The glove slap of all time if that ever would have happened.
I'mma packing my bags es....zing!
His back-and-forth makes him seem so damn wishy-washy. I'd prefer it if he gave a "no comment" over the constant "I don't know what I'll do." It sounds like things are coming together well for the Spurs/us. Yet, he should keep his thoughts to himself and stop with the conflicting reports.
What is conflicting about constantly saying "I don't know what I'm going to do"?
He has nothing left to accomplish in Europe. Their is no reason for him not to come to the NBA.
Tiago might want to come to the NBA to get better as a player, internationally speaking. Because he might be considered the best center in Europe, but a lot of people in Brazil don't consider him to be the best center in the national team. Many think the Nene/Varejao combo is the best frontcourt duo for the team. I'm not sure if I agree, because Splitter/Nene sounds pretty good to me too. But he'll have to come to the NBA to prove himself. I really hope he doesn't lose his starting job in the NT to Nene, it would be really unfair since he's always been committed to the team.
Tend to agree, Tiago has a lot of hype, but Nene and Verejao are definitely better players.
Definitely?
Seem like different players to me. I simply haven't seen Splitter play enough to make that final a judgment.
in terms of NBA experience sure Nene and Verejao are better players, but you have to let Splitter play 1 or 2 years in the league before you can make a fair assessment
That will not be enough for Spurs to win another le. Splitter has to be a better player to compensate for Duncan for the next 2 years before he will retire. The window isn't that big, btw.
He's talking about Splitter in comparison to Nene and Varejao as NBA players, and how it'll take some time before you can safely say he's better....He said nothing about him being the worse of the two.
That being said; There's no way Varejao is the better basketball player.
Varejao has played in the NBA and played in the NBA playoffs, he knows what to expect. Splitter by comparison hasn't. In short, I would trade Splitter of Verajao or Nene if the opportunity came about.
I think Splitter's upside is Rasho Nesterovic. Which is serviceable but not great.
jesus. what a nonsense.
"upside" indicates what a player COULD be. it's based on talent, athletic abilities and size.
while size is about the same, in both other categories Splitter is 2 levels ahead of Rasho.
again. this doesn't mean there is any guarantee he will in fact be better than Rasho. but his upside at this moment is far above what Rasho is or was.
This. When was Rasho MVP of anything or considered best big man in Europe? Some people here seem to equal nba experience to being superior. That's not the case. Varejao was not great in Europe and I couldn't bellieve his success in the nba. In Europe he was mostly running around like crazy looking "cool" but kind of lost. Splitter is much better than Varejao.
I've tempered my optimism when it comes to Tiago's ability and just how good of a player he is but the more I see and watch him I wonder to myself if I haven't just been selling him short as a way to not be disappointed.
He's not a franchise player or someone that'd historically dominate most front courts on a night-in and night-out basis, but you only have to look at the compe ion and opposition at the 4/5 in today's NBA to realize how having the requisite size and competency of front court skills means more these days. Lesser players are more useful and effective than they would've been back when the league was ruled by an abundance of front court dominance.
I think that's where I sold Tiago short: comparing his skills to the players of yesteryear and making an assumption that they'd translate comparably on the court. He wasn't as good or effective an overall player, therefore he'd have less of an impact; seemingly nothing more than a team's third and maybe second best Big and probably just a solid rotation Big.
But a solid rotation Big means more these days. Their existence is scarce and in dire need in most cases. So even if he's not a dominant player by conventional standards or doesn't possess the overall ability that would be needed to have the impact in prior years, it doesn't mean he's not capable of having a similar kind of impact in today's NBA.
Talent and impact is relative to the compe ion. I'm liking Tiago more and more.
If Tiago's first NBA season is like Robin's first NBA season, then Spurs Nation will be put on suicide watch.
I get the comparison if only from the defensive perspective. The Spurs got absolutely destroyed by superior length or athleticism routinely in the last few years. With Splitter, the Spurs would have the opportunity to match up with that athleticism and length for the first time since Robinson left in '03. If he gives you nothing else offensively (a la Robin Lopez), you're still in a substantially better position than you were in the last few years.
Obviously anything he gives you offensively makes him that much more valuable, but for somewhere between $3-5M next year I'll take the more than solid injection of youth and athleticism into the frontcourt and be satisfied.
I'll add...I think he's going to be much more than Robin Lopez and much sooner because of all of the experience.
I don't think Tiago's got Brook's game and I don't think he's going to be quite as good defending the interior as Robin.
I'd say impact-wise, Robin's performance last year would be a decent conclusion to draw. Their impact will just be different, as I believe Tiago to be able to help more offensively than Robin, while I believe it to be vice-versa defensively.
Robin's production last year on both ends would be very acceptable. However, if Splitter only gets 15-20 mpg, I'm sure there will be plenty of people screaming at Pop for not giving him more playing time, a la Blair.
No news here in Brazilian press, the only 'news' today was one EricB said in the beggining of the week that Mike Bud was in Spain during the finals and talked to Tiago
Givony article on cnn/si .com
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...8/rights.held/
Tiago Splitter, Spurs, No. 28 pick in 2007 draft. The Brazilian 7-footer is no stranger to diehard NBA fans, as his name has been on the radar for what seems like years now. He entered his name into the draft pool for the first time in 2004, and has continued to flirt with the NBA for the better part of six years.
Fresh off an ACB championship and Finals MVP award with Caja Laboral, the 25-year-old Splitter has never been more ready to come to the NBA than he is now. He's clearly the best center in Europe, averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 58 percent from the field and showing promising defensive ability in the ultracompe ive ACB. Splitter is a mobile center with a good frame, great hands, excellent fundamentals and a high basketball IQ. He could step in and start for many NBA teams immediately and, unlike a lot of international prospects, will have few issues making the transition to the league's style of play.
Splitter finally could be poised to jump to the NBA: He can opt out of his deal in Spain this summer, and because he's three years removed from being drafted, he is eligible to be paid like an NBA free agent. Splitter will likely ask capped-out San Antonio to pay him the full mid-level exception, and he'll be worth every penny considering how desperately it needs him.
Yep, I'm guilty for this!
Sorry for neglecting SpursTalk, I've been busy with school.
Tiago interview but no news
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/depor...lpepudep_5/Tes
'All those years I said play in the NBA is a dream and I wants to decide ASAP because there's also the Turkey Tournament'P. Josean Querejeta, presidente del Caja Laboral, declaró que vería "normal" su salida hacia la NBA [San Antonio Spurs poseen sus derechos]...
R. Es verdad. Todos saben cuál es mi situación, con dos años más de contrato con opción de salida. Todos estos años dije que jugar en la NBA es un sueño que tengo en mi cabeza. Espero decidirlo cuanto antes. Además, este verano me caso, tengo el Mundial de Turquía...
if splitter changes his mind and says he will come next season....what will the spurs FO do with the MLE
The latest:
http://baskonia.elcorreo.com/noticia...-20100623.html
Caja Laboral has offered Splitter a new contract that goes until 2015. Splitter said that he wants to play in the NBA.
It looks like Splitter has a solid plan B in case he and Spurs can't find a financial agreement.
If he signs that deal with Caja Laboral the Spurs might as well trade his rights for a bag of peanuts.
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