According to Euro-step.net, the San Antonio Spurs will sign Australian center Aron Baynes to a multiyear deal.
Baynes, who was playing for Slovenia team Union Olimpija, is a 260 lbs., 7-0 center and played at Washington State during college (2005-2009).
While with Olimpija, he averaged 13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and shot 58% from the field in 26.2 minutes per game in the Euroleague. He also will bring defense to the team at the center spot as he currently ranks sixth in the league in rebounds and fourth in blocks per game.
Baynes has also played overseas in Lithuania (Lietuvos Rytas) , Germany (Oldenburg), and Greece (Ikaros Kallitheas B.C.) while also playing alongside Spurs’ point guard Patty Mills on the Australian National team since 2010. Having fellow countryman Mills on the team will definitely help ease his transition into the NBA.
In addition, Spurs’ assistant Brett Brown was also the Australian national team coach so he will also help Baynes transition and development into the NBA and he should be familiar with the Spurs' system considering Brown employed it while the Australian coach.
Baynes is pretty athletic as well. For a center, he have explosiveness and can get to the rim.
http://www.youtube.com/v/JjufElnd6_U?hl=en_US&version=3
It will be interesting to see how he transitions into the Spurs but if he does, chalk up yet another steal from overseas by the Spurs. Not to mention, if Baynes does pan out, the Spurs will have finally addressed adding more size to the roster.
It is also reported, the Spurs will give $400,000 as part of his buy out from Union Olimpija.
But what does this mean for other bigs on the roster such as DeJuan Blair or Boris Diaw?
What do you have to say Spurs fans?
