Here's some Jackie Butler highlights against the Celtics summer league team a couple of days ago <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_yjRAxpt2xQ"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_yjRAxpt2xQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Well, we have 3 days to convince him to come over. Given that his competition for starting PF is Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry, and Steve Novak, I think we can legitimately sell him on the point that he has a very good chance to start immediately. Of course, this requires that he's all that they make him out to be, but if everyone thinks he's so awesome... usually they're right. I guess we'd have to work out a buyout too? Would Les pay $3 million or whatever it takes to get him over?
salary cap relief, he can/probably will agree to a buyout with lower cost of his contract + salary dump of butler
Why would the Spurs trade for Span? Because SPan HAS to play for San Antonio this year and next, they hold his rights. And it sounds like Scola has no place in SA now.....it works for both parties. DD
Good call. Has to be Lindsey. Looks like Spurs think very highly of Vspan. Interesting to see if he plays for the spurs. Also could this just be Vspan+2nd rounder for Jackie Butler, who doesnt have a spot in Spurs anyways.
1) I doubt the Spurs would do that. They have a championship team they are trying to keep together. 2) Didn't VSpan's agent say " 'even if the Spurs guaranteed him a starting spot, he still won't come back' "? If he does come back, then VSpan is up there with Pippen in Rockets lore and I would expect the Red Rowdies to have mercilus with him when the Spurs are in town.
yeah that's what i figured though francis is a non-issue to me. the minimum or the LLE is the most i'd give him anyway. so is this scola a guy most people would be happy throwing the entire mle at?
You've got it backwards. The Spurs are the ones that refused to sign Scola. When the Spurs initially drafted Scola, his buyout was a ridiculous $15M. Because of that SA signed Oberto and then later Matt Bonner. Last summer his buyout was reduced to $3M. Scola wants to play in the NBA and was looking for a 3yr/$10M contract and he would have paid off his $3M buyout. The Spurs didn't need another PF (he's only a PF, not a C). Scola's agent was lobbying hard for the Spurs to trade him to someone that would be willing to sign him. Now, another year later, his buyout should be even less. Here's a link to a SA news story from last year when he had the $3M buyout. It sure seems like he wants to play in the NBA. http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/...ies/MYSA070706.1D.BKNspurs.scola.1300a8f.html Spurs officials made it clear after the season they likely wouldn't sign Scola because they didn't want to invest in another power forward, especially after signing Fabricio Oberto, Scola's friend, last year and trading for Matt Bonner two weeks ago. They also are unsure how well Scola would play next to Tim Duncan, given that both like to work out of the post. "In the country of liberty, Luis is a prisoner," Claudio Villanueva, one of Scola's three agents, told Argentine newspaper La Nación. "The Spurs do not utilize him, neither do they want to yield him to another team and they impede him to play in the NBA." Notice the last couple of lines of the story: With the Spurs unwilling to sign him — and apparently unable to trade him — Scola said he would play for Tau. "Luis is young; he is 26 years old," Villanueva told La Nación. "He can expect that next year he surely he will fulfill his dream."
Butler looks good in summer...even if scola doesnt come over here we still have a decent player in butler..glad v-span is gone finally BRING IN SCOLA HOUSTON
According to the Spurs sight Jackie Butler is 6'10" not 6'8" http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jackie_butler/index.html?nav=page
I saw him when he played for the Knicks and he replaced Jerome James as the Knicks starting center. He played well enough for the Spurs to sign him to a 3 year 7M deal and we all know the Spurs have an eye for talent. This is a great deal for the Rox, give up a 50+ plus second round pick and VSpan who they will let stay in Europe for your back up center when Deke retires and a guy that is young, can develop and play PF all without spending your MLE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Butler info when signed: Butler, 6-10, 250-pounds, had appeared in 40 games for the Great Lakes Storm of the Continental Basketball Association and was averaging 18.1 points (10th in CBA), 10.7 rebounds (third) and 1.45 blocks (third) this season. The McComb, MS-native was an undrafted early entry candidate for the 2004 NBA Draft after a high school basketball career that ended at Coastal Christian Academy in Virginia Beach, VA. Pre-draft Info: NBA Comparison: Antonio Davis Strength: A real physical specimen at the tender age of 19. Has slimed down and built muscle. His strength allows him to put himself wherever he wants in the post.. Has great hands downlow and anything that goes his way he gets ahold of. His post game is developing, if he can improve in this area, he's got a chance to be a 12 year NBA player. Very athletic and gets down the court pretty well for a big man when he wants to. Looks like a young Elton Brand the way he hits the offensive boards and finds position for rebounds. His huge wingspan (7 foot) makes him a bigger player than he is. Weaknesses: Post game is still very raw and needs work. In high school he could use his strength to get whenever he needed to (that won't be the case in the NBA). Footwork also needs improvement.... Could have done himself some good by going to college however he should still be drafted. At times he's very inconsistent and lazy on defense, especially in transition. Needs to work harder and get into better shape. Note: He is 19 years old, he attended a prep school for 1 year. -Rob Salvador (Draftcamp warrior) 6/16/04 Butler is a physical monster standing 6-9, 255 pounds but he doesn't use it to his advantage. He is extremely slow and doesn't pick up his feet when going back in transition. He is inconsistent on defense as well. Memo to Jackie: Plant yourself on the block, hit the weights, and get some elevation. If he does that, then we will be talking about a force. To Butlers credit, he does show flashes of brilliance. He knows hes bigger than everyone at the high school level. But the SEC is a different story. When he attends Mississippi State, he'll have an opportunity to play on a good team with promising players and in a conference that produces good power forwards. The future is ultimately in Butler's hands. -Justin Young I watched him in three summer league games and I do not think this is a random scrub. He definitely seems to be a better prospect than Sundov. Must work on defense but seems to have a nice touch and is very physical under the boards. Let him spend a year in the NBDL and we may be on to something (note his CBA numbers). Let's not forget, he's only 20. Back to my original question, is he worthy of being considered a nice prospect?
Great deal, if it happens. I am suspicious of SA, why would they do the Rockets any favors? Do they know something that we don't, like the guy is going to play with Spain not us? I hope it works out.
Scola is like JHo when he was young. His midrange shooting is exactly what the Rockets need. A much much better fit than Splitter.
The conventional wisdom says moneyball got schooled again by a seasoned GM from a superior franchise.
Isn't it obvious why Spurs would do this? Two words: Dennis Lindsey. We let him go to the Spurs because he's secretly spying for us and destroying their franchise. GO LINDSEY!
Well, he had to play for us when we held his rights and he still wasn't going to come back so what makes you think he'll change his mind for San Antonio? There, he's behind Parker & Vaughn and fighting for playing time again. He stays in Greece and he's a star - he comes to SA and he's 3rd string. Can you see my line of thinking here? Scola did not have a place in SA - that's true but again ask yourself why make this trade if you are SA? Why not just leave him in Europe instead of sending him to your division rival? I don't know DD, something is not quite right here...
