[Chronic]Spanoulis says he won't return to Rockets

One thing I have not seen mentioned, is that Panathinaikos is supposedly offering a LOT more money for V-Span to play there.

So, at the end of the day, this could be a good old fashioned money grab.

DD

 

No way to know if he is really sincere till sometimes in the future. HIs agent however, what an ass (just like agents here). These athletes should not let their agents be their mouthpiece, especially when they spout out ridiculous statements regarding being a slave here in the US. Not only would most of us here love to be a slave for his paltry salary, but I think most Greeks his age would love to also...700 euro monthly salary ceiling!!!

I think most Rox fans' reaction would not be so strong if it wasn't for that statement.

 

No kidding. This is how wikipedia gets a bad rep.

 

So let me get this straight...VSpan won't be allowed to play for any Greek team as long as he is under contract with the Rockets?

 

Yes, but that likely translates to sitting out for one year in the worst case. The second year is guaranteed and the third and fourth years are both team options. If he sits out, the Rockets won't pick up his options, so he'll be free at the end of this coming season. If I'm in Greece with a million dollars in the bank and don't have a job for a year, I think I'd still find something to entertain myself with.

 

So this is the guy some of you were thinking could be our impact player, eh?

 

I think so. Money talks. I doubt his mommy would call Span back if he could get a 10Million / year contract.

 

Here's a blog that might relate to Spanoulis's situation:
http://grhomeboy.wordpress.com/2007/06/29/cska-moscow-lures-panathinaikos-star/

I keep on reading posts about that but can't find any articles.

Diamanditis is suppposed to be their highest paid player at under 2M. Jasikevicius
was on a US $2/year deal at Maccabi.

 

Believe me when I say this: Ron Lewis will make our roster after a great summer league performance. This guy is about 6'4" to 6'5" in shoes, has a great jump shot, has great range, and according to NBA.com he has a 44" inch vertical leap. Now that Spanoulis the mama's boy is gone, we will look to trade Lucas, Head, and Alston, and then have room to bring Lewis on as a back up SG.

 

Correct.The Rockets can also combine him with Sura,Lucas or another player in a trade even if he doesn't want to play in the NBA again provided if another team is willing to take the offer.

 

I can't figure this out but how many games does a Euroleague player play anyway? Doesn't look like they play anywhere near the grueling 82 game schedule an NBA player does. If a top Euro player makes 2M euros, they are doing very well given the abbreviated schedule they seem to play.

 

I would have been fine with it all had his agent not come out with the "slave" comment.

I kept hoping he would come around, but at this point, I don't want a guy like him on the team. I've never seen people get paid so much money to play a GAME, yet have so many "hardships" in their life. It's astonishing.

 

Amen.

 

This is more like 300 surrendering... bwahaha. Sorry.

 

I agree with this post. An employment contract is not totally like a contract to sell widgets. You can only go so far in forcing a person to work, even if they are well paid. I'm sure there are a lot of us who would quit an employment contract if we just could not stand to work there, for whatever reason--especailly if it was a long way from home and we did not feel it would likely ruin our career.

I also believe I have heard of American players playing overseas who have not adjusted and just walked away from contracts.

That being said, maybe the Rockets should sue V Span. If they cannot get out of the cap space or get some value, $350k is not enough though I suspect it is open to negotiation.

If V span really gave up a lot of money in Greece and a promise of playing time was made, I supect the Rockets won't win too much in the lawsuit. On the otherhand you can't expect the Rockets to play a player who really can't cut it. Neither side sounds 100% in the right.

Wierd, that JVG was probably done in in part by his inability to deal more effectively with Bonzi and even perhaps by his inability to deal more effectively with V Span.

The thing that made V Span so tantalizing, for a player who was mediocre for the Rockets, was at times he flashed exactly what we needed in a point guard and we just did not see enough of him to be totally sure one way or the other.

I sure hope V Span can be free and we can get some salary relief. This could be a win-win for both.

 

Like I said, there is really no incentive for the rockets to let him go. I'm pretty sure that if he is under contract and does not report we won't be paying him, and I wouldn't be surprised if under those circumstances we can get some cap relief as well from his actions. But to think we "owe him" in any way to release him from his contract is laughable. If it is THAT bad for him here then fine go back to Greece.

But I fail to see how that needs to entail allowing him to play for a team in Greece. If it is so horrible here he can go home and sit out a year with no pay. Unless he has been a complete disaster with his money management, then there shouldn't be a financial need for him to work any where the rest of his life if he so desired. If it is really family and a deep desire to go home that drives him above all else then he shouldn't really have much to complain about under those circumstances.

 

I think V-Span and Morey are just playing a game. The homesick report is just a play.

With Rafer Alston, Mike James, John Lucas III, and Aaron Brooks on the current roster, V-Span does not see guaranteed play time, unless at least two of these PGs are traded. In another hand, Morey is working on trades that can move two of those PG from the roster. He still wants V-Span, and I guess his and Adelman's ideal PG rotation includes James, V-Span, and Brooks (all of them can pass and attack the basket; James and V-Span share major minutes while the rookie comes off bench). Both sides are waiting for trades to happen, and they did not do anything harsh to escalate the situation. V-Span didn't sign a contract with any team while Rockets didn't sue V-Span at FIBA.

If Alston and JLIII are moved from the roaster, there is still a chance V-Span will come back with an agreement of play time. Let's see.

 

according to Jonathan Feigen

http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2007/07/one_and_done_billy_bolts_too_s.html

"The Rockets could keep him from playing for a FIBA team ever again. They hold his rights for as long as they choose. Without their blessing, he could no more sign with Panathinaikos than for the Mavericks."

 

It was another culture shock and nothing more. Viva la Greece the way i see it! Spartan are not losers!!

 

SPAN is a coward, a p***y.