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If you've been keeping track of NBA Free Agency this off-season you've noticed that there's been a crazy demand for bigmen. It's been more than just a hunt for LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan, and others like Marc Gasol. Almost every good bigman has been spoken for, and gotten a raise. Eyebrows are getting raised also with some of the contracts. But that's what GMs do every year, which leads to future lockouts. But we're not here to talk about that. We're hear to talk about something the Utah Jazz have just done, in this bumper free agent bigman crop -- they are reported to be signing German bigman, and Ante Tomic teammate at FC Barca, Tibor Pleiss. Pleiss is huge, 7'2 or 7'3 depending on sources, and while he isn't as talented as Ante (and few bigmen are), he has a few things going for him. The first is that he wants to play in the NBA. The second is that Barca seems to have cut ties with him. So he's ready to join the team. If you're looking for something else to be happy about, he's made it to Utah -- which is much more than many of our previous international assets.
Jose Ignacio Huguet or Mundo Deportivo reports that the Jazz are going to pay FC Barca $625,000 to transfer him to the NBA -- which is fewer than they are paying their non-guaranteed guys Bryce Cotton, Elijah Millsap, Chris Johnson, and Jack Cooley. (It's also fewer than what second year, second round draft pick Grant Jerrett will earn.) That doesn't even include what salary he will earn with the team.
Tibor Pleiss rompe su contrato con e @FCBbasket para firmar por los Utah Jazz http://t.co/MfX6NrOVzN pic.twitter.com/sqh7XDuFDc
— Jose Ignacio Huguet (@josehuguet) July 9, 2015
Google Translate spits this out, but you can read the original over here:
Barca could have better not come close: not only will not have to stay Tibor Pleiss or take part of their record next season in another European team but also receive $ 625,000 in respect of the transfer. That is the amount you can spend NBA teams to buy the freedom of a player out of the league, which is precisely what, according to sources close to the player, have decided to make the Utah Jazz to release Pleiss the year contract left to him in the Palau. The franchise in Salt Lake City has the rights to the German NBA player, who was elected in the second round (31st position) of the 2010 draft by the Nets. Since then their rights have changed hands several times (Atlanta, Oklahoma) before joining Utah Jazz.
Barca had decided entirely Pleiss progress, which was never fit the schemes Xavi Pascua l. Throughout the season we studied its possible transfer to another computer but none was willing to take the high profile that the German has in the Catalan club. Bayern Munich Svetislav Pesic loved him but was only willing to contribute a smaller share of their record, which caused the player to stay in Palau. In recent days there had arisen the rumor of a possible interest from CSKA Moscow, but the own Joan Creus said this morning after the draw for the groups of the Euroleague that "in the Jazz are very happy with Pleiss and I think that points to the NBA ".
The exit to the NBA was the ideal for Pleiss, who has never hidden that play in the American League is his dream, and for the club, which could well rid of him and his high profile. In the end the Jazz have allowed all end up happy. Curiously, the first objective of the team from Salt Lake City was also Barca Ante Tomic, who is also the NBA rights, the renewal of the Croatian for the club led the Jazz girasen his eyes to Pleiss.
Pleiss led from the 27th of June in Salt Lake City to assess US franchise with its possible jump to the NBA. During this time the German power forward 25 years and 2.18 has been training with personnel Jazz, who have finally given the OK to joining. In American franchise they have particularly appreciated his shooting range and scale.
Pleiss output Barca towards the NBA could be confirmed in the coming hours, and the signing of the new contract from the German. Sources close to the American team speak of a multiyear contract, but has not transcended its economic value.
In the Jazz inside Pleiss share the limelight with other European, French Rudy Gobert, elevated to the status of a holder after last season. The German arrives to become the main relay in the position of 'Five'.
- Google Translate's massacre of Jose Ignacio Huguet, Mundo Deportivo, 2015
Sources I've talked to in Europe do not think Tibor has a very high ceiling.He is 25 years old already, and has been a professional basketball player for nine years already. Sure, he'll be joining the Utah Jazz as a rookie. However, it's not like the Joe Ingles situation where he was already a good player who was good at the game. Pleiss has potential as a defender due to his size, and can become a solid shooter from 20 feet. But he's not Mehmet Okur now. And he'll never be Kristaps Porzingis. What he could be, if this report is true, is a Utah Jazz bigman.
He would join a crowded frontcourt that features Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. Both should command at least 30 minutes each next season. Behind them the Jazz have Trevor Booker, rookie Trey Lyles, and Grant Jerrett all under contract. Jack Cooley, on a non-guaranteed contract, has shown his worth. But it's hard to imagine that Tibor Pleiss isn't going to be better than him, right? After all, while Cooley is an undersized power forward playing center, Tibor is an oversized center playing center. There has to be some affinity there.
Getting Tibor over gives the Jazz a much quicker return on the Enes Kanter / Steve Novak trade than I ever expected. The first rounder may become two second rounders. Grant Jerrett may never make a good team's rotation. And Kendrick Perkins was a salary dump. But Tibor could be one of the best Jazz back-up centers in history.
In a free agency class that has come and gone in a blur, Tibor is likely to be the best available bigman left. And for the Jazz, this would be the right move as it fills the greatest need for the team right now -- a bench center. This allows for someone like Gobert to be able to actually rest at certain points of the game. Also, yeah, we have players from Australia, Canada, France, and Germany on the team, and hopefully a Brazilian soon!