During yesterday broadcast of Celtics-Magic, Eduardo Agra, of ESPN Brasil, who was broadcasting the game, said he talked with Tiago's agent and he said they are already talking with the Spurs.
Man, the spurs get so many breaks. I wish Tiago would just stay in Europe. Even though we did sucker them into giving us scola.
not surprising but They are going to have to give him big money for him to come here. MLE or more type money for a rookie.
well they got out of the Jackie Butler contract which they were trying to do, so they got what they wanted...sorta
This. Apparently from what I read, the NBA put in a caveat for first round draft pick rookie salaries. If a first rounder plays in a league outside of the NBA for three years, then he isn't bound by the rookie salary cap anymore, and are treated like a second round pick. This would address the problems of drafting a player in the first round that makes more money in Europe than they would make on NBA rookie scale. So now the Spurs can offer up a competitive deal using their MLE, so that's why Splitter is coming over now.
so how is committing the full mid-level to a relative unknown a "break"? If Tiago works out then the Spurs just got what they paid for. if he busts, then the Spurs will be saddled with yet another bad contract. If they could get him to come here for around 3M or so though, I'd say that's pretty good risk/return signing...
http://www.lejpb.com/paperezkoa/20100617/205455/fr/Le-Baskonia-champion Translation: Splitter goes to Spurs Tiago Splitter had reached the age of fifteen years in the capital of Araba. After a final delivery of high class that earned him the MVP (Most Valuable Player ed) of the regular season and playoff championship in Spain, the backbone of the Italian-Brazilian Baskonia will pack his bags for the NBA and San Antonio Spurs franchise with which he will now evolve. Splitter thus follows the path before him have done the players who are past and which have proved in the colors of Gasteiz. The Caja Laboral seen from its best player, as is his habit, and will once again have to renew. But the president and coach Josean Querejeta Ivanovic possess the secret of regeneration.
I don't think money was the only aspect as to why he's hasn't come over. Either Splitter or was it a Spurs FO guy? said they went far enough during a past negotiation for him to check out hospitals in LA for his sister. His sister had leukemia but she passed away last year.
Maybe not the only reason but let's face it, the money was a big, big deal. The last two years, he's been making 8 times more money than he would have on the rookie salary scale. I don't know anything about Splitter's personal life but if his sister had medical problems, then all the more reason to take the money. Treatment ain't exactly cheap.
Actually drafting Tiago Splitter wasn't much of a break at all... It was this draft pick that allowed us to get Scola. They drafted Splitter which made Scola redundant, at least thats what they thought. They didn't see the reason to develop two foreign PFs, that and Scola was older and about to sign a long term deal in Spain if he wasn't brought. Shortly after drafting Splitter, they traded Scola. I was wondering when they would bring Tiago over.
Trevor Ariza is a lot better than Richard Jefferson at this point. He's also a lot younger and makes less than half as much as RJ.
