Ramifications of the James Anderson Decision

[ChumpDumper]

Anderson was, what, a 57th overall pick?

Um, no.

[elemento]

Have you guys seen this ?

It looks like they tried to trade him but nobody was interested

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/buckhar...d-on-anderson/

[z0sa]

I'm disappointed about this turn of events. JA has high potential and I'm confident he belongs in this league. However, the glutton of players at the wings, and his own lack of production, has really hurt him. Opportunity knocked, he did not answer.

Best of luck to JA whatever happens. Seems like a great guy and a hard worker, just couldn't get into a groove when he needed to. Additionally, I really would like to know (form him personally) whether the injury has bothered his play in the least.

[MaNu4Tres]

What if Duncan signs for say DROB money (2 years 20 mil) and the Spurs amnesty RJ. Does that give them max money to offer in FA during the off-season?

No it does not.

And you should be worried. With Duncan in father time, and with a poor free agent class (outside of the Williams, Howard, CP3), expect the Spurs to only be candidates for mid-tier level free agents. Spurs more than likely will have to over-pay for mid-tier value (IE: another R.J or Rasho scenario), because of these reasons: 1) SA is no longer a title contender in the view of F.A's. 2) They no longer have a superstar that attracts F.A's. 3) San Antonio is well.. San Antonio; A small market.

Spurs will be better off trading for a reasonable unwanted salary with a year left remaining on the contract, as long as a 1st round pick is attached to the deal (such a deal IE: Player A with 1 year 4 million remaining +1st rounder to Spurs for a 2nd rounder). Given the Spurs situation, and the realistic side of things; that may be the best way to stockpile draft picks and rebuild. I hope Spurs don't use that cap-space to lock in another Rasho type situation for another 4 years.

[SenorSpur]

I would rather have Mahinmi than Blair or Bonner, no question.

No question.

[mountainballer]

I also thought it's a no brainer ti pick his option, but on the other hand, I can see quite a few reasons why they didn't.

first off, everyone can see the obvious. even with Manu (and TJ) out, Anderson can't see the floor. Green looks like the player people expected JA to be. end of story. sure, you can keep the young player and that way as well keep the chance alive, that this player pans out later. however, with limited spots and limited money and cap space it's about balance pros and cons.

and they likely said: let's use the spot and the 1.5 million on a player, who plays a position of more need. SG isn't, at least not for this and the next season.
(btw. don't you think they say: let's invest the spot and about the amount of money on De Colo next season? or on Lorbek?)

another point: without the picked option JA will be easier to trade (what will happen soon), if they don't find a taker who offers something in return, they will find a team with a TE that takes him, if the Spurs add the salary. this move will be about reducing tax. it's a pretty simple arithmetic problem.
if a team is somehow interested in JA, they will still prefer him without the additional year. they get a look and he is on an expiring contract, but as far as I can say, they will have early bird rights. even if JA shows decent play there, he won't command more than the MLE. the team that get's JA could resign him without cutting into an exception. some teams might see it like this.

however, I can live with the decision.
and if Spurs had picked his option and they lose on an intriguing FA (because the option takes away more than 6 million from a possible contract offer for a FA) in 2012, I can guarrantee the same people who bash the FO this time for give up on JA would be the first to bash the FO for holding him.

[Maddog]

I also thought it's a no brainer ti pick his option, but on the other hand, I can see quite a few reasons why they didn't.

first off, everyone can see the obvious. even with Manu (and TJ) out, Anderson can't see the floor. Green looks like the player people expected JA to be. end of story. sure, you can keep the young player and that way as well keep the chance alive, that this player pans out later. however, with limited spots and limited money and cap space it's about balance pros and cons.

and they likely said: let's use the spot and the 1.5 million on a player, who plays a position of more need. SG isn't, at least not for this and the next season.
(btw. don't you think they say: let's invest the spot and about the amount of money on De Colo next season? or on Lorbek?)

another point: without the picked option JA will be easier to trade (what will happen soon), if they don't find a taker who offers something in return, they will find a team with a TE that takes him, if the Spurs add the salary. this move will be about reducing tax. it's a pretty simple arithmetic problem.
if a team is somehow interested in JA, they will still prefer him without the additional year. they get a look and he is on an expiring contract, but as far as I can say, they will have early bird rights. even if JA shows decent play there, he won't command more than the MLE. the team that get's JA could resign him without cutting into an exception. some teams might see it like this.

however, I can live with the decision.
and if Spurs had picked his option and they lose on an intriguing FA (because the option takes away more than 6 million from a possible contract offer for a FA) in 2012, I can guarrantee the same people who bash the FO this time for give up on JA would be the first to bash the FO for holding him.

You are in danger of being banned for an extremely rational take on what appears to be an emotional issue

[Spurs Brazil]

Buck Harvey: Why Spurs passed on Anderson

It’s always more complicated than that, and it was Wednesday. The Spurs worked through the day, making sure they weren’t missing anything. Mostly they were determining if Anderson had any trade value. What they heard: Those teams who had liked Anderson just hadn’t seen enough of him as a pro.

Read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/buckhar...d-on-anderson/

[tmtcsc]

Another bad move by the fo. They must think they have a shot at Batum and some others.

OR

They understand that James Anderson has worked his tail off to improve and still sucks. Sometimes guys miss shots but there is nothing stopping him from being a better defender. He has chosen not to put the effort in.

[SenorSpur]

Read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/buckhar...d-on-anderson/

Thanks for posting this link

This says it all. Once you read Harvey's column, one could understand their rationale for not picking up the option. However, I still say, with RJ most certainly headed out the amnesty door this offseason, that would seemingly warrant taking a longer look at JA. While he's struggled with both injuries and confidence, I just can't see how this guy is deemed expendable. It's too early to give up on him. Remember the Mahinmi!

Obviously, they must have something else up their sleeves.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Thanks for posting this link

This says it all. Once you read Harvey's column, one could understand their rationale for not picking up the option. However, I still say, with RJ most certainly headed out the amnesty door this offseason, that would seemingly warrant taking a longer look at JA. While he's struggled with both injuries and confidence, I just can't see how this guy is deemed expendable. It's too early to give up on him. Remember the Mahinmi!

Obviously, they must have something else up their sleeves.

I agree with you on RJ being amnestied next year. However, I think the better option as a replacemet is Leonard. JA would still be a backup and an undersized backup as well. I'm all for resigning JA at the market price if it is lower than his option price.

[TD 21]

Apparently they didn't learn their lesson with Mahinmi. One month ago, would they have even considered not picking up his option? I don't think so and if I'm right, then they let one month, where he hasn't even played that much, override common sense?

Whether they plan to do something big in free agency or not, Anderson would have been easy to trade. There's been numerous examples recently (Beasley, Cook, Johnson) of highly regarded - solid prospects being traded for virtually nothing, so that their teams could clear more cap space. Even if all they ended up getting was a 2nd, that's better than nothing. Especially in a deep draft.

Maybe their plan is to free up enough cap space to make a lopsided trade for a big. But if their plan is to go the free agent route, the best realistic fits (save for one) are all RFA's: Arthur, Randolph, Anderson and Thompson. With the possible exception of Anderson, not one figures to command above the MLE, though. So that wouldn't qualify as such a "big move", so as to explain not picking up Anderson's option.

As I alluded to, there is one UFA who, short term would be the best fit: Garnett. I think he's done with the Celtics and will probably retire, unless: 1) The Lakers relent and give up Bynum and Gasol for Howard or 2) Duncan and Pop can talk him into coming to the Spurs.

As far as Duncan, I could see him holding off on signing an extension. In other words, see what big they can get first and then take whatever is left over (within' reason, obviously).

[therealtruth]

JA is probably a better scorer but Green is showing a better all around game right now. Guys like DG are glue guys you like to have.

[timvp]

Have you guys seen this ?

It looks like they tried to trade him but nobody was interested

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/buckhar...d-on-anderson/

Props to Buck for confirming it

But it wouldn't make sense if this is only about Green. You don't throw away one player for a not yet proven player who will be a free agent. I agree with Buck that Green is part of the equation, but there's no way salary cap space or his injury past aren't bigger parts of the equation.

[SpurNation]

It might be a different story is the Spurs wern't stacked at the 2, and 3 position. Still I too do not like giving up on a player so soon.

I'd like to think they're not going to give up on him 100% with regards to getting something of value out for him.

As pointed out in the article...the Spurs are more than likely playing the odds. (Wise decision from my pov).

However...that doesn't mean they can not still get something of value in terms of trade or even his salary.

We'll see. If anything...though the 1.57 mil may not be that much for an individual player...it may go a long way being used in conjunction with available cap space in helping to acquire a top free agent. (just speculating)

[timvp]

Looking back on the 2010, it's amazing how bad it was. It's difficult to say the Spurs made a mistake at #20 even after knowing what we know about Anderson.

Landry Fields played well as a rookie but has been pretty bad this year. Jordan Crawford scores but he's a chucker who makes a horrible team even worse. Greivis Vasquez hasn't been anything special in his NBA career (outside of the Spurs series, of course). Trevor Booker has been decent but the Spurs don't need another 6-foot-7 power forward.

I guess in hindsight you take Fields ... but Green is a much better player than Fields so far this season so it wouldn't really change anything.

Heck, the Spurs might take Anderson again if they had it to do over again

[jjktkk]

Trevor Booker has been decent but the Spurs don't need another 6-foot-7 power forward.

Whataburger wouldn't mind.

[elemento]

Looking back on the 2010, it's amazing how bad it was. It's difficult to say the Spurs made a mistake at #20 even after knowing what we know about Anderson.

Landry Fields played well as a rookie but has been pretty bad this year. Jordan Crawford scores but he's a chucker who makes a horrible team even worse. Greivis Vasquez hasn't been anything special in his NBA career (outside of the Spurs series, of course). Trevor Booker has been decent but the Spurs don't need another 6-foot-7 power forward.

I guess in hindsight you take Fields ... but Green is a much better player than Fields so far this season so it wouldn't really change anything.

Heck, the Spurs might take Anderson again if they had it to do over again

It's so funny that after i knew about Anderson's situation, i got back to look at the 2010 draft, to see we could have taken a better player than Anderson. It's freaking unbelievable the lack of talent after the lottery.
There isn't a single player after the 20th pick i would say for sure that i would take over James Anderson. As you said, maybe Fields would have a better lucky here. Other than him, the players are really pathetic.

[Obstructed_View]

It's entirely possible that Leonard has made the decision more than Green. KL can guard at least four positions so far and allows you to have shooters in the game at odd times because of his ability to match up. Seems a bit premature just simply because the Spurs almost automatically pick up the option even on players Pop seems to hate. There's got to be a financial angle to this that helps them going forward.

I'd love nothing more than to see JA blow up and earn himself a big contract this summer. That's good for the Spurs and for him.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

No doubt. All he needs to do is find his damn three point shot.

[MI21]

I haven't seen anything from Anderson that leads me to believe he is an NBA quality player. He lacks creativity, has average handles, doesn't defend and plays like a 35 year old. His jumpshot looks ok but doesn't go in.

All in all, this decision doesn't bother me. I'm sure the Spurs could pick up a similar type swingman somewhere along the line off of the scrapheap.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean the spurs shouldn't do it.

Uh, James would have to sign, and I'm thinking that if two teams (and there will be suitors this summer) both offer me the minimum, and one of them was the team that told me I wasn't in their plans, I'd have to sign with the other one to get a fresh start. Not only that, but when Manu and TJ come back, I'd ask for my release, and then place myself in the d-league pool, and draw a second, admittedly small salary, AND almost sure playing time. The Spurs owe him the money for this year, guaranteed.

[Obstructed_View]

I really hoped that he could thrive in a pick and roll offense. It was pretty exciting having Parker and Duncan on one side of the floor setting up pick and rolls and I-don't-remember-who and Splitter on the other doing the same thing all at the same time. I think JA could find a place in that kind of offense and maybe get his shot back. A 20 foot jumper's as good as anything else in that kind of offense.

[dunkman]

The problem with Mahinmi is that he's still more inconsistent than Blair or Bonner and he fouls a lot. I'm not sure the Spurs could give him the playtime he needs to develop. He plays a lot for the Mavs only because Chandler's gone and Odom has some problems. Should have he stayed with the Spurs he wouldn't play a lot. And Ian is still a project.

With Green and Neal, the Spurs don't really need another SG, the Spurs are set there. It seems that JA isn't completely recovered from injuries.

It would be better to add an bigman for the next season, Blair isnt that good.

[baseline bum]

Welcome to Bizarro World. A few seasons ago, I committed the blasphemy of saying that Pop didn't develop young players for shit, and just got flamed to death over it. The fact is, Pop never has done much to recognize that it is a game played by human beings, and not pieces on a chessboard. Just the other night I heard him talk about how tough he was on Tony, and how he figured he would either come through it or crumble. And you can tell that he somehow wants to take credit for how Tony plays now. Absolutely arrogant bastard that he is. Tony was more of a professional when he got here than Gregg Popovich ever was. That's the downside to having a theorist as a coach.

Pop seems to have softened a little - first with Hill and Blair, and now with Green. Not that he's actually developing talent, but at least he isn't constantly beating the crap out of them. And he's actually giving them minutes. And that really makes me think that Anderson isn't showing them much.

Anderson was, what, a 57th overall pick? His ceiling was/is "solid rotation player". You don't re-build with solid rotation players, you add them to the roster. Right now, Anderson is a potential rotation player. If the Spurs see signing him as endangering their ability to pick up a top-tier player, then they are probably on the right track. One low-ceiling project, one way or the other, isn't an answer to getting another banner for the rafters.

I said that they could re-sign him, even after failing to pick up his option. But Bruno is dead right - I don't remember seeing it happen. And it's not likely to happen this time. In a couple of seasons, KBP will know all about him. But even if he puts up big numbers, he's not Greek, so we'll just hear that he never developed.

Malik Rose and Stephen Jackson were two players who were complete nobodies before coming here and playing under Pop. Parker would have been a star without Pop, but I'm not sure about the other two guys. Jack was basically playing himself out of the league and Malik was just an end of the bench scrub in Charlotte. I think Pop deserves enormous credit for seeing really good players there and for bringing Jack along slowly to make him hungry for that spot he began to excel in once Smith got hurt.

[SenorSpur]

Sure they're trying to develop talent now because they have no other choice - and it's about time. However, I still don't agree with the JA decision and, because of their short-sighted decision on Mahinmi, which I hope they're regretting right about now, I'm not going to give them a pass on this one.

Now I will reserve the right to change my mind, once I see what they're going to do this offseason.

[Cane]

On the one hand, JA's been absolute crap since his injury. On the other, he hasn't earned or been handed that many opportunities since his injury either.

But if the Spurs let him go or keep him, I don't really care. College scorers like JA who didn't really look like NBA specimens generally struggle in the NBA, and with a foot injury its just not looking good. His handles are also pretty weak.

Spurs have enough perimeter players. Package JA and his potential for a legit big that is capable of contributing something in the playoffs

[stephen jackson]

might as well trade him

[SpurNation]

Package JA and his potential for a legit big that is capable of contributing something in the playoffs

You won't get a legit big man in a package for just "potential". The Spurs best bet is using his disposed salary in to next years cap space.

This sucks if one was on the belief he was going to be the next draft miracle the Spurs found. But that's life. Sometimes you win. Sometimes things happen.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

As an unrestricted FA this summer, his trade value is zero, other than a team like Indy that is below the minimum salary amount right now. If he sucks, you've paid for that. If he blows up, he's gone.