Spurs trade Butler, Scola for Spanoulis

Spurs trade Butler, Scola for Spanoulis

Greek guard acquired, but likely to stay in Europe

Johnny Ludden
Express-News staff writer

The Spurs have agreed to trade center Jackie Butler and Argentine forward Luis Scola to the Houston Rockets for guard Vassilis Spanoulis, a future second-round pick and cash considerations, an NBA source said Thursday evening.

Spanoulis, who played sparingly for the Rockets last season, is expected to remain in Europe.

The Spurs don’t figure to spend much time on introductions when they open training camp in a little more than two months.

Hoping to keep intact the roster that won them last season’s championship, the Spurs re-signed guard Jacque Vaughn and forward Matt Bonner on Thursday. After center Fabricio Oberto also re-signs in the coming days, all 12 members of the team’s playoff roster will be under contract.

Bonner received a three-year contract worth about $9 million while Vaughn received a two-year deal totaling around $2.5 million.

Bonner, 27, averaged 4.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 56 games after joining the Spurs a year ago in a trade that sent center Rasho Nesterovic to Toronto. His role could increase this season if the Spurs decide to continue cutting back Robert Horry’s minutes.

Bonner, who stands 6-foot-10, is the type of big forward with 3-point range team executives now crave during the league’s small-ball era. He quickly won over coaches and teammates – not to mention the Spurs’ fans – with his hustle and every-man personality, and appeared to carve out a spot for himself in the rotation before injuring his left knee midway through the season.

Vaughn, 32, replaced Beno Udrih as the team’s primary backup point guard because coach Gregg Popovich valued his hustle and toughness. He averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 assists in 64 games.

The Spurs also had interest in signing Detroit forward Amir Johnson, but he re-signed with the Pistons on Thursday.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/bask ... 36230.html


The Spurs must have something up their sleeves; hopefully it is something big because now we have 3 roster spots open because we only have 12 players signed for next season. Ely, Butler, White? could be the 3rd gone

WTF??? WTF???
Damn

Jackie Butler is gone, Luis Scola was never going to actually come over. Traded for another player that isn't going to come over plus a draft pick and cash.

Love it.

Wow.... this seems to me the most lopsided and most inconsequential trade ever! I mean Scola could do very well in Houston, but you really cant blame the Spurs because he'd never play for them.

But at the same time, Butler seems like he might turn out good, but that doesnt really mean much at all, while the last 2nd rounder that the Spurs did anything good with was Ginobili.

I dont know what to think at this point. But I'm happy that Scola may come to the NBA. If he busts, it may have a greater effect on european players coming to the NBA.

lol This is a cost cutting issue.

Interesting, I like the move, but like Redneck says it is a space clearing move and probably not much more.

Consider that Spanoulis and his agent just recently said that even if he was the starting PG on the SA Spurs he still would never come back to the NBA, simply b/c he cannot stand to spend one minute more over here, where he was completely misused and uncomfortable in the Rockets system. They tried to make him a spot-up shooter whereas he is a fantastic pick-and-roll dribble/drive guy and playmaker from what I understand; no wonder he was so frustrated!

I was excited to see him get an opportunity in Houston because his scouting report reminded me of our guy Ginobili, but like I said before he was completely misused. Not sure why the Rockets never tried to get him in the rotation, other than that he didn't excel at the spot-shooting role they tried to force him into. Too bad he just went to the absolute wrong team and they spoiled his experience here, and now we'll never see him unless he changes his mind after another year in Greece. He could have been something nice!

This opens a roster spot this coming season for Ian Mahinmi if they want, as he wasn't really getting heavy minutes in Europe anyway last year. Maybe they want to bring him in to learn from Timmy and possibly give a spot to Marcus Williams to groom behind Bowen. My guess is the last spot may be used for a Summer League standout, an undrafted player, or simply to keep available during the season and keep the payroll a bit smaller.

While unles we buy out the contract he can not play for a european team at all. he is under contract with the Spurs.

No european team can touch him until he no longer has a NBA contract

So he plays for us or we buy out the contract or he retires in fact if he refuse to come play we are better of not paying him but suspending him and not have to pay him or take a cap hit

rednecksbasketball wrote:lol This is a cost cutting issue.

Cheap bastards. Can't believe they made this move with a division rival.

ryno wrote:. . Can't believe they made this move with a division rival.

I know! I cannot believe we gave away Scola to a division rival who needs to beef up the power forward position!

Yeah I have no idea how Duncan and crew are gonna stop them now, better lookout! lmao. C'mon, it'll be funny watching him see his homeboys Ginobili, Oberto, and Splitter being on the right bench in 2008-09.

I never knew how he would fit in anyway, he is a bit undersized and replicates Duncan's role almost...which is why they would rather have Bonner with his outside shooting touch a la Horry (minus the clutch bravado), then fill the other spot with yet another legit 7-footer in Splitter, who is much younger and still a muy hot prospect. No worries, good times.

By the way, Butler was still carrying too many spare tires imo, although he matched up with Big Baby pretty well! I guarantee you'll be loving Tiago much better anyway when he comes over after next season, and forget all about the dude, except for when you watch the 2006-07 Championship DVD and see him pouting on the stage again. Oh yeah, let's hope Pop and Co. don't solicit any more free agent advice from Larry Brown, who gave them the hot tip that Butler is gonna be a standout someday. Well now he has the chance to follow in the footsteps of Moses Malone like he always wanted, lol.

SAS Sizzle wrote:Interesting, I like the move, but like Redneck says it is a space clearing move and probably not much more.

Consider that Spanoulis and his agent just recently said that even if he was the starting PG on the SA Spurs he still would never come back to the NBA, simply b/c he cannot stand to spend one minute more over here, where he was completely misused and uncomfortable in the Rockets system. They tried to make him a spot-up shooter whereas he is a fantastic pick-and-roll dribble/drive guy and playmaker from what I understand; no wonder he was so frustrated!

I was excited to see him get an opportunity in Houston because his scouting report reminded me of our guy Ginobili, but like I said before he was completely misused. Not sure why the Rockets never tried to get him in the rotation, other than that he didn't excel at the spot-shooting role they tried to force him into. Too bad he just went to the absolute wrong team and they spoiled his experience here, and now we'll never see him unless he changes his mind after another year in Greece. He could have been something nice!

This opens a roster spot this coming season for Ian Mahinmi if they want, as he wasn't really getting heavy minutes in Europe anyway last year. Maybe they want to bring him in to learn from Timmy and possibly give a spot to Marcus Williams to groom behind Bowen. My guess is the last spot may be used for a Summer League standout, an undrafted player, or simply to keep available during the season and keep the payroll a bit smaller.

I live in Houston and Spanoulis did nothing but whine day one when he got here and Van Gundy did not make him a starter day one. Spanoulis struggled adjusting to playing defense and when he got on the court he turned the ball over. So Gundy benched him and he did nothing but mope and cry about how unfair he was treated. Please Spanoulis wants to go back to Greece because he does not have to prove himself there and he will treated like a star. As far as i can tell because of one bad season he is quiting and taking his ball home; which sounds like a loser to me.

^ Thanks for the info, much more solid from a H-Town resident; my own perceptions of the guy were only based on many articles I have read over the past couple of years, not so much on watching him play. So VSpan is a little beeyatch but who cares cuz he ain't coming over anyway, muhahaha.

The Spurs are perennial contenders with a healthy Duncan regardless of whether it's Butler and Scola, or Oberto and Bonner. Mahinmi and Splitter are the future bigs now. Scola may have only made a marginal impact to the current situation, and definitely would not have started. Oberto is cooler anyway, at least he ROCKS!

Yes, I would actually rather have Scola on a Division rival (not to mention one that we have held in check for years now) instead of on Chicago, who could easily make it to the Finals where he would hurt us much more. Plus the Bulls are in desperate need of a low-post scorer, why oblige them?

Remember, Houston has to be able to make it out of the FIRST ROUND of the playoffs if they ever wanna face the Spurs anyway, something T-Mac is not renowned for! The Rockets were also higher in the mix for this deal because they were willing to take the overpaid project Jackie Butler, as they need a younger backup C also; Scola was the real incentive for them though. I don't think the Spurs are fearing Butler over there, just a hunch. And probably not Luis either. It's not like we sent them to Dallas, our real Division rival.

I don't see how this is a bonehead move by R.C. and Pop as so many ppl are suggesting, if y'all don't think they are pretty savvy by now you are not paying much attention. There are other reasons why the Spurs never repeated, and it didn't necessarily have to do with not improving the roster situation in the offseason...remember .04? Game 7 vs Dallas in 2006? San Antonio could easily have SIX titles right now, so I still trust the front office as a fan. I mean they only have produced the ultimate sports franchise over the past ten years, albeit the main reason is of course Duncan.

Plus the Spurs gained fiscal and roster flexibility (here are the keys) and a definite 2nd round pick. There was no definitive evidence that headache Scola would ever come over. Most people are complaining that we only got a 2nd round pick and enough cash to payoff VSpan if needed, but I'm glad we got at least a 2nd Round pick instead of only Spanoulis.

Let's see how they use this flexibility over the next 2 years before we prematurely call R.C. a dumbass again...

I really don't see how this is a mistake like everybody is saying. There is a reason why Butler wasn't on the playoff roster, end of story. As for Scola, let's ignore for a minute that he's has yet to play a single minute on an NBA floor. He was never going to come here, and if by some miracle the Spurs could afford the ridiculous buyout even after the limitations of the NBA rules on such buyouts, where would he fit on on a championship roster that is pretty much set? Like I said with Grant Hill, unless Scola plays some great backup point guard, he wouldn't fill any need the Spurs are missing.

I think we got burned. two names for a nobody. That euro has the worst states i have seen.

Good Job spurs!

We got rid of Butler and Scola both of which were not going to help the spurs. Butler would not have made an impact for this team and with this years first round pick coming next year there was no need for him. Scola was never going to play for a Spurs team so why not find a way to deal with him. The only thing I do not like about this trade is that it is with a divisional rival but if they are offering the best offer I'll take it. What am I suppose to be scared of them or something? I say bring it! Makes it even more sweet to beat the Rockets with Scola on the team.

I like the trade because we got rid of two players, which helps us with our roster spots, allows us to sign a free agent at the price range the spurs are looking for , and maybe give a spot for our second round choice or white to make the team. To top it off we get their second round choice which can be used to package up along with the other second round pick. That means we will have 1st rounder, 3 2nd rounders (ours , Toronto's, and now the rockets "in 2009 draft"). You got something out of two players who weren't going to do a thing for this team.

Sorry for grammar issues I typed this up really quick because I got to go. Peace!