Spurs officials have yet to receive a formal request from new acquisition Vassilis Spanoulis, who was acquired Thursday from Houston, but they're expected to grant his release provided he gives up the $1.9 million he's due this season in the last guaranteed year of the contract. Because their payroll is over the league's luxury-tax threshold, the Spurs would save around $4 million if Spanoulis doesn't play for them.

"He loves (the) Spurs, but he desperately wants to stay in Europe," Spanoulis' agent, Miodrag Raznatovic, wrote in an e-mail. "If somebody does not want to play for such a great team, coach and organization as S.A. is, it's probably clear that he really must stay in Europe. We hope that S.A. will respect his wish."