Different cir stances where Spurs were trying to win now mode and Splitter re-signed with his Spanish club for like 2 yrs after getting drafted btw Spurs. So he wasn't even available and probably wouldn't have started over Oberto/Elson. They also had Mahinmi who was a rookie that year and seeing what he could do.
No, I'm talking about when he was in town, sitting on the bench, and the Spurs were a 1 seed who got manhandled by an 8 seed.