Luis Scola - a donde vas?

[Mr. Body]

Luis Scola, with Tau, fell short in the Euroleague Final Four again this year and now faces the prospect of watching his teammate, the younger Tiago Splitter, get drafted in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft, and make it to the U.S. league before he does. Meanwhile, his rights are stilled owned by the San Antonio Spurs, who have tried in the past to move him (e.g. to Utah to get into the draft last year), and seem to have little intention of putting a uniform on him themselves. Word is his buyout is down to $3 million this summer, will be $1 million in 2008. (Note: there are contradictions, perhaps his contract is over after next year and his buyout cheaper now.)

Any takers for regular mentionee as top PF in Europe, a 27-yr old Argentinian with great post moves, energy, and suspect defense? Does anybody else see a non-SAS home for him in the league next year? Chicago? New Jersey? Philadelphia? Who needs this interior player, and how much would you give for him?

[coachjon]

i have heard his contract expired after this season so he is finally free to go. i think the spurs could use him. They need a 3rd PF with Horry aging. If they do decide to trade him I think a late first rounder is what I would be willing to give up. A team that needs a PF to step in and play big minutes right away would be looking for him so I am thinking Philly's #21 is most likely. NJ could use him but I don't know if I give up a #16 pick for him.

[CJH]

Chicago is a team that could use Scola (which is funny, cause SA and CHi seem to always deal with one another). The Bulls have something that the Spurs could use (cough*Nocioni*cough) so there would be no need to give away any draft pick. The Bulls could trade away a player whose role would diminish with the progession of Sefolosha, Thomas and Deng for a player whose expertise is something they sorely need. And not to mention, just about every starter for the Arg. NTL team has turned out to be pretty good.

Ideally, it seems like the perfect trade.

[Matiz]

I don't know what exactly does Scola think about NBA, but I 'd say he doesn't want to go there as a 3rd string PF for the same payment he is able to get in europe. we'll see, but I'd expect Tau to offer him enough for him to stay in europe, unless he got tired of all those F4 appearances without a title...
Genjuro?

[Sed]

I can't see Nocioni (who has proved himself in the NBA) being traded for Scola (who has surely proved himself at the international and euro level).

The problem is that, although Scola would probably do fine in the NBA, his game will have to translate almost immediately to the Bulls style to help the fans forget Nocioni. And I can't see that happening!

So for public relations it wouldn't be a good trade. But yes, they need a scoring PF!

[Mr. Body]

I don't know what exactly does Scola think about NBA, but I 'd say he doesn't want to go there as a 3rd string PF for the same payment he is able to get in europe. we'll see, but I'd expect Tau to offer him enough for him to stay in europe, unless he got tired of all those F4 appearances without a title...
Genjuro?

Tau tried to extend his contract last summer but he refused. It seems he truly wants to play in the NBA.

[DonMonte]

i have heard his contract expired after this season so he is finally free to go. i think the spurs could use him. They need a 3rd PF with Horry aging. If they do decide to trade him I think a late first rounder is what I would be willing to give up. A team that needs a PF to step in and play big minutes right away would be looking for him so I am thinking Philly's #21 is most likely. NJ could use him but I don't know if I give up a #16 pick for him.

His contract expire next season.

[Hitster]

If his contract expires in 2008 then TAU will surely take any pay-off they can get, I know they will lose Splitter but it would give them good salary space and will save a year on Scola's salary as well as giving them a decent buy-out. $500,000 would be a reasonable level and a lot of NBA teams would probably pay this as Scola would potentially command a salary of say $4 to $5 million per season maybe over a 3 year deal for which a team gets a 27 year old player who is NBA ready and able to contribute as a role playing starter or a nice 6th man option from the bench. If the Spurs do shop him around they may get a nice deal which I'm sure Burford would want to be draft pick weighted even if it's for the 2008 draft.

[11player]

I believe Tau set a 2million euros buyout for him last summer, but the Spurs only offered a 3 million per year contract, making it impossible to pay his buyout.

This summer, I expect Tau to fix the same buyout, but the Spurs should be a lot more interested, offering a better deal.

Last summer the Spurs didn't give much importance to Scola and Javtokas, offering only unattractive deals ($3m, $2m, respectivelly), forcing them to remain in Europe, and ended up throwing away the same money in Elson and Butler signings, which didn't improve the team by a bit.

[AWalker17]

Isn't he committed to the Spurs?

[Mr. Body]

The Spurs do have his rights, but there are many questions whether he'll ever be in San Antonio, either because of buyout or playing style (not enough of a defender or rebounder for team needs). It's my opinion that we'll see him an another NBA uniform next year.

[Genjuro]

If his contract expires in 2008 then TAU will surely take any pay-off they can get, I know they will lose Splitter but it would give them good salary space and will save a year on Scola's salary as well as giving them a decent buy-out. $500,000 would be a reasonable level and a lot of NBA teams would probably pay this as Scola would potentially command a salary of say $4 to $5 million per season maybe over a 3 year deal for which a team gets a 27 year old player who is NBA ready and able to contribute as a role playing starter or a nice 6th man option from the bench. If the Spurs do shop him around they may get a nice deal which I'm sure Burford would want to be draft pick weighted even if it's for the 2008 draft.
Tau will ask for a lot of money for Scola regardless whether he finishes his contract in 2008 or not. He plays with a Spanish passport, which makes him almost irreplaceable (Spanish ACB teams are forced to feature 5 Spanish guys in 12-men rosters), and his current salary is rather cheap for the level he displays. I would say that 2 million dollars is what Tau would want at least, and probably even more (3 million sounds more accurate). How much money would it take to find a Spanish guy with Scola's level?

As for Splitter, it's a similar case since he also plays with Spanish passport. I think he will remain for another season in Tau due contract reasons.

[Hitster]

Splitter could almost find himself in the same situation as Scola or maybe even like say Garbojsa and never be drafted by an NBA team. If Splitter came over as a free agent like Garbojsa he'd actually achieve a far better contract. As Splitter is younger than Garbojsa, he'd potentially command a salary of towards say $5 million per season but if he was drafted in late lottery area he'd be stuck with a 4 year deal only worth about $2 million per season.

[Mr. Body]

Been doing a lot of thinking about Luis Scola lately. I'd like to see him in the league, as would he.

There are a few teams that could use a post presence, but good, veteran post scorers seem in short supply, and the ones available are very expensive and have added costs. Zach Randolph is being shopped avidly by Portland, it seems, and lately it looks like Dallas and Chicago may be the frontrunners, although his long contract and checkered history could really derail either team. Then there's Gasol and an outside possibility of Garnett; all expensive. Darko Milicic and others stand around as FA possibilities, but no one a truly gifted interior scorer.

Then, in the draft, there are a handful of decent post prospects at the very start, but things thin out considerably after. There is B. Wright, Yi, Horford, and Hawes, but then a big drop-off before McRoberts, Jason Smith, etc., with Tiago Splitter deserving to stand somewhere. But if you're a Chicago Bulls at #9, who need help immediately, you'll likely get the last of the top group (probably Hawes); if you're Philadelphia at #12, you're kind of in a no-man's land where the good PFs are gone and it's not worth it to take McRoberts. Splitter might be a value.

Scola is sure to be shopped, but it looks like everything's too spread out for the right trade to happen. The Spurs' #28 + Scola is probably not enough to warrant a pop-up to #12, much less the #9. The Spurs also have a #33, but that's not enough to add. Plus, The Sixers have two late 1st rounders of their own, and won't be interested in more.

The Spurs could perhaps get into the late teens with Scola (+/- 28), but I don't think the SF they want will be there. I can see them really wanting Jeff Green, who a lot of people are putting at Philly's #12, but by the late teens the only real pick left is Thaddeus Young. Is he worth Scola?

So much would change if the Spurs were in the early 20s. Or Green was projected a little lower. Or, perhaps, if Scola was 24 or 25 and not 27.

How much is Scola worth in this draft?

[Hitster]

If you assume that the Spurs are after an SF then there are guys in the draft at around 18th to 20th place such as Thaddeus Young and Brandon Rush. I don't know if GSW would be interested in Scola he could fit into Coach Nelson's plans or maybe the Lakers or the Heat might consider him. If the Spurs put Scola, 33rd and 28th pick they could get well into the top 20, Scola and 28th pick in my book equals about 20th pick. Scola is NBA ready and at 27 could have a good 5 to 8 years in the league. Look at Garbojsa at Toronto he was 28/29 when he came over and has fitted in. Philly would probably like Scola but maybe only for 21st pick but this gets the Spurs up the draft and if they don't fancy Scola themselves it gives them a lot more options as someone will slide to that area who was predicted to go higher and Burford will be ready to pounce.

[Mr. Body]

The problem is Scola is worth more than trading up 7-8 spots into the late 20s. I could see Golden State be interested in Scola - they need a banger and his lack of consistency on defense won't bother them that much.

Scola + 28 + 33 is too much to just get into the late teens, primarily because there won't be anybody there who is more talented than someone they'll find at 28. At that point it's more or less talented swingmen and big men prospects. I don't think they should simply burn up Scola for small moves. If all they can get with him is the 20, then they should bring him over themselves, as they've suggested they might. The only outstanding possibility is if they like Thaddeus Young and he's there (SF is the top priority), or an outside chance they've really liked a Rodney Stuckey or Rudy Fernandez.

[Hitster]

If you say that Scola is perhaps worth 8 to 10 places in the draft then that may be fair, if Spurs put him with the 33rd pick they could maybe get another first round pick for him maybe for the Suns 24th pick or Houston's 26th pick ( they need a PF and Scola would be a decent fit alongside Yao with Howard at veteran stage and Hayes to do the dirty work). This would give the Spurs two first round picks to play with, getting to 18th by offering Scola plus 28th pick would the Spurs right in the mix for a lot of SF's or SG/SF combo players

[Mr. Body]

I agree the most they can do is get to about 18 with all assets used, which probably isn't worth it. Just sign Scola themselves. Houston I think would love to have him at 26 straight up, but that's selling him cheap, and Phoenix and San Antonio won't be doing deals any time soon.

[Hitster]

I use the formula that Scola is worth about 10 places added to the 28th pick,if you add the 33rd pick into this as well it would only push the Spurs maybe up another place or two. Personally I think that adding Scola to the 33rd pick perhaps works best maybe offer this to Houston for 26th pick this then gives the Spurs two nice late first round picks.

[Mr. Body]

I think Scola would be worth the 26 outright from Houston. He's far better than anyone they'd find there.

[jwfish6]

What do you guys think about this article?


http://www.24sec.net/article.asp?index=3885

[wombat6802]

In the Scola thread?

What do you think about it/Why are you so obsessed with it?

[jwfish6]

Because their is no Darko Milicic thread nor a EuroBasket 2007 thread?

[wombat6802]

I guess... I mean you did post it in the Darko thread... Start a Eurobasket 2007 thread. A lot of people would respond to it and I enjoy reading what people have to say about it. Plus, you know your stuff.

[jwfish6]

Yeah thats a good point