Juan Carlos Navarro signs w/ BARCA..what it means for Ersan?

oshmeehan · Post #1 » by **oshmeehan** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:03 pm

Juan Carlos Navarro of the Grizzlies just signed a 4-year $20-$24 million deal with AXA FC Barcelona. For those that don't know, JCN played for Barca during the 2006/07 season and lead the Spanish ACB League in scoring at over 16 ppg. This is not just one of those rinky dink signings, this is a HUGE signing for Barca.

I am not sure how much money club teams over in Spain and Europe spend on contracts, but from a few months back it was my understanding that Barca is trying to shed a few contracts to save some money? If that's the case perhaps Ersan would not be back with Barca after this huge signing of JCN??

I think Ersan has a few options here:

#1 - Takes a somewhat reduced role on Barca with JCN being the obvious #1 option on the team. Ersan stays because now with the JCN signing Barca has a legit chance at winning the title in both ACB and Euroleague

#2 - Ersan signs with another team in Europe (if that is possible) for a bigger contract and to get more playing time

#3 - Ersan decides to come back to the Bucks, despite the probability of him perhaps getting around the same playing time he did with the Bucks in 2006/07.

#4 - Ersan decides to come back to the NBA and signs a contract offer with another team that he could get more PT on than the Bucks and the Bucks decide not to match the offer. While I'm sure most NBA teams know of Ersan, he could garner some exposure and interest from some teams when Turkey plays the US Team in China at the end of July.

I don't think we will know much until after the Draft and once free agent signings can take place. Ersan's status would depend on what both Barcelona continues to do with free agency and what the Bucks end up doing early this summer as well.

old skool · Post #2 » by **old skool** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:21 pm

As long as the Bucks have NBA free agent refusal rights for Ilyasova, they will be a player in any move he makes. I can't imagine that Ilyasova would sign with any European team without checking with the Bucks as to their interest. In addition, in order to retain his NBA free agent rights of first refusal - the option of matching any contract offer sheet he might sign with an NBA team - they have to continue to make him an offer. I believe they need to make him an offer every year.

oLd sKool

fam3381 · Post #3 » by **fam3381** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:30 pm

JCN's a combo guard and Ersan mainly plays PF, so this shouldn't impact how much Ersan plays. Barca is really replacing Lakovic (I think that's his name), who's a serious chucker as is. Alex Acker could be gone too, I don't know.

Moreover, from the couple games I saw Barca never really ran plays for Ersan anyway. He mainly just was an opportunistic scorer who spotted up for threes, crashed the boards and got out on the break.

Barca had a very nice run at the end of the season and qualified for the Euroleague, so I would have to think that given Ersan's dramatic improvement at the end of the season they will want to hang onto him and give him major minutes. It's probably the best option for him as well.

Hammond was asked about Ersan at the tailgate and basically said that they're very glad to have his rights but in all likelihood they'd prefer him to get one more year of seasoning. I suppose if we come out of the draft and free agency with major needs at the forward positions there's a chance we could try to bring him back this year, but if we get a guy like Alexander (who is similar in terms of positional tendency) then that also raises questions about Ersan's long-term fit with the Bucks.

Redbeardwirc0830 · Post #4 » by **Redbeardwirc0830** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:31 pm

my only worry is that hammond has no idead who ersan is or what his potential is like.

i really hope he ends up back with the bucks...he could be a great piece to our core

oshmeehan · Post #5 » by **oshmeehan** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:46 pm

fam3381 wrote:JCN's a combo guard and Ersan mainly plays PF, so this shouldn't impact how much Ersan plays. Barca is really replacing Lakovic (I think that's his name), who's a serious chucker as is. Alex Acker could be gone too, I don't know.

Moreover, from the couple games I saw Barca never really ran plays for Ersan anyway. He mainly just was an opportunistic scorer who spotted up for threes, crashed the boards and got out on the break.

Barca had a very nice run at the end of the season and qualified for the Euroleague, so I would have to think that given Ersan's dramatic improvement at the end of the season they will want to hang onto him and give him major minutes. It's probably the best option for him as well.

Hammond was asked about Ersan at the tailgate and basically said that they're very glad to have his rights but in all likelihood they'd prefer him to get one more year of seasoning. I suppose if we come out of the draft and free agency with major needs at the forward positions there's a chance we could try to bring him back this year, but if we get a guy like Alexander (who is similar in terms of positional tendency) then that also raises questions about Ersan's long-term fit with the Bucks.

It actually looks like Barca has signed or made an offer Roko Ukic (who I believe the Raptors have the rights to) whom is a 6'5" PG. It also appears that these following players are under contract now with Barca

Fran Vázquez
Jaka Lakovic
Mario Kasun
Roger Grimau
Jordi Trias

So not sure if Lakovic is going to be replaced by JCN, unless they buy him out or something?

This is a list of players still 'unsigned' by Barca

A. Acker
A. Moncasi
E. Ilyasova
G. Basile
G. Neal
P. Sánchez

Acker, Basile, Neal, and Sanchez are all guards. I would think Neal for sure won't be back and I heard that Pepe Sanchez probably wouldn't be back either. Acker is in the exact same position Ersan is as far as the Pistons still owning his rights and being able to make him an offer.

Here is a list of other players Barca is interested in:

T. McIntyre
R. Kaukenas
S. Jasikevicius
V. Sada
M. Huertas
D. Lavrinovic
L. Barton
M. Gasol
R. Rubio

LISTEN2JAZZ · Post #6 » by **LISTEN2JAZZ** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:54 pm

Redbeardwirc0830 wrote:my only worry is that hammond has no idead who ersan is or what his potential is like.

I'm sure you have a much better idea than he does; you should send him an email and bring him up to speed.

NeedsMoreCheese · Post #7 » by **NeedsMoreCheese** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:22 pm

Redbeardwirc0830 wrote:my only worry is that hammond has no idead who ersan is or what his potential is like.

i really hope he ends up back with the bucks...he could be a great piece to our core

oshmeehan wrote:
Acker, Basile, Neal, and Sanchez are all guards. I would think Neal for sure won't be back and I heard that Pepe Sanchez probably wouldn't be back either. Acker is in the exact same position Ersan is as far as the Pistons still owning his rights and being able to make him an offer.

Its not like Hammond wouldnt know who Ersan is anyways, but just another good indicator that he does is that Ersan was playing with Acker last year is what it sounds like, so im sure he noticed him.

As for the bolded part osh wrote, thats not entirely correct. Ersan could sign a contract offer from any other team, but the bucks have the right to match it since hes a restricted FA. Acker however is exclusive to the Pistons seeing as they have his draft rights, so he cant even get any offer from another team.

(Im talking about NBA teams obviously, of course either guy could sign in europe wherever they want as far as i know)

oshmeehan · Post #8 » by **oshmeehan** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:44 pm

Kohl Is A Mome wrote:
Redbeardwirc0830 wrote:my only worry is that hammond has no idead who ersan is or what his potential is like.

i really hope he ends up back with the bucks...he could be a great piece to our core

oshmeehan wrote:
Acker, Basile, Neal, and Sanchez are all guards. I would think Neal for sure won't be back and I heard that Pepe Sanchez probably wouldn't be back either. Acker is in the exact same position Ersan is as far as the Pistons still owning his rights and being able to make him an offer.

Its not like Hammond wouldnt know who Ersan is anyways, but just another good indicator that he does is that Ersan was playing with Acker last year is what it sounds like, so im sure he noticed him.

As for the bolded part osh wrote, thats not entirely correct. Ersan could sign a contract offer from any other team, but the bucks have the right to match it since hes a restricted FA. Acker however is exclusive to the Pistons seeing as they have his draft rights, so he cant even get any offer from another team.

(Im talking about NBA teams obviously, of course either guy could sign in europe wherever they want as far as i know)

Acker actually played some regular season games in 05/06 with the Pistons and according to the ESPN free agent list is a Restricted Free Agent for the Pistons because the Pistons signed him to a qualifying offer, as the Bucks did with Ersan. So its not really the draft rights that the Pistons have for Acker as he has already played for them

NeedsMoreCheese · Post #9 » by **NeedsMoreCheese** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:27 pm

oshmeehan wrote:
Kohl Is A Mome wrote:
Redbeardwirc0830 wrote:my only worry is that hammond has no idead who ersan is or what his potential is like.

i really hope he ends up back with the bucks...he could be a great piece to our core

oshmeehan wrote:
Acker, Basile, Neal, and Sanchez are all guards. I would think Neal for sure won't be back and I heard that Pepe Sanchez probably wouldn't be back either. Acker is in the exact same position Ersan is as far as the Pistons still owning his rights and being able to make him an offer.

Its not like Hammond wouldnt know who Ersan is anyways, but just another good indicator that he does is that Ersan was playing with Acker last year is what it sounds like, so im sure he noticed him.

As for the bolded part osh wrote, thats not entirely correct. Ersan could sign a contract offer from any other team, but the bucks have the right to match it since hes a restricted FA. Acker however is exclusive to the Pistons seeing as they have his draft rights, so he cant even get any offer from another team.

(Im talking about NBA teams obviously, of course either guy could sign in europe wherever they want as far as i know)

Acker actually played some regular season games in 05/06 with the Pistons and according to the ESPN free agent list is a Restricted Free Agent for the Pistons because the Pistons signed him to a qualifying offer, as the Bucks did with Ersan. So its not really the draft rights that the Pistons have for Acker as he has already played for them

Ah, my bad. I dont know who i was thinking of. Sorry about that.

NeedsMoreCheese · Post #10 » by **NeedsMoreCheese** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:45 pm

I looked through some stuff and I think i figured out who i was thinking of, Rickey Paulding. Of course his rights arent held by the pistons anymore but he was a guy they drafted in the second round that went over to Europe for his first season. (He then played in the summer league but wasnt going to make the team so he got released and tried out for the Kings but didnt make it there either)

BadWolf · Post #11 » by **BadWolf** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:44 am

Lakovic was the best player for Barca last year, why would they replace him? JCN plays offguard, sometimes in a Ginobili type 6th man role. Ersan had a pretty lousy season for Barca, at least in Eurolegaue, terrible shooting, he's got potential sure, but he's got to earn his minutes at PF/Sf spot first. I doubt JCN and Ukic signing have an impact on Ersan's minutes, they'll replace Acker and Basile.