Did Scola Ever Complete His Buyout?

[timvp]

I've searched everywhere to find out whether Luis Scola has completed his buyout from Tau so that he can officially sign with the Rockets. I can't find it reported anywhere that he has officially signed. As of the 17th, Scola was yet to buyout his contract.

What would happen if Scola is unable to complete his buyout this season? Would the trade between the Spurs and the Rockets be voided? I think that perhaps the trade could be voided. That would explain the delay in the Spurs moving on with their offseason (specifically, whether or not to sign Ime Udoka).

This quote, from the day after the trade was made, struck me as curious.


"I have said many times that he is the most important player in the club's history, so to lose a player of this calibre would logically be a problem," Club president Josean Querejeta said. "He is also one of the most important players in Europe, but in the past we have been able to overcome the departures of (Andres) Nocioni, (Jose Manuel) Calderon and (Arvydas) Macijauskas.

"The player has told me that he has an offer from Houston and that he wants to accept it. He says that he is very sorry but that this is his ambition. We thank him for his behaviour and we support him."

Querejeta warned Scola and his agent, however, not to expect a reduction in the buyout.

"The buy-out clauses are there to be followed," Querejeta said. "Evidently, if he pays the buy-out clause there's nothing to discuss because he is within his right of leaving."

Like we all know, the last time the Spurs attempted to buyout the contract, Tau came back with a monstrous figure.

Could the Rockets have really been dumb enough to complete the trade without talking to Tau directly? It's reported that the Rockets and Scola came to an agreement on a contract before the trade, but I've never seen it reported that the Rockets talked to Tau directly prior to making the deal.

It makes some sense that there might be some holdup in the Scola trade because the Spurs could be moving on to signing Udoka and perhaps trading away Beno Udrih.

Thanks ahead of time for any help in cracking this mystery.

:smokin

[whottt]

I've searched everywhere to find out whether Luis Scola has completed his buyout from Tau so that he can officially sign with the Rockets. I can't find it reported anywhere that he has officially signed. As of the 17th, Scola was yet to buyout his contract.

What would happen if Scola is unable to complete his buyout this season? Would the trade between the Spurs and the Rockets be voided? I think that perhaps the trade could be voided. That would explain the delay in the Spurs moving on with their offseason (specifically, whether or not to sign Ime Udoka).

This quote, from the day after the trade was made, struck me as curious.



Like we all know, the last time the Spurs attempted to buyout the contract, Tau came back with a monstrous figure.

Could the Rockets have really been dumb enough to complete the trade without talking to Tau directly? It's reported that the Rockets and Scola came to an agreement on a contract before the trade, but I've never seen it reported that the Rockets talked to Tau directly prior to making the deal.

It makes some sense that there might be some holdup in the Scola trade because the Spurs could be moving on to signing Udoka and perhaps trading away Beno Udrih.

Thanks ahead of time for any help in cracking this mystery.

:smokin


I don't see why the trade would be void....



In any case...I imagine Tau probably let him go finally, rather than lose him for nothing.

[timvp]

In any case...I imagine Tau probably let him go finally, rather than lose him for nothing.I'm sure Tau will but you'd think that some news outlet would report it somewhere.

[El_Mago]

I don't think the trade would be void.

The Spurs traded the "rights" to Scola.

Houston has his "rights" and now it's their problem to figure out the buy-out. If they can not, then they will have to figure something out or just wait it out like the Spurs did for the past 4 or so years....

I don't see this having much impact on the Udoka signing. However, the situation with Barry/Beno probably has more weight than the Scola trade.

[Marcus Bryant]

Well, we haven't really heard anything about Spannilououous lately. Of course, that could be due to posturing on the part of the Spurs and his side.

I'm not sure how the deal could be voided at this point. Maybe the Rockets could claim that he's failed the physical? But, as pointed out above, the Spurs merely traded his rights.

[timvp]

If the Rockets made the trade without talking to Tau and didn't put any written or unwritten provision in the trade regarding the release of Scola this season from Tau, that would have been pretty stupid.

Then again, it's the Rockets.

[DisciplinaryOffice]

And here's that ominous last line of ESPN's July 17th article about his signing:


Though Scola has signed with the Rockets, his contract will not be effective until they complete the buyout of his contract with Tau Ceramica.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2940183

[timvp]

And here's that ominous last line of ESPN's July 17th article about his signing:



http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2940183
Yep.

That combined with the Tau president sounding less than accommodating has me wondering if the buyout was ever completed. I looked on a Rocket forum but Rocket Fan is oblivious.

Per usual.

[Marcus Bryant]

Tau's probably taking this opportunity to squeeze a little more out of Scola.

[timvp]

But last week, the Rockets added veteran Argentine forward Luis Scola -- for three years and $7.452 million -- in a deal with division rival San Antonio.Scola's reported contract gets smaller and smaller as the days go by.

[El_Mago]

Well, it appears that the Scola trade holds no barrier on the Udoka signing.

Quite honestly, it is beggining to feel more like the Spurs are just going to go ahead and run with this squad for the upcoming season.

I do not see them trading Beno or Barry before August 1st, and most prominent free agents like to have their deals wrapped up before the end of July.

As a result, if Barry or Beno do not get shipped....it is hard for me to believe the Spurs crack into some of their MLE and go over the lux tax for Udoka.

[JPB]

On Tau's official website, Scola was considered gone from the moment the trade to the rockets was anounced. Plus, considering all the quotes from both Luis and rockets FO on how much they're thrilled, you would think the buyout won't be a problem.

[Ariel]

There's nothing out of the ordinary with that quote, Querejeta is simply covering his ass by saying he's losing his top player but they'll get the most they can in return. I don't know really what one would expect him to say other than that. Scola, his agent, and Tau have all said it's a done deal, and all there's left is waiting for some mandatory administrative steps to be completed. It's a done deal.

As for that $14M buyout figure, Scola and his agent have said numerous times that was for European teams, not the NBA. If one were to believe the Spurs really intended to sign him 2 years ago but didn't because they thought Tau was playing games by saying one thing to Luis and another to them, they should have signed Scola and called their bluff. Had Tau blocked his exit, it'd be Luis who'd be left hanging out to dry first and foremost. Then, Tau would have seen themselves immersed in a scandal of epic proportions sure to taint their reputation with top South American prospects, jeopardizing one of their main sources of talent. That'd be much, much worse for their business than simply letting Luis go. That wouldn't have happened.

[JPB]

There's nothing out of the ordinary with that quote, Querejeta is simply covering his ass by saying he's losing his top player but they'll get the most they can in return. I don't know really what one would expect him to say other than that. Scola, his agent, and Tau have all said it's a done deal, and all there's left is waiting for some mandatory administrative steps to be completed. It's a done deal.

As for that $14M buyout figure, Scola and his agent have said numerous times that was for European teams, not the NBA. If one were to believe the Spurs really intended to sign him 2 years ago but didn't because they thought Tau was playing games by saying one thing to Luis and another to them, they should have signed Scola and called their bluff. Had Tau blocked his exit, it'd be Luis who'd be left hanging out to dry first and foremost. Then, Tau would have seen themselves immersed in a scandal of epic proportions sure to taint their reputation with top South American prospects, jeopardizing one of their main sources of talent. That'd be much, much worse for their business than simply letting Luis go. That wouldn't have happened.


True. The 14 M buyout was more of an exentric clause than a realistic one.
Just like in soccer, few years back in Europe, players were signed with astronomic and unrealistic buyout clauses which didn't mean anything and you saw those players few years after leaving for much less than that.

Had Spurs really wanted Luis 2 years ago and Luis been really willing to leave, it could have happen for much much less than 14M.
Those clauses are put to enormous raises just to show the club attachement to the player and to begin negotiations from a high start in case the player wants to leave.

[gus]

According Argentinean press, Buyout was around 2-3 M. Rockets paid 500K ( Max as per Nba rules ).- and the remaining is gonna be paid by Scola in several installments :toast .

Gus