Friday, June 5th, 2009...4:24 am
Gambling on Bouroussis?
Several weeks ago I wrote about two Euroleague stars for whom the Spurs could have interest, and one of those stars was Yiannis Bouroussis. Turns out others think so too. Maybe even the Spurs.
According to reports out of Greece, the Spurs have offered Bouroussis a 3 year contract worth between 10.5 and 12 million. We’ve not received confirmation from anyone within the Spurs organization, so proceed with caution.
If true, this means the Spurs have offered him a significant share of their MLE. According to the reports, the Spurs made their offer during their recent trip to the Euroleague Final Four.
Bouroussis signing with the Spurs makes sense on several levels. He’s tremendous in the pick and roll and has three point range. His per minute stats are off the charts. The Spurs are making a calculated gamble, and the potential payoff is huge. When John Hollinger begins to translate his stats from Europe to the NBA, he’ll need to unbutton his collar and wipe the steam off his glasses. Bouroussis is all kinds of productive.
Still, I’m ambivalent. The Spurs’ interest in Bouroussis is something of an open secret. Most of this post has been collecting dust in my draft folder for a few months. In anticipation of the news, I’ve been asking people I trust for player evaluation one question: does Bouroussis have the lateral foot speed to guard in the NBA? Every time I’ve watched him play, this question remained unanswered in my mind.
One of the people I put the question to is Christophe Ney of European Prospects. His response, dating back almost a month, is noteworthy:
Of course, Bouroussis is not the quickest guy around. Having him defending the mobile centers in the NBA would probably be a disaster. But he is very, very physical and is a good defender on power and physical bangers in the post. The foul problem you mention may be right because the way he defends would probably cause a lot of calls in the NBA. But still, he is only 25, so he still has a lot of room for improvement. Most centers reach their best playing level around 30.
The question remains, though, is he actually interested to play in the NBA? I read the rumors, but I don’t know if they’re true. The Spurs executives do great research prior to making offers, so I believe that they only made an offer if they are sure that Bouroussis is interested. In fact, most of the Greek players prefer to play in the Euroleague and Bouroussis is really the symbol of his Olympiacos team. In my opinion, the chances to see him move to the NBA are not very great.
How might this effect the Spurs’ roster?
- You can shoot the Rasheed Wallace rumors in the head. Or, simply fill in the blank with your MLE hopeful.
- The Spurs future frontcourt is shaping into a medium risk/high reward situation, at least under the Bouroussis scenario. It’s not inconceivable that the final two years of Duncan’s contract will involve a big rotation of Duncan/Mahinmi/Bouroussis/Splitter. Add one quick, uberathletic 4 to the list and you’ve got a really nice mix of talent.
- If Bouroussis accepts the reported offer, the Spurs will have to address their wing and backcourt needs via trades and the draft.
- 2010?
36 Comments
June 5th, 2009 at 6:52 am
One thing about this offer is that it is much earlier than the NBA free agent period and the draft. I suspect that it has a deadline to it, so that the Spurs will know what they have before making deals on draft day. Similarly a deadline will leave them in a position to have Bouroussis either signed with them or out of their plans by the time the NBA FA period starts (they will either start that period with a full MLE, allowing them to pursue MLE FA of choice, or with Bouroussis signed and only the remains the MLE to work with…)
June 5th, 2009 at 7:24 am
If this guy is as good as you’re suggesting then I’m all for getting him. Lateral foot speed or not. I think the Spurs could use a big physical center to move Timmy back to his PF spot. If your prediction about the front court pans out, that should be pretty exciting. Nice work!
June 5th, 2009 at 10:34 am
So he’s basically a better shooting, younger version of Rasho?
Can he block shots?
This is a typically unorthodox Spurs move. I’m not sure what to think.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:38 am
bourousis belongs to olympiakos!!!let him alone!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 10:51 am
If the report is accurate it explains all the attention the Spurs are giving to backcourt players thus far in workouts and interviews.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Well my friends i am from Greece and i can assure you that Bourousis is an excellent player.He is very strong,good blocker,he has really good moves in the post and in my opinion the best of all is that he is really good 3point shooter.I believe that he is a much better version of Uberto.Definetely he owns a place in Spurs team
June 5th, 2009 at 11:11 am
“The other side of the Atlantic San Antonio Semen exercise suffocating pressure on John Bourousi to obtain his signature…The sperm were days here and open a ticket with departure date in order to move to San Antonio to see the city, the facilities of the group (land proponitirio) and if satisfied to sign.”
Google translation of Greek newspaper article. Please inform them that the name of the team is not the Sperm and we are not the S.A. Semen.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Haha. Priceless.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I saw Bouroussis play with the Greek National Team at the Olympic Qualifier in Athens last July and he is every bit as good as advertised. To me, he is the best center outside of the NBA not named Tiago Splitter. He is physical, is a solid rebounder, moves well without the ball, can nail the threy, is fundamentally sound and would be a perfect fit in the Spurs system. An excellent signing if the deal gets done.
June 5th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I thought the league rule was that players had to be at least 26 before they could forego the draft and sign with teams as free agents. If this report is accurate, then I must be mistaken, but could someone clarify? Thanks!
June 5th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
He is a good player, a good rebounder , he can also block shots . In the NBA he will be able to become stronger , quicker etc. I think he would be a very good and prommising choice for the Spurs . ( I know him cause im Greek and fan of Olympiakos) I want to see if he is going to make a bigger step in nba than any other greek player that joined the nba . As you had already seen the greeks fail in the nba. Thats the only reason i ve been skeptical .
June 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
If Bouroussis can hit the outside shot as well as bang inside on the offensive end, then we don’t need Bonner anymore to space the floor. Does he have any trade value beyond his expiring contract?
Maybe Bonner plus Bowen and a second round pick could get us a guy like Francisco Garcia (after July 1) — he’s pretty solid on both sides of the floor, and they don’t need 2 ‘glue guys’ at SF whose salaries total ~$14million/year and are locked in for the next 5 years or so when the team is rebuilding (especially if they end up drafting another swing player in Tyreke Evans). Garcia wouldn’t fit all our needs, but he’d give us some more youth and athleticism at the wing without costing a lot.
June 5th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
[...] Kurt Thomas, Matt Bonner, Tiago Splitter — the list goes on and on. Their latest attempt is a rumored offer to Yiannis Bouroussis, who plays for the Greek team Olympiakos. According to reports out of Greece, the Spurs have [...]
June 5th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Joe,
I can’t speak about the age limit at which a player may forego the draft because I’m not certain, but if Bouroussis had previously declared for a prior draft and was not selected then he can sign with anyone he wants. Not sure if this is the case here, but I know that this has happened with a number of other international players… Anyone out there know the specifics?
June 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Without doing any checking, my guess is that once a player turns 22 they are automatically eligible for the draft (unless they’re still in college). International players don’t have to declare for the draft unless they’re early entry.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
looked at a youtube video of this guy from games. He looks pretty impressive. Seems like he is always active working to get open off the ball and has a nice jump shot. He seems like he has not played basketball for a long time but seems to know angles well and has a natural mind for basketball.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Boroussis’ toughness and touch really struck me while watching the Oly’s last summer. Checking on his career numbers was a pleasent surprise, convincing me he would be a worthy gamble for a team in need of a solid big man. During a convo with a friend, whose team was in need, at a decent price, his name kept popping intp my head. Props to the Spurs scouts for rooting him out.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I think Herman (Det), Sheed, and Toros players are a doable option. If somehow Splitter (with the economy) can be talked over here this year and with this fellow signing (?) - we would not need to sign other FA. The Euro is down so Splitter maybe willing to come aboard early.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Ooooh, I am really really liking this possibility. Definitely should involve putting our rusted over rocket into decommission.
June 6th, 2009 at 3:44 am
Hi,from Greece and a fan o Olympiacos (Bourousis current team). He is an excellent player, mentality strong and very skillfull wth the ball, some go to the extent of call him a play-maker under the racket. Good passing, plays well the peak and roll…BUT..the NBA is a whole different story, much faster pace, triple the ammount of games, much more athletic opponents, larger basketball, longer 3-point distance, a crowd raging for entertainment rather than tactical basketball (major reason Greeks dnt like NBA). Spanoulis was a good example, had all the potential but never quite fitted in to the NBA system..thats the hardest obstacle to overcome, especially when he is given such a contract..
June 6th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Ηλιας, maybe Greek players have “failed” in the NBA, but just remember that it was the same for French players before Parker came… one bust after another… and now you also have guys like Diaw, Pietrus, Turiaf, Batum making good contributions, and more to come. One Greek player will lead the way… hopefully it’s Bouroussis with the Spurs
June 6th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Even though i am a Panathinaikos fan, i do believe that Bourousis is an excellent and gifted center, a killer inside and outside the key.
Characteristics composing Bourousis are bravery, aggressiveness, toughness and quickness. He is improving, day by day, match by match, he is a really hard working athlete. Lots of time he was the man of the match. He loves playing for Olympiakos and fans do like him a lot, its a mutual situation. Now the thing is that tension exists inside Olympiakos because they did not won the championship nor the Greek cup and was eliminated in Euroleauge’s final four by Panathinaikos. Again they invested big amount of money in Josh Childress but he offered the minimum he could and Olympiakos was expecting not to play full potential but to show something good. Doubts about team’s coach Mr.Gianakis, consequently questions arise for his staying, though the board decided to keep him for one year as a last chance. Many changes in the roster have been announced, because many players did not contribute and deserve to be in the team, though Bourousis is not one of those. So to conclude it would be a great risk to give their best player to Spurs and have to search all summer long for a decent or better addition.
Nevertheless i wish to see him the NBA.
Check:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHfFQ86zfX4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfLG2bYlrrY
June 6th, 2009 at 7:03 am
This is a no-brainer. I have followed the career of Yanni Bouroussis for years now.
This guy has become the emotional leader of Olympiakos and possesses a “Manu like” fighting mentality. Big tick on the mental side/character.
In terms of skills, this guy is an absolute powerhouse. A great shot-blocker/rebounder his true strength lies in his offense. This guy was born to score. He is only 25 but has excellent footwork and even shoots the 3.
I am certain that with the support that the Spurs organisation and Pop can provide, Yannis Bouroussis will become a major force for the Spurs.
Buy, buy, buy!!!
June 6th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Okay guys.Look,Bourousis has show impressive improvement the past 2-3 years on the Olympiacos team.His is great center with an amazing (for a so tall guy) three point shoot very trusted!He is good blocker (not his best point..) but the best of him is that he knows very well how to move inside the field.He can “read” the game very well.I don’t know if he can play on NBA…It’s a totally different basket “world”…Bourousis is great for the European type of basketball,i don’t know if he can play in a champion so quick like NBA.But in my opinion is the best center on Europe this time…Nikola Peković from Panathinaikos is also very good center,unbeatable under the basket,but he has no middle-range shoot (forget the 3 point!!!) and is also kind of slow player…I hope my post helps your minds
Greetings from Greece
June 6th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Will,
Good point on the French players and I’ll assume you’re referring to Ian….
To all the Greek posters,
How do you see this move in relation to the Spurs already having the rights to Splitter? Do you see them being a powerhouse tandem? I don’t really follow EuroLeague so any insight on Bourousis in relation to Splitter would be interesting to read. Thanks.
June 6th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Jeff McDonald on MySA says that these rumors may be emanating from Bouroussis and his agent…using them as leverage for a better contract with his club in Greece….
June 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
How cool is it that Greek fans are taking time to give us a heads up on their best player? If a Euroleague team managed to steal LeBron, you’d have riots in most major cities, yet these guys are giving really good scouting reports with a positive tilt. That is so sweet.
I’m actually not worried about him being a step slow on mobile centers, because the Spurs D has always been based on the weak-side big coming over for the block. This guy seems like a decent signing, should it all come together.
June 6th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
I personally think Bouroussis has much more upside than Splitter. Both together would definitely form a formidable tandem.
To address some of the points re: Bouroussis - the fact that he is a “European style” player is exactly why Pop finds him attractive. The guy is perfect in the pick & roll. Can you imagine Parker & a healthy Manu playinog off of Timmy & Bouroussis?
This will be awesome!
June 7th, 2009 at 1:27 am
I really think that Bourousis will got to NBA simple because Olympiaos prefers to pay 2 million euros to Vujcic than to his best player. For people in USA this is not normal but for Greek people it is normal. So Giannis with something more than 3oo.o00 euros would love to try to play to the NBA. Now he can block, rebound, play in the post and also shoot the 3 . From guys like the polish center of Orlando believe me he is better!!!
The whole story was first written 23 days ago in http://www.basketblog.gr http://ballhype.com/story/the_american_dream/
June 8th, 2009 at 3:01 am
[...] about Gambling on Bouroussis? [...]
June 8th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Today could be a crucial day. According to the Greek press, Bouroussis has a meeting this afternoon (as required by his existing contract) with the owners of Olympiakos, the mega-rich Angelopoulos brothers to discuss the extension of his contract. The rumours are that they will match the Spurs alleged 4-year contract offer… this is how important Bouroussis is seen for the future of Olympiakos.
For the Spurs it is a case where “no news is good news”. Even if Bouroussis agrees to come to San Antonio, this cannot be disclosed until 1 July so the more days/weeks go by and his contract with Olympiakos is not extended, the better for the Spurs. The good news is that the Spurs seem to be the definite frontrunner out of all the NBA teams that have expressed an interest… Bouroussis is not stupid… he knows that he will have his best shot at success in the NBA with Pop and the Spurs.
The greek sports website Sportnet mentioned yesterday that other than financial considerations he is likely to stay with Olympiakos because:
a.) He wants to complete the team’s goal/challenge of “de-throning” the hated rival Panathinaikos
b.) He is not the “type of guy” who would enjoy being away from Greece/friends and family etc.
Allow me to disagree with Sportnet. I don’t think the Spurs would have submitted an offer and wasted any time on Bouroussis if he was not willing to move across the pond. As for the Panathinaikos challenge, the challenge of being the first ever Greek player to “make it” in the NBA is far greater.
I am a massive Olympiakos AND Spurs fan and I would be the happiest man on earth if Yannis joins my beloved San Antonio Spurs. Things are looking tough at the moment but… you can always HOPE!!
June 9th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
[...] original here: 48 Minutes of Hell » Blog Archive » Gambling on Bouroussis? Tags: greek-sports, Sports [...]
June 9th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
[...] Sasha Vujacic will be throwing Friday’s first pitch at the Dodger game. Machine gun arm!9th: 48MoH. According to Greek reports, the Spurs have offered Yiannis Bouroussis a three-year deal.10th: [...]
June 11th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Fellow Spurs fans,
This is our chance to “do our bit” and maybe influence Bouroussis’s decision. Let’s all send a direct message to Yannis and show how much we want him to join the Sours - I have just sent my message!
The link is:
http://www.bourousis.gr/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=1&Itemid=10
There are 3 fields to fill before the body of the message:
1.) Your Name
2.) Your email Address
3.) Message subject
GO SPURS GO
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:28 am
A lot of words were wasted back and forth and at the end our player chooses remaining with Olympiakos each is the team he’ve been fighting for the last 3 years and the team that he feels for, as proved since Bouroussis rejected Real Madrid’s offer for 6.3 million EUROS for three years and sign up with us for 3 more years and 1.6 millions per year.
He is the best….
And i honestly believe that a team can’t ask for much more than a GIFTED player as Yannis Bouroussis that Believe in the team he’s in.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:12 am
[...] several angles. In May we identified him as a potential target. In June, we discussed not only the financial details of a potential signing but also the hidden value of targeting a player like Bourousis. And we concluded our coverage when [...]
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