Spanoulis leaving Rockets

Vassilis Spanoulis (photo: Getty Images)

05-07-2007 10:19 | Irina Stefanova

After one largely disappointing season with the Rockets, guard Vassilis Spanoulis said there will not be another.
Spanoulis said Wednesday that he and his agent have told the Rockets many times he will not leave Greece for a second season in the NBA, or to play for another team in Europe.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on Tuesday that the Rockets still want Spanoulis back for next season and have no plans of releasing him from his three-year contract. Spanoulis cannot sign with any FIBA team, which includes the teams in the Greek league, unless released by the Rockets.

"It′s something very personal," Spanoulis said. "It′s family problems.

"I′m not disappointed. In life, you never know how things are coming. Some things you expect when you sign a contract, you go there, something happens, and your decision has to change. When we are so far away from home, the culture and life and all these things are different. It′s very difficult to know what will happen.

"I want to stay in my country. My hope is to play for one team in my country."
Spanoulis played in 31 games last season, averaging 2.7 points in 8.8 minutes per game. He made 31.9 percent of his shot, 17.2 percent of his 3-pointers.Spanoulis′ agent, Miodrag Raznatovic, said he and Spanoulis have told the Rockets 10 times since the end of the season that Spanoulis will never return to play for the Rockets and that nothing would change his mind.Raznatovic said Spanoulis, who earned $1.8 million as a rookie last season, would repay the $350,000 buyout the Rockets paid Panathinaikos last season out of his next contract.The Rockets have repeatedly called to try to convince Spanoulis to return, with Morey, Rick Adelman and Yao Ming each calling. But Spanoulis said his decision is not about basketball."From the basketball side, I had a very tough season with Jeff. That year was 5, 10 percent what I had in my mind. Now this is past. I respect all the people there. I respect the new coach, Rick Adelman. I respect him as a person and as a coach, and the new GM and the people of Houston. But to me, I cannot come back."