European free agents

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's a ranking by some guy. Of interest:

Vassilis Spanoulis PG, 6'4", 1982. DraftExpress InTheGame

Fran Vazquez C, 6'11", 1983. DraftExpress InTheGame (Magic hold rights - if they could get him, they might trade Gortat)

Tiago Splitter C, 6'11", 1985. DraftExpress InTheGame (Spurs hold rights, just voted MVP of Spanish League)

Sofoklis Schortsanitis C, 6'10" (weight varies, but well over 300lbs), 1985. DraftExpress InTheGame (Clippers hold rights. This guy is amazing. He's basically a smarter Stanley Roberts. If somebody could get him to stay in shape he'd scare Dwight Howard.)

Milos Teodosic PG, 6'5", 1987. DraftExpress InTheGame (Very intriguing: just voted MVP of the Euroleague. Young, too. As with every good Euro player, supposedly Real Madrid are after him. Let them have Sergio instead...)

Dimitris Diamantidis PG, 6'5", 1980. DraftExpress InTheGame ("The Octopus" - another big PG, but sort of the opposite of Teodosic, because he's all about defense. I spent last summer wishing we could get him (before we got Miller) because of that. But he's old and has repeatedly said he's got no interest in the NBA.)

Spanoulis, Teodosic, Schortsanitis and Diamantidis all play in Greece, so you've got to wonder what affect the tanking of Greece's economy will have there. Mind you, Spain (home to the other two) is not far behind in the "royally fucked economies" category...)

 

[¹²³]

I would really like to see Splitter in the NBA. I think he will thrive in the Spurs system.

 

[BGrantFan]

I would really like to see Splitter in the NBA. I think he will thrive in the Spurs system.

How much of a pay cut would he have to take? I'll be interested to see if there are exceptions for foreign players who are drafted overseas in the new CBA. After seeing Rudy Fernandez spin his wheels this year for a ton less than he'd be getting in Europe, do players like Splitter want to take a huge pay cut for an uncertain future? Splitter is 25 right now. Under the current system, does he want to make ~$1 million/year until he's 29 years old on his slotted rookie contract? Those are prime contract years, and being paid like a rookie would be a tough price to pay.

 

[Ed O]

Here's a ranking by some guy. Of interest:

Sofoklis Schortsanitis C, 6'10" (weight varies, but well over 300lbs), 1985. DraftExpress InTheGame (Clippers hold rights. This guy is amazing. He's basically a smarter Stanley Roberts. If somebody could get him to stay in shape he'd scare Dwight Howard.)

Hahahahahahahaha...

Ed O.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

How Greg looked a month ago or so at the RG, Sofo looks like a toned version of G.O.

 

[¹²³]

How much of a pay cut would he have to take? I'll be interested to see if there are exceptions for foreign players who are drafted overseas in the new CBA. After seeing Rudy Fernandez spin his wheels this year for a ton less than he'd be getting in Europe, do players like Splitter want to take a huge pay cut for an uncertain future? Splitter is 25 right now. Under the current system, does he want to make ~$1 million/year until he's 29 years old on his slotted rookie contract? Those are prime contract years, and being paid like a rookie would be a tough price to pay.

Maybe this can help.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Hahahahahahahaha...

Ed O.

Baby Shaq dunks in your face, doubting Yank:

[video=youtube;1f_x9obHeOg]

 

[BGrantFan]

Baby Shaq dunks in your face, doubting Yank:

[video=youtube;1f_x9obHeOg]

Lots of lay-ups, and I must have missed where he dunked over somebody?

 

[axs88]

Didn't Spanoulis try the NBA once already (I believe with New Orleans)?

Edit: Looked it up, played for the Rockets in 06-07: 272 minutes, 5.4 PER.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Didn't Spanoulis try the NBA once already (I believe with New Orleans)?
Edit: Looked it up, played for the Rockets in 06-07: 272 minutes, 5.4 PER.

Played for Jeff Van Gundy. Not a good match. Apparently JVG thought it would be better to play Luther Head big minutes. He, Jasikevicius and Navarro basically desided to go back to being superstars in Europe. Doesn't help that he's pretty defense-deprived.

(I believe Spanoulis went to Van Gundy and explained that in Europe, he was Tracy McGrady. This did not go down well. Van Gundy explained that the Rockets had the REAL Tracy McGrady.)

 

[BGrantFan]

Played for Jeff Van Gundy. Not a good match. Apparently JVG thought it would be better to play Luther Head big minutes. He, Jasikevicius and Navarro basically desided to go back to being superstars in Europe. Doesn't help that he's pretty defense-deprived.

(I believe Spanoulis went to Van Gundy and explained that in Europe, he was Tracy McGrady. This did not go down well. Van Gundy explained that the Rockets had the REAL Tracy McGrady.)

Dude looks like Stanley Roberts, but with less length and hops.

EDIT: I meant the center who's video you posted. My bad.

 

[MrJayremmie]

I'm over gettin' Euros, tbh.

 

[¹²³]

I'm over gettin' Euros, tbh.

How about a south american, an african or an asian? Or don't you like any type of foreigners?