My opinion on the possible scenarios:
I don't think the Spurs deal Rasho for anyone they could realistically get unless:
Without both conditions above, the Spurs will not get rid of Rasho just yet.
- the Spurs are convinced that Nazr is definitely better than Rasho (I am not convinced of it just yet).
- the Spurs are certain they will sign Nazr to a contract extension.
This is a possible scenario, but if the Spurs are trading Scola's rights, they better get something good in return. I think the Spurs need to offer someone else on the table in order for another team to be willing to trade a good quality SF. If the Spurs get a project, I think it is a bad deal.
This is very doable, but I have a concern regarding $. The Spurs will be over the cap next year. That means that in the 2006 Summer they will have to use exceptions to sign FAs. If the Spurs use the MLE this year, will they be able to use it next year as well to bring Scola? I think with the old CBA this was not possible, but may be with the new one this is allowed. I may be wrong, so please someone clarify this.
I see this move as a insurance move for the Spurs as well. Let's say that Nazr wants big money next off-season, then the Spurs have Oberto looked up for at least another season or two as an insurance. Plus we could hopefully bring Scola if he's not comming this season.
Remeber that Theo Ratliff is a free agent at the end of next year.
I agree but if you saw Argentina in the Olympic games, you would see the Manu+Scola duo was the one who destroyed the big teams.
Yeah, I think the point isn't about which of the two players is better -- I think the point is that the Spurs can't afford to deal Rasho without having Nazr locked up after the coming season. I'd certainly rather have Rasho than nothing; if you dealt Rasho this summer and couldn't agree with Nazr next summer, you'd have no centers and no real caproom to go get one. I don't think the Spurs will gamble like that.
I'm surprised that we haven't heard anything about a Nazr extension, and it makes me wonder if the slow trickle of news about a possible Rasho trade isn't tied to the Spurs somehow trying to figure out what Nazr wants and how feasible it is to extend his deal.
I think the Spurs have a hammer with Nazr, in that they offer a chance to compete for les but in an environment filled with players who've accepted something less than market value. Timmy certainly isn't the highest paid player in the league, despite being arguably its best; Manu is grossly underpaid vis-a-vis the market for his skills; and had he become a free agent this summer, Parker would be looking at more money than he took from the Spurs. Nazr might see himself (or his agent might see Nazr) as a better Dampier, but that doesn't coincide with the Spurs salary structure. Nazr won't stay in San Antonio if he expects to make more than Parker or Ginobili.
Nazr is gone after this year. Good thing is this is his contract year, so we should see great things from him.
Why can't we just bring over Scola and Oberto???
Marks and Massenburg....I like both of these guys a lot, but as players, they aren't really helping the team.
If I was Scola maybe I can be very upset... I don´t know... maybe next year he doesn´t want to come...
Yes, I saw many of the televised games and yes, they played terrific together. I also saw the 2002 games in Indy. Scola and Manu are great together and we may see them together, yet.
This is the Opening Night problem:Don't be surprised if he is the Spurs starting center on opening night.
Ramadan 2005
Ramadan will begin on October 04, 2005 for all of the United States, God willing. The last day of Ramadan will be November 2, 2005 for all of USA
Nazr probably begin the season out of shape
What SF could the Spurs realistically get for Nazr?
Don't sleep on the spurs, Scola might still be signed. Tau needs to lower the buyout, or get nothing next year.
Because you don't bring Scola over to just linger on the bench. If he's coming here, he's going to play and be a part of the rotation. Last I checked, neither Marks nor Massenburg was a part of last season's rotation. In fact, none of the bigs who were in the rotation last year has left. That's why you don't bring them both over right now.
Does his contract even expire next year? Everything I read says 2007.Don't sleep on the spurs, Scola might still be signed. Tau needs to lower the buyout, or get nothing next year.
Has Tau ever negotiated to get money from a buyout? I think they'd rather keep Scola for the year.
If that's true, then Rasho isn't going anywhere unless the Spurs can deal him for another center.
Marks is a Cheerleader
Remember a couple years back when we only had two big men under contract and were so worried about it?
I see the Oberto move as a great one. First of all, let's see NASR, Oberto and Rasho fight for position as starter, backup and bench. Isn't that what basketball players are supposed to do?
At this point, we don't really know which of the three to keep, but by Feb trade deadline, we could easily have a prime (well, maybe top 10-15) center as trade bait. Of course, Pop may already have made up his mind between NASR and Rasho and therefore Oberto is simply a sign that one is on the block.
I think Spurs fans are overrating Scola and underrating Oberto. I've seen a lot of Argentine basketball and I've always been on record that Oberto is as good a prospect to come in and contribute right away. Oberto is bigger, a better rebounder, a better defender, a better shotblocker and a better passer. In fact, Oberto is one of the best bigman passers I've ever seen.
Scola is good too, but he's overrated worldwide. He has a much higher ceiling than Oberto ... although I believe that he could bust in the NBA. Oberto, on the other hand, is what he is. He's basically a poor man's Vlade Divac who brings some of the same Manu-like toughness and hardnosed play to the court.
I like this move a lot. If it came down to Oberto for three-years at $4-6M and Scola for three-years at $10-12M ... this is what I would have done too. Oberto is an above average backup center in the league.
Now, this also gives the Spurs a lot of flexibility.
1) Trading Rasho. With three capable centers on the roster, Rasho can be traded. It wouldn't have made as much sense to trade him without bringing in another center.
2) Trading Scola. I know this would be an unpopular move, but the Spurs have to look at it. He's a little overvalued around the league right now and teams may be willing to give up a lot for him. There's also some question regarding when he buyout ends. I'm hearing that he might have TWO years remaining on his Spanish contract and the buyout is getting bigger by the year. If that's the case, trading him for a young prospect at a forward or guard position makes even more sense.
3) Using the MLE. I'm guessing Oberto is being signed with the LLE. If that is the case, now the full MLE is free to use. If the Spurs have someone in mind, that meant they couldn't really bring over Scola anyways and this signing helped strengthen their big positions.
I'm really curious about that. For some reason, I (and several others who follow this stuff fairly closely) thought that there would be no buyout or a low-priced buyout THIS summer. Guess that wasn't correct. Now I wonder when Scola's buyout truly becomes affordable -- as in, won't have to pay him the full MLE to make it worthwhile affordable.
I've read 2006 but I'll defer to you onthis one for sure. If it's 2007 then it doesn't look good maybe ever.
I think this is the case.
I don't think he would bring Oberto in just to trade him away.
Sorry for asking about this sensitive issue ... but in Ramadan Nazr will have to avoid training during the day??
One thing about trading Scola is that he essentially has no value as a trading piece, because his salary slot (as a second round pick without a signed contract) is basically the minimum. Scola, at most, becomes a sweetner for a deal involving a bigger contract OR Scola gets dealt for a future draft pick.
You aren't going to get great value immediately if Scola's rights are all that you deal.
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