Spurs among teams interested in Juan Carlos Navarro

[Kindergarten Cop]

http://www.sport.es/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=44&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=428093&idseccio_PK=808

SE LE ACABA EL TIEMPO PARA RESOLVER SU FUTURO


Culebrón Navarro
28/7/2007 Maite Antón

Todo empezó un 3 de julio, día en que el FC Barcelona y Juan Carlos Navarro llegaron a un acuerdo para facilitar la salida del escolta a la NBA. El jugador tenía claro que era el momento de dar el salto y unirse a la aventura americana junto a Pau Gasol, José Manuel Calderón, Jorge Garbajosa y Sergio Rodríguez. Pero nadie dijo que fuera fácil. Han pasado más de tres semanas y el futuro del catalán sigue sin estar nada claro. En la presentación de la selección española, el jugador de Sant Feliu reiteró su deseo dejar la ACB para probar suerte en la NBA, pero ya no esconde cierta inquietud ante la pasividad de los Wizards a traspasar sus derechos.

Washington debe mover pieza para que esta partida de ajedrez se resuelva. Según el agente del jugador en España, Miquel Solà, un total de siete equipos se han interesado por los servicios de Juan Carlos: Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs y los Warriors. La franquicia de Florida es la que más ha sonado las últimas semanas, pero la falta de acuerdo entre lo que pide Washington y lo que está dispuesto a dar Miami ha paralizado un poco la situación. No en vano, los Wizards pedían una elección en el próximo draft entre el 1 y el 14, algo que los Heat no piensan conceder. “Ahora es Washington la que llama a las franquicias interesadas para negociar”, aseguró Solà.

En el seno del FC Barcelona, la paciencia empieza a agotarse, por eso se anunció el 3 de agosto como fecha límite para que Navarro resuelva su futuro. No en vano, el club blaugrana quiere saber si dispondrá de la cantidad que acordaron Joan Laporta, presidente del FC Barcelona, y el jugador para cerrar otros fichajes, y si se necesita incorporar a un seleccionable para cubrir el cupo exigido por la ACB.

La llegada del argentino Pepe Sánchez depende en buena parte de Navarro, pues el Barça está interesado en su incorporación sobre todo por su condición de nacional. El club culé quiere hacerle una oferta al jugador, pero la ficha que se le ofrecerá será más baja que la que pide el base de Bahía Blanca, que es de un millón de euros. Y, mientras, se esperará la resolución del caso Navarro. El escolta, concentrado en San Fernando con la selección, aguarda cualquier novedad. ¿Y habría alguna posibilidad de que siguiera en el Barça? “Lo veo muy difícil”, aseguró ayer su agente.

[SenorSpur]

English translation por favor!

[SenorSpur]

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Carlos_Navarro_(basketball)

The Washington Wizards retain his NBA rights. FC Barcelona and Navarro reportedly negotiated a deal in early July which would allow Navarro to play in the NBA in the 2007-08 season. It's been rumored that several NBA teams are interested in him, the most notorious being Memphis Grizzlies due to his friend Gasol being there. Other teams rumored are Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. However, if Washington doesn't trade his rights to another team, it's possible that he won't go to the NBA, finishing his career where he started it, in FC Barcelona

[lqbeyond]

Spurs always interest in players jazz around the FA market.........

but just interest...

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

That's good to know. But I wonder what will it take to get him. He's loaded with potential.

[BacktoBasics]

It'll be a cold day in hell before the Spurs pay this guy enough money to overcome his 3 million dollar buyout.

[Kindergarten Cop]

English translation por favor!

My spanish is VERY rusty, but I understood the following:

"Según el agente del jugador en España, Miquel Solà, un total de siete equipos se han interesado por los servicios de Juan Carlos: Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs y los Warriors. "

Navarro's agent stated that a total of 7 teams are interested in the services of Juan Carlos: Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and the Warriors.

If you run the whole article through a translator (which pretty much butchers the whole thing) you get this:

THE TIME FINISHES TO HIM TO SOLVE ITS FUTURE

Culebrón Navarro
28/7/2007 Maite Antón

Everything began 3 of July, day in which the FC Barcelona and Juan Carlos Navarro reached an agreement to facilitate the exit of the escort to NBA. The player knew clearly that it was the moment for giving the jump and for being united to the American adventure next to Pau Gasol, Jose Manuel Calderón, Jorge Garbajosa and Sergio Rodriguez. But nobody said outside that easy. They have happened more than three weeks and the future of the Catalan it follows without being nothing clearly. In the presentation of the Spanish selection, the player of Sant Feliu reiterated his desire to let the ACB to prove luck in NBA, but no longer he hides certain restlessness before the passivity of the Wizards to transfer his rights.

Washington must move piece so that this game of chess is solved. According to the agent of the player in Spain, Miquel Solà, a total of seven equipment has been interested in the services of Juan Carlos: Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and the Warriors. The tax exemption of Florida is the one that has sounded the last weeks more, but the lack in agreement between which Washington asks and what it is arranged to give Miami has paralyzed a little the situation. Not in vain, the Wizards requested an election in next draft between the 1 and the 14, something that the Heat does not think to grant. “Now it is Washington the one that calls to the interested tax exemptions to negotiate”, it assured Solà.

In the FC Barcelona, the patience begins run out itself, for that reason it announced the 3 of August like date limit so that Navarrese it solves his future. Not in vain, the blaugrana club wants to know if it will have the amount that decided Joan Laporta, president of the FC Barcelona, and the player to close other signings, and if it is needed to incorporate to a selectable one to cover the quota demanded by the ACB.

The arrival of the Argentinean Pepe Sanchez depends mainly on Navarrese, because the Barça is interested in its incorporation mainly in its condition of national. The club culé wants to do a supply to him to the player, but the card that will be offered to him will be lower than the one than it requests the base of White Bay, that is of a million Euros. And, while, the resolution of the Navarrese case will be expected. The escort, concentrate in San Fernando with the selection, waits any newness. And there would be some possibility that it followed in the Barça? I see “It very difficult”, assured its agent yesterday.

http://dictionary.reference.com/translate/index.html

[Ariel]

It basically says that Navarro's NBA future is in doubt. The situation must reach a definition by August 3rd, and though his agent claims there are 7 teams interested with Miami leading the way and the Spurs amongst them, the Wizards are asking for a future lottery pick in return, which no team is willing to give up (no kidding).

Personally, I call BS on the part about the Spurs being interested in Navarro. He's a talented player, but he's a very undersized SG who's going to command at least the kind of money the Spurs wouldn't give Scola.

[genghisrex]

Maybe we can trade Scola for him... :down:

I don't see what the Spurs have to offer unless Washington is hot for Mahinmi, Sanikidze, or Beno. We have Barry's expiring contract, but we'd have to take on one of the Wizards' bad contracts and then offer Navarro a contract on top of that. That doesn't sound smart or likely.

[thousandth]

I think the Spurs aren't show interest. Navarro's a guard and this position's filled in the team.

[Bruno]

I'm quite surprised to see that Spurs are interested in Navarro.
Navarro is an very undersized SG, the only way I see him maybe being a good nba player is to play with a big PG who will be able to defend the opposite SG like Gordon with Hinrich in Chicago. Spurs PGs (Parker and Vaughn) aren't big enough to defend SG.

And even for a team with a big PG, Navarro will likely be a bust. IMO, spending $9M and something to get his rights is too much.

[Ariel]

I'm quite surprised to see that Spurs are interested in Navarro.
Again, there is little evidence supporting that claim, merely a paper supposedly quoting Navarro's agent naming the Spurs as another option amongst the other half a dozen they're exploring. Chances are it's either agent talk, or it's the Wizards offering him to the Spurs and the rest of the league, or they're going by San Antonio's track record of signing FIBA players, or God knows what. But given the fact that Navarro is an undersized and less than well rounded NBA unproven player at a position the Spurs have already covered, and who'd command enough to put the Spurs over the luxury tax threshold not to mention the valuable assets necessary just to get his rights first, I'd say it's far more likely this scenario is the product of somebody's fruitful imagination.

[Bruno]

^Agree with you, as you said it's likely some BS.

[smrattler]

My spanish is VERY rusty, but I understood the following:

THE TIME FINISHES TO HIM TO SOLVE ITS FUTURE


I was about to rip you for saying you translated the title to this!!! Hehe, that is terrible! But I see it was a translation page you ran the article through, that makes sense. :)

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Typical agent speak. Got a foreigner trying to make it to the league? Float the rumor that the Spurs want him. With their success in finding international stars in Parker and Manu, it's an easy sell.

[Kindergarten Cop]

I was about to rip you for saying you translated the title to this!!! Hehe, that is terrible! But I see it was a translation page you ran the article through, that makes sense. :)

I'm glad I avoided that lashing! :spin

[MrChug]

I'm callin shenanigans...our FO is dumb but not that dumb.

[TDMVPDPOY]

mention the spurs, and the price for yah services increases, when spurs arent even interested...good marketing

[Kindergarten Cop]

mention the spurs, and the price for yah services increases, when spurs arent even interested...good marketing

But couldn't that backfire on you when the Spurs come out and state that they NEVER had any interest in the first place? I would think that the agent would lose leverage and credibility.

[AFBlue]

I'm callin shenanigans...our FO is dumb but not that dumb.

Next person that says that, I'm gonna pistol whip.
http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/movies/images/supertroop3.JPG

[SAGambler]

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Carlos_Navarro_(basketball)

The Washington Wizards retain his NBA rights. FC Barcelona and Navarro reportedly negotiated a deal in early July which would allow Navarro to play in the NBA in the 2007-08 season. It's been rumored that several NBA teams are interested in him, the most notorious being Memphis Grizzlies due to his friend Gasol being there. Other teams rumored are Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. However, if Washington doesn't trade his rights to another team, it's possible that he won't go to the NBA, finishing his career where he started it, in FC Barcelona

Don't see the Spurs on that list.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Don't see the Spurs on that list.

It wasn't in the Wikipedia link, it was in this one:

http://www.sport.es/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=44&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=428093&idseccio_PK=808

I don't know how accurate the source is, but I saw that the agent was reporting that the Spurs were interested so I thought that I would share the information. I'm just the messenger.

[timvp]

Well, this could explain why there's seemingly a holdup in the Spurs offseason as of now. Navarro has a similar skill set to that of Daequan Cook, who the Spurs wanted in the draft.

Perhaps the Spurs think that they need to add more scoring punch to the team.

[Streakyshooter08]

The only way he could help the Spurs is as a backup PG but I don't know how well he can translate his game to the NBA. Of course he is a great player. If they would get him and Udoka it would be a great offseason.

[bdictjames]

We know he wouldn't come to the Spurs. Udoka is the only one right now Im interested in.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

But couldn't that backfire on you when the Spurs come out and state that they NEVER had any interest in the first place? I would think that the agent would lose leverage and credibility.

The Spurs would never burn bridges like that. It's like an unspoken code.

[Kindergarten Cop]

The Spurs would never burn bridges like that. It's like an unspoken code.

The scenario in my example is if, and only if, the Spurs actually were not interested in the first place. Many posters are assuming that the agent is making up the fact that the Spurs were interested in order to drive up the price of his client. What type of bridges would the Spurs be burning if they came out and spoke the truth and discredited a lying agent? I would think that it would actually help the Spurs in their foreign endeavors. I've never seen an unspoken code that says that if an agent lies and claims that you are pursuing his client that you have to sit back and pretend that you actually do.

If the Spurs actually did inquire about his services, then yes you have a point - but I'm just speaking to those that claim that the agent is pretending that the Spurs are seeking his client when in fact they are not.

[mountainballer]

some are acting as if it was an absurd idea, that Spurs think about signing a player like Navarro.
don't you know your favourite team? JCN does have many of the qualities the Spurs are usually looking for, so, even if there is just a very small chance to get him, I do expect the FO to contact JCN's agent and express interest.
it was reported, that he is looking for a contract of about 3 years / 10-12 million. that's not cheap, but it's also not out of the Spurs price range, assuming that they will try to dump either Beno AND Brent. we know, that both don't have much future with the Spurs, Brent is to old and beno to bad, so if I think about a player, who could provide what this two did, JCN seems to be a very logical call. Brent and Beno combined for almost 35 minutes last season, so it's not that there aren't any minutes left in the rotation, if they are gone.
people say that JCN isn't a playmaker. right, but the fact that he always played SG with Barca doesn't mean that he doesn't have any PG skills. the fact that AI played mostly SG also doesn't prove that he can't play PG. JCN for sure isn't the greatest playmaker, but he should be able to deliver what Beno and Vaughn do as a back-up PG. he is a quite good passer and a very smart team player.
that's the one point, the other is, that he is really an outstanding shooter. in this regard, people will see a lot of Steve Nash in him. the way he can create for himself is very similar to Steve. (I'm not claiming that he would be even close to him, just pointing at something that could help to give an idea about the player Navarro)
overall, if the idea was to replace Beno and Brent with Navarro (+ a defensive minded veteran SG, who plays for the minimum), it should be a huge upgrade. Navarro will struggle at defense against bigger players, but it is not that either Brent or Beno were lockdown defenders as well. but Navarro has improved his defense against players of his size significantly, much like Tony did over the last years. since Ivanovic coaches Barca, he has improved big time at defense.

in therory, a small line-up of Tony + JCN + Manu + Horry/Bonner + Tim should be able to put enourmous pressure at any defense.

bad idea to ask for a player like him? hell, no!
that's why I'm absolutly sure that the FO at least asked about a possible interest of Navarro to play for the Spurs.

[Streakyshooter08]

The decision if Navarro will come to the NBA will be made today. If he was the holdup for the Spurs then they might sign somebody else soon.

Navarro decision due today
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Deadline nears on trade for Spaniard
By Marlon W. Morgan
Contact
August 3, 2007
Today is the day Pau Gasol will learn if his best friend, Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro, will be his newest Grizzly teammate.
The Washington Wizards, who hold Navarro's NBA rights, have until the close of business today to strike a deal to trade Navarro. That's the deadline imposed by Navarro's current team, FC Barcelona, which has agreed to let him out of his contract for a buyout of about $2 million if a deal can be reached by today.


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Talks between Washington president Ernie Grunfeld, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace and Navarro's agent, Alex Saratsis, lasted until Thursday evening and are scheduled to resume first thing this morning, Saratsis said.
''There's nothing that concrete to report today,'' Saratsis said. ''There's definitely been discussions. I wish I could give you something that was concrete.''

Saratsis said a handful of NBA teams are interested in dealing for Navarro, but the Grizzlies remain the strongest possibility for the 6-3, 27-year-old shooting guard set to make his NBA debut.

''At this juncture, obviously with the deadline approaching, there's still a few options out there,'' Saratsis said. ''I think one of the most appealing ones is Memphis because of the ability to play with Pau. Anyway you look at it, he'd basically be coming for the chance to prove that he can play in the NBA and play with his best friend. ... There's other teams that are continuing to have discussions, but I think the strongest possibility right now is Memphis.''

During the last month, Gasol and Navarro, who have played together for FC Barcelona and on the Spanish National Team, have expressed through the Spanish media their desire to team up in the NBA. But Wallace said reports that Gasol offered to pay Navarro's buyout are untrue.

''We've had ongoing talks with all sides involved in this,'' Wallace said Thursday morning as he boarded a plane for Memphis. ''In this one, I wouldn't say we've reached a deal until we've reached a deal. If that ever happens, I'd feel comfortable. It's a unique situation.''

The Wizards, who according to the Washington Post are over the salary cap with about $64.7 million committed to contracts next season, have been trying to trade Navarro's rights. There have been reports that Grunfeld has been trying to include center Etan Thomas, who is owed about $20 million over the next three seasons, in the deal.

Wallace would not say which players, or possible draft picks, have been mentioned in the trade discussions.