Mike Monroe of the Express News
If the Spurs are to return the lineup that started every game of the 2007 Western Conference finals and NBA Finals, they will have to negotiate a new contract for center Fabricio Oberto.
After a strong playoff run in which he was the team's most accurate shooter and its No. 3 rebounder, Oberto informed the Spurs on Monday he has decided to opt out of the final year of the three-year contract he signed before the 2005-06 season.
Oberto made $2.5 million last season. He could have returned next season for the same amount. Instead, he will become a restricted free agent on July 1.
While there is certain to be interest in Oberto from other teams, both in the NBA and overseas, he wants to remain in San Antonio.
"Fabricio had the right to pick up the third year of his contract," said Herb Rudoy, Oberto's agent, who added his client wants to remain with the Spurs beyond next season. "What he really did was decide not to opt in, but it is absolutely with the hope and intention of staying in San Antonio and winning more championships."
Rudoy is confident head coach and executive vice president of basketball operations Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford feel just as strongly about keeping Oberto.
"He has no intention of going anywhere else," said the Chicago-based agent, who also represents Oberto's Argentine teammate, Manu Ginobili. "That's why he did it. The whole purpose of this is to get a new contract. They recognize his contribution. R.C. and Pop are smart guys and they know he fits like a glove with the whole system and the way he plays.
"The plan is for me to negotiate a deal at the appropriate time with R.C. and have him stay there."
Buford said the club "will do everything we can" to make certain Oberto stays.
"I think everybody here appreciates what Fab brings," Buford said. "We understand his importance to our team, to our organization and in our locker room."
Oberto signed with the Spurs on Aug. 2, 2005, becoming a 30-year-old NBA rookie after 12 professional seasons in Argentina, Greece and Spain. He spent his first season adapting to the NBA and learning the Spurs' systems, playing in only 59 of 82 games and averaging only 1.7 points.
He returned for the 2006-07 season as the team's opening night starting center.
In the fifth game of the season, Oberto set a club record for field-goal accuracy by making 11 of 11 shots in a victory over the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 80 regular-season games.
Francisco Elson, signed as a free agent last summer, replaced Oberto in the starting lineup midway through the season. Oberto adapted easily to coming off the bench and remained a regular member of the playing rotation.
When the playoffs arrived, Oberto's role increased significantly.
He returned to the starting lineup for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal series against Phoenix.
He started the final 12 games of the team's run to the NBA le, and averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20 postseason games.
Oberto was especially effective against the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference finals. He made 12 of 15 shots in the first two games. He scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a decisive Game 4 victory in Salt Lake City that gave the Spurs a 3-1 lead.
Last edited by spurscenter; 06-27-2007 at 07:36 AM.
I love Oberto on this team. He brings the fire and energy that Manu brings, a willingness to start OR come off the bench without griping, and having him and Manu on the team together has opened up some great offensive sets ripped from the Argentina playbook.
In 5 years, people are going to forget about the contribution he made. He was one of if not our best hustle player in the playoffs. He doesn't have Elson's legs but Oberto was clutch for us in so many uncountable ways.
Talk about ty negotiating..
As someone said in the earlier thread....
This is the expected posturing by both sides. I'm sure Oberto wants to come back and I'm sure the Spurs want to bring him back....
But if Oberto wants to come back a $5M/year player for the next 4yrs and the Spurs want him back for $4M over the next two or three....then the story changes.
Expect this to remain civil, but Rudoy is likely to build interest in his client from other teams. As Oberto is a restricted FA, Rudoy will get the most $$ by pitting the Spurs against other clubs to drive up Oberto's market value....which is always higher when clubs have to deter the host team from matching.
So, if a team REALLY wants Oberto, he is likely to get an extra guaranteed year or an extra $1-2M per year over what he might have gotten as an unrestricted FA.
Again, right now it's posturing....on 1 July, it's business.
As I dsaid in the other thread, before these comments from his agents became public, Oberto will remain a Spur.
Anybody care to bet?
He's really clutch i remember 1 play in the winding moments in the Finals.. game 2? he pumped fake and drew a foul on gooden for a 3 point play woo! Fab! ulous!
I won't bet on whether he's gonna be a Spur at the start of the '07-'08 season....
BUT, I'd be willing to bet that he'll sign an offer sheet from another team, and it will take the Spurs matching it for him to be back.
Do the Spurs try to get McDyess or is Oberto more valuable at this point since he's in the system and a proven winner in it?
IMO, the Spurs won't go after McDyess unless he's willing to come to the Spurs at a discount...which is unlikely.
McDyess hands down....plus his stock is a little lower just b/c of what Oberto did at the end of the season, but let's not forget how bad Oberto had been. McDyess has so much talent and a good jumper...no brainer IMO
I seriously doubt we can bank on facing a 2008 Finals opponent as wimpy as Cleveland was. Fabs was able to make some shots, but standing under the hoop, catching a pass and laying it in from one foot may not happen as often in '08.
Also on D, playing an opponent with a coach who learned offense from other then Popavich will be a much greater challenge. I say the Spurs keep up the search for a long three and if Fabs signs for a resonable amount and years, fine. If not, perhaps a much better replacement can be found.
That misses the point. He's not an ego guy. He wants his 3.5-4mil for three years, and he'll get it, and everyone will be happy. You can bet both sides of this have already decided how it's going to go.
NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS ABOUT MAXIMISING YOUR $$$$$! Quality of life matters. I wish more people would wake up to this, although I admit it is the nature of the NBA.
Fab will never have to worry about money, he already knows that, so he's going to do what's good for him.
In all of this the evil bas s are the agents who play all sorts of games to maximise their own payday...
/rant
I'll take any bettors too. He'll sign for the Spurs for $3.5-4.5 mil, 2-3 years guaranteed.
Oh, and if someone offers him 5mil over 4 years, that just confirms that people never learn from history, which of course we already know, and that that particular GM is an idiot... who will it be? Isaiah? Billy King? Mark Cuban?
Last edited by RuffnReadyOzStyle; 06-27-2007 at 08:43 AM.
What's McDyess' value at this point? It seems the Pistons may not want his services any longer as they readjust their front court, and how many other teams would throw money at this guy?
Maybe McDyess wants to latch onto us to win a ring? He has a nice jumper, plays decent D... but maybe there's an injury worry we don't know about? Maybe the guys on the Pistons side of the forum know more...
Why would Oberto take an outright deal of $3.5-4M per year to stay with the Spurs when he can play them against all of the other potential bidders to drive up the price? I guarantee they don't have something already worked out, and even if they do....a 4yr deal @ $4-5M per year offer from the Bulls/Raps/Mavs/Grizz/etc. will likely change that.That misses the point. He's not an ego guy. He wants his 3.5-4mil for three years, and he'll get it, and everyone will be happy. You can bet both sides of this have already decided how it's going to go.
NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS ABOUT MAXIMISING YOUR $$$$$! Quality of life matters. I wish more people would wake up to this, although I admit it is the nature of the NBA.
Fab will never have to worry about money, he already knows that, so he's going to do what's good for him.
In all of this the evil bas s are the agents who play all sorts of games to maximise their own payday...
/rant
If the Pistons don't want him, I'm thinking he'll get offers (not all compe ive) from almost every other team in the league...and someone is going to give him a deal at or near the full MLE.
Do you think other teams will go crazy and offer either 4 year contracts or too much money?
I think we'll match up to 4.5 for 3 years, and he'll take it
If someone offers him 5 and 4 years we can find a replacement, but I don't see any of the teams you mentioned doing that. Everyone knows his performance in the playoffs was an artefact of his perfect fit in our system (ie. he is not a starter in most systems), and of the teams you mention I can see only Cuban being stupid enough to offer him dumb money. Do you think he'd leave the Spurs to play for Mark Cuban for less than 20mil? I don't. And I don't think Cuban would be stupid enough to offer it to him - he has other things to worry about than his centre rotation.
The Bulls need a post player and that is their focus. The Raps and Grizz are running teams and he's more effective in the half-court.
First...."too much money" is in the eye of the beholder.
And to your general question....
Restricted FA causes teams to make commitments that they normally wouldn't because they're afraid the host team could match.
Two years ago, Joe Johnson signed a max deal with the Hawks in which the contract stipulated a $20M up-front payment...and they STILL executed a sign-and-trade (Diaw and two first-rounders) because they were afraid Phx would match.
Obviously that was the most idiotic decision by the most idiotic GM in all of Sports...but it is certainly not the only example of teams adding deterrence measures to ensure the host team won't match...
So the answer to your question is...Yes, I do think a team will step forward with a deal that adds a guaranteed year to the deal the Spurs have on the table and/or an extra $1-2M per year.
I hope Oberto and his agent don't go to high when it comes to the numbers. I don't think the Spurs will pay too much for him.
Agents lie.
I like Oberto, he complements Duncan very good, at least better than Elson. I hope he stays.
First let me say that I disagree the Spurs will pay over $4M and over 3yrs to keep Oberto...but then again, neither you or I really know what they'll do.
And if someone throws $20M at him, whether it's the Mavs or not, I think he'd find it hard NOT to sign that offer sheet and leave it in the hands of the Spurs. That way, he can always say that the Spurs had the opportunity to match, but didn't...and place the onus on them.
About the specific teams...
Bulls do need a low-post threat, but they also need post players in general (Sweetney and Brown are FAs). Skiles and the GM are also fond of "character" and "team" guys. I'm just saying it's possible.
Accidentally threw the Grizz in there because of the report two summers ago that West liked Oberto...but West is gone from Memphis...my bad.
Raptors have one legitimate center (Nesterovic) and an affinity for international players. Colangelo was willing to take on Nesterovic's big contract, so what makes you think he won't overpay for a role guy like Oberto?
And there are probably a few other teams that will enter the bidding that we're not considering...
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