http://www.***************/Story.asp?story_id=9173 Reports out of Greece today have the Greek team Panathinaikos in talks with the Houston Rockets about power forward Luis Scola. ....... We're not sure what's caused the sudden commotion in Greece, but Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey assured HOOPSWORLD this morning that there is absolutely no truth to the reports. We've had several discussions with Rockets execs this summer, and each time we've been assured that Luis Scola is untouchable, and thought to be a big part of the team's future.
Depends if he does a Vspan on us. If Tau can offer Tiago Splitter as rumored 8x the money as the Spurs, what's to keep him here? http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/06/05/can-the-nba-keep-attracting-foreign-talent/#cont Can the NBA Keep Attracting Foreign Talent? Posted Jun 5th 2008 8:24PM by Matt Watson Filed under: NBA Rumors, FIBA There aren't many gigs that pay better than professional basketball, but these days it's hardly a given that the best players will flock to the NBA. For one, most foreign clubs will include things like housing and taxes, which means that the salary being offered really does go straight to a player's pocket. Ball in Europe breaks down the math: For example, the player drafted at No. 1 this year knows that he will earn 8.339 million USD in his first two seasons combined. Even with an exchange rate of one euro to 1.50 USD, this is still a large amount in Euros. But this salary is gross, so the player has to pay 29% tax on the amount; so he will only earn 5.920 million USD, about 4 million Euros, in two years. If you go to the middle of the first round, the guaranteed salary for a player drafted 15th in the first two seasons combined will be about 2 million USD net. This is 1.3 million Euros in two years, so about 650.000 Euro per season. Guaranteed. This is a salary that good European players are paid in Europe. Once you get out of the first round and into the second, the disparity gets even larger. And something Ball in Europe doesn't mention but is just as prohibitive are the expensive buyouts that a lot of players will need to cover out of pocket. An NBA team is only allowed to pitch in $500,000 to buy out a foreign contract, but that's sometimes just a drop in the bucket. So will we see a day when the top Euro stars spurn the NBA? We're already there. Fran Vazquez, Tiago Splitter (pictured above) and Rudy Fernandez are all guys who may someday make the jump to the NBA but in the meantime are doing quite well for themselves on the other side of the pond. As Ball in Europe asks, if the number of players arriving has slowed down, how long until players start leaving? So will we ever see a No. 1 pick refuse its NBA offer to move to Europe? And when will European teams recruit American high school players for their own (paid) youth programs and challenge the NCAA? Given the NBA's new age limit (and rumors that it may be raised even higher), I wouldn't be surprised at all to see European clubs start offering talented American high school players a lucrative two-year deal, where they can get paid for their ability, start raking in endorsements as well as building a global brand as opposed to playing for free (and having NCAA investigators examining every deposit in their bank accounts) in college.
An NBA contract. He can't play for them unless the Rockets agree to it. FIBA rules. This "rumor" is beyond idiotic.
Scola wanted badly to be in NBA for the last few years, he can't be thinking of going back now to Euro after just a year. But then I gotta admit the "Euro" (as in currency) is very attractive at the moment.
Not that I'm giving even a shred of credibility to any of this, but Juan Carlos Navarro just went back to Spain after a successful rookie year.
he is not under contract to the Grizz he is a FA, U or R Im not positive. Scola just signed a multi-year contract last year there is a reason why hoopscrap stuff is blocked here,,,,quit posting it
Tracy McGrady to Globetrotters? By: Bill the Rocket Guy Reports out of Harlem today have the Globetrotters in talks with the Houston Rockets about guard/forward Tracy McGrady. According to sources close to the team, they're in the process of buying out McGrady's contract with the Rockets. Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey assured HOOPSWORLD this morning that there is absolutely no truth to the reports. Update: Apparently this was just an idea. We haven't heard anything either. HOOPSWORLD can now confirm there is absolutely no truth to the HOOPSWORLD report.
