RUMOR: Rasho commited to Spurs for 6 years at 8Mil

[WayOutWest]

Dang! After all the talk and speculation they ended up with a stiff. Maybe the guy will improve but last year was his break out season and he looked just a hair better than Mike Smreck. SA should have gone after a big from day one instead of pizzing off Parker, since the great prospects dried up they should of held onto their cap space for one year and then played the Garnett and Kobe sweeps stakes next summer.

http://www.indystar.com/forums/showt...threadid=36772

[OutletPass]

I'll wait to see real verification...not something off the Indy board, thanks.

There's absolutely nothing on this from ESPN or any reliable source...as of this moment.

"May" and "expected" aren't quite enough yet.

It may well happen, but I'll wait.

[madape]

Can we please stop talking about how much Raef is overpaid now? PJ Brown and Rasho Nesterovic commanding 6 year deals starting at $8 Mil a year? In a supposed buyer's market? That's ridiculous. These guys are your average run of the mill third tier big men at BEST. Raef was considered a better prospect than either of these guys when he was signed. And what did he start at? Around $6.5?

This is WAY too much for Rasho. I can't wait to see what happens with Brad Miller and the Kandi man.

[mavsfanforever]

Link

Rasho Nesterovic San Antonio bound?
LAST UPDATE: 7/15/2003 4:48:07 AM
Posted By: Spurs News Editor

The T-Wolves, Knicks and Spurs are waiting, hoping to hear that 7-footer Rasho Nesterovic will decide to play for their team next year, but SpursReport has learned that Nesterovic may have already decided and that he will be packing his bags for San Antonio.

Even as late as yesterday evening, the T-Wolves were holding out hope that Nesterovich would continue his career in Minnesota.
"We made a very good offer [to Nesterovic]," said Kevin McHale, the Wolves vice president of basketball operations and general manager. "I talked to Rasho myself [the past three days]. It's not a negotiation, it's a matter of his making a decision. We hope he returns."

According to two seperate sources, however Nesterovich is expected to sign with the Spurs. One source indicates that he will sign a six year, $48 million deal. Official word is expected by Tuesday afternoon.

The Spurs have had an eye on the center for some time and team officials should be excited by the news, after being turned down by Jason Kidd and P.J. Brown in recent days.

[WayOutWest]

Originally posted by: madape
Can we please stop talking about how much Raef is overpaid now? PJ Brown and Rasho Nesterovic commanding 6 year deals starting at $8 Mil a year? In a supposed buyer's market? That's ridiculous. These guys are your average run of the mill third tier big men at BEST. Raef was considered a better prospect than either of these guys when he was signed. And what did he start at? Around $6.5?

This is WAY too much for Rasho. I can't wait to see what happens with Brad Miller and the Kandi man.

I think the Kandi man would be overpaid at the MLE. He's gonna make some GM sorry. Now that the Spurs have made their call B Miller is less likely to get overpaid. The only team that could muddy the waters for Miller and the Pacers now is Miami.

[WayOutWest]

Originally posted by: OutletPass
I'll wait to see real verification...not something off the Indy board, thanks.

There's absolutely nothing on this from ESPN or any reliable source...as of this moment.

It's not comming directly from the board, there is a link in that thread that leads to a paper in Rasho's native country.

It's funny that you use ESPN and reliable in the same sentence. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[mavsfanforever]

Link

Rasho Nesterovic mulling offer as S.A.'s latest object of desire

By Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News

Web Posted : 07/14/2003 12:00 AM

Rasho Nesterovic will likely decide whether to sign with the Spurs on Tuesday or Wednesday, his agent said Sunday.

Bill Duffy, who represents Nesterovic, said he continues to talk with Spurs officials about Minnesota's free-agent center.

"Nothing is imminent," Duffy said. "Rasho is open to San Antonio, but he wants to take some time before making a decision."

Minnesota officials were fairly confident about their efforts to re-sign Nesterovic until the Spurs intensified their own negotiations with him after Jason Kidd announced he was staying in New Jersey.

Nesterovic, 27, enjoyed the best season of his five-year NBA career last year, averaging 11.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 30.4 minutes and ranking fifth in the league in field-goal percentage (.525). He is said to like Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who visited him in his native Slovenia on July 1, and he is a friendly acquaintance of Tony Parker.

Signing Nesterovic would give the Spurs a somewhat raw, but serviceable, replacement for David Robinson, who retired at the end of the season. The Spurs won the championship last season with Robinson averaging 8.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 26.2 minutes.

Though the 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and .67 blocks the 7-foot, 248-pound Nesterovic averaged against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs are comparable to Robinson's averages (5.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and .67 blocks) against the Lakers in the second round, Robinson did a better job of staying between Shaquille O'Neal and the rim.

The Spurs do not have any meetings planned with Michael Olowokandi, said Duffy, who also represents the Los Angeles Clippers' free-agent center. Indiana free-agent center Brad Miller remains available, but he probably does not fit the Spurs' defensive needs as well as Nesterovic. Miller, who grew up in Indiana and played at Purdue, also has previously said he would like to stay with the Pacers.

Duffy confirmed the Spurs' belief that another client, backup point guard Speedy Claxton, probably will leave the team.

"He's inclined to look elsewhere," Duffy said. "There are four or five teams we're talking to right now, so we'll just have to see what happens."

Claxton visited Washington last week and took an earlier trip to Orlando. Should Claxton leave, Duffy and Spurs officials have discussed trying to work out a sign-and-trade deal that could give the team a player in return.

With Denver planning to sign free-agent point guard Andre Miller to an offer sheet, Utah and the Spurs are the only remaining teams with more than $15 million in salary-cap room available. Teams may begin signing free agents on Wednesday.

Because of their large amount of cap room, the Spurs are investigating their trade opportunities. A handful of teams, like Portland, have openly talked of reducing their player payroll to limit their luxury-tax penalty. Spurs officials began fielding more calls about potential trades Friday after Kidd announced he was staying.

[OutletPass]

Norm is reporting that Rasho may got to the Spurs OR may go back to Minny...no one's sure yet.

Let's wait for an actual announcement before we pronounce that he's gone....

He may or may not...we'll see. The title of this thread is a bit bogus for the moment...a question mark should be added.

[Nash13]

So is this suppose to significantly help the Spurs. Rasho hardly looks like he can play the Spurs style of basket. This is an example of a team signing a player just to say they did something.

Efficiency wise, Robinson did a better job at age 40 last season than Rasho.

[WayOutWest]

Originally posted by: OutletPass
Norm is reporting that Rasho may got to the Spurs OR may go back to Minny...no one's sure yet.

Let's wait for an actual announcement before we pronounce that he's gone....

He may or may not...we'll see. The title of this thread is a bit bogus for the moment...a question mark should be added.

Gotcha

[Chicago JK]

it looks official now
**********************
Nesterovic Spurs' replacement for Robinson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com


The San Antonio Spurs have found their replacement for retired center David Robinson.

Free-agent center Rasho Nesterovic will sign a six-year contract estimated at $45 million with the Spurs, agent Bill Duffy told ESPN.com's Marc Stein on Tuesday.


Nesterovic


Rasho Nesterovic narrowed his wish list down to two teams (Minnesota and San Antonio) and one long shot (New York). The defending champion Spurs, with two-time MVP Tim Duncan, won out.

"Rasho has a great fondess for Gregg Popovich," Duffy told ESPN.com. "This is a great opportunity to join a championship-caliber organization."

The Spurs, struggling to make use of their $15 million-plus in salary-cap space despite winning their second NBA title in franchise history last month, had been pursuing Nesterovic aggressively since missing out on Jason Kidd, Alonzo Mourning and P.J. Brown. The Spurs were also in talks with Indiana's Brad Miller.

Nesterovic already has a seven-year offer on the table worth more than $50 million from the Wolves, who desperately wanted to keep Nesterovic alongside Kevin Garnett on their front line. Minnesota was also hoping to add power forward Juwan Howard, but the Orlando Sentinel reported in Monday's editions that Howard has picked the Magic over the Wolves.

[Hitman]

If I were San Antonio I would have kept my money until next year.

[uberfan]

The Ticket just said it was for 6 years and $45 million.

[Evilmav2]

Rasho Nesterovich: What an upgrade for the accidental champs...

[uberfan]

[i]I think the Kandi man would be overpaid at the MLE. He's gonna make some GM sorry. Now that the Spurs have made their call B Miller is less likely to get overpaid. The only team that could muddy the waters for Miller and the Pacers now is Miami.

Or the Jazz?

[OutletPass]

Yeah...just saw ESPN and heard Norm...Rasho's announcing early this afternoon....so it looks pretty well done.

There are sure a lot of 6 years for $40+ contracts being thrown around the NBA these days....and I thought this was going to be a buyer's market this year.

Unbelievable.

makes Raef's deal look pretty decent now...doesn't it.

Thanks for the early report WOW...

[superheadcat]

the assembling of the championship team made me believe the management/owner of spurs are super smart.

but with a gazzillion dollar of money, and sign rasho? suddenly it make cuban/nellie look good.

[mavsfanforever]

6 years 45 mil reported on Espn. Thats a lot of money on Rasho. Spurs should still have enough space to offer a good deal for Manu next year.

[Dooby]

I only wish the Spurs would pay him more and could sign him for longer. They will regret this.

[WayOutWest]

Originally posted by: OutletPass
Yeah...just saw ESPN and heard Norm...Rasho's announcing early this afternoon....so it looks pretty well done.

There are sure a lot of 6 years for $40+ contracts being thrown around the NBA these days....and I thought this was going to be a buyer's market this year.

Unbelievable.

makes Raef's deal look pretty decent now...doesn't it.

Thanks for the early report WOW...

Anytime, it's the least I could do in return for all those "Insider" reports I read.

[Hitman]

Nesterovic Spurs' replacement for Robinson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com


The San Antonio Spurs have found their replacement for retired center David Robinson.

Free-agent center Rasho Nesterovic will sign a six-year contract estimated at $45 million with the Spurs, agent Bill Duffy told ESPN.com's Marc Stein on Tuesday.


Nesterovic


Rasho Nesterovic narrowed his wish list down to two teams (Minnesota and San Antonio) and one long shot (New York). The defending champion Spurs, with two-time MVP Tim Duncan, won out.

"Rasho has a great fondess for Gregg Popovich," Duffy told ESPN.com. "This is a great opportunity to join a championship-caliber organization."

The Spurs, struggling to make use of their $15 million-plus in salary-cap space despite winning their second NBA title in franchise history last month, had been pursuing Nesterovic aggressively since missing out on Jason Kidd, Alonzo Mourning and P.J. Brown. The Spurs were also in talks with Indiana's Brad Miller.

Nesterovic already has a seven-year offer on the table worth more than $50 million from the Wolves, who desperately wanted to keep Nesterovic alongside Kevin Garnett on their front line. Minnesota was also hoping to add power forward Juwan Howard, but the Orlando Sentinel reported in Monday's editions that Howard has picked the Magic over the Wolves.

[Mandyahl]

i like this....i think it is great news. they could have kept the money and spent it next year, or they could have actually gotten a good free agent this year. this is the best possible scenario. it sounds like they were desperate to sign someone, so they are overpaying rasho.

[Simon2]

He's commited. Here's the link:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...11&xlc=1025840

[Tony tha Mavs fan]

I agree mandyahl, next year their priority will be resigning ginobili to a big deal. and i don't see them getting Bryant or Garnett next year

[Blonde Bomber]

yeah, after the Spurs didn't get Kidd or ONeal then they should have stood pat with there money and went after Garnett and Bryant instead of spending half of it on Nesterovic.

This is a big mistake by the Spurs management. They blew it..totally

But this signing does make me happy because I was scared to death that the Spurs were going to get another stud to put next to Duncan...


If only Malone would have signed with us or back with Utah...DAMN..!!

[Mavs_Rule2003]

Rasho's stat doesnt look that healthy to me anyway. Spurs could have done much better.

And they might have enough money to resign Manu but what about Parker? is he not getting off his contract next year for merely 800k? he is due big money and contract..or he is leaving SA! right?

[Drbio]

The Spurs will regret this signing soon.

[TripleDipping]

I can see Popovich chewing Rasho's ass all season long if they sign him. Kevin Willis is better than Rasho.