Suns Door Closed on Dragic

[coopdogg3]

Won't be a surprise to us Spurs' fans, but just thought I would share.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/featu...2=stateChanged


Door Closed On Dragic?
The Suns are still looking for a backup at point guard and another big man for depth.

GM Steve Kerr said he remains optimistic that second-round pick Goran Dragic can be a Sun in the fall, despite his comments last week to a Spanish newspaper that he expects to play for Tau Ceramica. "That's not a door we've closed by any means," he said.

There could be some definitive news on the Dragic situation within a week. Sam Cassell, Damon Stoudamire and Jason Williams also remain as free-agent possibilities as a veteran backup to Steve Nash. -- East Valley Tribune

[rj215]

Can we trade Vaughn to them for free? Has that ever been done? Well other than the Pau deal from last year.

[1Parker1]

I'm not really familiar with the whole draft process so maybe someone can explain this to me. How can these players enter their name into the draft and then decide to go back to playing abroad? Wouldn't this kind of be like a college player putting his name into the draft, getting drafted in the first round by an NBA team, and then deciding he wants to go back to play for college ball one more year or whatever?

I was under the assumption that players put their names into the NBA draft because they want to actually play in the NBA. All these players then getting drafted and then subsequently just deciding to play abroad and essentially causing a team to waste their draft pick on them doesn't make much sense. It seems there should be a little more rules/regulations around this.

Again, maybe I'm just not understanding this all correctly.

[wisnub]

DAMN....All player playing for Tau didnt want to come to NBA (except Scola). Time and time again TAU got best player in the international arena, and sadly the biggest loser of all is playing with them (Splitter). I doubt this kid will ever play in NBA

[tp2021]

HA HA Suns! Tell us how TAU's ass tastes!

[wisnub]

sUNS...NOW U FELL HOW WE FEEL....lets share a beer and be friends...or not

[SenorSpur]

I hope that, after this year, Tau Ceramica re-ups Gragic with a fat, new, multi-year contract - similar to the one offered to Splitter. Hopefully, they'll make him an offer he cannot refuse and he never sets foot in PHX - EVER!

[The Franchise]

HA HA Suns! Tell us how TAU's ass tastes!

don't say that to them. We already got a taste with Splitter.

[angel_luv]

C'est la vie, Suns.

I am torn. I would really like to see Dragic play in the NBA.
But I would rather he not be with the Suns.

"Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be."

I would post the Slovenian saying eqivalent if I knew and could spell it.

[VaSpursFan]

I'm not really familiar with the whole draft process so maybe someone can explain this to me. How can these players enter their name into the draft and then decide to go back to playing abroad? Wouldn't this kind of be like a college player putting his name into the draft, getting drafted in the first round by an NBA team, and then deciding he wants to go back to play for college ball one more year or whatever?

I was under the assumption that players put their names into the NBA draft because they want to actually play in the NBA. All these players then getting drafted and then subsequently just deciding to play abroad and essentially causing a team to waste their draft pick on them doesn't make much sense. It seems there should be a little more rules/regulations around this.

Again, maybe I'm just not understanding this all correctly.

there is no obligation to play for any NBA team until the player signs a contract.

[Kori Ellis]

I'm not really familiar with the whole draft process so maybe someone can explain this to me. How can these players enter their name into the draft and then decide to go back to playing abroad? Wouldn't this kind of be like a college player putting his name into the draft, getting drafted in the first round by an NBA team, and then deciding he wants to go back to play for college ball one more year or whatever?

I was under the assumption that players put their names into the NBA draft because they want to actually play in the NBA. All these players then getting drafted and then subsequently just deciding to play abroad and essentially causing a team to waste their draft pick on them doesn't make much sense. It seems there should be a little more rules/regulations around this.

Again, maybe I'm just not understanding this all correctly.

All foreign players when they hit age 22 are automatically entered into the NBA draft, whether they want to play in the NBA or not.

The Suns knew that Dragic was likely not coming over this year when they drafted him, but they are still trying to work out a buyout.

[Kori Ellis]

Well it's not exactly on the day they turn 22, but it's something like... all players born in 1986 are automatically in the 2008 draft, all players born in 1987 are in the 2009, etc.

[1Parker1]

All foreign players when they hit age 22 are automatically entered into the NBA draft, whether they want to play in the NBA or not.

Wow really?? I never knew that...that's a very odd rule to have. They should consider changing it. It's like every college player once they hit the min age requirement automatically being entered into the draft...

[rAm]

I don't get that.

Are they automatically entered by the NBA, or by their agents? What if they have 0 interest at all in playing in America. Just doesn't make sense.

[tp2021]

don't say that to them. We already got a taste with Splitter.

so are you a rocket fan or a spurs fan?

besides, we didnt trade a player, a future pick, and cash to move up a few spots for splitter.

[RonMexico]

Now the Suns can get the greatest PG in the history of the Spurs: Speedy Claxton.

[ploto]

The Suns knew that Dragic was likely not coming over this year when they drafted him, but they are still trying to work out a buyout.

Steve Kerr really wants him.

[completely deck]

Steve Kerr really wants him.

I bet he does, I bet he does.

We really wanted Splitter.

[DazedAndConfused]

I just don't understand why teams would draft international players unless they know FOR SURE that they will come to the NBA.

[koriwhat]

I just don't understand why teams would draft international players unless they know FOR SURE that they will come to the NBA.

you can never know for sure... just like you can never know whether or not your is gonna itch the next day after a 1 night stand.

[ata]

I'm not really familiar with the whole draft process so maybe someone can explain this to me. How can these players enter their name into the draft and then decide to go back to playing abroad? Wouldn't this kind of be like a college player putting his name into the draft, getting drafted in the first round by an NBA team, and then deciding he wants to go back to play for college ball one more year or whatever?

I was under the assumption that players put their names into the NBA draft because they want to actually play in the NBA. All these players then getting drafted and then subsequently just deciding to play abroad and essentially causing a team to waste their draft pick on them doesn't make much sense. It seems there should be a little more rules/regulations around this.

Again, maybe I'm just not understanding this all correctly.

Teams don't draft players! They draft right to sign them (right last for 4 years?)

As soon as college player enters draft, is considered pro. Pro player may not play college basketball.

[wijayas]

DAMN....All player playing for Tau didnt want to come to NBA (except Scola). Time and time again TAU got best player in the international arena, and sadly the biggest loser of all is playing with them (Splitter). I doubt this kid will ever play in NBA

It will be exciting to watch a Tau vs. Spurs game? How many points will the SPurs deliver the spanking???

This is so that the Tiagos of the world know they have to come to the NBA to earn their respect.

[Kori Ellis]

Teams don't draft players! They draft right to sign them (right last for 4 years?).

NBA teams keep the rights forever, unless the player sits out of pro basketball for a year.

[freddy79]

If I were a Spurs fan, I would not laugh for the Dragic situation: I think that they could solve this situation in a couple of years: if they pay the right price, and Dragic wants to come, in 2009 or 2010 Dragic will be a Sun. Spurs instead already losed Scola in the fight against TAU. Now they are losing Splitter, another really good player in a role that Spurs need to fill. And, beware of this: Splitter, with the current rookie scale, WILL NEVER come to San Antonio: they did a really BIG mistake selecting him in the low first round (already last year, they knew that, at that numbers, Splitter would have to leave a lot of money to come to San Antonio: now it's an IMPOSSIBLE business stoling him from Vitoria, now and forever). If instead SA would have traded his pick with the first second round pick (knowing the situation, NOBODY was selecting Splitter, like as in this draft, nobody selected Pekovic in the first round, even if he deserved), now Splitter could be a Spur....I think that Spurs are the ONLY NBA team who knows how TAU ass tastes (Chicago had no trouble to take Nocioni from them, so Houston, who took Scola at the first try: it's the SECOND time that Spurs lose a money fight against TAU...). Suns did not take Dragic, but NOT because TAU denied them the player (Dragic is a backup there, the starting player in that role is Igor Rakocevic...to you remember him in Timberwolves?), but because THE PLAYER preferred to stay in Spain and have more playing time...

[picnroll]

If I were a Spurs fan, I would not laugh for the Dragic situation: I think that they could solve this situation in a couple of years: if they pay the right price, and Dragic wants to come, in 2009 or 2010 Dragic will be a Sun. Spurs instead already losed Scola in the fight against TAU. Now they are losing Splitter, another really good player in a role that Spurs need to fill. And, beware of this: Splitter, with the current rookie scale, WILL NEVER come to San Antonio: they did a really BIG mistake selecting him in the low first round (already last year, they knew that, at that numbers, Splitter would have to leave a lot of money to come to San Antonio: now it's an IMPOSSIBLE business stoling him from Vitoria, now and forever). If instead SA would have traded his pick with the first second round pick (knowing the situation, NOBODY was selecting Splitter, like as in this draft, nobody selected Pekovic in the first round, even if he deserved), now Splitter could be a Spur....I think that Spurs are the ONLY NBA team who knows how TAU ass tastes (Chicago had no trouble to take Nocioni from them, so Houston, who took Scola at the first try: it's the SECOND time that Spurs lose a money fight against TAU...). Suns did not take Dragic, but NOT because TAU denied them the player (Dragic is a backup there, the starting player in that role is Igor Rakocevic...to you remember him in Timberwolves?), but because THE PLAYER preferred to stay in Spain and have more playing time...

How does Splitter's situation differ from Rudy Hernandez apart from Hernandez maybe having more confidence in his game and that he will get a big payoff eventually? Maybe the family situation too?