Is Pop Souring on Tiago Splitter?

[dunkman]

The Spurs must keep Splitter, he has the tools to become an borderline all-star.

[superbigtime]

Ride the pine and get ready to be berated on national TV. Gee how come no one wants to come here? Is it because its not a major metro city, or is it because the coach is a in asshole.

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

I won't be worried too much until Splitter has reduced minutes in regular season games. As I said in a previous thread, I think the main reason Bonner isn't playing much is because he's a known quan y and the Spurs want to evaluate other players.

There are quite a few other players that are known qualities, but they have seen plenty of action.

[elemento]

He is coming back from an injury. I think it's a normal move by Pop. As Bruno said, i think it's way more weird to see Bonner collecting his 2nd DNP in a row.

[spurraider21]

He is coming back from an injury. I think it's a normal move by Pop. As Bruno said, i think it's way more weird to see Bonner collecting his 2nd DNP in a row.

Pop is just resting his secret weapon

[lefty]

Because Bonner is much better than Splitter
















Well according to Pop

[lcroock]

Trade Tiago + Bonner for Milsap and keep Curry aboard. Spurs need a consistent front court player if they want any shot at another ring with this crew.

[TD 21]

I won't be worried too much until Splitter has reduced minutes in regular season games. As I said in a previous thread, I think the main reason Bonner isn't playing much is because he's a known quan y and the Spurs want to evaluate other players. While I think Splitter needs more reps this preseason than Bonner does (primarily due to Tiago's upside), I'll choose to believe that Splitter is being benched for a similar reasons (plus return from injury).

All this being said, if Pop truly is souring on Splitter (and is planning on giving him less than 15 mpg come late season), then they absolutely have to trade him this year. Value-wise, you're not likely to get much from a package revolving around Neal/Blair/Bonner. However, if you throw Splitter into that mix, you have a serious chance of getting a rotation caliber big in return.

Rotation caliber? More like starting caliber.

They're in a tough spot, because they clearly want and need to become tougher and better defensively (especially in the paint), but no matter how frustrating Splitter's fragility and softness is, for obvious reasons, they can't drop him from the rotation.

This is why I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he ends up being traded by the deadline. As I've said, I think Smith will be their primary target, but failing that (which is likely), I think they'll turn their attention to Varejao. He's virtually everything they want Splitter to be and he could likely be had for Splitter and Bonner. He's also a financial fit. Most of his $8.4M salary will be gone by the deadline, so they'd only have to pay him $9.1M the following season (he does have a $9.8M team option after that, but they'd definitely decline it).

[z0sa]

Pop just being power mad per the usual.

[team-work]

I also tend to agree with timvp. When I read Pop's quote on Splitter's "injury pattern" during training camps, I think he'd be high on Pop's trade list, above Blair, Neal, and of course Bonner.

[Solid D]

I think youre probably right, timvp. Pop gets frustrated with players missing reps in training camp. It's almost like it ruins his opinion or sours Pop on any player who can't get the full benefit of camp. I think as long as Tiago does what Pop asks him to do during the season, he'll be fine. Beno wouldn't do what Pop asked of him half the time. Particularly on the 40 defense, picking up his man full court to pressure the ball. Beno would do a 30 defense at best.

[DPG21920]

This thread brings me back to when I said this. I still believe in Tiago, but if he has value around the league, you probably have to trade him both for financial reasons (he will likely get a decent contract) and because Pop seemingly just does not like/trust him & most importantly Pop probably feels Tiago/Tim can't play together.

Also, I think Tiago needs to be on the table. I am about as big of a Tiago fan as you will find, but I don't see him flourishing here. He definitely has the tools to flourish in the NBA, but I am not sure if that is here and I am not sure the time is now.

With his age and those factors in mind, if a team is pretty high on him and it can net you a solid draft pick I think the Spurs should listen (even if that means taking a step back from a contention standpoint in the next two years- but he was used sparingly anyways and the Spurs still got to the WCF.)

Splitter and Tim aren't going to play together it seems. Tiago still has some overall question marks about his game. I was talking more along the lines of the Hill trade where if he can net you a pick 15 or higher, that's not a bad option.

I guess my thoughts are what is the goal. If Tim plays two more years, that puts Tiago at 29/30 and what is his ceiling to help if the Spurs got the WCF without him playing much and when Tim and him won't see much time together?

I get that he needs to grow into a larger role, but that was my original point, I don't know if he can flourish here because of cir stance (Pop, injuries, Duncan...).

[therealtruth]

I also tend to agree with timvp. When I read Pop's quote on Splitter's "injury pattern" during training camps, I think he'd be high on Pop's trade list, above Blair, Neal, and of course Bonner.

It's the same as his blue collar non skilled comments he makes when Tiago is doing well. It's ridiculous. It's like everytime Tiago would have a good game Pop would go out of his way to limit his minutes in the next game. I don't think Pop will ever be a fan. Everytime Tiago does well it makes him look like an idiot for not playing him that much.

[Obstructed_View]

You mean Pop was sweet on Splitter? Ever?

Pop decides he doesn't like a player, and that player never gets out of it. Watching Splitter spend his rookie season on the bench when the Spurs could have really used him is all anyone needs to know. Despite good play, he's never gotten consistent minutes and any setback causes Pop to overreact and blame the player for it. Not really anything new.

[ChumpDumper]

lol preseason

[spurspokesman]

Like I said before- Splitter should have been traded as he will never ever get a true chance to play here. Maybe some team will see his value and as a bonus- the Spurs can get some talent. Someone who will actually get a fair chance from Pop.

I still hope Splitter gets traded - there is no way he will ever get out of Pop's doghouse.

And someone who can stay relatively healthy.

[silverblk mystix]

lol preseason

lol still defending pop-even in preseason-pop ups

[ChumpDumper]

lol still defending pop-even in preseason-pop ups

all I said was lol

lol still holding e-grudges

Splitter was never as good as we built him up to be. A lot of folks are still in denial about it.

[Fabbs]

Splitter was never as good as we built him up to be. A lot of folks are still in denial about it.

Who is "we"? and what did "we" build him up to be?
Who are "a lot of folks"?

[ChumpDumper]

Who is "we"? and what did "we" build him up to be?
Who are "a lot of folks"?

Definition of WE

1: I and the rest of a group that includes me : you and I : you and I and another or others : I and another or others not including you —used as pronoun of the first person plural

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/we

We built him up to be better than he actually is. You can include yourself in that group if you want. I would.

Hope this helps your quest for understanding simple English and posting without using stupid nicknames. I believe you can do it.

[Fabbs]

wimpy backpedal

par.

[ChumpDumper]

I still don't get it after it was dumbed down for me.

Par.

We built him up to be better than he actually is. You can include yourself in that group if you want. I would. Y'know -- if you're honest and realistic.

[therealtruth]

It seems that Pop wants to motivate Splitter to show more fire. He was hard on Parker too, and TP eventually became a great player. It was the same with Beno, he liked Vaughn better because he was more motivated.

The same approach won't work with every player. That approach would probably backfire with Splitter.

[DPG21920]

I am not quite sure what people built him up to be, but he has been pretty damn good I think all things considered.

[ChumpDumper]

Premature preseason thread is premature.

Injured Splitter was injured.