Splitter signs a four-year extension with Tau

[boutons_]

Splitter doesn't work and live to make charitable contributions to Spurs fans. He's a proven value for Tau and Euro ball, making a ton of money NOW! That's more than sufficient for 99% of people, and clearly sufficient for him. Why does he have also to prove himself as good enough for the NBA?

It's not Macho Man game, it's not about being a "fighter", it's about pocketing money, reliably.

"It's a business", it's his job, so he takes the Euros now rather than a rookie contract in 1/8 in US$. Only cretinous homers refuse to understand. He's not going to be suckered into playing for US$ peanuts on an NBA rookie contract, hoping he's lucky enough to get a big contract in 4 years.

... without even talking about his family angle.

I'm disappointed he didn't come, but I don't blame him. It's all about security, money, and his family. Being the big fish in small pond can be sufficient.

[picnroll]

After all year saying how he wanted to play in the NBA, wanted to come to the Spurs and now saying I want to be the main guy is total BS. Did he think when he was making those statements earlier that he was going to be the main guy for the Spurs and now it suddenly dawned on him it might be Parker and Duncan instead? Money? Fine it happens. But the main man crap is BS. He would have been more honest to leve it at "I got an offer far better than I expect".

[Marcus Bryant]

Eh, just keep his rights at this point.

[picnroll]

Eh, just keep his rights at this point.

Try to trade his rightsd for a draft pick for a team that has too many players, doesn't want the pick and can sit on his rights for some time. Throw in some cash maybe. Use the pick to try to get Anjinca who looks like a better prospect anyways. May not work but it would be nice if it did.

[Mr. Body]

I'd trade his rights for a draft pick instantly. A chance for Ajinca or Hibbert? More than instantly.

[Sway]

Trade his rights to Portland for their 1st round pick. They dont have a need right now and can wait two years for him to come over. It will take more than just Splitter, but it can be done.

[Mr. Body]

Trade his rights to Portland for their 1st round pick. They dont have a need right now and can wait two years for him to come over. It will take more than just Splitter, but it can be done.

I would go below that in expectations. That 13 pick is highly valuable and what we have won't cut it. You might get one of their early 2nds for Splitter and if Chalmers or Lee is still on the board I do it.

[DazedAndConfused]

Wow wasn't this dude supposed to be your savior? Talk about dropping the ball, you'd think the Spur's FO should have been a little more proactive in terms of getting this guy to commit.

[Bartleby]

Wow wasn't this dude supposed to be your savior? Talk about dropping the ball, you'd think the Spur's FO should have been a little more proactive in terms of getting this guy to commit.

I'm not sure the Spurs FO could have done much more if Splitter wants to be the star and make lots more than what they could pay him under the rookie salary cap. Besides, Mahinmi is the savior.

[Marcus Bryant]

Wow wasn't this dude supposed to be your savior?

No.

[picnroll]

Wow wasn't this dude supposed to be your savior? Talk about dropping the ball, you'd think the Spur's FO should have been a little more proactive in terms of getting this guy to commit.

Spurs don't have Jerry West colluding to bring in talent, making under the table land give aways, like the Lakers do.

[Mr. Body]

Spurs don't have Jerry West colluding to bring in talent, making under the table land give aways, like the Lakers do.

Fortunately we've now installed Kerr, Presti, and Ferry. Unfortunately those guys are pretty honest.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Wow wasn't this dude supposed to be your savior?

You're mistaking him for Ian Mahinmi.

[loveforthegame]

I can understand the money angle but what an idiot thinking he'd be the #1 option here.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Why people keep say dumb things like "he can make $50 millions in NBA in few years"?

First he must earn such contract. Second he must stay injury free from now until then.

Also NBA player do NOT get $50 million contract. He have to pay taxes on this. $50 million is NOT what he make he make only amount after taxes. Tiago salary in TAU is tax free, after tax not before.

You realize $50 million for 5 years in NBA = $10 million per year minus the $4 million in tax = $6 million per year? Tiago is ALREADY get $6 million in TAU. Why so many dumb posts like "he can make more if he wait 5 years in NBA" when he already make same as $50 million NBA contract now?

Is so many fans brainwash NBA pay like 10 times more than Europe? Times have change Euroleague top players make huge contracts now. It is just dumb keep blame Tiago for do what every person here will also do.

[Marcus Bryant]

How much of that is guaranteed? Tau is paying Splitter 4 million euros per season?

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

How much of that is guaranteed? Tau is paying Splitter 4 million euros per season?

Where do this idea that big clubs of Euroleague contracts is not guaranteed come from? Yes these contracts for star players from big clubs is guaranteed.

Any person will make same decision Tiago make. People keep calling him dumb for this decision. It is stupid to say such thing. Dumb move would be accept contract of Spurs and give away much bigger one TAU offer.

[Marcus Bryant]

Probably because most of them don't exceed 2 years in length.

[Marcus Bryant]

So 4 years, $24 mil.

Star players are paid the NBA MLE in Europe. Oh no.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Probably because most of them don't exceed 2 years in length.

This is not true. For star players average contract is 3 years guaranteed and many times there is player or team options to add more years. It is only small name players in poorer clubs that most of time get 1 or 2 year deal. Or older player sin big clubs.

Again people keep talk like 10 years in Euroleague. So far for PAO free agents this year Pekovic get 3 years guarantee with option for 2 more if he want. In NBA teams fight against even offer such deal to players as 2 years at option. Fotsis get 3 years guaranteed and he is in late 20s age.

Verginis is only 21 years old and unproven player in big club. He is project player and will be probably on bench for Euroleague. He even get 3 years guarantee contract. In NBA rookie players even #1 pick only gets 2 years guarantee the rest of years teams can cut contract off.

You still think big clubs of Euroleague is operating from 5 years ago and they is not. They are make strong effort to compete with NBA in money now. It is wrong of so many fans attack Spiltter for do what he should do and what we all would also do.

[Marcus Bryant]

Splitter will probably take the buyout after two years with Tau, join the Spurs in 2010, and then perhaps the Spurs will let him hit free agency early under the rookie contract.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

So 4 years, $24 mil.

Star players are paid the NBA MLE in Europe. Oh no.

You fail basic math class. NBA salary is gross. Big Euroleague club is NET. Also they get cars, houses, expenses and bills paid and other things not even counted in salary. NBA players get none of this.

$24 million NET in NBA is NOT MLE. You understand simple math or is this above you? MLE contract is GROSS. How many ways does this need be explain to some here? Tiago would have be as dumb as you seem to want to act here to pass on offer TAU make him.

[Marcus Bryant]

The tax-free deal only comes from CSKA.

And gross of tax v net of tax isn't a topic in mathematics, Greeky.

[wildbill2u]

The NBA rookie pay scale makes his coming into the NBA a non-starter. I see no scenario where he can come into the NBA for more money than he will be able to get in the Euro leagues. Prestige won't buy you love.

He's gone, probably forever. Money talks and bullshit walks.

[wisnub]

First we give away Scola....(Houston match his "expensive contracts" even though they payroll already high) got nothing in return....then Splitter. How can RC be excited that Splitter continue to grow??? If Spurs got no impact free agnet or draft this year, then we are doomed!!!!

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

The tax-free deal only comes from CSKA.

And gross of tax v net of tax isn't a topic in mathematics, Greeky.

Wrong. CSKA, TAU, PAO, Olympiacos all give tax free salary and in euros.

[Marcus Bryant]

Oh yes, all tax systems are the same in Europe and Russia.

[T Park]

Splitter will probably take the buyout after two years with Tau, join the Spurs in 2010, and then perhaps the Spurs will let him hit free agency early under the rookie contract.

While that would be nice, I just don't see it happening, him taking a small rookie level contract.

[ChumpDumper]

Wrong. CSKA, TAU, PAO, Olympiacos all give tax free salary and in euros.They simply pay the tax before paying the player and report the net to the media.

[Indazone]

:toast

May Splitters career be long and prosperous. May he win many championships for Tau and whichever league he plays in.

:lol

[T Park]

I like Dazed and Confused have no life as well.l

[Guajalote]

Now that I've had a few weeks to talk myself in from the ledge, I've come to the conclusion that this is the price we pay for doing things like our FO does.

We don't bring in bigshots via blockbuster trades a la Dallas, Miami, Phoenix, Lakers, Boston, Memphis, etc. (Oh, wait a minute. Memphis didn't get squat, did they?:lol)

We bring in vets or others to be role players. That sometimes works well for us (Elie, Horry, Speedy, Finley, Bowen, etc.). Other times, not so much (Hedo, Mercer, VanExel, Stoudemire, etc.).

We develop young, often obscure players into successful NBA players. Sometimes that works well (Parker, Manu,). Other times, not so well (Scola, Beno, Splitter).

With the league like it is now with the dollar undervalued to the euro, Russian money pouring into European ball leagues, rookie contracts limited as they are, and an organization that is not willing to take a hit on the luxury tax like Cuban or the Knicks, we should expect our share more of these events.

We need to shake this off, find some domestic gems and some FA's under 30 to give us the young legs to absorb the punishment of the regular season for our big three to deliver in crunch time.

[Marcus Bryant]

Drafting Splitter meant that at most the Spurs cost themselves Carl Landry. But they did so to have a shot at drafting a lottery level talent who had fallen due to his unavailability for the next season. It was a gamble. Many low 1st round picks in every draft never pan out. Regardless, they didn't really have room for a rookie in the rotation last season.

I don't believe the Spurs dealt Scola because of Splitter. Scola was gone regardless. Had he been able to get out of his contract in '05 or '06, he might be a Spur today. Facing the prospect of Scola being locked up long-term by Tau, the Spurs used his rights to reduce their lux tax liability by shedding Butler's contract. They weren't about to add him using their MLE and then retain Butler.

[T Park]

Now that I've had a few weeks to talk myself in from the ledge, I've come to the conclusion that this is the price we pay for doing things like our FO does.

We don't bring in bigshots via blockbuster trades a la Dallas, Miami, Phoenix, Lakers, Boston, Memphis, etc. (Oh, wait a minute. Memphis didn't get squat, did they?:lol)

We bring in vets or others to be role players. That sometimes works well for us (Elie, Horry, Speedy, Finley, Bowen, etc.). Other times, not so much (Hedo, Mercer, VanExel, Stoudemire, etc.).

We develop young, often obscure players into successful NBA players. Sometimes that works well (Parker, Manu,). Other times, not so well (Scola, Beno, Splitter).

With the league like it is now with the dollar undervalued to the euro, Russian money pouring into European ball leagues, rookie contracts limited as they are, and an organization that is not willing to take a hit on the luxury tax like Cuban or the Knicks, we should expect our share more of these events.

We need to shake this off, find some domestic gems and some FA's under 30 to give us the young legs to absorb the punishment of the regular season for our big three to deliver in crunch time.

They don't make blockbuster deals, because other teams don't want to help them out.

[Obstructed_View]

This just in. Fuck Tiago Splitter. I hope he never plays a second in the NBA.