Splitter signs a four-year extension with Tau

[AFBlue]

I agree, his wallet will be much fatter in two years to allow him to make a long term basketball decision. Keeping a line of communication open will be a good idea for the Spurs.

If Splitter has some sense, he will have plenty of money from two seasons of big money. Maybe the Spurs can bring him over then.

BTW, hasn't this guy played pro ball for eight years now? He ought to be set for life with the new deal and could have the flexibility to start his NBA career in a couple of years being a lot more set financially (if that's what he wants).

He could still come over here and have a long and lucrative career in two years. DRob started in SA at 24 and played a long time.

If Splitter stays over there after 2010, then its a lost cause and a wasted pick.

He'd be what...25 or 26 if he came over prior to the 2010 season? Then the Spurs would have him under contract until he was at least 28 or so.

Spurs would be foolish to trade his rights or cut off communication at this point.

Having said that, I think the Spurs should plan as if he's never going to cross the pond. They should start by looking big in this draft...even if that means leveraging future picks to get multiple ones in this year's draft.

[Extra Stout]

I agree, his wallet will be much fatter in two years to allow him to make a long term basketball decision. Keeping a line of communication open will be a good idea for the Spurs.

If Splitter has some sense, he will have plenty of money from two seasons of big money. Maybe the Spurs can bring him over then.

BTW, hasn't this guy played pro ball for eight years now? He ought to be set for life with the new deal and could have the flexibility to start his NBA career in a couple of years being a lot more set financially (if that's what he wants).

He could still come over here and have a long and lucrative career in two years. DRob started in SA at 24 and played a long time.

If Splitter stays over there after 2010, then its a lost cause and a wasted pick.

The euro might be $2 or higher by 2010.

[AFBlue]

The euro might be $2 or higher by 2010.

Splitter might have accomplished all he wanted to accomplish in international play by then.

[The Truth #6]

I see no reason to use our first pick on a big man. We have Ian. We've invested time into him already. His potential is high. Who would we draft better than him with our first round draft pick. Unless we do a major trade who would we get who is that much better. Diop? That's a waste of time and money.

Just because he was good against us doesn't mean he's good against the rest of the league. How many times have we become enamored with players because Pop was impressed with how they played against us? Rasho? Bonner?

We need to give Ian a chance and if he's somehow horrible then we can pursue another big once that has been made clear. There's no reason to make the Tiago disaster worse by pursuing Diop and killing our chances of getting a more productive wing player.

[AFBlue]

I see no reason to use our first pick on a big man. We have Ian. We've invested time into him already. His potential is high. Who would we draft better than him with our first round draft pick. Unless we do a major trade who would we get who is that much better. Diop? That's a waste of time and money.

Just because he was good against us doesn't mean he's good against the rest of the league. How many times have we become enamored with players because Pop was impressed with how they played against us? Rasho? Bonner?

We need to give Ian a chance and if he's somehow horrible then we can pursue another big once that has been made clear. There's no reason to make the Tiago disaster worse by pursuing Diop and killing our chances of getting a more productive wing player.

Not that the Spurs have ever been completely forthright with their plans (They don't call him CIA Pop for nothing), but every indication is that the Spurs are looking to go to the Wing with their first pick.

Though I do think a "big" needs to be addressed at SOME point in the draft.

[1Parker1]

No article or information coming out from the Spurs camp or E-N news??? Damn, hopefully Ludden from Yahoo has some info

[Spurs Brazil]

Tiago. That was stupid. I hope the Spurs trade him.

I agree with Kori. Tiago never "promised" he was coming to the NBA this summer.

But in all his interviews, San Antonio, Spain and Brazil he said it was one year with Tau and then a Spurs player in 2009.

[exstatic]

Is there anything in the CBA that allows the team to waive his rights and his salary cap slot if he doesn't come over in 2-3 years after being drafted?

They could renounce his rights today if they wanted, and get him off the cap. I can see this happening NLT 2010 when they are trying to clear cap.

[Indazone]

He'd be what...25 or 26 if he came over prior to the 2010 season? Then the Spurs would have him under contract until he was at least 28 or so.

Spurs would be foolish to trade his rights or cut off communication at this point.

Having said that, I think the Spurs should plan as if he's never going to cross the pond. They should start by looking big in this draft...even if that means leveraging future picks to get multiple ones in this year's draft.

Exactly why Spurs should trade his right to the Rockets. That way they can get Roy Hibbert. Otherwise the Rockets will choose Roy Hibbert.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

But we don't want Roy Hibbert.

[exstatic]

When you tax something that increases every ing day, then basically the tax is going up also. If your young dumb ass realized the reality of this kind've of , you might be able to survive at 30 years old in America.

Taxes need to go away and the bull like building for sports teams needs to stop.

same different day...

Dude, unless your short ass is renting a special midget car or renting hotel rooms to cheat, you ain't paying a ing PENNY of that tax. STFU.

[Indazone]

But we don't want Roy Hibbert.

It's him or Robin Lopez that's are worth a crap at the level that both the Rockets and Spurs will be picking. Both playoff teams and the Rockets are just barely ahead of the Spurs in draft position.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

It's him or Robin Lopez that's are worth a crap at the level that both the Rockets and Spurs will be picking. Both playoff teams and the Rockets are just barely ahead of the Spurs in draft position.

And what if the Spurs are looking for a swingman in the first round?

[AFBlue]

Exactly why Spurs should trade his right to the Rockets. That way they can get Roy Hibbert. Otherwise the Rockets will choose Roy Hibbert.

It would be an intriguing proposition if the Rockets were picking more than ONE spot ahead of the Spurs in this draft. If they're available at #25, chances are they'll be there at #26.

[ChumpDumper]

The Rockets can take Hibbert -- then the Spurs can just sign whichever big man they subsequently let go.

The Spurs should still draft a swingman first. That really hasn't changed IMO.

[exstatic]

He had problems with Maccabi management and players too. Pretty much everybody hates him. He throws his players under the bus when they lose and takes all the credit when they win. He's an ass.

No wonder he's friends with Pop. He sounds exactly like a Euro Larry Brown.

[AFBlue]

The Rockets can take Hibbert -- then the Spurs can just sign whichever big man they subsequently let go.

The Spurs should still draft a swingman first. That really hasn't changed IMO.

And with the depth at PF/C in this draft, there's really no need to buy picks or trade up.

[ChumpDumper]

I can maybe see the Spurs taking Lopez if he is available, but it seems like picking a big man in the first round would at best get someone who would be around Ian's skill level without his experience in the system.

[Russ]

My hunch is that, in spite of the rookie salary cap and other impediments, if the Spurs had made clear and relentless commitment to getting Splitter, and conveyed that to him through their actions, things might have been different.

Unfortunately, I think the Spurs are now conveying (unintentionally) a certain arrogance to foreign players. The situation with Scola and the others since Manu have trumped the Spurs' initial sterling reputation with the overseas guys. This has been a great loss IMO.

[AFBlue]

I can maybe see the Spurs taking Lopez if he is available, but it seems like picking a big man in the first round would at best get someone who would be around Ian's skill level without his experience in the system.

Agreed. Lopez is at least ready to be on the court defensively if nothing else, and the offense is something he could develop with time.

I wouldn't be upset if he was the pick, but leveraging Tiago or other draft picks....not to sure about that one.

[ShoogarBear]

While I'm not sure that I would have picked the "1/8th the money, out of your comfort zone and away from your family" job; I'm sure that I wouldn't have asked my future employers to spend $3M to prepare my coming without being almost sure to go there.

I'm sure this has already been mentioned, but where/how did the Spurs already spend $3 million on Splitter?

[timvp]

I'm sure this has already been mentioned, but where/how did the Spurs already spend $3 million on Splitter?

$3M is the going rate for a late first round pick. If Splitter hadn't said he was coming over from Tau after one year, the Spurs could have sold the pick and used the money elsewhere.

For example, use the $3M to pay Scola's buyout . . .

[ShoogarBear]

$3M is the going rate for a late first round pick. If Splitter hadn't said he was coming over from Tau after one year, the Spurs could have sold the pick and used the money elsewhere.

For example, use the $3M to pay Scola's buyout . . .

Doesn't that presume that the Spurs were not going to draft somebody else if they didn't draft Splitter?

[AFBlue]

$3M is the going rate for a late first round pick. If Splitter hadn't said he was coming over from Tau after one year, the Spurs could have sold the pick and used the money elsewhere.

For example, use the $3M to pay Scola's buyout . . .

i.e. opportunity cost

[timvp]

Doesn't that presume that the Spurs were not going to draft somebody else if they didn't draft Splitter?

Yeah, it does presume that. However, Buford hinted at that after the draft.

Besides, I think it's pretty fair to assess $3M as the amount Splitter cost the Spurs. I don't think saying Splitter cost the Spurs nothing is accurate ... so might as well use the going rate of the asset the Spurs used to acquire his rights.