Former Spur: Tiago Splitter

[J_Paco]

He looks like a poor man's Pau Gasol or Brook Lopez (like Bruno said) physically and on offense. He would definitely bring aspects that the team has lacked outside of Timmy. I really like his fade-away jumper out of the post, that could be unstoppable once he adjusts to the better athleticism of NBA defenders.

[SenorSpur]

Great stuff.

Thanks for the insight Bruno.

[angelbelow]

Here we go:

Offense:

The bulk of Tiago offense is in the post. He isn't some kind of physical beast or a player with awesome low post skills but he is very effective in that area. He is very aggressive but is still patient and plays under control. Add to that a good combination of length/quickness with some very solid post moves and you have one of the best low post scorer outside the NBA.

Another big part of his offense is the pick and roll. He is a very active at setting screens. He rolls well to the basket and has good hands to catch the ball. He is good finisher around the basket with a surprisingly good body control for a player that big. He isn't a that great finisher at the rim because he lacks of explosiveness and strength but he can compensate that with some hesitation moves.

Given his aggressive game, he often goes to the line. He has improved his FT shooting these past years to be a decent FT shooter. I can see him being a 70% FT shooter in the NBA. For a player of his size, there is nothing to complain about.

IMO, the key of his success in the NBA on the offensive end will be his mid range jump-shoot. In Europe, he rarely shoot them but is will be different in he NBA: scoring in the post won't be as easy and there will be there a certain Tim Duncan. He will need to work a lot on it but there are some hopes since he still has a good form. A reliable mid range jump shoot could be what separate Splitter from being good to being great.

The rest of his offensive game isn't really noteworthy. He is an adequate passer, he runs well the floor, facing up the basket is a very marginal and undeveloped part of his game.

Defense:

The biggest quality of Splitter in that end is his versatility. He can be matched up against a low post scorer or against a more perimeter oriented player. In the post he isn't afraid of the contact and isn't a soft player. He surely won't be able to defend behemoth because of his lack of weight but he should do a good job against a lot of players. On the perimeter, he has a good lateral quickness for a 7 footer. He also doesn't look like lost when he is away from the basket. I had no problems seeing him defending players like Nowiztki.

Splitter also plays smart defense. He plays a lot under control and doesn't bite a lot at fakes. With Caja Laboral, he is the anchor of both the defense and the offense. He does a great job at playing defense without grabbing fouls. He will surely need some times to adjust to NBA refs but he should be a quick adaptation.

Splitter is a solid rebounder. There isn't really more to say about him in that area. When I look him playing in Europe, I rarely said to myself "he should have grabbed that rebound" or "what an amazing rebound by Tiago". I don't think rebounding will a strength or a weakness for him. He will do his part of his job in that area.

Tiago's help defense shouldn't also be a problem. He isn't a player who will block tons of shoot but he should do the right rotations and be at the right spot on the defensive end.

I fully expect Tiago to be a very solid defensive player. He won't be a dominant player, who can be the anchor of a NBA paint defense, but he should be a very good complimentary player. A Duncan/Splitter frontcourt should works damn well on the defensive end.

Conclusion:

After 2008 and Splitter ing Spurs, you had to be careful with him but it's hard not to be excited by what he could bring to Spurs. He is 25 years old, he is the best bigman outside the NBA, the NBA transition shouldn't be too complicate for him and he has played more than 400 games at a high level (Spanish league + Euroleague + Brazilian NT). If he doesn't sign with Spurs this summer, it will be a disaster and the end of the last ray of hope to see Spurs being relevant again in the near future.

It's always difficult to compare players to other. Every player is different. On the offensive end, I would say Nick Collison as worst case and Brook Lopez as best case. On the defensive end, maybe Jeff Foster (the young version).

Thanks Bruno, great read.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

You can never judge a euro until he has like half a season of NBA ball under his belt.

So as of now, he's just another wasted draft pick.

[yavozerb]

You can never judge a euro until he has like half a season of NBA ball under his belt.

So as of now, he's just another wasted draft pick.

How long does it take to judge a college player in your opinion before you consider them a wasted pick?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

How long does it take to judge a college player in your opinion before you consider them a wasted pick?

shorter than a euro



but looking at my previous post, half a season is too short a time

i'd say a full 82 game season, plus the balls that they show in the postseason (since we're hte spurs we should expect more out of our picks for our team to perform at a high level)


So scratch the half a season.

But a college player needs slightly less than a euro to prove themself because they are more exposed to competing against elite athletes which is more indicative of nba talent.

[toki9]

His shot release looks really odd, especially the hook shot...

[yavozerb]

didnt see this video here, enjoy..
http://acbtv.acb.com/video/2888

[scottspurs]

If Tiago doesn't come over this year it is going to be a very long crappy summer.

[lurker23]

I assume that since signing Tiago is expected to require part or all of the MLE, then he cannot be signed until after the July moratorium, when all the salary cap figures are finalized?

[Blackjack]

I assume that since signing Tiago is expected to require part or all of the MLE, then he cannot be signed until after the July moratorium, when all the salary cap figures are finalized?

Players may be signed July 8, 2010.

Exceptions to the moratorium:

• Teams may sign their first round draft picks (to a standard rookie "scale" contract -- see question number 41)
• A second round draft pick can accept a required tender, which is a one-year contract offer teams must submit to retain their rights to the player.
• A restricted free agent can accept a qualifying offer from his prior team (see question number 36).
• A restricted free agent finishing the fourth season of his rookie "scale" contract can accept a maximum qualifying offer. The player will receive the maximum salary, but the actual amount is not determined until the end of the moratorium (see question number 36).
• Teams may sign players to minimum salary contracts for one or two seasons.

[Spurs Brazil]

Thanks Bruno. I didn't see any games from Tiago this past season.

When he played for Brazil NT he had a decent mid range J, so I think he can work on it with Chip

[Blackjack]

Nice breakdown, Bruno, and I agree with most of it.

I think he's a better than adequate passer and I don't see a Brook Lopez ceiling, but you've expressed much of the same view I have.

In short, he's a mobile big who should have success out on the floor in the screen-roll game -- setting screens and rolling to the basket -- and around the basket where he can use his good touch and footwork to get his points. He's also got a pretty nice straight-line drive (which mountainballer alluded to) when defenders show too much haste in their closeouts (which he might be able to take advantage of upon first entering the NBA but he'll need to develop a solid midrange jumper to make it a staple of his game -- the much-improved free-throw shooting does give one some hope).

Defensively, the word "position" comes to mind. He's got nice size and length, good mobility and he gets to his spots well. He makes people shoot over the top. He's not a dominant defender or a particularly irritating one (say, like, Varejao), but he should do well in the Spurs' system where it's all about playing the percentages: get to your spots, make your rotations, give a solid contest and live with the results. Not a dominate rebounder nor a poor rebounder, which means he's at least average for his size; and considering he's around 6-11, the Spurs would more than welcome that.

He's got plenty of the tools the Spurs need and a good, intelligent head on his shoulders, so I fully expect him to help the cause and be a real player. I hadn't really considered Collison as a comparison before but if you think Collison in a somewhat similar body to Biedrins, that sounds about right.

[Brazil]

Nice read Bruno ! thank you.

You guys (Bruno, moutainballer, lurker, blackjack and few others...) are gold for this board !

[lurker23]

Good read Bruno, I'm surprised I missed it. Now here is the question, even if Tiago plays well could you really see him getting minutes ahead of DeJuan if DB continues to improve?

Assuming he plays as well as planned, I think they'll start Tiago at the 5 next to Duncan, with Blair and McDyess as the 4 and 5 off the bench respectively. If Blair continues to improve, I think he could be the first big off the bench and his minutes should go up. Here are a few reasons I think this is the best idea:

-The defensive ramifications of starting Duncan/Splitter are too promising to pass up.
-Blair is undoubtedly a PF, and starting him next to Duncan could force Tim to guard the other team's best big man right off the bat.
-Blair is a high energy player. While I think he'll improve his conditioning over the offseason, allowing him to be more consistent and play more minutes, one still wonders if he can play more than 25-30 minutes a game and keep up that energy. Pop will be able to regulate his minutes more easily coming off the bench.
-McDyess's perimeter oriented game may match up well with Blair, especially if DeJuan can develop a more structured back-to-the-basket game.

[Brazil]

I think the spurs priority should be to protect as much as possible Tim. To do that the best option is to pair him with Dice or Tiago not Blair. Of the two Dice or Tiago, Tiago is the younger so I'd go with Tim+Tiago

[Blackjack]

Pretty much agree, Lurker.

If Splitter does come over, I expect him to start alongside Tim. But I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't happen right off the bat -- Pop might want to let him earn it in the eyes of his teammates and/or allow him to acclimate before throwing him into the fire. Whatever the case, though, Tiago will be starting at some point.

Blair and 'Dyess both serve the Spurs better off the bench; DeJuan for his energy and 'Dyess to limit his minutes. Plus they should compliment each other well; and Blair being an undersized, work-in-progress -- defensively -- it's the best way to utilize him at this juncture -- he's a stat machine in short minutes and simply upping the minutes and role doesn't necessarily mean a better team result. Let him off the leash to wreak havoc off the bench, allow 'Dyess to provide the spacing and steady hand in compliment and your top-four Bigs should be set (in terms of roles and responsibilities).

[Blackjack]

I don't know if DuJuan has the size to play back to the basket in the NBA. However, I talked to some Spurs coaches and one of them believed that DeJuan can be a great ball handler due to his low center of gravity. throw that in with improved quickness and shhoting ability, along with his already good inside the pint instints, DB could be a of a player. I personally already think his ball handle is good enough to blow by other bigs.

When I first heard the Barkley comparisons I shrugged it off. People were mostly mentioning it because of their undersized nature and their great rebounding ability. But there is actually something to it and I do believe there's a bit of a possibility that DeJuan plays a bit of the 3 at some point.

Blair's got handles. You see it from time to time in the course of a game -- inside-out dribbles and some crossovers here and there -- and you could really see it at the Rookie Challenge, where he decided to display a little Rucker Park.

It makes sense when you realize his size and the fact that he probably grew up playing on the perimeter a bit more or using his quickness to beat bigger opponents, so there's actually something there. It isn't something out of the realm or an aspect he'd have to develop to the point of invention ... he's basically going to need to improve upon what he does own. He believes he can handle the ball, now he just needs to get the repe ions and be encouraged to do it by the coaching staff.

If Blair doesn't develop a jumper and improve the ballhandling, we're pretty much seeing all we're going to get. But if he adds a decent jumper, improves as a ballhandler (and, really, he just needs to slow himself down and take his time -- two of the biggest culprits for his loss of balance on his drives), he can truly be special. Like, potential, All-Star special.

[Libri]

Some have said that it takes a year for player to adjust. Would this be the case for Splitter? I'm hoping that the learning curve could be curtailed because Splitter has extensive experience, even though it's not under the Spurs system.

[Cane]

Yea its going to be interesting to see if Splitter turns out to be another Beno Udrih - a guy that seemingly can't take the Spurs style where everyone is held accountable for their mistakes.

Here's hoping for the best, Spurs need a mobile big and all the help they can get for next year. Great thread and info so far!

[Blackjack]

Some have said that it takes a year for player to adjust. Would this be the case for Splitter? I'm hoping that the learning curve could be curtailed because Splitter has extensive experience, even though it's not under the Spurs system.

There's always an adjustment, no matter the experience level.

He'll have to adjust to a much less physical but faster game, rules changes and officiating; Tiago won't be afforded any kind of star treatment he's probably grown accustomed to and will have to earn the respect of the whistle. And, of course, there's always the typical first-year indoctrination into the Spurs system that will take some time. I expect to see a bit of a watered down Tiago in the first year because of those factors, to say nothing of the adjustment off the court to his new surroundings and life.

Having said that, watered down doesn't mean ineffective or inept, just not full-capacity. He's intelligent, experienced against a high level of compe ion and the responsibilities/duties of his position aren't as complex and/or unfamiliar as they can be on the perimeter when joining the Spurs; his biggest adjustments should be the rotation principles defensively and the fact that he's not going to touch the ball quite as much. And, really, it's up to how quick and well he adjusts to know how often he'll see the ball, because it's not like the Spurs don't run a million screen-rolls throughout the game and have plenty of opportunities to get him involved.

To boil it down:

Style of play: The NBA's much more of a free-flowing game with superior athletes and a different whistle -- one he won't get the benefit from to start.

The system: As is always the case, The Spurs multi-layered and intricate sets, plays and rotations will take some time.

Individual adjustment: Offensively and defensively he wont have quite the windows or amount of time to execute the play (whether it be a shot or pass) or to make rotations and get to his spots. He'll have to throw in some junk and show patience at times to get his shot off or just do things a little quicker. I don't see any drastic changes needed in his repertoire, just some tweaks that, nevertheless, create an adjustment.

Across the pond: First year in the States, playing against the best compe ion there is and in more games than he's ever really played in, his head's going to be spinning at times. It's a different culture, way of life and there's just no getting around all that he's going to have to deal with away from the court. The good news is he's got some teammates that have been there done that, so he should be in better position than most that make the jump; and he's coming to a great, stable organization (should he come) that'll be sensitive to the whole process.

[AFBlue]

didnt see this video here, enjoy..
http://acbtv.acb.com/video/2888

Love the help-side defense that this video shows. It would be nice to see those blocks in a Spurs uni.

[Libri]

There's always an adjustment, no matter the experience level.

He'll have to adjust to a much less physical but faster game, rules changes and officiating; Tiago won't be afforded any kind of star treatment he's probably grown accustomed to and will have to earn the respect of the whistle. And, of course, there's always the typical first-year indoctrination into the Spurs system that will take some time. I expect to see a bit of a watered down Tiago in the first year because of those factors, to say nothing of the adjustment off the court to his new surroundings and life.

Having said that, watered down doesn't mean ineffective or inept, just not full-capacity. He's intelligent, experienced against a high level of compe ion and the responsibilities/duties of his position aren't as complex and/or unfamiliar as they can be on the perimeter when joining the Spurs; his biggest adjustments should be the rotation principles defensively and the fact that he's not going to touch the ball quite as much. And, really, it's up to how quick and well he adjusts to know how often he'll see the ball, because it's not like the Spurs don't run a million screen-rolls throughout the game and have plenty of opportunities to get him involved.

To boil it down:

Style of play: The NBA's much more of a free-flowing game with superior athletes and a different whistle -- one he won't get the benefit from to start.

The system: As is always the case, The Spurs multi-layered and intricate sets, plays and rotations will take some time.

Individual adjustment: Offensively and defensively he wont have quite the windows or amount of time to execute the play (whether it be a shot or pass) or to make rotations and get to his spots. He'll have to throw in some junk and show patience at times to get his shot off or just do things a little quicker. I don't see any drastic changes needed in his repertoire, just some tweaks that, nevertheless, create an adjustment.

Across the pond: First year in the States, playing against the best compe ion there is and in more games than he's ever really played in, his head's going to be spinning at times. It's a different culture, way of life and there's just no getting around all that he's going to have to deal with away from the court. The good news is he's got some teammates that have been there done that, so he should be in better position than most that make the jump; and he's coming to a great, stable organization (should he come) that'll be sensitive to the whole process.

Good points.

[MateoNeygro]

Great points by everybody. I swear this is the place to come for good, smart, unbiased and informative points of view. Thanks guys. I don't get much time to monitor whats going on with my spurs because I'm deployed. So stopping in here and reading up really gets me in the know. Here's to hoping Tiago comes over and makes a splash! Cheers.

[Bruno]

Thanks for the thanks.

On the court, the NBA transition should be relatively easy for Splitter. Between Spanish league, Euroleague and Brazilian NT, he has played 400 games at a high level. He will enter in the NBA with light more experiences than a college player.
What is more problematic for some "euro" is the off the court transition but I don't see at all that happening with Splitter. A lot of European players have been good as soon as their first year, Splitter will be one of them.

Something that I've forgot to say about Splitter is that he is a quite fragile player. He never has big injuries but every year he missed few weeks because of various injuries. I'm also a little worry about his back.