The End of the MBFGC Era - Schortsanitas Won't Be a Clipper Any Time Soon

by Steve Perrin on Jul 21, 2010 8:28 PM PDT in News

With the news that Sofoklis Schortsanitis has apparently signed with Greek powerhouse Panathanaikos, the seven year long MBFGC experiment has likely come to an end. Technically, the Clippers still retain Sofo's NBA rights. But realistically, with an expensive three year deal in Europe (presumably including an expensive buy out), he's not ever going to be playing in the NBA. There's just not much market for 28 year old NBA rookies from Europe. Luis Scola (27) and Arvydas Sabonis (31) are the only precedents I can think of that come close.

Thanks to Citizen Ming for bringing the latest to our attention, and for helping to translate some of what is being said in the Greek media. A word of caution: take all of these reports with a grain of salt. The European media (and the Greek media in particular) tend to be even more sensationalistic than we here in the US. If you'll recall from my conversation with Sofo earlier this month in Playa Vista, I was impressed with his command of English, specifically in his use of the phrase "selective hearing." Guess who he was talking about when he said that? The Greek media.

I should also point out that I have found nothing online that says that Sofo has actually signed. I am assuming that Citizen Ming is in Greece and seeing what is being reported in print and on TV there. The broad strokes of the story are consistent with things I have seen and heard. BallInEurope probably has the best synopsis of the information for the English speaking NBA fan (they link to and also translate portions of this sport.gr report). But so far Ming is the only one to report on specifics of a deal with Panathanaikos. So again, let me state, grain of salt.

[Note by Steve Perrin, 07/22/10 8:20 AM PDT ] See the comments section. Another Greek Citizen of ClipsNation, teregosa, says that according to the Greek media, Sofo has indeed not yet signed with Panathanaikos, and is reporting a signficantly lower contract offer, 3/$5.3M. Citizen Ming, if you're out there, we need some more sources. As of now, Sofo's comments about Summer League play and the $10.3M contract are stricly a FanPost on ClipsNation, which is not a valid source. So big grain of salt everyone, though the gist of this post remains the same. It is worth noting that perhaps the ugliest rumor, the story about the Clippers missing a meeting, has been reported elsewhere.

We may never know everything, but based on the basic information that Citizen Ming presented, there's not much of a story here. If the Clippers best offer was 3/$6M, and the Greens were offering 3/$10.5M as Ming suggests, well, that's not much of a decision for Sofo. You also need to bear in mind that, generally speaking, US contracts are reported in gross figures, while European contracts are reported in net figures. In other words, that $10.5M is tax-free, and is probably well over twice as much money as the Clippers were offering.

And you know what? We sure as hell didn't see anything in Summer League that would have warranted 3/$10.5M (or really 3/$15M, which is more like what he's getting in Greece when you consider the tax implications). The offer the Clippers made is pretty much in line with what he should have been offered. I always presumed that he'd have to take a pay cut to play in the NBA - it's true of many major Euro players, especially the ones lucky enough to be on the radar of the super rich clubs like Olympiakos and Panathanaikos and CSKA (other Euro teams, not so much these days). In the end, the pay cut was just too much.

Let's look at some of the other things we've heard about this situation:

Sofo didn't like his Summer League experience. This is not news. His Summer League experience stunk - for him and for me, quite frankly. We've been through all of this before. It's a guard's league, they didn't get him the ball, the spacing was terrible, players have ten fouls to use, etc, etc, etc. Having said all that, Sofo did NOT acquit himself well in Summer League, even taking all of those things into consideration. Plenty of bigs looked good in Vegas - JaVale McGee, DeMarcus Cousins, even Derrick Caracter. He didn't handle double teams well, and he didn't convert free throws when he went to the line. It was a terrible environment for him, but even considering it's shortcomings, he should have done better. (More on his SL performance below.)
The Clippers told him he would have to wait until other free agents were signed. This is almost certainly a misrepresentation of an earlier situation. When the Clippers were hoping to sign LeBron James or a similarly big fish, they absolutely told Sofo's agent that he'd have to wait and see what happened. But from July 8, when LeBron said 'South Beach' and all the other big guys were gone and the Clippers started signing third tier guys like Ryan Gomes and Randy Foye, there was no more reason to wait. The Clippers were either going to use some portion of their cap space on Sofo, or they weren't. As we can plainly see now, they're not going to end up using it all. It also would appear that Craig Smith was the fallback big. We don't even know if the 3/$6M offer was real... but if it was, it contradicts the story that they were still waiting on the Clippers. Of course Panathanaikos wanted an answer; all teams want to get things done and move forward. But I don't see any thing particularly interesting in the waiting games being discussed here. The Clippers made an offer, Panathanaikos made a better offer, that's the story.
The Clippers were unprofessional throughout the process. Fish, meet barrel. Maybe it's true that the Clippers missed a scheduled meeting with Sofo and his agent, maybe it's not. This card is so easy to play, of course his agent is going to play it. Sofo goes off to America to make it in the big leagues, and comes limping back to Greece with his tail between his legs. Why did he only average 2 points in summer league? Because they wouldn't throw him the ball. Why did the Clippers only offer him 3/$6M? Because they're cheap and incompetent. Of course, just because it's the obvious lie to tell, doesn't mean it's not true. But it's all very simple, and when I ask Neil Olshey and Andy Roeser about it, of course they're going to say it's not true. I doubt they stood him up - I mean, why would they? - but we'll probably never really know the truth.

I think you all know that I'm as disappointed as anyone that this didn't work out. I've followed him closely since the 2006 Worlds. Heck, the third post I ever wrote on ClipsNation was about MBFGC, and I even wrote about him on my little known earlier blog as well. Other than Chris Kaman, he's the only member of the Clippers that's been there the whole time I've had my blog. So I'm a little attached to the big fella. I think the guy is a unique talent, but as I said before, he did very little in Las Vegas to earn a big pay day. Now, I'd be a more than a little disappointed if the Clippers didn't have a hell of a lot more information about him from OTHER scouting than they got in Las Vegas. After all, they've had his rights for seven years, and he's probably played 400 games in that time.

At that point, you have to ask yourself what was different about NBA Summer League that made him less effective? Was it the lack of structure, the Clippers terrible point guard play (and let's face facts, it was terrible) and the constant fouling? Or was it the athleticism of the competition and the length of the defenders? If it's the former, you assume that he'll do better in the NBA regular season than he showed in Vegas. If it's the latter, you assume that he'll be totally useless in the NBA.

The irony in his Vegas performance is that he was statistically the complete opposite of who he has been in Europe and who I thought he would be. In Europe, he's a points per minute machine, shooting in the high 60s percentage wise. In Vegas, he was 2 for 6 in four games. On the other hand, he's never been a particularly good rebounder on a per minute basis in his European and international career, and one assumes from his girth that he'd be relatively earth bound. In contrast to that in Vegas, he grabbed 15 rebounds in only 53 minutes of court time, a very solid 10 per 36 minutes. He also had not one, not two, not three, but four highlight reel blocks of attempted dunks. It was a little bizarre, frankly. It's not a play you see very often, and he went up to reject guys above the rim four times in his last three games in Las Vegas. I had no idea he had that in him.

It's also worth noting that - aside from his very first game which was a train wreck but was after all his very first NBA game so maybe he needed an adjustment time - he actually displayed his impressive post up game in Las Vegas. In games 2, 3 and 4, he went 2 for 3 and also drew 6 shooting fouls. In other words, on those nine post touches, he scored or was fouled on eight of them. Now, he also turned the ball over six times in those three games, in only 40 minutes, and he shot a miserable 6 for 13 from the line (drawing fouls is less useful if you don't make your free throws), so there were still plenty of issues. But I remain convinced that he would destroy single coverage, even in the Assoc.

There's definitely a snobbery about NBA people. I spoke to scouts and GMs and trainers in Vegas who said he couldn't play, that European bigs play 'below the rim', that it's just a different game, that he was just too fat. But in the end, none of it adds up. How can Vassilis Spanalous not warrant more than 272 minutes TOTAL for Houston in his only season in the NBA, and Schortsanitis not be an NBA player according to some, yet Greece can beat an NBA All Star team in 2006? This guy can play, and while he may not fit the 'long and bouncy' profile that Chad Ford prefers, I think that NBA talent evaluators may have gotten locked in on a certain type of player to the exclusion of all others - some of whom can flat out play basketball.

In the end, it's really just a case of him being more valuable in Athens than he is in LA. I'm disappointed, but I'll enjoy watching him next month in Istanbul at the World's, and I'll follow his career at Panathanaikos. (By the way, moving from Olympiakos to Panathanaikos is roughly the equivalent of going from UCLA to USC, times a billion. These teams HATE each other, and Sofo had better have police protection the first time the Greens play the Reds, because it's going to be violent.) If ClipperZoe gets her way, maybe I'll see him in London at the 2012 Olympics, because she's pretty adamant that we're going to that.

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Comments

Nice post.

Nice to see you break out a le-engthy piece in the middle of the summer Horse Latitudes.

by John Raffo on Jul 21, 2010 9:13 PM PDT reply actions

Nice summary Steve.

I’m disappointed as well. I know that a lot of people did not like him for various reasons. He didn’t light up summer league, signing him means that there would be no Rhino next season and most probably never followed his career in Greece. I personally would have liked to have seen him get the opportunity to come over and play in a full team setting. The Summer League doesn’t really cater to his skills, but more to his weaknesses. A lot of the other bigs that went off were highly athletic and above the rim or focal points of the offense.

I wish that I would have been able to see him and Baron run the pick and roll or for him to set a hard screen against the Lakers. That will likely never happen. I’ll wish him the best in Greece. Other teams have great international scouting and are able to capitalize on their overseas ventures, while it’s something that has not really worked for us up to this point. It’s just frustrating to me.

by Lawler 4ever on Jul 21, 2010 9:23 PM PDT reply actions

Lets cross our fingers the Panathanaikos deal is for only 1 or 2 years

Since it’s only mentioned by one source its very possible the deal has a player option or something like that for the 3rd year. Lets cross our fingers. The Clippers didn’t fall in love with MBFGC, well because they basically had two better versions of him already on the team. DJ is taller, longer, and better at defense. Rhino is softer and more accurate at the low post game.

BUT, lets not forget neither DJ or Rhino is signed past this coming season. So hopefully MBFGC isn’t gone forever. The Clippers will come calling if they lose DJ or Rhino.

by ClippsFanSince91 on Jul 21, 2010 10:32 PM PDT reply actions

Maybe

I think it’s more likely that if Sofo ever plays in the NBA, it will be with another team after a trade. Don’t forget that Scola was drafted by San Antonio, but only made it to the NBA with Houston (in a trade for Spanoulis, coincidentally). Even if the stories of missed meetings aren’t true, there are no doubts some hard feelings over the way things turned out. I’m sad to say I doubt he’ll ever play for the Clippers, but it’s possible they could get something in return for his rights.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 21, 2010 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions

SOOOOOO WHATTT!

I was not impressed—- at all. He has good size but he turns the ball over too much and doesn’t even rebound like he should.

by ChrisS.Oaks on Jul 22, 2010 1:19 AM PDT reply actions

Sofo hasn't signed to Panathinaikos yet

Hi guys, I’m Greek and a big Sofo fan. News from Greece is that Sofo has not signed for Panathinaikos, but that he has an offer from them for 4.1M Euros net (aprox $5.3M) for a three year contract . For that strory (in Greek) go to http://www.sport-fm.gr/article/283972

Also, another article suggests that Sofo is still waiting for the clippers to make an offer, although it’s expected to be very low and that Sofo will turn it down. However, Sofo and Panathinaikos haven’t reached an agreement yet, mainly because Sofo is looking for a bigger contract. That story (in Greek) is on http://www.superbasket.gr/?c=139&a=127698

I haven’t been able to find Sofo’s comments about his experience at the SL, they haven’t circulated in the Greek media, and I’m curious to know where Ming got them from. Source, please?

by teregosa on Jul 22, 2010 3:41 AM PDT reply actions

Interesting

Thank you. The Clippers can at least come close to matching that contract, if they decide to. On the other hand, if indeed the Clippers already offered 3/$6M, it’s already in the ballpark (though still less, because of the gross/net issue). The signing of Craig Smith here seems like an indication that they won’t sign Sofo, but the truth is they still need a third center.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 22, 2010 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions

But is Sofo really a center?

He has the speed and strength of the traditional centers, but everytime I watch Sofo, his height seems to come a tad bit short to play the 5. He reminds me of a Charles Barkeley who was a PF who used his body to grab rebounds, but that can only get him so far sometimes until he bumps into players who are taller and with longer wingspan (Kendrick Perkins and dare say DJ Mbenga.) Of course its kind of weird that I’m saying that when he’s only a third center, but it seems like we already have an undersized 4 in Smith, so to have Smith and Sofo seems a bit redundant to me.

by JackduhSun on Jul 22, 2010 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Here’s the link that somebody else posted in Ming’s fanpost.

http://www.sport.gr/default.asp?pid=4&aid=69676

Ming didn’t source it.

by Michael White on Jul 22, 2010 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions

I think I had that one...

In my front page post.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 22, 2010 8:21 AM PDT up reply actions

News from Greece

Thank you Steve and Michael.

A few minutes ago another article was posted on a Greek website about Sofo.

It basically says that Panathinaikos are delaying signing Sofo, looking at other options first.

Other interesting points: it seems Dwane Casey, when he was still in contention for coach, had indicated to Sofo’s agent that he wanted to bring Sofo to the Clippers. But VDN’s knowledge of Sofo comes only from what he saw him play in the SL. Purportedly, he wasn’t impressed and told the Clippers that if they signed Sofo he’d be sitting deep in the bench and that his contract should reflect that place on the team.

Most interestingly, the article says that Sofo’s previous contract (with Olympiacos) was for 0.6M Euros per year (net) or aprox. $0.77M.

That post (again: in Greek) is here

by teregosa on Jul 22, 2010 9:19 AM PDT reply actions

Yikes

Coaches don't matter. - Bill Simmons, The Book of Basketball

by John R on Jul 22, 2010 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions

I kind of agree w/ VDN

You have to earn playing time, Sofo time at SL was pretty awful and his place may be at the end of the bench eating his sorrows.

I don’t know how much playing time Sofo would have gotten, he was a fouling machine in SL.

by Qlippers on Jul 22, 2010 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions

He looked more Greek Curry than Greek Shaq in Summer League...

by banandy on Jul 22, 2010 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions

You're kidding, right?

Four summer league games versus a seven year career of top European competition and in International play? What a joke.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 22, 2010 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions

I was about to say the samething

SL is no clear indication of Sofo’s skills. It is unfortunate that is what VDN has seen, but I don’t blame him. VDN has been in the FO before his HC position, but I doubt he touched looking too much into other teams (at the time) assets overseas. Plus it falls in-line with his player-coach mentality. He seems more of a action by seeing kind of guy than a researcher.

Interest that Greek media is able to get more insight about what the VDN and Casey had to say about Sofo before us.

If VDN’s statement is true, but Olshey still wants to sign Sofo…then Olshey should challenge VDN to develop Sofo’s career in the NBA, much like he will be challenged to develop the young’ns

by KidJustin on Jul 22, 2010 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions

If VDN was consulted about regarding Sofo, doesn't it follow that he had input on Rhino as well?

As in, it probably wasn’t ‘yea or nay’ so much as it was ‘Rhino or Sofo’…VDN chose Rhino.

by banandy on Jul 22, 2010 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions

It was probably Sofo or Rhino before a coach was chosen

Coaches don't matter. - Bill Simmons, The Book of Basketball

by John R on Jul 22, 2010 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks again

That’s an interesting (and pretty sobering) story.

I also like the transliteration from the Greek alphabet of Dwane Casey (Ntoyein Keisi) and Vinny Del Negro (Bini Ntel Negkro)… least that’s what Yahoo! gave me.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 22, 2010 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions

If VDN statement is true

Then I hope Clips don’t sign him because to me it will mean coach is in charge of who plays and not Sterling or FO. Hire the right guy and let him do it his way, sink or swim.

by laknights on Jul 22, 2010 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions

+1

would be good that the coach is going to get players he wants not players that the FO likes.

"baron doesn’t need electricity, he generates power from the BEARD"
Worlock

by bestclipfan on Jul 22, 2010 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Unless you consider the fact that the coach has near zero reason to be concerned with the long term

Coaches don't matter. - Bill Simmons, The Book of Basketball

by John R on Jul 22, 2010 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions

That would be an opinion, not a fact, and an inaccurate one at that

"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

by Jax on Jul 22, 2010 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions

That is a very good point

"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

by Jax on Jul 22, 2010 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm a little miffed at why VDN doesn't know Sofo at all

I mean, the Clippers drafted Sofo like 7-8 years ago and at least should be tracking him or at least have his stats to some degree, or maybe a scouting report or two.

I suppose that VDN would have access to these sort of information when the Clippers brought Sofo over for the summer league. Or at least be briefed about it, like “here’s some stuff we have on Sofo, see if it’s any use for you” kind of thing.

it may be VDN deciding it’s better off to see him play in-game, and eventually decided he’s not worth signing this year based on what he saw.

Hopefully Sofo’s pending contract will get him some flexibility to join our team in the next few summers. If not, I suppose we can swap his rights for a draft pick or an existing player as a package?

by penguin35 on Jul 22, 2010 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Maybe he just doesn't play the right way...

by banandy on Jul 22, 2010 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions

im a'lil dissapointed too i wanted to see the fat dude play

i could see him as a cool big 6th man taking care of the paint no?. i was starting to like the guy too, even though hes sucked in the SL. big fat center are cool!

by mujicas_clippers on Jul 22, 2010 10:46 AM PDT reply actions

It makes me nuts

That there were no minutes for Jordan and Sofo together on the court. I would have liked to see how other teams would have handled it. And it would have given Sofo more minutes.

But it fits with the VDN theory, that he had no idea about the guy. They played him as a backup center, and he wasn’t very good, end of story. In the meantime, DJordan got a zillion more minutes and got better and settled down as the games went on.

Let’s see what happens with this. The only real story we knew was that Sofo was going back, and this article, which turns out to be false, was timed with that. In the meantime the TMac situation is evolving.

by citizen zhiv on Jul 22, 2010 11:33 AM PDT reply actions

is sofo more suited for the nba than craig smith?

can he excel higher than smith? is he a good fit for our team?

ultimately, i tend to side with rhino as far as fitting with the clips, so i dont mind saying sayonara to big sofo.

by shap on Jul 22, 2010 3:39 PM PDT reply actions

We should have signed Sofo!

$3.5 Mill is fairly cheap. Heck, we paid $1.25 Mill for Cook. Has Cook EVER been double teamed once in his NBA career?

Name one Clipper that was double teamed in Summer League.

Sofo AT LEAST makes this Clipper team interesting. Aside from Griffin, who else makes the team interesting? Aminu and Bledsoe may be somewhat interesting given their upside, but that’s about it.

Nope, this Clipper team will probably be both bad, or mediocre at best, AND boring.

Can’t wait for another boring, dismal season appears in store.

How many days now have gone by and yet NO DETAILS ON THE BLEDSOE TRADE.

It’s now Grifien or bust. Hey Blake, how’s the knee?

by Jerdog on Jul 22, 2010 8:06 PM PDT reply actions

It's frustrating

All that cap space and hope this summer and there was no room for Big Sofo. Unbelievable. He can definitely be valuable for the Clips, yet somehow there is not enough room suddenly. He’s a talented guy and has proven to be valuable in Europe.

Who knows if Big Sofo is truthful or not regarding the whole missed meeting incident. Nonetheless, the options this offseason are quickly running out. I’m not sure what Neil Olshey intends to do with TMAC.

This is going to be my team, and we're going to rise together.
-Clipper Darrell

by oasisman on Jul 22, 2010 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions

First Sofo’s contract offer in Panathinaikos was 3 years $10.5 million GROSS, not net. I converted into gross for you. Since American NBA fans are generally incapable of ever grasping how contracts in Europe work. It’s actually much more than that because the club also pays your bills, for your house, your car, etc.

4.1 million euros net income. The club pays the taxes and the agent fees and the taxes on the agent fees. It comes to $10.5 million gross (as an NBA contract would be counted).

Second, Sofo did NOT make 600k euros net in Olympiacos in his old contract. He made 800k euros net. It equals to $1.14 million per season how an NBA contract would be listed. Again though, it’s really more than that because the club also pays for your house, your car, and your bills.

As far as his signing to PAO (Panathinaikos) goes, every media in Greece said he had agreed with them and was their player. What happened in the meantime was……..

while he was traveling to Greece he decided to go directly to where the Greek national team is holding their training, instead of going directly to sign with PAO. He was going to that after he reported to the national team’s training camp.

That was a huge mistake. While he was doing that the manager of Aleks Maric (he played in the NCAA with Nebraska so you should know him) heard about that he was signing with PAO and immediately jumped in and lowered his salary demands to PAO.

All along the first target for PAO in the center this off season was Maric. They wanted him after Nikola Pekovic left them and signed with the Wolves. The problem was that Maric’s team Partizan wanted a huge buyout at 800k to 1 million euros cash.

So Panathinaikos decided that was too much money to pay, plus his large salary demands so they instead chose to get Sofo. But Maric’s manager jumped in and told Partizan it was their last chance to get a good buyout for Maric and they and the player and agent lowered their demands. The only other real offers they had for buyouts were from Fenerbache and Olympiacos but they were not near what they wanted.

So when the club and the player and agent lowered their buyout demands PAO accepted and immediately secured the Australian center. Now they only have to work out a contract with him and it will be official. But it’s done because the buyout was secured.

That meant that Sofo was no longer needed. He blew his chance with PAO because they don’t need him now. So basically his taking his time to get to the PAO owners offices at Vianex cost him the contract because basically Maric’s manager was working the phones while Sofo was still on the plane back to Greece even. As soon as those reports broke that he agreed with PAO.

The reason PAO now has no need for Sofo is because they will have Maric, who was the Alll Euroleague First Team center last year, Mike Batiste (played in the NBA with the Grizzlies so you should know him) who was the Greek League MVP this last season already at center. They can both be considered top 5 centers in Europe by most people.

Even they would not need Sofo as a third string center because they also now have Ian Vougioukas (you should also know him because he played NCAA at St. Louis). While Sofo was in the NBA Summer League and acting like he was joinging the Clippers, and Dimitrios Mavroeidis, another top Greek center free agent signed with Bilbao Basket in Spain…….then Nikola Pekovic left PAO for the NBA…..it made it seem like PAO needed another center right away.

So they signed Vougioukas during this time. Vougioukas is himself the second best Greek center there is after Ioannis Bourousis. So that means that Sofo would essentially be the 4th center in PAO and they don’t need him now.

Then his situation with Olympiacos. BTW, it’s actually spelled Olympiacos in English and that is the official English name. ESPN does not realize that the K is actually a C in Latin. But it’s ESPN so no surprise there.

Anyways, the new coach of Olympiacos Ivkovic supposedly is open to bringing Sofo back (and he has said to have asked Olympiacos for 1.2 million euros net = 3.1 million gross NBA contract)………

But he is not the priority for the new coach and he has other players he would like to sign at the 4/5 position forst. Also, basically every report says that the owners of Olympiacos, the Angelopoulos brothers, don’t want him back and have told the club managers and coach that. They don’t want him anymore.

So………….I will you some inside info,

Sofo’s manager offered him to the Spanish League/Euroleague clubs Baskonia (Tiago Splitter’s old team) and Malaga, and tothe United League/Euroleague team CSKA. But from what I understand none of them are interested in signing him.

However, the Spanish League/Euroleague team Valencia is from what I understand possibly interested in singing him. However the money is not what he wants and he might also end up being the third string center if he signed with them. Because they already have Robertas Javtokas (Spurs draft pick) and Sergei Lishouk (Rockets draft rights) signed there as centers. He might be 2nd or 3rd center there. So the money and PT does not fit with them.

So basically at this time he has no clubs in Europe that will pay him what he wants, give him the PT he wants, etc. So he’s screwed now.

His options for the moment are either sign with Valencia for less money than he wants and fight Javtokas for PT or reconsider the Clippers, or another NBA team if the Clippers coach will not take him.

His agent and him are now considering asking the Clippers for a trade because it seems that the Clippers coach wants nothing to do with him, even thought the Clippers GM apparently wanst him. They could consider taking a non-guaranteed training camp invite to the Clippers but they don’t want to. Because the Clips coach has inplied that he won’t play him if he is signed.

So they are reconsidering the NBA option now and seeing if the Clippers would do a trade.

Also, BTW David Andersen was drafted in 2002 and did not play in the NBA until 2009. You forgot about him.

Oh and about Vassilis Spanoulis……….it’s well known that Jeff Van Gundy hates European players with an extreme passion and won’t play them. Mirsad Turkcan, Fabricio Oberto (count him as European because he’s Italian and played for years in Euroleague – at least to Van Gundy he’s “a Euro”), Frederick Weiss, and Spanoulis all said in European media that Van Gundy treated them awful when he was their coach.

They all basically said the guy was a racist and a xenophobe and that he basically tyold them the FIRST DAY of training camp that since they were from the Euroleague they would never play as long as he was the coach, period. Van Gundy has an extremely, I mean extremely bad rep in Europe. That’s what happened to Spanoulis.

The guy is the first or second best player in Europe along with Ramunas Siskauskas. He’s much better than most NBA players are. He could easily start in the NBA and be an all star. So you can’t really compare him to Sofo. Sofo is a 10 minute per game, third string center on a big European club. But yeah, NBA coaches can be really xenophobic. Sofo clearly has the talent to play in the NBA. He’s just limited to playing 10 minutes or so because of stamina and foul trouble. But he can wreck in thsoe 10 minutes, and can do so in the NBA also with no problem. The Clippers clearly had no clue how to use him in the Summer League.

With a compitent coach, point guard, and structured offensive system Sofo would be extremely hard to stop in the low post in the NBA. The basic straget would have to be to foul him, because he can’t shoot free throws, which is a major weakness of his.

As far as the stuff about Sofo being upset because the Clippers stood him and his manager up…….the Clippers might be denying that, but I can assure you that sources close to the player and his manager say it most definitely did happen. The way I understand is that it was the Clips cvoach that caused it. He basically told the Clips managers that they better sign Craig Smith and send Sofo home or he was going to throw a big fit. So if the Clips are denying it, they are most likely lying. Still, it’s very unprofessional how they handled it. They coudl ahve at least called Sofo and his agent.

Just think……..the day they waited in LA waiting for the Clips to show up at their scheduled meeting, that day probably cost him the PAO contract. Otherwise he would have left for Greece a day earlier, and he probably would have signed before Maric could have worked a buytout with Partizan and PAO. So yeah, he lost a lot of money there.

by Ming on Jul 23, 2010 3:35 AM PDT reply actions

wow

OK, thinking about all of this for awhile… Not much to say at this point.

Good call on David Andersen. I also thought of Zeljko Rebraca, who made his NBA debut at the age of 29. Of course, it didn’t work out very well for Rebraca, who was arguably the best player in Europe, and never more than a role player here. He was a terrific player, but had to retire when he hurt his back.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on Jul 23, 2010 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions