Splitter To Play In SA?

We want to see this!!

via Mike Monroe, San Antonio Express News:

Barring injury, Tiago Splitter, the 7-foot Brazilian center who was the Spurs’ first-round draft pick in 2007 will be on the AT&T Center court competing in a Spurs preseason game on Oct. 16.

Whether he will be wearing Spurs silver and black or the visiting red uniform of Spanish League team Caja Laboral remains to be seen.

According to a joint announcement the NBA and Euroleague Basketball issued on Friday, Caja Laboral and CSKA Moscow are scheduled to play two preseason games apiece against NBA teams in the United States this fall.The Spurs made Splitter the 28th selection of the 2007 NBA draft despite his being under contract in the Spanish League. Now, Splitter has an opt-out clause in his contract with Caja Laboral that allows him to depart for the NBA.

He must exercise the clause by July 15 and the Spurs have entered into negotiations to try to bring him to San Antonio.

Spurs general manager R.C. Buford insists there is no connection between his attempts to sign Splitter and the fact the Spurs will host the preseason game against Caja Laboral.

Maybe not, but the notion of seeing a coveted draft pick playing in another team’s uniform on the Spurs’ home court ought to serve as added incentive for Buford to get a deal done with the prized big man.