<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>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/basketb...n.6be36230.html</div>Wow thats just a flat out stupid trade.
Well Jackie Butler had a bad attitude while he was on the spurs. He would always be one of the last people to show up to pre-game shootaround, when he should be one of the first guys there getting better. And Scola was way to demanding, he was demanding a bigger contract from the spurs that is why the spurs never brought him over. I think that we could have got more but oh well, got rid of some junk.
I usually know nba players but I have no clue who any of these guys are so I dont care about this trade.
Trade's good for Rockets by landing Scola. If they can buy him out, he should start for them at power forward. It's a nothing trade by Spurs.
This might be alrite for the Rockets; Spanoulis didn't want to play for them, right? They need a 4 and Scola is that and I hear he was a pretty good scorer around the basket overseas. I don't know, you can probably say he is a more athletic Juwan Howard...
So basically it was Butler for a second-round pick. I am having my doubts Scola will ever come over. Although it would have been sweet to see Scola, Manu, and Oberto all play on the Spurs.
Small deal, but I like it for Houston. They needed to get themselves an extra big, and they got 2. I kind of like Jackie Butler a little, he's huge and he's got a soft touch.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Jul 12 2007, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>they got 2.</div>That is if Scola ever comes over. If he does the Spurs got rapped. But I never doubt moves they make. Although I'm pretty sure they would mind having Barbosa right about now. For some reason I think there could be a chance Vassilis Spanoulis might change his tune now that he is a Spur.
This is awesome for us if Scola comes and plays for us. Jackie Butler can also play a few minutes off the bench for Yao or something.
Jackie Butler is underrated and if he was given the right time and had the right attitude, he could be one hell of a player. When he was with the New York Knicks (Larry Brown era), he shot 54.4 percent from the floor and he averaged 16pts, 10rebs per 40 minutes played
Sounds like Scola's coming over and did not require a buyout. He never reupped with Tau Ceramica this summer. So it's just a matter of Rockets giving that 3-3.5 mil contract, which they seem eager to get done.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pacers fan forever @ Jul 13 2007, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What the heck? Why do teams even do trades like this?</div>The Spurs did this to avoid the luxury tax this year. By trading away Butler and then most likely buying out Spanoulis, who doesn't want to come to the NBA, they'll be able to get under the tax threshold. This not only saves them the tax money, but also ensures that they get a cut of the shared money that other teams who are over the tax pay. So they'll end up making like $10-12 million off of this move.
I am not very familiar with the new Rockets acquisitions, but I surely hope the Rockets don't expect that either Hayes or one of these guys is the answer at PF that will be necassary to make the Rockets serious title contenders.
Spurs just wanted to get rid of Butlers contract and they knew that Scola didnt fit in to their rosters future. They want to bring over Splitter next season and Scola just wouldnt fit. The PG they got will just be on the injured reserve. I have seen him play a few times and hes pretty awful.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Jul 13 2007, 03:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Spurs just wanted to get rid of Butlers contract and they knew that Scola didnt fit in to their rosters future. They want to bring over Splitter next season and Scola just wouldnt fit. The PG they got will just be on the injured reserve. I have seen him play a few times and hes pretty awful.</div>Actually the point guard spanoulis has said that he wants to stay in greece next year and play there. So spurs were just getting rid of junk with this trade.
This is a good move, I think... Helped us money-wise and moved un-needed pieces, although I did like Butler as a replacement to Oberto/Elson... I, personally, don't know much about Scloa, but do know he is pretty decent. Oh well.
I just don't get why the spurs would want to trade away the rights to scola for almost nothing. I mean, they traded the rights of leandro barbosa for him, and I've seen a few tapes, this guy is really athletic, could be a good player in the league. He's also got a very long reach. And Houston needs more bigs, so good for them.
