Report: Spurs set to bring over Livio Jean-Charles

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Since he was a first rounder, it's guaranteed.

It's been so long since he was drafted I'm not sure that they have to use the rookie parameters. I think they may only be capped by them.

[dabom]

Let's get real here: we all know Kawhi is shooting hoops in a gym right this second. Right now.
Working on his game. And tomorrow? He going to be shooting hoops, working on his game.
Doing what Chip and Chad and Pop and whoever else told him to improve upon- he's doing it.

Right now.

We ALL know he's going to come back next year either more polished, or better at something he struggled with before.
He does it every year through his machine-like commitment to being the best.

Kyle? Uh... Yeah. Um... All I can say is I reeeeeaaaalllly hope (picture Vince Vaughan in Swingers talking to John Favreau telling him how to get a girl) and I mean reeeeaaaalllly hope he does something for his game this summer.
But I'm not counting on it necessarily. Not like I count on Kawhi. Why are professional athletes like Kawhi so rare?

Just hope Pop stops failing and does what he is paid too do. Bench the scrubs.

[TD 21]

The Spurs' "issues" are being mad overblown. Anyway, most people thought the second unit was missing size and rim-protection. Birdman still gives that. Better than Miles Plumlee does.

No, they're not. They've got myriad issues: lead creator, spacers, roll men, athleticism) and unless Durant leaves the Thunder, they're either 4th or 5th most likely to win the championship.


It's seeming more and more likely that they'll mostly bring back the same team, with the only rotation changes being Marjanovic replacing West and maybe Gasol replacing Duncan, should he retire.

I'd expect the roster to be filled out with some youngish veteran big, who can push Marjanovic for fourth big minutes and maybe a wing shooter, to push Simmons for his spot.

Jean-Charles always seemed likely to me to be a wasted pick and nothing's changed in the 3 years since. That said, they spent a 1st on him, so they might as well see if they can turn him into an NBA player, but I don't see him becoming a rotation one.

[cjw]

Why are professional athletes like Kawhi so rare?

Because they feel that they put in the work already and earned it by making the league. A decade of hard work and they start collecting checks and they feel comfortable. Screw up and you'll still get paid $500k a year in Europe. Be decent and you'll make a few million a year.

[HarlemHeat37]

Honestly, I don't mind if they bring the same team back with a few minor upgrades, tbh..

Realistically, unless they're landing Durant, they won't be able to acquire a player that will make them a clear level better than they were this past season IMO..continuity and minor upgrades should be sufficient to get them to the WCF-level(which they would have reached, if it wasn't for bad breaks and questionable officiating), and then it comes down to luck, which would be the case, regardless, barring Durant IMO..

I'd rather have another year of being the #3-4 contender in the NBA, as opposed to blowing the entire plan on a declining Mike Conley..

[SpursFan86]

The Spurs' "issues" are being mad overblown. Anyway, most people thought the second unit was missing size and rim-protection. Birdman still gives that. Better than Miles Plumlee does.

Our biggest problems last year (IMO):

- pretty much no one capable of penetrating and breaking down the defense besides Parker and Manu, neither of which are particularly consistent at this point in their careers (and I'd only expect them to decline going into next season)

- lack of volume 3-point shooting...I'll admit this isn't as big of a deal if Green gets his shot back, but we don't know if he will.

- defense/rebounding on the 2nd unit

I'll concede that it sounds a bit dumb acting like keeping together a 67-win team isn't good enough, but like I said, I think they overperformed in the regular season. Maybe if Duncan/Manu/Parker weren't their age I'd be a bit more welcome to the idea, but with those guys likely facing a decline, essentially standing pat (from a rotation standpoint) would be disappointing IMO.

It wouldn't entirely surprise me if that ends up happening. And I wouldn't go all " PATFO " if it does. I just don't think that team has a realistic chance at all of winning a le. And if Duncan/Manu are coming back for another year, I'd hate to see it be for naught.

[SAGirl]

Our biggest problems last year (IMO):

- pretty much no one capable of penetrating and breaking down the defense besides Parker and Manu, neither of which are particularly consistent at this point in their careers (and I'd only expect them to decline going into next season)

- lack of volume 3-point shooting...I'll admit this isn't as big of a deal if Green gets his shot back, but we don't know if he will.

- defense/rebounding on the 2nd unit

I'll concede that it sounds a bit dumb acting like keeping together a 67-win team isn't good enough, but like I said, I think they overperformed in the regular season. Maybe if Duncan/Manu/Parker weren't their age I'd be a bit more welcome to the idea, but with those guys likely facing a decline, essentially standing pat (from a rotation standpoint) would be disappointing IMO.

It wouldn't entirely surprise me if that ends up happening. And I wouldn't go all " PATFO " if it does. I just don't think that team has a realistic chance at all of winning a le. And if Duncan/Manu are coming back for another year, I'd hate to see it be for naught.

I agree with your point and its basically similar to the one I tried to make. We'd be lucky if Timmy/Manu and Tony are about the same as this season. I would not expect more minutes or better play from them than they gave last season. An older team like that has a much lower ceiling with each passing season bc of decline. We can hope the younger players come back better and wrestle roles away from the older veterans bc it would be for the betterment of the team to have younger guys step into roles, but until the season starts we don't know who these young guys are and whether they will be able to improve our team. Several of them are rookies.

I just think we need one or two reinforcements to even stay somewhat the same. I realize we can't address all of our needs at once, but we need help in at least one area, and hope the rest holds up. This kind of situation may be forced up on us anyways (looking at FA for a veteran or two to reinforce the rotation), bc Timmy may very well retire and Manu is holding his decision up until the Olympic games.

[tonight...you]

Because they feel that they put in the work already and earned it by making the league. A decade of hard work and they start collecting checks and they feel comfortable. Screw up and you'll still get paid $500k a year in Europe. Be decent and you'll make a few million a year.

Yeah... I get what you're saying. I hope Pop puts Murray deep in the Kawhi tent and Kawhi takes him in wholeheartedly and Murray follows suit.
Then... maybe then this team will have two truly special players going all out for the Silver and Black.

LMA is great. Great player. Not special. Kawhi is special. Just calling a spade a spade. Murray could be special... It's up to the team and himself.

[poeticism707]

Hopefully this guy shows something.

His D CAN'T be worse


than Bonner or West.

[Sean Cagney]

Honestly, I don't mind if they bring the same team back with a few minor upgrades, tbh..

Realistically, unless they're landing Durant, they won't be able to acquire a player that will make them a clear level better than they were this past season IMO..

That is pretty much the truth.

[cd021]

Duncan/Boban
Aldridge/Diaw/Livio
Kawhi/Kyle
Green/Manu/Simmons
Tony/Mills/Murray

I think that there is a decent chance that West will be back if he does not retire. I am unsure of whether Diaw will be back if Duncan is.

[tonight...you]

I think that there is a decent chance that West will be back if he does not retire. I am unsure of whether Diaw will be back if Duncan is.

I hear you, but what's with all this chatter from Diaw saying Pop wants him back and he's gon' be here mon'?

I guess you could just say- it was RC, doing what's best for the team, but Pop's the Pres... I think Diaw's here unless a Durant situation happens.

[cd021]

Honestly, I don't mind if they bring the same team back with a few minor upgrades, tbh..

Realistically, unless they're landing Durant, they won't be able to acquire a player that will make them a clear level better than they were this past season IMO..continuity and minor upgrades should be sufficient to get them to the WCF-level(which they would have reached, if it wasn't for bad breaks and questionable officiating), and then it comes down to luck, which would be the case, regardless, barring Durant IMO..

I'd rather have another year of being the #3-4 contender in the NBA, as opposed to blowing the entire plan on a declining Mike Conley..

I'd rather go after Conley, he is only 29, if he were to sign a 3+ 1 like LMA he would only be 31 or 32 by the time he hits FA again. If Parker is his backup then his minutes will be better monitored because most of their minutes will be split.

LMA is going to be 31 Spurs have three or maybe four good years left of him at an all star level. Spurs can't afford to tweak and hope that it is good enough to beat the Thunder or Warriors.

[cd021]

I hear you, but what's with all this chatter from Diaw saying Pop wants him back and he's gon' be here mon'?

I guess you could just say- it was RC, doing what's best for the team, but Pop's the Pres... I think Diaw's here unless a Durant situation happens.

I can't get over the fact that he was benched in the closeout game against a team he dominated two years ago. We have yet to hear anything about injuries being the cause. Diaw has also not been the same player since '14. West was just a better player than Diaw this season despite STs opinion of him. I think that the Spurs would look hard at moving him if it meant that they did not have to take back salary and they could resign West after using up the cap.

[tonight...you]

I can't get over the fact that he was benched in the closeout game against a team he dominated two years ago. We have yet to hear anything about injuries being the cause. Diaw has also not been the same player since '14. West was just a better player than Diaw this season despite STs opinion of him. I think that the Spurs would look hard at moving him if it meant that they did not have to take back salary and they could resign West after using up the cap.

You may be right. I can see RC doing it, but Pop is a straight shooter and that's well known throughout the league, just as much as what his participation is going to be like in mid-game interviews.

I'm going to maintain, it's going to take a Durant, or Durant-like situation to trade/cut him. We shall see, shan't we?

I just wanted an excuse to use the condensation of the phrase shall not, honestly. It's not something we all see regularly.

[Russ]

Jean-Charles always seemed likely to me to be a wasted pick and nothing's changed in the 3 years since.

At the time, he was a major reach where he was picked.

[spurs10]

This is true. That 67 win squad also played D west a lot who is gone IMO and not necessarily improved upon, and Boban won a few RS games for us and he's not here. I think this above group has a lower ceiling than last season.

Where is Boban?

[tonight...you]

Where is Boban?

Surfing in Corpus Christi, while eating the chimichangas his wife just learned from her Mexican neighbors how to cook.
Poor guy is going to get an unholy amount of jellyfish stings...

Someone piss on this poor Bridge Troll's lower limbs!

[Mnky]

At the time, he was a major reach where he was picked.

Before his injury, he outperformed most of the rookies at the Nike summit game. His Injury seemed to push his development backwards, but he was a legitimate pick considering the upside. Can't do anything about an injury that takes a man out a year ,the same year his body starts maturing.

[K...]

comparing kawhi to fat head is dumb. Kawhi had a much easier mission...defense first offense second. He got tons of time based on his size and defensive talent.

Fathead has gotten spotty time, no defined role, and has to learn the offense. Comparing him to cojo is better bc cojo got jerked around just as much

[HarlemHeat37]

I'd rather go after Conley, he is only 29, if he were to sign a 3+ 1 like LMA he would only be 31 or 32 by the time he hits FA again. If Parker is his backup then his minutes will be better monitored because most of their minutes will be split.

LMA is going to be 31 Spurs have three or maybe four good years left of him at an all star level. Spurs can't afford to tweak and hope that it is good enough to beat the Thunder or Warriors.

I'm terrified of Conley for 2 key reasons, tbh:

1. Durability..played only 56 games, last season, and has been injured in 2 consecutive playoff runs..

His games played and minutes have trended down in every single season since his peak(2012-2013)

2. Style of play with age..he's at a shaky age for PGs(29) and his specialty is defense, which will continue to naturally decline with age(especially in today's NBA)..he's not a great shooter(36-37% from 3) or passer(decent, nothing special), which makes me skeptical as to how his game is going to age..


It would be pretty ty for the Spurs to pay 20+ mil per year to a PG that will be hurt in the playoffs, only for Parker to be starting again..I also don't see how it makes sense to be paying 15 mil/year for a backup PG in Parker, right now(not to mention, would TP even accept a bench role?)

[tonight...you]

comparing kawhi to fat head is dumb. Kawhi had a much easier mission...defense first offense second. He got tons of time based on his size and defensive talent.

Fathead has gotten spotty time, no defined role, and has to learn the offense. Comparing him to cojo is better bc cojo got jerked around just as much

Yeah, like the development coaches are giving Kyle undefined instructions on what to improve upon and Pop has no expectations on him except for some nebulous improvement on "stuff".

The fact is Kyle gets out on that court and just does things that he's reacting to according to what he sees. He hasn't done anything to specifically improve his game significantly except for getting more comfortable with his team and playing in the NBA.
Yippee.

Kawhi did not have an easier mission. He merely hurdled his obstacles enough to proceed to the next hurdle through dedication and hard work.

My god man...

[tonight...you]

I'm terrified of Conley for 2 key reasons, tbh:

1. Durability..played only 56 games, last season, and has been injured in 2 consecutive playoff runs..

His games played and minutes have trended down in every single season since his peak(2012-2013)
It would be a signing that people praise Year 1 and skewer by Year 2 on.
Just like TP now.

2. Style of play with age..he's at a shaky age for PGs(29) and his specialty is defense, which will continue to naturally decline with age(especially in today's NBA)..he's not a great shooter(36-37% from 3) or passer(decent, nothing special), which makes me skeptical as to how his game is going to age..


It would be pretty ty for the Spurs to pay 20+ mil per year to a PG that will be hurt in the playoffs, only for Parker to be starting again..I also don't see how it makes sense to be paying 15 mil/year for a backup PG in Parker, right now(not to mention, would TP even accept a bench role?)

[tonight...you]

I'm terrified of Conley for 2 key reasons, tbh:

1. Durability..played only 56 games, last season, and has been injured in 2 consecutive playoff runs..

His games played and minutes have trended down in every single season since his peak(2012-2013)
Just like TP now.

2. Style of play with age..he's at a shaky age for PGs(29) and his specialty is defense, which will continue to naturally decline with age(especially in today's NBA)..he's not a great shooter(36-37% from 3) or passer(decent, nothing special), which makes me skeptical as to how his game is going to age..


It would be pretty ty for the Spurs to pay 20+ mil per year to a PG that will be hurt in the playoffs, only for Parker to be starting again..I also don't see how it makes sense to be paying 15 mil/year for a backup PG in Parker, right now(not to mention, would TP even accept a bench role?)

It would be a signing that people praise Year 1 and skewer by Year 2 on.
Just like TP now.

[tholdren]

you're wrong. the spurs problem is scoring. not defense. not rebounding. scoring.