotation and almost too deep.

Spurs need another wing who can defend, get out on the break and shoot from the corner.

[TheWriter]

the issue could end up in the hands of an arbitrator

What about that?

I mean, the whole getting it down to 2 million was only for a first round pick, the rules I assume say nothing about second round.

Shouldn't there be some loop hole?

Damnit! Some one send that whiney chick from Maloney and Maloney!

[Solid D]

That is the most whack buyout I've ever heard of in my life. Talk about coming out of left field. Who knew? Where is Angelo Drossos when you need him?

[clubalien]

if i owned scolas contract i wouldn't let him out of it really the only threat is scola tanks the season, but the spus would have to know he purposly did it

[Solid D]

The late owner Angelo Drossos would have gotten everyone from the Spurs, the NBA, Tau and FIBA in a hotel room and the Spurs would have ended up leasing Scola for 3 years :lol

[Timoha]

Well, that's really too bad. I was really looking forward to seeing Scola here. But with that type of buyout, I can totally understand as to why he's not here. That's really too bad.

[Solid D]

If you can believe it, the Spurs have been following Oberto and tracking his progress since 1997.

[TheWriter]

I still don't get how this entire time we thought it was 2 mill. Makes zero sense.

Our hopes were so up and then bam... we hit earth.

[Kori Ellis]

The Spurs didn't think it was $2M.


The Spurs, who are limited by NBA rules to contributing no more than $350,000 to the buyout, have spent more than two years trying to resolve the matter.

[clubalien]

sounds to me liek the spurs intentionly didn't release info of what the buyout woudl be and now that they haven't signed scola they are saying how much it is so fans are mad at TAU and nto the spurs for not signing scola

[Russ]

Calm down. From the article, it sounds like there is still a good chance that Scola's buyout will be resolved in the Spurs' favor in the near future.

In the meantime, Oberto>Scola anyway.

Scola too slowla, IMO.

[TheTruth]

sounds to me liek the spurs intentionly didn't release info of what the buyout woudl be and now that they haven't signed scola they are saying how much it is so fans are mad at TAU and nto the spurs for not signing scola
exactamundo. The spurs didn't want us to know that they used a 2nd rd pick on a guy with a 14 million dollar buyout.

[beck253]

Anyway, Scola's contract runs two more years, not three... he signed it in 97 and it was for 10 years...

[clubalien]

but how are their basketball seaosns? would his contract expire during our season or before

[ChumpDumper]

Anyone expecting rotation players from every mid 50s pick needs to share whatever he's smoking with the rest of us.

[velik_m]

Then again, Tau would be stupid to let Scola out of it. They have the "best power forward in Europe" locked up for three more years with an impossible buyout. On top of that, the Spanish league owners have a rep for being hardasses.


Then again screwing your best player is just stupid.


That is the most whack buyout I've ever heard of in my life.

Vou obviously don't follow soccer, buyouts in some spanish clubs go well over 100 mil

[Mr. Body]

If I were Scola, I'd piss all over that team next year. I'd be pissed as hell. That's straight up bondage and it's not right. Hell, even the first American Idol contracts were worse and Kelly Clarkson got out of hers...

[clubalien]

buyouts have to be high i mean if buy outs were just a dollar what would the purpose be of a contact at all

[Mr. Body]

One thing doesn't fly in how often Scola said he expected to be in the NBA next year. Were these idle wishes? Moments when the going looked hopeful? Or is it not so bad as this article says?

[Kori Ellis]

One thing doesn't fly in how often Scola said he expected to be in the NBA next year. Were these idle wishes? Moments when the going looked hopeful? Or is it not so bad as this article says?

Perhaps Scola, his agent, and the Spurs all thought Tau would try to work it out ... but they didn't.

[slayermin]

I assume, primarily, Scola and his agent are negotiating with Tau with the Spurs in the background.

So isn't it basically up to Scola to pony up the buyout?

[Mr. Body]

So isn't it basically up to Scola to pony up the buyout?

Did you see those figures? Basically nobody could afford that.

[whottt]

I guess now we know why Scola was pissed when he didn't get drafted in the first round...

He wasn't happy about it and didn't try hiding it...I always thought he was kind of an ahole for reacting that way. I guess that also might explain why he got pissed when he was asked about coming to the Spurs during the Olympics as well(I thought it was because RC was calling him out on his rebounding).

Oh well...see ya when you're 30 Scola.




PS: We should try and hire the scout that signed him to that deal when he was 17, the guy evidentally has a great eye for talent.

[slayermin]

Did you see those figures? Basically nobody could afford that.

If he could negotiate it down to 6-8million, it's doable. Scola will be a free agent in two or three years. He could be in for a nice payday, if he thinks about the buyout as an investment.

[Kori Ellis]

If he could negotiate it down to 6-8million, it's doable.

They've been trying to negotiate it for a few years. It doesn't look like it's getting reduced.

[whottt]

Scola needs to demand a trade to a team that will be easier to buy out...

I wonder how much he makes per year...

It seems wrong that his buy out his so high for a contract he signed when he was 17...I wonder if he even makes a million per year...

That can't be fair...it seems like slavery actually.

[slayermin]

They've been trying to negotiate it for a few years. It doesn't look like it's getting reduced.

So is arbitration out of the question?

[velik_m]

Scola needs to demand a trade to a team that will be easier to buy out...



There are no trades in Europe.

[Mr. Body]

That can't be fair...it seems like slavery actually.

That's why I called it 'bondage' in a post above. I don't like the word slavery in this instance, since it carries such a massive historical resonance. Bondage fits better. In any case, it gets into the negative aspects of professional sports, where a player is forced to play for a team he doesn't want to. Players fought very hard for free agency and it's sad to see something like this happen to a young man who's until now played very hard for his team, TAU.

[whottt]

There are no trades in Europe.


Now that's just unAmerican!

[whottt]

That's why I called it 'bondage' in a post above. I don't like the word slavery in this instance, since it carries such a massive historical resonance. Bondage fits better. In any case, it gets into the negative aspects of professional sports, where a player is forced to play for a team he doesn't want to. Players fought very hard for free agency and it's sad to see something like this happen to a young man who's until now played very hard for his team, TAU.

Call it bondage all you want...but to me it looks like they own his ass so IMO it's slavery....and he came cheap.

[Mr. Body]

Call it bondage all you want...but to me it looks like they own his ass so IMO it's slavery....and he came cheap.

Not to derail the thread... I only object to it because to compare a man who is making millions of dollars/euros/whatever to the victims of one of the greatest and most unholy of crimes this world has ever seen... it just rubs me a little wrong. So I go less for the hyperbole and try to find the correct word here.

[TheTruth]

The dude signed the contract. Call it whatever you want, but its his own fault.

[whottt]

I see your point, ant it's a valid one...but if you ask me they are screwing this guy royally and they hold tremendous influence over his life...

It's one thing if he does make millions of dollars, it's entirely another if he doesn't...if he doesn't he's got no education to fall back on and he's basically forced to play for them to survive. It is a form of endentured servitude if you ask me...a mild form of it...but that's what it is IMO...

This guy was basically a minor when he signed that contract.

It just depends on how much he is making...if this club is that tight I can't see them giving a 17 year old big bucks...admittedly, I could be way off on this and he could be earning quite a bit.

[Sense]

The dude signed the contract. Call it whatever you want, but its his own fault.

In that position, and in that country... you take anything available.

[Mr. Body]

I see your point, ant it's a valid one...but if you ask me they are screwing this guy royally and they hold tremendous influence over his life...

Oh, we're in absolutely agreement, I was only quibbling about the word we were using. Not really important. I'm as sick as you are that a young man's destiny is being lorded over by a greedy ownership with a tin ear to his own desires. Sure, that may be tempered by the fact that I'm a big Spurs fan and I was looking forward to Scola being here... but I have the same thoughts with restricted free agency in the NBA, when a player is forced to continue playing for a team he might not want to. Trades often raises that, too - an athlete is forced to leave an area he considers home. Most of the time we're all okay with it, but this is a case when the dark side of professional sports reigns. I cannot in any way count myself a fan of TAU at this point and hope Scola considers sitting out the rest of his contract.

[TheTruth]

This guy was basically a minor when he signed that contract.

It just depends on how much he is making...if this club is that tight I can't see them giving a 17 year old big bucks...admittedly, I could be way off on this and he could be earning quite a bit.
Where in the hell was the European age limit when it was needed?

[IcemanCometh]

http://www.riversharks.com/img/photo/ObertoBaseball.gif

[whottt]

. I cannot in any way count myself a fan of TAU at this point and hope Scola considers sitting out the rest of his contract.


I just don't see how the buyout can be more that the remaining value of the contract...

There is no way in hell that guy is going to get paid 14 million dollars by that club in the next 3 years...if he is well then...I guess that's fair.

I wonder if the original value of the contract was 14 million...although that seems like quite a bit for a 1997 Euroleague contract, that comes out to like 1.4 million per year...NBA rookies right now barely make that.

[boutons]

"is forced to continue playing for a team he might not want to."

a contract is a contract. nobody, owner or player, is forced to sign a contract.

If players were able to cancel contracts becaause "I don't like it here", then owners would be able to cancel contracts "because we think you are an overpaid, lazy cancreous shithead".

[Mr. Body]

boutons: In other sports, contracts are much more fluid.

[whottt]

"is forced to continue playing for a team he might not want to."

a contract is a contract. nobody, owner or player, is forced to sign a contract.

If players were able to cancel contracts becaause "I don't like it here", then owners would be able to cancel contracts "because we think you are an overpaid, lazy cancreous shithead".

Fair is fair...but there is no way in hell that 14 million buyout is fair.

How can you stick a buy out of greater value than the contract on the contract?

That is unscrupulous...I don't care how try and spin it.

And you are right...he's got no one to blame...but his agent.

But teams often can get out of contracts under certain conditions...I'd be willing to be that it's a lot easier for that team to get out of that contract than it is for Scola to get out of it.

[TheTruth]

I guess if you look at it from scola's point of view back in '97 its a bit different. He's 17 yrs old about to sign a contract making more money for more years than he could ever dream. He's Argentine, and when was the last time an Argentine has ever made it to the NBA? The buyout probably wasn't a big deal to him then.

[boutons]

Luis was 17, promsing but unproven, looking at a lot of money and 10 years of it, easy to get screwed. Where were his parents, and his lawyer as a 2nd opinion? This must be an example why minors can't enter into contracts.

I wonder if Luis' agent gets a %-age of any buyout just as he gets a %-age of the contract value.

Oh, well, Luis-as-Spur is screwed.

[whottt]

How much does he make under that contract?

For all we know the guy could be making 10 grand a year.

How much were 17 year olds from economically distraught countries being paid to play in Europe back in 1997?

Do the Euro leagues even have a pay scale? Did they then?

I know they make good money now...but I don't think everyone made good money back in 1997, especially 17 year olds working on 10 year contracts.

But I could be way off on that...

[TheTruth]

he probably is making less than 100 grand a year.

[velik_m]

Do the Euro leagues even have a pay scale? Did they then?


No and No

[whottt]

Thanks velik__m....do you have an estimate of how much he makes?

[velik_m]

Have no idea

[TMSKILZ]

I don;t lie and fluff myself up liek some people I don't have the knowledge of all te players in the draft to tell you who was worth drafting. No benfit of flyinf over to china or watching video of everyone

simple put I am ignorant on who they could chooose

but drafting a player with a 14 mill buyout that is a backup
its not liek drafting jordan or larry bird that where paying 14 mil is still worth it
we have wait this long and we will have to wait a long time,\

all those people saying oberto is old now well scola wouldn't be getting younger
Someone please take this Pakistani out back & silence him! :rolleyes

[smeagol]

Scola's contract goes for two more years. He will be 27, not 30.

[Rummpd]

Trust POP

[WalterBenitez]

About buyouts

Last year Chapu Nocioni left TAU to play with Chicago Bulls, and the TAU's President told to everyone that Chapu had to pay every f...g euro of his buyout; in his speach he said that TAU invested a lot of money recruiting and training young players, he added that under no circunstances TAU will give up their stars without receiving money.

Besides that, u$s 14.5 M??? Jesus ... I'd like kill his agent, how in the world you could allow that?? amazing.

[Gino2882]

So it will be 2 more years until Scola is here?

[Gummi]

I'm sure that Scola makes more then 100k a year. He's probably close to $1 million or so. Sarunas Jasikevicius, I think was the highest paid European player last season with about $1.5 million a year.

[Marcus Bryant]

FYI: Oberto's contract will start at $2.265 mil. So the Spurs should have about $2.735 mil of the MLE left to offer someone else a deal.

[1Parker1]

another reserve big man to occupy the role Tony Massenburg and Kevin Willis held previously.

Damn, I guess I missed it, but they definitly let Tony Massenburg go? :(

[spurster]

$14.5M? Wow!

You sign a contract. That's the way it goes. Scola would certainly do better in the NBA, but he's doing pretty well now.

[ambchang]

If I were Scola, I'd piss all over that team next year. I'd be pissed as hell. That's straight up bondage and it's not right. Hell, even the first American Idol contracts were worse and Kelly Clarkson got out of hers...

On the other hand, Tau gave Scola a chance when he was 17. A contract is a contract. Scola signed it willingly back then. Tau probably signed dozens of these contracts, and Scola is one of the rare ones that developed and helped them, the risks are high, and now the returns are in, no way am I going to give it away.
Also, if Scola tanked the season to try and get out of the contract, I would be weary of his attitude.

[Marcus Bryant]

Well, those are the breaks.

But Oberto should make up for some, if not all, of what they lost in not being able to bring over Scola.

[TDMVPDPOY]

im pissed :(

scola should throw the next season away just like VC, so tau can released its very common in soccer in euro anyway...

[angel_luv]

I'm all late in posting but I got here ( library) as fast as I could. So, Oberto! What a great addition to our team! How thrilled must Gino and Argentina be!

So long as this trade does not cost me my Rasho, I think it is great.


* Guess who becomes a Time Warner Customer Saturday between 12-4??!?!?!? = )

[spurschick]

im pissed :(

scola should throw the next season away just like VC

Why? I think that a lot of people lost respect for VC for doing that. Scola is still unproved in the NBA. If he wants to make it over here, it wouldn't be in his best interest to cop attitude and throw the season away.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I think he'd have a great shot in arbitration.

If a first round contract buyout is only worth 2.2 million, how can Tau rationalize asking 14 million for the last pick in the second round (an objectively "worse round" to get drafted)?

[SpursChampsIII]

I still don't get how this entire time we thought it was 2 mill. Makes zero sense.

Our hopes were so up and then bam... we hit earth.

We can't assume that Spurs management knew about this or not. We CAN assume that WE thought it was 2M.

[Marcus Bryant]

So the Spurs get an Argentine frontcourt player this summer, one for whom they did not have draft rights and they keep the rights to another.

Not bad, especially if Oberto is just as good, if not better, than Scola.

[waly.mg]

FYI: Oberto's contract will start at $2.265 mil. So the Spurs should have about $2.735 mil of the MLE left to offer someone else a deal.

Probably Horry is going to get that Money

[Marcus Bryant]

Probably Horry is going to get that Money


Horry will be signed using his Early Bird rights. The Spurs do not have to use the MLE to re-sign him.

[WalterBenitez]

I think he'd have a great shot in arbitration.

If a first round contract buyout is only worth 2.2 million, how can Tau rationalize asking 14 million for the last pick in the second round (an objectively "worse round" to get drafted)?

Let me guess ...

The original amount was euros 1.450.000, but the assistant who typed the contract added a zero (An unknown Word's bug) ... so it was signed with 14.500.000

:pctoss

[MannyIsGod]

Some of you are way off base here. Yes, the buyout sucks for the Spurs and Scola because as that figure stands it makes his rights useless. But to compare it to Slavery? Give me a break. Tau is in the business of making money just like any other sports franchise and they need to remain competetive to do so. If they just let Scola walk away they lose him and gain nothing even though they put a lot of work into making him what he is today.

Buyouts are fair, even at that amount. They are put in place to protect an investment. Thats what you have agents for. It's a damn shame Scola's team is playing hardball but it is what it is.

Scola sitting out is a viable option. He's trying to renegotiate a bad contract that is obviously stacked against him. But it is a double edged sword, and it could hurt him more than it would help him. Tau's management seems to have balls of steel, I wouldn't want to fuck with them. At this point, Scola needs to pray arbitration works in his favor.

[CosmicCowboy]

Assuming that 14.5 million wasn't a typo Scola is obviously stuck over there...but guys...it's definitely not the end of the world. Scola is still young and improving. Big men don't typically reach their peak skill wise till they are 27-28 and that is the age that he will be available. I would say that Tim Duncan was an exception to this age peak thing but we actually still don't know...TD with a summers rest and two good ankles could continue to improve...a very scary scenario for the rest of the league...

Scola will be the "go to" guy on his team next year which is a top team in Europe and he will get lots of minutes...He still has a lot of upside and barring injury I expect his numbers to improve dramatically this year...Even if he can't get out of his contract he should continue to improve and will join the Spurs as he is entering his peak and as Tim starts to slowly decline. Still not a bad scenario.

[Marcus Bryant]

Yeah, Spurs get an Argentine big now and they still have Scola's rights. Not too bad, in my opinion.

[CosmicCowboy]

and 3 years at 2.5 million per for a potential rotation big that can give you post scoring and agressive energy rebounding is friggen dirt cheap. Thats less than half what Jerome friggen James got per year over a shorter time period.

[Marcus Bryant]

and 3 years at 2.5 million per for a potential rotation big that can give you post scoring and agressive energy rebounding is friggen dirt cheap. Thats less than half what Jerome friggen James got per year over a shorter time period.

:smokin

[2centsworth]

Go to arbitration and asked for the buyout to be much less than 2mm. That way Tau has too much at risk and will settle for 2-4mm.

Arbitration baby! However, Tau might have the arbitrator in their back pocket. WHo knows, but just an example of how much better the US system of business is far better than europes.

[MI21]

Let me get this straight.

The Spurs get an Argentine big man, who is a solid 6'10 and is in the prime of his career without losing the rights to there 25 year old Argentine big man.

In 2 years when Tony is going to be just entering his prime, Manu will be bang smack in the middle of his prime, Tim will still only be 31, Nazr will still be a good age and Bowen and Horry will be either gone or with much reduced roles, the Spurs will be able to bring over the "Best Bigman in Europe" who will just happen to be in his prime, to just add to what will be a very seasoned and effective lineup.

Some people are complaining about that?

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs do have to give up on Scola for the interim, so they've lost something. But they've gained the rights to another big as a result.

[MI21]

I could care less, there is no "need" for Scola right now. This just means the Spurs will be adding a better Luis Scola in 2 years than they would be this year, not to mention that he will be added to a team who's backcourt will be in its prime and who's frontcourt could potentially need a bit of a lift as they get older.

I'm fuckin' rapt about this one.

[Marcus Bryant]

Make no mistake, I'm quite pleased with this outcome.

[ALVAREZ6]

What the fuck....Tau Ceramica is a fucking piece of fucking ass fucking shit.

[wildbill2u]

how do you figure?



i have not read one legitmate hardcore reason why this guy shoulda been signed other than he's a backup center
then again i guess its hard for me to scrutinize a foreign player properly

One legitimate reason is that they can trade Rasho or Nasr, whichever is less needed, for someone that fills a need while getting rid of his higher salary. It's probably a statement that one or the other is gone.

[wildbill2u]

About buyouts

Last year Chapu Nocioni left TAU to play with Chicago Bulls, and the TAU's President told to everyone that Chapu had to pay every f...g euro of his buyout; in his speach he said that TAU invested a lot of money recruiting and training young players, he added that under no circunstances TAU will give up their stars without receiving money.

Besides that, u$s 14.5 M??? Jesus ... I'd like kill his agent, how in the world you could allow that?? amazing.

If you were an agent, wouldn't you like to tie up a client's contract for ten years so you'll have a nice annuity? You keep your piece of him, even when he gets a raise. Too bad the kid didn't have better representation.

[Kori Ellis]

Everyone I talk to in the Argentine media (even those in contact with Scola and/or his agent) say that the buyout is $3.2M.

That's a huge difference to what is reported here.

[gus]

Look Kori,

Be careful with information around here. Always was reported that the buyout would be around 2M, so It could be true or not. Besides Argentine media said in the past that the contract was thru 2006 not 3 years more. I do not know.

Gus

[Kori Ellis]

Gus, it was always reported here (and in Argentina) that the buyout was around $2M up until yesterday. I'm just wondering why the Express-News thinks its $14.5M and the Argentina media thinks it's $3.2M now. Those numbers are pretty specific. I find it very interesting. Maybe it's in between :lol Who knows?

I wish Scola the best and hopefully he has another great season in Europe.

[ChumpDumper]

Well, Ludden got pwn3d on the EB rights for Horry, so who knows....?

[Marcus Bryant]

Perhaps it started at $14.5 mil and has declined incrementally over the course of the contract?

[drivanroca]

http://www.fabrioberto.com/multimedia/wall/wall_05.jpg

:p :p :rollin :eyebrows :td :huh :huh :huh

[Kori Ellis]

Perhaps it started at $14.5 mil and has declined incrementally over the course of the contract?

Oh, I think it was supposed to do that. But then Ludden states that Tau went back to the original buyout amount.

[Summers]

Yet another Spur with no pectoral muscles. Pity.

:lol

[clubalien]

now reports say 3mil and spurs refuseing sign scola

[WalterBenitez]

http://www.fabrioberto.com/multimedia/wall/wall_05.jpg


"To Rasho's girls fan ... I am going ...be ready" :lol

[Mr. Body]

But to compare it to Slavery? Give me a break.

You mis-read the sub-thread. You can try it again. But that's why I disliked using that word and elected to use 'bondage,' which it is. High priced bondage, but there it is.

[Marcus Bryant]

Looks like the Spurs have put on their own set of chains now.