WTF X 10?
I wonder why Tau was so amenable to a buyout for this kid. I guess this means they didn't value him in the same manner as they did Splitter.
If this news is true, then I would guess a Pargo decision could be coming soon.
I don't know if Strawberry, Tucker, Barnes, Lopez, and Dragic equals quality depth, at least this year.
I think people are seriously overstating what Dragic can provide for the Suns. Very steep learning curve. Expecting him to immediately back up Nash may be setting him up for failure.
Suns ready to sign Dragic to back up Nash
Posted: August 13, 2008
Sean Deveney
Sporting News
After much wrangling, more than a few doubts and some international diplomacy, the Suns finally have landed the player they expect to be Steve Nash's backup this year. A source confirmed to Sporting News that Slovenian point guard Goran Dragic -- whose rights were acquired in June in a draft-night trade with the Spurs -- is intent on signing a contract of at least three years to play in Phoenix next year.
There are still some administrative details to resolve for Dragic to get out of his European contract. He then must settle on a definitive contract with the Suns.
But this could set up a big win for the Suns. Dragic did not have a buyout in his contract with Tau Ceramica in Spain, and it was widely believed that he would have to wait till next year to join an NBA team. Before any deal with the Suns could be finalized, Dragic had to haggle with two European teams, negotiating a buyout that would persuade them to release him from his contract.
That process has been long and difficult. One of Dragic's American representatives, Rade Filipovich, joined his representative in Spain, Quique Villalobos, a week ago to begin working out a deal. Complicating matters is that Dragic's rights were technically owned by Union Olimpija in his hometown of Ljubljana, and he was on loan to Tau. Dragic had to work out a buyout figure that would satisfy both teams.
As recently as Monday, Dragic told a Spanish newspaper, "I have spoken with my manager and the people at Tau, and they all think it's better for me to stay here, and so do I." That sent mixed signals to folks in the NBA, but according to the source, the paper was actually using old quotes.
Rather than paying Dragic a standard rookie minimum, then, the Suns will have to pay him part of their mid-level exception to help cover the cost of the buyout he negotiated with Tau.
Phoenix should be willing to pay that, though, because the Suns have long been intrigued by Dragic's potential, who is 6-4 and 22 years old. In fact, on draft night, Phoenix considered taking Dragic with the 15th pick. The Suns decided to gamble on taking him in the second round, though, because second-round picks are not held to the rookie salary scale and would have the financial flexibility to work out an early buyout. Phoenix ended up trading the draft rights to Malik Hairston (No. 48 pick), a future second-round pick and cash for the rights for Dragic.
The Suns feel Dragic is intelligent and mature enough to step in and be Nash's backup this year.
Without Dragic, Phoenix would be down to some less-appealing options to back up Nash. The team was rumored to be interested in guard Jannero Pargo -- more of a scorer than a point guard -- or, failing that, probably would have had Leandro Barbosa revert from his role as off-the-bench scoring guard back to his old role as Nash's backup.
LINK:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn...c.php?t=445321
Good News for Spurs fans if it gets finalised because that would mainly mean that Pargo signs with us!
SpursTalk poster ready to read existing Dragic thread!
no he is to busy telling posters never tip 25 cents !
ahh its u again..i thought we had gotten rid of you already. Apparently someone wants some more...
Oh and yea my mistake...
ducks is not that easy to get rid of
if ducks was he would have left along time ago
Yeah their door closed but they get him and we don't get Splitter who wants to play in the NBA soon as he said.. GO FIGURE!!!!!! LOLOh well the Suns are still garbation year after year.
4 les >>>>>>> Signing some second round rookie.
No...really?
Thanks Mr ing Obvious.
I'll be sure to ask for your opinion the next time i'm faced with the decision to either on my front lawn or in the bathroom.
Does Dragic getting drafted in the second round as compared to Splitters in the first make any difference with the former jumping to the NBA while the latter doesn't?
It's quite a bit different then your example, because of NCAA rules about declaring pro (although you can back out before the draft to regain eligibility). The way the draft works is it assigns NBA rights. The rights are good for a year, so a player can just sit out of basketball for a year and re-enter the draft (David Robinson was advised to do this when he was drafted by the Spurs). However, the rights remain active if the draftee plays for another league.
There are lots of reasons why someone might decide against playing for the team that drafted them (or obtained their rights through a trade, like this particular example). They may not like their draft position and the salary that goes along with it, or the city, or the system that team runs, etc.
Basically a lot of these players will enter the draft and then choose which situation best fits them between the drafted team and other leagues.
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