Derick E. Hingle – USA Today Sports Images
Tiago Splitter’s most memorable moment for the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals is one he’d probably like to forget. That moment would be in game 2 when he tried to throw down a one-handed jam and was vehemently denied by the Miami Heat’s LeBron James right at the rim.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that Splitter was a very valuable piece for San Antonio last season as a big body that helps clog the lane on defense and finish open looks at the rim. The Spurs apparently agreed with that assessment as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Spurs reached an agreement to extend Splitter to a four-year, $36 million contract.
Splitter was set to become a restricted free agent this summer and the Portland Trail Blazers had serious interest in Splitter according to Wojnarowski’s report. Splitter and his representatives felt that it was best for the Brazilian center to stay put in San Antonio. They couldn’t be more right about that.
Last season with the Spurs, Splitter averaged 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game on 56 percent shooting in 24.7 minutes per game. He did that with a very limited set of post-moves, not a great amount of athleticism, and with a pair of hands that many people would compare to blocks of stone.
The thing about Splitter is that he’s not the most talented player in the league, but his skill-set is undoubtedly maximized by playing in San Antonio. The penetration ability of Tony Parker, the talent of Tim Duncan and the shooters the Spurs have on the wing really allow Splitter’s potential to shine.
Had Splitter signed elsewhere, those things obviously wouldn’t have been around him and Splitter likely would have struggled and people would have joked that whichever team that signed him was wasting money. Now, though, he will likely continue to be a valuable role player for the Spurs, which is the best thing for him.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google+ and like his Facebook page.
