FanHouse Tiagosplitter

Argentina, which won the Olympic gold in men's basketball in 2004 and took home bronze in 2008, is ... having a bad summer. Manu Ginobili is not playing with the team due to injuries. (Injuries aggravated by last summer's Olympic run, we should note.) Andres Nocioni is out. Carlos Delfino didn't have a contract until a couple weeks ago, so he demurred from national service. It's up to Luis Scola and Pablo Prigioni and ... it hasn't gone well at FIBA Americas.

Canada, meanwhile, lost Samuel Dalembert due to an internal spat early last summer. Steve Nash still won't give up his summer for a team on the third tier of international competition. There is one current NBA player on the Canadian roster: Joel Anthony, who lost his starting job on the Heat to a decrepit Jermaine O'Neal. Yet, here's Canada, 2-0 and through to the quarterfinals after blowing out Mexico and the Virgin Islands.

Most of the Olympic men's basketball field has been set, with Argentina, Australia, Iran, Lithuania, Russia, Angola, China, Spain and the United States preparing for the August Games. The top three teams in the Olympic qualifying tournament -- which begins today in Athens -- will also compete in Beijing. Here's a quick look at the tourney.

The Favorite: Greece. The Greek team famously beat Team USA in the 2006 World Championships, setting off the maelstrom of righteous indignation which promised to (but didn't) revolutionize the way USA Basketball chose its teams. Greece boasts no current NBA players, but could beat a half-dozen NBA teams. Guard play makes the Greeks the favorites. Theo Papaloukas should be well-known in America, and Dimitris Diamantidis is one of the best perimeter defenders in Europe. Add good size up front and home court advantage, and it'd be a surprise if the Greeks didn't win this outright.

The Contenders: Germany, Brazil, Puerto Rico. At least one of these teams won't make it (unless Greece crumbles). Germany famously boasts both Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman now, though little else. Brazil will be without Leandro Barbosa, but has Tiago Splitter and some good guards. Also, Brazilian two-guard Alex Garcia shattered a backboard in the pre-game lay-up line in an exhibition last week. Awesome. But never count out Puerto Rico, with an assortment of former and current NBA players like Carlos Arroyo, J.J. Barea, and Peter John Ramos, as well SACRAMENTO STATE! product Joel (pronounced "Joe .... El") Jones.

Most of the Olympic men's basketball field has been set, with Argentina, Australia, Iran, Lithuania, Russia, Angola, China, Spain and the United States preparing for the August Games. The top three teams in the Olympic qualifying tournament -- which begins today in Athens -- will also compete in Beijing. Here's a quick look at the tourney.

The Favorite: Greece. The Greek team famously beat Team USA in the 2006 World Championships, setting off the maelstrom of righteous indignation which promised to (but didn't) revolutionize the way USA Basketball chose its teams. Greece boasts no current NBA players, but could beat a half-dozen NBA teams. Guard play makes the Greeks the favorites. Theo Papaloukas should be well-known in America, and Dimitris Diamantidis is one of the best perimeter defenders in Europe. Add good size up front and home court advantage, and it'd be a surprise if the Greeks didn't win this outright.

The Contenders: Germany, Brazil, Puerto Rico. At least one of these teams won't make it (unless Greece crumbles). Germany famously boasts both Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman now, though little else. Brazil will be without Leandro Barbosa, but has Tiago Splitter and some good guards. Also, Brazilian two-guard Alex Garcia shattered a backboard in the pre-game lay-up line in an exhibition last week. Awesome. But never count out Puerto Rico, with an assortment of former and current NBA players like Carlos Arroyo, J.J. Barea, and Peter John Ramos, as well SACRAMENTO STATE! product Joel (pronounced "Joe .... El") Jones.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

San Antonio has a solid foundation with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, but for the most part, the rest of their roster has gotten very old all of a sudden. That's what happens I guess when you've been competing for titles for the last nine years. It would be great for the team to get some young talent who could step in and contribute right away, and for years to come as well.

Picks: #26, #45, #57.

Needs: Interior defense and rebounding, and someone who can spell Parker at the point guard spot.

Best case scenario: Mario Chalmers is still on the board, because he's experienced and could probably get some of those Jacque Vaughn minutes fairly early in the season.

There aren't many gigs that pay better than professional basketball, but these days it's hardly a given that the best players will flock to the NBA. For one, most foreign clubs will include things like housing and taxes, which means that the salary being offered really does go straight to a player's pocket. Ball in Europe breaks down the math:

For example, the player drafted at No. 1 this year knows that he will earn 8.339 million USD in his first two seasons combined. Even with an exchange rate of one euro to 1.50 USD, this is still a large amount in Euros. But this salary is gross, so the player has to pay 29% tax on the amount; so he will only earn 5.920 million USD, about 4 million Euros, in two years.

If you go to the middle of the first round, the guaranteed salary for a player drafted 15th in the first two seasons combined will be about 2 million USD net. This is 1.3 million Euros in two years, so about 650.000 Euro per season. Guaranteed. This is a salary that good European players are paid in Europe.

Once you get out of the first round and into the second, the disparity gets even larger. And something Ball in Europe doesn't mention but is just as prohibitive are the expensive buyouts that a lot of players will need to cover out of pocket. An NBA team is only allowed to pitch in $500,000 to buy out a foreign contract, but that's sometimes just a drop in the bucket.

That Spurs draftee Tiago Splitter has reportedly decided to choose Spain over San Antonio qualified as a minor defeat in the face of last night's Game 4 failure. It has gotten attention -- notably from TrueHoop and The Sporting Blog -- but obviously takes a backseat to Barry/Fisher. But something's been ignored in all the frim-fram over the loss of Splitter: his would-be training camp competition, current Spur Ian Mahinmi.

By my watch, Mahinmi is a better Spur today, tomorrow, and in three years. Remember Amir Johnson? As a D-League youth, Amir set the midwest ablaze, creating a spectacle of brimstone and glory which had locals speaking in tongues. He graduated to the Pistons this year and in limited minutes proceeded to light up every player rating system known to Man, according to the awesome Count the Basket (via Shoals).

Why does this matter? Because Monsieur Mahinmi set the midwest ablaze as a D-League youth this season. He finished third in PER for his work with the Austin Toros, shooting extraordinarily well from the floor, drawing fouls and hitting FTs, racking up steals and blocks, all while offering 17 and 8.

Splitter played just fine in Spain this season, but he's a season behind on American/San Antonio integration (Mahinmi spent training camp, early November, and May with the big club) and a step back on adjusting to the NBA-style game (which is employed at some scale in the D-League). The Spurs would love to have both Tiago and Ian in the fold as Robert Horry retires (we can pray) and Tim Duncan walks closer to retirement (not too fast, Big Fun). But Splitter's resistance isn't the death of San Antonio big men of the future. Mahinmi will represent just fine.

With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.

A rumor floating like Forrest Gump's feather on Monday, it would appear this whole Ron Artest to San Antonio shindig might actually go down. The Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick blogs from an airport:

The Spurs may be nearing a deal for Artest, although it's also believed Denver may finally be willing to give up Linas Kleiza. Of course, my flight from Portland to Sacramento is at this very moment, so we'll see where things stand when I land.

San Antonio has the requisite expiring contracts and a late first-round pick, which is basically what Denver has offered to date (according to most reports). You'd assume Geoff Petrie's decision to be receptive to the Spurs' advances means they included an extra asset -- maybe another pick, maybe Ziller lust object Ian Mahinmi, maybe the rights to Tiago Splitter. That opens the door to Kleiza, the player Petrie's reportedly held out for. Patience, I suppose, is half the battle.

No matter the bounty, if it were to happen -- San Antonio would steal some Lakers thunder, at the least. Can you imagine that team replacing a flagging Bruce Bowen with a (contract year) Artest? I just got scared, and my team's nowhere near the playoffs.

Will it happen? No flippin' clue, but perhaps the weight of the viewing world can will it so.

For the next four days, you will be assaulted with rumors -- some seemingly ridiculous and some as brilliant as diamonds (or at least cubic zirconium). Consider this ESPN/Chad Ford joint (In$ider, natch) a warning volley:

Believe it or not, Ron Artest's name has come up in San Antonio. Some believe that given the team's system, he can be controlled and would give them more toughness on the wing, where Bruce Bowen is slowing down.

Ford goes on to mention Stephen Jackson was once a starter for a San Antonio title team. (He neglects this was before Jack's major reputation hits with Indiana; he also fails to mention Jackson has been lauded as a teammate in every town, while Ron-Ron... yeah, not so much.)

You'd think Sacramento would jump at an expiring contract (San Antonio always has plenty) and either Ian Mahinmi or the rights to Tiago Splitter; whether the Spurs count the loss of either as worthy risk for a six-month rental of Artest is questionable. Of course, given last year's surprisingly competitive first-round matchup with Denver, and also considered Denver appears to be the leading contender for Artest's services... it might serve as a doubled victory to sew Ron-Ron up before the trade deadline. In a world where the Phoenix Suns trade for Shaquille O'Neal, I suppose you just never know.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 28th NBA Draft.

Needs: The Suns need to strengthen their bench so they can play more than seven people on a nightly basis. Oh, and it would be nice to get some players that are familiar with that "leaving the bench rule."

Best Case Scenario: Phoenix is taking a serious look at trying to move up in this year's draft. Need some proof? Check out the fact that they are working out Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, and Jeff Green today, all of whom are slated to go in the top 10. The best of the group for the Suns might be Noah, but they'd probably have to get Milwaukee's pick at 6 to guarantee themselves a shot at him.

More Likely Scenario: It's looking more and more like the Suns will somehow improve their position in the draft. In case they don't, here's what they're looking at with their 24th and 29th picks: international players. Phoenix doesn't see any immediate help for their team this deep in the draft, so they'll focus on players like Tiago Splitter and Petteri Koponen who can develop their game out of the country and off of their roster.

Anyone familiar with the NBA Draft has been uttering this name for approximately five season now. And yet somehow, the guy always pulls out at the last minute. It's gotten to such a point that Peter Schrager has written a column on Splitter's odd celebrity:

Though I've never seen him play in person, I feel like I've known him forever. He's an old friend I've never met; a crony I couldn't recognize in a police lineup.

[...]

If you ARE an NBA Draft-aholic, Tiago's part lifelong buddy from overseas/part flakey friend. On the one hand, he's one of the most well known international basketball prospects of his generation. On the other, he's an elusive enigma.

I'm going to jump in right here with an analogy of my own: Splitter's a coelacanth, one of those weird prehistoric fishes that keeps turning up in today's oceans. Splitter's a relic from a crazier draft era, and yet he was never on the hype-level with Darko or Skita. So here is, still walking among us, reminding us of how much fun things used to be.