Author Topic: Splitter Staying in Europe  (Read 7538 times)

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Splitter Staying in Europe
« on: June 08, 2008, 08:25:54 AM »

Offline Brickowski

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Reports are that Splitter has signed a new deal with Tau Ceramica through 2011 that will pay him twice what he would make on the NBA rookie scale (as a late first round pick).

Going forward, the weak dollar may make it increasingly difficult to bring the best international players to the NBA.

One solution would be to scrap the rookie scale for non-lottery first round picks, and treat picks 15-30 like 2nd round picks.  Second rounders can be paid as much as the team is willing to pay given cap constraints.   
« Last Edit: June 08, 2008, 10:53:46 AM by Brickowski »

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2008, 09:48:26 AM »

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That really hurts the Spurs. They needed that rangy 6-11 type to help defend Gasol and Aldridge next year. Over the past few seasons the Spurs have struggled defensively against teams with two guys of that size. They needed more youth too, Mahinmi and Splitter were a big part of that, so they've just lost 50% of their ready made solution. Puts a lot of pressure on San Antonio's free agency.

As for International players not coming .... I'm not sure it's much of an issue yet. Rudy Fernandez is coming over and he could have earnt more in Europe than Splitter could have. Top players will always want to compete at the pinnacle of their sport and for basketball that's the NBA.

Wait and See would be my response

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2008, 10:03:58 AM »

Offline Fan from VT

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So if U.S. players are going to have to start waiting 2 years out of high school to join the NBA, how many top-high school players will forego college and spend those 2 years making more in europe than they would as an NBA rookie? And how many will stay in europe after that if they thought they'd be a pick in the 15-20 range?

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2008, 10:08:27 AM »

Offline orrzor

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What I don't get is sure he might make less his first 3 years, but assuming he is good he'll probably end up with an 6-10 million dollar contract after his rookie pay and isn't that more than he could get in Europe? Isn't the earning potential higher here? And if so, why wait then? Also is it possible to just have a team sign you to a lucrative contract, without going through the draft? like undrafted players.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2008, 10:51:48 AM »

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What I don't get is sure he might make less his first 3 years, but assuming he is good he'll probably end up with an 6-10 million dollar contract after his rookie pay and isn't that more than he could get in Europe? Isn't the earning potential higher here? And if so, why wait then? Also is it possible to just have a team sign you to a lucrative contract, without going through the draft? like undrafted players.
He could make more if he becomes a big success in the NBA. If he's just an average player he can make comparable money in Europe. If he's a below average player chances are he can make more money in Europe.

Lots of scouts and analysts were starting to doubt Splitter's NBA potential. So being higher than an average player might be a reach for him. Possibly affected his decision.

What did Saras sign on for last season? I think it was the equivalent of $10mil when you add in the tax breaks and currency difference.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2008, 10:55:28 AM »

Offline wdleehi

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So if U.S. players are going to have to start waiting 2 years out of high school to join the NBA, how many top-high school players will forego college and spend those 2 years making more in europe than they would as an NBA rookie? And how many will stay in europe after that if they thought they'd be a pick in the 15-20 range?


Very few. They will not get the exposer they want.  Most will have no interest in leaving he country. 

Both will make them feel they are moving away from their dream (playing in the NBA) then towards.  (whether that is true or not)



They will not get rid of the salary cap for foreign players.  Just think of the lawsuits. 

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2008, 11:02:10 AM »

Offline the_Bird

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Now, do the Spurs own his rights in perpetuity, or if he decides to come to the NBA after this new contract is up, will he be a free agent?  Would the rookie-scale rules still apply?  I'm thinking too of a guy like Fran Vasquez, who stayed behind instead of joining the Magic; do they still have his rights?

p---er for the Spurs, but let's remember he was a LATE draft pick anyway.  You wonder if he was either taken in the lottery (higher on the scale) or in the second round (signed with part of the MLE), whether he'd be coming over next season.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2008, 11:09:23 AM »

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Now, do the Spurs own his rights in perpetuity, or if he decides to come to the NBA after this new contract is up, will he be a free agent?  Would the rookie-scale rules still apply?  I'm thinking too of a guy like Fran Vasquez, who stayed behind instead of joining the Magic; do they still have his rights?
Orlando still have Fran's draft rights
Spurs had Scola's through all that time
Blazers held Sabonis' draft rights for how long? A decade was it? Before they signed him on board.

I'm not sure how long they last but they last a long time.

They should put a limit on how long a team can hold your draft rights. I'd like to see those rights expire in 3-4 seasons (into Free Agency, they could do it like restricted free agency so the team that drafted him still has first choice and it won't be a way to negate playing for them). If a team isn't bothered to bring them over by then they shouldn't be able to hold their rights for trades. How Washington treated Navarro was disgraceful.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2008, 11:09:40 AM »

Offline Brickowski

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As for the Spurs, they have gone about as far as they can go with older players like Horry, Barry and Finley.  And Duncan is 33.

They have to get younger.  Buford is as smart as they come, but he has a daunting task ahead of him.

As for Splitter, if Darko could get a 7 million-dollar deal, so could Splitter.  But if you are being paid in Euros, a 4.5 million Euro deal is better than $7M U.S. at current exchange rates.  And that doesn not even take into account the perks that players get in Europe (free apartment and car) plus greater opportunities to shelter income from taxes (since the taxing authorities aren't as relentless as the IRS).  For example, wealthy Spaniards have used Gibraltar as a tax haven for years.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2008, 11:11:15 AM »

Offline cordobes

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And this is why you don't want to draft Pekovic with a 1st round pick, not even  in the top-5.

On the international players issue, I think it's definitely something that will happen frequently - and one can already see that trend: none of the foreigners projected to go in the late 1st round are top players in Europe, far from it. A middle of the first round rookie contract is not attractive for good European players, as they can make plenty more money in Europe. I guess that, as Who states, a lot will depend on each player star potential: someone like Rubio, who has superstar potential, will join the NBA; guys like Splitter and Pekovic, who are superstars in Europe but that probably wouldn't be more than solid starters or borderline all-stars (best case scenario) in the NBA, will prefer to stay in Europe, at least for the best years of theirs careers.

Some rumors I've heard: Spurs are trying to sign CSKA's guard Siskauskas (IMO, the best player outside the NBA). Houston seems to be in the race as well. Gallinari is considering resigning with Milano, even if he's drafted in the lottery (here's the trend again).

ps - oh, and I'm sure that Rudy wouldn't be making more money than Splitter, had he stayed with Badalona. Tiago will probably be a top-3 player in Europe salary wise.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2008, 11:16:50 AM by cordobes »

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2008, 11:25:03 AM »

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Just looking for more information on Splitters contract

He has the choice to join the NBA at the end of the 2009-10 season. A buyout mark. So two years. He signed a four year contract but in two years he can join the NBA if he wishes.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2008, 11:42:48 AM »

Offline the_Bird

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Just looking for more information on Splitters contract

He has the choice to join the NBA at the end of the 2009-10 season. A buyout mark. So two years. He signed a four year contract but in two years he can join the NBA if he wishes.

If he does, though, we he still be limited to the rookie scale at that point, or could SA sign him with one of their exemptions?

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2008, 11:47:02 AM »

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Just looking for more information on Splitters contract

He has the choice to join the NBA at the end of the 2009-10 season. A buyout mark. So two years. He signed a four year contract but in two years he can join the NBA if he wishes.

If he does, though, we he still be limited to the rookie scale at that point, or could SA sign him with one of their exemptions?
I'm pretty sure it would still be a rookie scale contract because he was a first round pick.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2008, 11:57:05 AM »

Offline cordobes

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Just looking for more information on Splitters contract

He has the choice to join the NBA at the end of the 2009-10 season. A buyout mark. So two years. He signed a four year contract but in two years he can join the NBA if he wishes.

If he does, though, we he still be limited to the rookie scale at that point, or could SA sign him with one of their exemptions?
I'm pretty sure it would still be a rookie scale contract because he was a first round pick.

Yeps.

The buyout clause value is still undisclosed. Here's one thing the NBA should do: scrap that $500.000 limit teams have to pay for buyouts. Splitter would have joined last season if the Spurs had the chance of paying his buyout clause. And, as you said, rookie rights expiring into restricted free agency after some seasons would also be a good idea.

Re: Splitter Staying in Europe
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2008, 12:09:41 PM »

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Just looking for more information on Splitters contract

He has the choice to join the NBA at the end of the 2009-10 season. A buyout mark. So two years. He signed a four year contract but in two years he can join the NBA if he wishes.

If he does, though, we he still be limited to the rookie scale at that point, or could SA sign him with one of their exemptions?
I'm pretty sure it would still be a rookie scale contract because he was a first round pick.

Yeps.

The buyout clause value is still undisclosed. Here's one thing the NBA should do: scrap that $500.000 limit teams have to pay for buyouts. Splitter would have joined last season if the Spurs had the chance of paying his buyout clause. And, as you said, rookie rights expiring into restricted free agency after some seasons would also be a good idea.
I've read in a few places that the buyout for Tiago is 500k.

In a couple of places (San Antonio press) they've said that the buyout fee is from the new team only, not Splitter. So it couldn't be more than 500k if that's accurate.

Yeah I think that limit on buyouts is outdated too. That should change. They should go up to 2mil or in that neighbourhood, that would make life a lot easier for NBA teams when it comes to getting the players signature.

Do you know how much Tiago signed for? How much his contract is worth? Having trouble finding that.