Barring an injury, we all know Splitter is going to be paid. Whether or not the Spurs keep him (see Mel's order of scenarios) largely depends on how this season finishes up. There are a lot of variables that could change the equation (how far do they go in the playoffs, Tiago's health, how he performs, Big 3 health, trades...). The only variable not changing is that if he's healthy he is going to make a lot of money.
All that plus the way the market develops.
How many teams will have the space to offer a max or near max contract? The fewer, the better for the Spurs.
How many of the top free agents will actually hit the market rather than signing with their current teams? The more, the better for the Spurs.
The question is whether Splitter really wants a max deal from Portland if it means his knees will explode within a year or two of the signing.
Knowing Portland's medical staff, there should be a fairly convincing argument the spurs could make that splitter could earn more money (and have a better shot at contending) by having a longer career and avoiding Portland at all costs.
Splitter won't be going anywhere and the Spurs will be over paying him.
I think Splitter won't go there simply because they are a worse team in a ty place. The other factor is that Splitter bought his house right when arrived in San Antonio.
I think RC/Pop really wanted to see if he can string together a full season without the injury issues and if he can be a player worth the money. He seems to be showing that he is, and with Parker still having a few years left and Leonard looking like a borderline All Star contender down the road there are some good pieces to build around.
Got em.Happy dance yourselves into my fists, Portland !
There's some $18 Million in actual cap space occupied between Splitter ($4 Million) and Manu ($14 Million). There will obviously be a redistribution between the two. Further, there is SJax's expiring (if we don't trade it). I believe we will match anything short of $13 Million/year for Splitter. I suspect the end results will look like $10-12 Million/year for splitter, and $6-8 Million/year for Manu (and Manu's contract will be 2 years long, to expire the same time that Duncan's current contract does...).
I'd be very worried for his career if he ended up in Portland tbh.
Portland
go there if he wants to destroy his knees
ye
I think Tiago is aware that it took him a long time to get used to San Antonio and it affected his play AND his confidence in himself. I think he would be willing to compromise with a team he has hit some strides with than relocate again, even if money is being thrown at him.
Before anyone "poo-poos" Portland interest, remember this is clearly their off-season MO. This is what they do - every summer. Paul Allen and the Blazers are always fishing around other teams free agents, trying to money-whip them into surrendering to the Blazers advances. Remember Paul Millsap? They drove up his price on the Jazz a few summers ago, until the Jazz selected to resign him. They also money-whipped Wesley Matthews, who was at the time a surprisingly-successful second-round pick, coming off his rookie season. Of course, the Jazz, who already had substantial money tied up in contracts to Millsap, Deron Williams and Al Jefferson, were unable to match the Blazers offer and thus Matthews became a Blazer, with a suprisingly overpaid contract. , just last summer, the Blazers threw the vault at Roy Hibbert. They drove up his price to a level that the Pacers momentarily considered not matching, but eventually did. This is how the Blazers operate. That said, I would be awfully concerned about these guys doing the exact same thing to Splitter and the Spurs this summer. I just hope Splitter and is agent allow the Spurs a hometown discount.
My hope is that teams will think he's a product of SA's system, Tiago is good but Pop/Parker and the Spurs passing is really bringing out the best in him right now. Most of his points come off the P&R, or cleaning up the glass, he rarely posts up. I think on another team he won't do as well.
Good points all around and well articulated. They have all of Allen's microsoft money to back them and they tread that fine line of making you wonder what their true motives are. Winning? Or playing spoiler? Over the years they seem to have a tendency to "money whip" only certain small market teams (like the spurs and jazz for example). Makes you wonder if they are just another subjugated cog in Stern's endless fanatical ambition to have his media darlings in the finals every year.
Suppose we offer him 8mil/year, do you think he'll take off for 10/year?
Well said about Portland and their habits.
I hope Splitter gives us the hometeam discount as well. Although, I'm a little bit more skeptical about his willingness to do so. Maybe I've just been spoiled by Duncan, Ginobili, Parker that another hometown discount just sounds unlikely.
Yeah, and they have done it in the past to the Spurs too. I remember them offering Bruce $4.5 million in 01 after he was rumored to be close to signing with the Spurs for $750k (which he still accepted; shows you how much Bruce really wanted to be here). Of course offering $48 million to DA in 2001, which ended up being one of the best things to ever happen to the team.
I don't see him getting offered all that much more than $10m, I think we would match that pretty quickly.
Tiago's become a good defender, fantastic in the the pnr, and a great finisher around the basket. Rebounding is still weak though. I think anything under 10 million is fair. Just wouldn't seem right for him to be paid more than a superior player like Duncan.
Blazers seem to do anything possible to with other small market teams. I remember them stealing Batum from us a couple years ago during the draft. Can't stand this team.
Blazers would be pretty weak on the glass with LeMarcus + Splitter, but they'd be a pretty good team too.
Their frontcourt is garbage outside of Aldridge and Hickson. Meyers Leonard seems like a promising young player, but he's at least 2-3 years away from being a regular rotation player. I wouldn't be suprised one bit if they offer Splitter close to what they offered Hibbert.
Dat loyalty jacket ......
EDIT:
On the side note, how's Lillard game, especially the PnR game ? Is he cerebral enough as a distributor & floor general ? If he's quite good PnR guard and has decent court vision & willingness to share, i can see Portland taking a gamble over Splitter, for his PnR elite skill. A combo of Aldridge midrange touch and Splitter PnR + Lillard quickness, that's a pretty strong recipe for the near future.
Yes. We went through this phase with Manu a couple of years back as well. And I guess, if Manu was willing to agree to the Spurs' on a pretty efficient and apt contract, so should his United Nations' cohort, Tiago.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
