Introducing Scola

[ploto]

First, there's Luis Scola, who'll be introduced to the media this afternoon at Toyota Center. He's Morey's most important acquisition, a 6-9, 245-pound power forward who is 27 years old and seemingly ready to contribute in the NBA. Yao Ming, meet your new best friend.

Once Rashard Lewis was off the board, Morey figured he'd be forced to settle for Joe Smith or another veteran. Instead, he ended up with someone in the prime of his career. He got lucky in that San Antonio considered him expendable, but he deserves all kinds of credit for pursuing every avenue.

"We saw him as one of, if not the, best options," Morey said. "He's a bit unique. He uses his body to finish around the basket. He's got a midrange game and a great IQ for the passing game. He has a lot of heart. That group of Argentinians he grew up with is as tough as nails and knows how to fit into teams. They're winners. As excited as I am about acquiring him, I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone more excited than he is. This has been a dream of his."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/4973103.html

[MoSpur]

Good for Houston and Scola. If he is as good as a lot claim he is, Houston will be very god.

[Russ]

"He's a bit unique. He uses his body to finish around the basket."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/4973103.html
This is the part that may or may not translate to the NBA. It's why it's so hard to compare him to any current NBA player. If he can do it in the NBA, he'll do very well. If not, he could struggle. My guess is he'll struggle to adjust.

[thousandth]

Damn, Is it a forum's Rockets fan?
Enough with Scola!

http://www.nba.com/rockets/
or

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=3

[TDMVPDPOY]

comparable to larry johnson without range

[sandman]

Good for Houston and Scola. If he is as good as a lot claim he is, Houston will be very god.

Well, potential can be a fickle thing, but we know without a doubt that he can outrun Yao, Deke and Butler. Unless he is racing Butler to the buffet line...

Adleman is going to have a more up tempo offense, but unfortunately for him he does not have an up tempo roster. Bigs are slow, primary 3 is modeled after Bowen (D and 3), TMac is turning into a spot up shooter with his bad back. Does this trade make the Rockets better? Sure. Does it make them "very good"? No. SA, Dallas and PHX will all run them out of the building in the playoffs.

[whottt]

Well, potential can be a fickle thing, but we know without a doubt that he can outrun Yao, Deke and Butler. Unless he is racing Butler to the buffet line...

Adleman is going to have a more up tempo offense, but unfortunately for him he does not have an up tempo roster. Bigs are slow, primary 3 is modeled after Bowen (D and 3), TMac is turning into a spot up shooter with his bad back. Does this trade make the Rockets better? Sure. Does it make them "very good"? No. SA, Dallas and PHX will all run them out of the building in the playoffs.

Bingo...will the be able to out run the Spurs? No they won't. Will they be able to out half court the Spurs? That would be a first in Duncan's career by anyone but the Lakers...will they be a better defensive team than the Spurs? Uh no..will they be able to break the Spurs D down one on one like the Mavs did? No they won't. Will the Spurs be able to break their D down one on one? You betcha.


It's just not happenin' for Houston.

The one thing they've got going for them against us is the matchup problems created by Tmac and Bonzi. Period. And getting rid of some payroll helps us attain a player that can help that...if not this season, then next. Another season of riding the pine and Butler might be damn near untradeable...and that salary would eat into our available funds to get someone next season...if we can't do it this season.

[hater]

damn, now that I think about it, Scola next to Yao is gonna kick ass!

[sandman]

damn, now that I think about it, Scola next to Yao is gonna kick ass!

Yeah, because both are such GREAT rebounders...

[ambchang]

Adelmen will integrate a motion offense. Divac and Webber were never accused of being speed demons, but the reason the Kings were so successful in the early part of the century was because of the passing abilities of the big men. Both Yao and Scola are good passers for players their size, and a player like TMac can get open very easily. The Rockets are going to see improvement on the offensive end, but there could be a slight drop in defense, well ... maybe a huge drop.

[Russ]

damn, now that I think about it, Scola next to Yao is gonna kick ass!
You have to catch ass first.

[hater]

You have to catch ass first.

I refuse to play like your mom

[Mitch Cumsteen]

Adelmen will integrate a motion offense. Divac and Webber were never accused of being speed demons, but the reason the Kings were so successful in the early part of the century was because of the passing abilities of the big men.They also had Peja, Bibby, and Bobby Jackson to spread the floor and clear out the passing lanes. It should be interesting to see how they use Yao in the high post with that offense.

[GrandeDavid]

I'm disappointed that Scola will not be coming to the Spurs and we won't have an unprecedencted three Argentinian key contributors on the team, but oh well. I guess. :shrug

What's up to everyone! Very busy summer for me, so its my first post in a couple of months. Hope everyone is well.

[sandman]

The Rockets are going to see improvement on the offensive end, but there could be a slight drop in defense, well ... maybe a huge drop.

Yao is a career 8.9 RPG guy, only once being over 10 RPG. What does Scola average? Somewhere around 6 RPG? Both of them block about one shot per game. Oh, the defense is definitely going to slip. They had better hope that they can outscore the other teams...

[Midgetonadonkey#2]

scola will make us pay i promise you that, for letting scola go i will forever hate the spurs front office, but love my spurs forever

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Scola will have 7-8 and 4-5 the first season. Not something to shit your pants about.

[ArgSpursFan]

Scola will have 7-8 and 4-5 the first season. Not something to shit your pants about.

at leat those will be better numbers tham Bonner´s.Don´t you think???

[sandman]

at leat those will be better numbers tham Bonner´s.Don´t you think???


Well, that statement is a far cry from telling us to "watch out" for what Scola is going to do this year.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Every year I think the Rockets are going to have a great season and every year they fall short of my expectations. Here's hoping that trend continues.... :toast

[sandman]

Every year I think the Rockets are going to have a great season and every year they fall short of my expectations. Here's hoping that trend continues.... :toast

Replace Rockets with Astros, Texans, Aeros, Comets, Cougars, Owls and Katy Copperheads, and there you have the essense of Houston sports.

Thank goodness they now have the MLS champs in the Dynamo to go with all the WNBA championships...

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

at leat those will be better numbers tham Bonner´s.Don´t you think???
And since when was Bonner moved to starting PF?

[AFBlue]

They also had Peja, Bibby, and Bobby Jackson to spread the floor and clear out the passing lanes. It should be interesting to see how they use Yao in the high post with that offense.

Battier, James, McGrady...and the 3 other guards that are shooters more than slashers.

[sandman]

Battier, James, McGrady...and the 3 other guards that are shooters more than slashers.

Battier is a shooter the way Bowen is a shooter: get him on his spot, but he is not very effective off of his spot.

TMac has been forced to be a shooter because of his back, but his game was always at the rim. In fact, he is not a great outside set shooter. Many of his outside shots are pull ups from a dribble drive.

I would need to see this inside-out game work for the Rockets before I put any faith in it. Their current group of shooters don't necessarily command respect around the league.

[MoSpur]

I was just saying if Scola plays up to the expectations, that Houston will be good. Those who think they won't are wrong. T-Mac's health is the only question mark when it comes to Houston. Bonzi playing under Adelman will be good for them too.

[J.T.]

Maybe Scola will catch that plague going around the Rockets locker room that makes "star" players blow out their back or knee every 5 games. I hear that one's going to be harder to cure than cancer.

[spursrock123]

Replace Rockets with Astros, Texans, Aeros, Comets, Cougars, Owls and Katy Copperheads, and there you have the essense of Houston sports.

Thank goodness they now have the MLS champs in the Dynamo to go with all the WNBA championships...

I hate to say this, but at least Houston has football, baseball, and hockey to root for. I'd rather have losers than nothing at all.

[sandman]

I was just saying if Scola plays up to the expectations, that Houston will be good. Those who think they won't are wrong. T-Mac's health is the only question mark when it comes to Houston. Bonzi playing under Adelman will be good for them too.

Houston was good this last year. They had the 4th best record in the WC. Does Scola vault them into the Spurs/Mavs/Suns talk?

[sandman]

I hate to say this, but at least Houston has football, baseball, and hockey to root for. I'd rather have losers than nothing at all.

I live in Houston, well, Katy technically. I love living here, but Houston sports fans constantly place unrealistic expectations on their sports teams, and those teams without fail live down to those expectations every year. It's not so much that Houston has average to mediocre teams as much as it is the fans who get outraged and turn on them every year like clockwork.

My comment was a knock on local sports radio who last month resorted to counting MLS and WNBA championships in the Houston v. SA rings debate.

[Hemotivo]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070717/capt.f942e647f0204f1bafd7ed7b5a81dd62.rockets_scol a_basketball_htr103.jpg

[ducks]

dude needs a haircut looks like a flag

[Budkin]

Damn I really wanted Scola to be a Spur... this blows.

[sandman]

dude needs a haircut looks like a flag

Damn, wish I spoke Duck so I had some clue what he meant...

[objective]

if the 3/9.3 reports are true . . .

when you consider taxes, fees, and the 10% escrow mandated by the league, and supposing the most often reported buyout figure of 3 mil (2.5 after the Rockets portion) . . .

Scola could end up playing around 18 months out of his 36 month contract basically for free, with ALL of that money going to pay off his buyout.

That's a guy who is after it. LOL @ the delusionals who insisted that he was greedy, demanded the full MLE, blah blah blah

[barbacoataco]

Agree. It seems like there still is a question in my mind why the Spurs didn't just sign Scola to a similar contract. I've read most of the threads here defending the trade and I understand the fiscal elements and the value of dumping Butler. But I still think Scola as a Spur, with Ginobili and Oberto playing beside him, would have been a good thing. I guess the Spurs FO didn't think so, and they are far more intelligent than me.

[Mr. Body]

I guess the Spurs FO didn't think so, and they are far more intelligent than me.

Take some stock in yourself! Now, take all those ideas you had about the trade and then stick your head in a cold vise and bucket of frigid water for about 30 minutes. Draw it out, then say your opinion. That's called 'financial concerns.'

When done, give your tin bucket back to Peter Holt, and the ice water, and call the media to explain this horrific mess.

[Budkin]

Ugh... goddamn this was a horrible fucking trade...

[DR WU]

With Bonzi and Scola (coming off the bench) and James in the backcourt, Houston may be a force.

[lotr1trekkie]

Move to Houston and bathe in the glory of the Astros, Texans[+Oilers] and Rockettes. We have won MORE championships in five years than the the rest on the rest of these pitifull franchises combined---approximately 100 years worth of mediocre and growing. If Scola gets a ring during his contract I'll kiss AggieFool's ass!

[K-State Spur]

at leat those will be better numbers tham Bonner´s.Don´t you think???

First, he'll likely be getting many more minutes than Bonner. Second, Bonner brings a different set of skills that aren't redundant next to Timmy.

[TMTTRIO]

I think Scola is going to be a solid contributor but I don't think he's going to get them over the top like everybody else is expecting. I think he's going to struggle in his first year like all the other Argentinean players but I think he can play with the passion, fire, and heart that the other players bring.
press conference:
http://www.click2houston.com/video/13700227/index.html
Interesting to hear that Manu called him right after the trade when even Scola thought that nobody else knew about the trade. Hmm I just wonder how he found out about it right away :p:. Also for those that thought that Scola and Manu were not close he said that they are best friends and are roommates too for the National Team.

[Roxsfan]

Bingo...will the be able to out run the Spurs? No they won't. Will they be able to out half court the Spurs? That would be a first in Duncan's career by anyone but the Lakers...will they be a better defensive team than the Spurs? Uh no..will they be able to break the Spurs D down one on one like the Mavs did? No they won't. Will the Spurs be able to break their D down one on one? You betcha.


It's just not happenin' for Houston.

The one thing they've got going for them against us is the matchup problems created by Tmac and Bonzi. Period. And getting rid of some payroll helps us attain a player that can help that...if not this season, then next. Another season of riding the pine and Butler might be damn near untradeable...and that salary would eat into our available funds to get someone next season...if we can't do it this season.

who do you have that matches up with Yao?

Please don't say TD, your allstar 4 doing his walmart impression of a 5 :dizzy

[Bruno]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070717/capt.f942e647f0204f1bafd7ed7b5a81dd62.rockets_scol a_basketball_htr103.jpg

Good luck to you, Luis.
Have some fun in Houston. :)

[timvp]

I hate you Scola you choking, no defense playing scrub.

Fixed.

:smokin

[Bruno]

Fixed.

:smokin

:lol
In fact, I like him. I just don't think he will be a good nba player.
If I'm wrong, I will be happy for him and have no problem with that as long as it doesn't hurt Spurs.

[timvp]

:lol
In fact, I like him. I just don't think he will be a good nba player.
If I'm wrong, I will be happy for him and have no problem with that as long as it doesn't hurt Spurs.

What if you are wrong about Scola and Butler?

:hat

[Bruno]

What if you are wrong about Scola and Butler?

:hat

I don't care about Butler.
If he plays well with Houston, I will be more disappointed about his failure in SA and wonder who was the main reason of this failure : Pop or Butler.

[WalterBenitez]

LUis will be a power in NBA, not at Yao's level but wait til his second season

[Streakyshooter08]

It will be really interesting to see what Scola will be able to do in the NBA. The only problem might be his defense. He also is not a great rebounder. He makes Houston stronger, because he is better than everything they have at the PF position. I still don't get the trade... hopefully the Spurs know something I don't know...

[ALVAREZ6]

I don't care about Butler.
If he plays well with Houston, I will be more disappointed about his failure in SA and wonder who was the main reason of this failure : Pop or Butler.Please....Butler is nothing but a scrub.

[Tobias]

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070717/capt.f942e647f0204f1bafd7ed7b5a81dd62.rockets_scol a_basketball_htr103.jpg
Really damn depressing.

So close, and yet so far

[Marcus Bryant]

Scola's in a pretty ideal situation for himself. Hopefully Splitter or Mahinmi pans out so we won't have to think as much about what could have been. Until then, hopefully Elson figures out the Spurs' defensive rotations.

[sandman]

Not sure the angst over this trade would have been as great had Scola been a 6'9" Eastern Euro player with the same skill set. Argie love is a powerful thing these days.

[objective]

I don't care about Butler.
If he plays well with Houston, I will be more disappointed about his failure in SA and wonder who was the main reason of this failure : Pop or Butler.

Good point. Butler at least had an opportunity to prove his value to the Spurs as a player. Maybe it was only one season where he was at a disadvantage behind vets, but he's the one who was out of shape and he still had his chance. Scola never got one with the Spurs. He's a 'what if' kind of situation, whereas Butler is a 'so what' situation.