Summer league team forms, but Spanoulis stays absent

By JONATHAN FEIGEN (Houston Chronicle)
Updated: 2007-06-21 00:26

With the Rockets' summer league team taking shape, it might be more noteworthy for who is not on it than who is.

Guard Vassilis Spanoulis has refused to participate in the camp ¡ª prior to the tournament or in the initial games of the tournament ¡ª before fulfilling his commitment to the Greek national team.

Spanoulis played in just 31 games last season, his first of a three-year contract, and has not told the team if he would be willing to return next season. Spanoulis averaged 2.7 points in 8.8 minutes per game, making 31.9 percent of his shots and 17.2 percent of his 3 pointers.

The Rockets could demand that Spanoulis participate, but general manager Daryl Morey said the team would not take that step.

"We could force the issue," Morey said. "We're not ready to cause an international issue over summer league. We'd like him to be here. We've made that clear. We're not planning on that right now. We're trying to get him over here, even if it is for one or two games."

John Lucas III, last season's other rookie point guard, has committed to play in a third season of summer league, his second with the Rockets, along with Steve Novak and former Rice guard Mike Harris. Forward Lior Eliyahu, whom the Rockets took in last season's second round, is trying to work out details with the Israeli national team to play in Las Vegas with the Rockets, Morey said.

Former Oklahoma State forward Ivan McFarlin, who has played with the 76ers and Nuggets; former Texas Tech guard Andre Emmitt, who played briefly with the Grizzlies; and former University of Hawaii star Carl English are expected to play for the Rockets.

Center Loren Woods, who played for the Timberwolves, Raptors and Kings, was scheduled to play for the summer league team but is considering an offer to compete in Turkey.

The Rockets play the Clippers on July 10, the Mavericks on July 12, the Wizards on July 14, the Kings on July 14 and the Hornets on July 15.



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