Spurs Face a Possible Bidding War For Splitter

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Already having trouble in keeping up with the arms race at home, the Spurs may soon find themselves locked in a bidding war with deeper pockets overseas.

Spurs fans hoping for a foreign born center to add to the rotation next year might have to settle on another season of hoping for Ian Mahinmi to come around. According to a report from Noticias de Alava, Tiago Splitter is drawing heavy interest from Real Madrid, who plan to pursue the young Brazilian big man this summer.

VITORIA. Un equipo que maneja presupuestos más propios de un banco puede conseguir todo lo que se proponga. Puede crear una galaxia entera en sólo un verano, o atraer a su regazo a los mejores jugadores del panorama continental. Incluso a aquellos que tienen marcado a fuego en su piel el logotipo de la NBA, como es el caso de Tiago Splitter. El pívot brasileño, cuyo concurso el próximo jueves ante el Khimki sigue en el aire, es el nuevo y principal objeto de deseo de un club que el pasado domingo vio cómo el todopoderoso Barcelona le pasaba por encima como una apisonadora. Según ha podido saber este periódico, el Real Madrid, alentado por un Ettore Messina consciente de que en el despacho más grande del Bernabéu hay un hombre dispuesto a satisfacerle, ha engrasado durante esta Copa del Rey la maquinaria necesaria para completar una operación que puede culminar con el cinco baskonista en Madrid a final de temporada.

Thanks to the magic of the Google translator, a rough translation of the article can be found here. The article mentions the deep pockets of Real Madrid, one of the wealthiest and most successful sports clubs in Europe in both soccer and basketball, and Tiago Splitter’s young age, which would allow him to stay overseas a few more years while still affording him the opportunity to come to the NBA in his prime.

The article states that the buyout of Splitter’s contract is much higher if he signs with another European team as opposed to an NBA team, but in a parting shot that references Real Madrid’s soccer expenditures, it ends with a statement that would make most Spurs fans cringe.

But for a man who pays 94 million euros for a player, any amount that has a single digit next to the word million is a pittance.

The Spurs will be armed with the full midlevel exception and the appeal of the NBA, which should make for an interesting summer.

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  • Tyler

    Trade TP -

    I’ll agree with you on one point - our role players haven’t stepped up like they have in the past.

    When we’ve won championships (or been right there) our role players have always made huge plays. Whether it’s a offensive rebound tipped out (Fab), drawing an offensive foul (Bowen), a dagger 3 (Bowen/Horry), our role players have always stepped up in the clutch - which is exactly what you have to have to win a ring.

    This year we haven’t made those plays. We’ve missed shots, committed stupid fouls, and essentially thown away a lot of games - Portland on the RRT is the first that comes to mind.

    The silver lining (and why I still hold out hope) is that it’s not like our role players haven’t had opportunities - they’ve been right there, but they’ve yet to take advantage.

    Now here’s where I disagree with some - role players not stepping up doesn’t fall squarely on Pop’s shoulders. Bonner hasn’t shot well since returning from injury. Mason has yet to shoot the ball with the consistency he did last year. RJ, for whatever reason has played tentatively.

    Does Pop deserve criticism for guys not stepping up? Of course, but so does the rest of the staff, front office and the players.

    Like I said, every guy on the team has had ample opportunities to make plays and for the most part, we haven’t. At some point, guys have to step up and knock down a shot, get a critical stop, keep their guy off the offensive boards, etc. The coaching staff can’t do that for them - it’s up to the players to nut up and make a play.

  • Jim Henderson

    @Bushka

    Very good points about Bonner & role players. I agree.

    About Hairston though, I’m sure you’ve seen him play more than me (and when I’ve seen him play he looked decent), but the fact is he only played 15 games last year at 10 mins./game, and 21 games this year at 3.5 mins./game (mostly, if not always during “garbage” time). Is that really enough time for any of us to question Pop’s minute allocation to Hairston? Of course, we have to remember, Pop has all kinds of resources to get a true feel for Hairston (e.g., D-league scouts, D-league film, practice performance, etc.). Perhaps this is more of just a gut feeling you have about Hairston, and only a relatively minor quibble you have with Pop and his player minute allocations? I just don’t see enough to say, yeah, Pop should be giving Hairston more minutes (even though their is a chance he could do well if given more of an opportunity during NBA games).

    @Trade TP

    On role players & Pop you say:

    …”its when they play,how long they play, and how bad they play in areas outside their “role.”

    Yeah, that’s true, and any sane person would much rather have Pop make those decisions than you, or anyone else on this blog for that matter.

    “stop this Z talk it is ignorant. we already have a slow old guy in mcdyess.”

    Agreed.

    “yes pop plays favorites.”

    Yeah, so do all coaches to relatively minor degrees. So what?!

  • Jim Henderson

    @ Tyler

    Good points about lack of production from “role” players. Thanks for trying to keep the onus on the PLAYERS. BALLHOG, Trade TP, etc. just don’t want to keep the principal focus of why a team ultimately wins or loses on the players, where it belongs.

    Does anyone think the role players on teams that win are going to mope around and play passively & unfocused because they have a problem with their minutes? Do you think Farmar & Brown on LA are ultimately playing crappy because they think coach should start them over Fisher? I don’t think so, and there’s numerous other examples. YOU WANT MORE MINUTES? HOW ABOUT PLAYING GREAT DURING THE MINUTE YOU’RE ON THE COURT!! And then, maybe, but not GUARANTEED!

    And also, the “head coach’s” main job is x’s & o’s, match-ups, offensive/defensive strategies, clock management, etc. Use of a rotation is just as much about the player, ACCEPTING his role and going out to compete at a high level, whether that’s for one minute, or 30 minutes. Even player development is technically more on the assistant coach’s. As far as motivation? Remember, coach’s aren’t cult leaders! They can only do so much to get a player to do anything. These players are adults, and ultimately THEY have to choose whether to dedicate themselves to playing hard & focused whenever called upon. I’m not saying that’s easy, but that’s what it takes to be WINNERS (see Bushka’s comment on “role players”.)

  • Trade TP

    Henderson:

    I disagree. I think any sane person doesnt like the lineups that we have been forced to watch and would consider multiple other views on who to play and when to play over Pop’s ideas. Point is proven just reading everyone’s posts.

  • Bushka

    I don’t always like the lineups.

    I certainly agree with you on that.

    But i do appreciate that it’s part of a bigger picture.

  • Jim Henderson

    Bushka, I agree with everything you put in your comment above, but your last line is the critical one to putting the situation into its proper context. And it’s the last line, I’m afraid, too few on here get.

    While I certainly don’t agree with some of the line-ups we’ve used (for whatever that’s worth), I’d prefer to focus on what has been the Spurs chief problem this year: PLAYERS under-performing and/or giving insufficient focus/effort, particularly on the defensive end. And remember, defense is MORE desire & commitment (not all!) than talent compared to offense.

    Trade TP, “reading everyone’s posts” doesn’t “prove” anything. Because we’ve run into some unusually thorny “player” issues this year, you’d prefer to blame a coach that’s won 4 titles because he doesn’t always play the same rotations YOU favor. Now that’s not sane.

  • zack

    IM WITH BALLHOG!!
    IM FURIOUS!!! I’VE WAITED MONTHS TO GATHER MY THOUGHTS ABOUT POP . bushka i dont know if you work for the paper or the f.o cause you def.sound like it. im not going to bash people but im a spurs fan and i cantell pop is full of pure stubbornness and bullshit!!! He’ll sink before he admits he was wrong on certain things he doesnt want to admit! little stuff yeah sure he’ll admit the small stuff. me and my brother are loyal pop fans (were), but his antics and bullcrap is outrageous!!!! im sick and tired of him playing finley at the PF dammit if you could explain the real questions like a human not like a computer dishing out numbers and salaries to confuse the problem at hand that would be great. when in the hell did we hire Don Nelson!!!!
    You tell me why he is playing finley on (port.) aldridge??? totally understandable when opposing teams go small, but now thats the way we play what in the hell is the man thinking!!!! bullshit!!!everytime we play small ball we get our asses handed to us, and everytime we play catch up from that small ball. while we give ratliff to a coach who taught pop some things about b.ball, he then starts ratliff on that bobcat team mind you who is loaded with bigs, and on top of that hes producing!!!!who is this damn coach we have???? not only did he give ratliff to larry he gave it to him after he passed on a tyrus thomas trade!!! now if you have people coming off the books next year ready to walk and leave why in the hell dont you pull the trigger ???? you just got rid of ratliff, you dont play mahinmi, you let go of haislip!!!???!!! he is playing finley over haislip,mahinmi,and ratliff mason as well. dnt bother with an explanation because theres no possible one out there!! im saying it here i love pop the old pop not this freak!! the spurs now have to play agains the team, the refs and now the coach. if he continues to handle the team this way and be an arrogant dick, he needs to step down. ill say it fire his ass!!!! people are pissed if you think im the only one who feels this way you must not live in san antonio, you know if thousands of people are scratching their head and asking for pop to be replaced theres got to be something behind it. im waiting for the big plan or strategy to come through, because right now theres no way pop can be serious thinking we have any chance to win anything. he let us know he didnt believe in this team when he traded ratliff remember people we were saving him for the playoffs!! now hes firing 40 yr olds you know hes lost his mind!! he doesnt want anyone to play. how dare you be young and athletic!!! you better put your tail between your legs and not question my ridiculous lineups, that not even a 5 yrold would choose on nba live!! pop when you do good you get rewarded now your doing terrible and you need to pay the price!!! determine his plan of action mr. holt and if its sameold pop let him go!!!!! its a business pop, just like with bowen,oberto,nazi,malik your just a piece as well old man..

  • zack

    jim yes me too, lets talk about inconsistent lineups! if i didnt know i was starting each and every day for 5months i wouldnt get into any sort of rhythm, put yourself in those players positions. thers no stability there. how do you even know if your a role player one minute you get 20 min. then next week you get 5min in one week. and this is happening to not just one guy im talking the whole rotation except for the big 3!!! theres one reason to blame pop about inconsistent play. yes they are underachieving, how in the hell is ratliff overachieving jim??? let me tell you because he s playing basketball. i guarantee you if haislip was played more he would produce, i guarantee you if mahinmi played more he would [produce. but the guys who have major limits are the ones sucking up time!! bonner, bogans,finley. yes it is pops fault theres no plays being run for them for cris sakes

  • zack

    the man is a power hungry individual who can only function during control, if hes not in control then hes out of his territory, and right now i think hes lost his composure and his ability to motivate, produce fear, and reward these players he’s slipped

  • zack

    bushka bonner isnt the problem its how hes played is the problem!! yeah maybe for the piston game its ok but if the teams yell out “give the ball to whoever matt is guarding “then we have a problem especially when hes not scoring do you see now?? matt bonner isnt the problem its the way hes being used . dont compare 2010 to the 90’s bulls different game now but i thought you knew better than to do that. its even a different game from 04′ look th reason why everyone wants more talent is because other teams have done the same, and you know what i would rather have a guy whos consis. hitting 45% from three who can defend and is younger!!!!!! doesnt that make sense to you??!! who your going to ask??haislip!!!dammittt!!! and this is why were pissed offf !!!! no shit he wasnt shooting his 40 % from the field, maybe if he wasnt so damn athletic and young, he would get some time. all im saying is look what he did to get bonner on that damn team why in the hell cant he develop mahinmi (through the nba) just like he did bonner, hes just a stubborn old military man. who now totally despises playing his young blood. he hates even talking about dejuan i mean what a freaking nut case. he lost his love for the game and when that left i lost my love for the old pop god knows it wasnt his personality keeping him popular here

  • Jim Henderson

    Hey, Zack - glad you got that off your chest. Nice rant, up there with the best of them. Now, first, go take some Zoloft, then, think about getting a life. Maybe coach the Spurs? BALLHOG as your assistant? LOL!

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  • zack

    hey jim talk about getting a life im not the one on here daily and early in the morning, guess you never stopped and thought about your posts lol nice comeback though it beats all the other B.S you were posting previously.

  • Jim Henderson

    Zack,

    Glad the rant’s over. You must have took my advice. That’s great, because you’re obviously way too emotionally wrapped up into whether the Spurs win or lose, when in reality it’s relatively meaningless to all of our lives. If one wants to spend a bit of time enjoying the Spurs brand of basketball, as a sport & athletic endeavor, and logically analyze the pro’s & con’s of what they’re doing as a team, fine. But spewing out all your frustrations in thousands of words of “free association” about the difficult Spurs season by “scapegoating Pop” is NOT helpful. Not only that, you have no idea what you’re talking about.

    That said, I for one would certainly welcome seeing more reasonable posts from you in the future. Please go into tonight’s game with a respectful and open mind about Pop & the team, and don’t throw things if Pop doesn’t play the guys YOU want when YOU want them to play! And if they lose, don’t get too upset. After all, it’s only a game.

  • http://48minutesofhell.com were all so stupid

    lets face the facts rj is the most ovepayed player in the nba he has no handles and chokes in close game situations spurs staff even said that the trade was a mistake so they were trying to trade him no surprise no teams were interisted. getting rj hurt are chances of getting a all star free agent tiago silva might come but theirs about an 80% chance he stays even if he does come he will prolly not be significant are hopes are to high on him lets face it hes not dirk nowitzki bonner is not in are future 2 year plans when bulls were trading salmons spurs jumped at the oppurtunity to trade bonner and mason for salmons they had sort of an agreement until they struck a deal with the bucks just like they quickly pursuied salmons is how they should of pursued players like tyrus thomas amare camby instead of doing that they go after a sg in salmons release finley waive marcus haislip give away ratliff the only true c they had and try to give away mason in a salary dump lets face it spurs fans spurs will not be contendors for at least another 2 years unless they make a big move and tiago isnt that move

  • http://48minutesofhell.com wereall sostupid

    lets face the facts rj is the most ovepayed player in the nba he has no handles and chokes in close game situations spurs staff even said that the trade was a mistake so they were trying to trade him no surprise no teams were interisted. getting rj hurt are chances of getting a all star free agent tiago silva might come but theirs about an 80% chance he stays even if he does come he will prolly not be significant are hopes are to high on him lets face it hes not dirk nowitzki bonner is not in are future 2 year plans when bulls were trading salmons spurs jumped at the oppurtunity to trade bonner and mason for salmons they had sort of an agreement until they struck a deal with the bucks just like they quickly pursuied salmons is how they should of pursued players like tyrus thomas amare camby instead of doing that they go after a sg in salmons release finley waive marcus haislip give away ratliff the only true c they had and try to give away mason in a salary dump lets face it spurs fans spurs will not be contendors for at least another 2 years unless they make a big move and tiago isnt a big move

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