The mysterious fifth man

[waly.mg]

In 2002, San Antonio signed Manu Ginóbili, getting with him the fourth element of the team along with Tony, Tim and Bruce.
Then the search focused on finding the 5 th player.
Despite many attempts and various alternatives, then 6 years ago is still looking for that fifth player.
It may be bad luck or mistakes by the coaching staff.
But the team to put very little effort to achieve this, there were no changes or signatures of free agents, but 6 years and not being able to achieve this 5 th player is really a Big trouble for the team.
I believe the team needs to sign that Fifht player, and not a role player.
For example, in the begging of every Free Agant Market, we have the MLE in our hands and this year, we have a Trade exemption too, but the team start with a Guard Backup.
In the Last 5 years, we try with Rasho first and Malik Rose too, and after with Nazr Mohammed, Fabricio, Elson and now Kurt Thomas.
The best in that List could be Thomas, so the Team needs to sign Thomas, and steel looking for that mysterious fifth man.

[djohn14]

IAN MAHINMI....oo yeah

[Juanobili]

Come Back David!!!!!


lol... but yeah Ian should hopefully be that fifth man

[waly.mg]

Why not Mahinmi?, but we need a Starter who can play with Tim Duncan inside, could be Mahinmi or not, but the problem is this

[Biggems]

Come Back David!!!!!


lol... but yeah Ian should hopefully be that fifth man

is that tyrone hill as ur avatar?

[Juanobili]

is that tyrone hill as ur avatar?

indeed

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Ian. No doubt.

[waly.mg]

Well, may be Ian, but if this is the fifth player, i want to start the season with him as starter, if it´s a mystake, we can start Oberto or Thomas, but Thomas or Oberto are very and amazing role players, but not a starter in our team if we want a new championship

[Spurtacus]

Matt Bonner is our saviour.

[Bruno]

Asides of the big three, Spurs had no one who can create his own offense. The rest of the roster was filled with role player that were either defensive minded players (Bowen, Udoka), shooters (Finley, Barry), glue guys (Vaughn, Oberto).

I don't know if it's accurate to say that Spurs didn't try to get that kind of players. It's more than it isn't easy to get one.

For the next season, our 2 best hopes to fill that 4th player who can create his offense are Hill and Mahinmi. However, both are rookies and there is a quite high probability that they aren't ready or tun to be busts.

Spurs two biggest need are : a 4th player who can create his shot and athleticism at the forward spots. At this point of the offseason, I'm far from sure that Spurs have somewhat fixed one of these two weaknesses.

[misterx91578]

Ian you better be it

[Solid D]

Without Googling, name the "5th guy" on any of the great Celtics teams (prior to this year). How about the "5th guy" on any of the Kareem-years Lakers?

[ShoogarBear]

In 2002, San Antonio signed Manu Ginóbili, getting with him the fourth element of the team along with Tony, Tim and Bruce.
Then the search focused on finding the 5 th player.

Yeah, it's too bad we didn't have a number five guy to go along with Manu, Tony, Tim, and Bruce in 2002-2003. Oh, how that could have made those teams something special.

[pad300]

Asides of the big three, Spurs had no one who can create his own offense. The rest of the roster was filled with role player that were either defensive minded players (Bowen, Udoka), shooters (Finley, Barry), glue guys (Vaughn, Oberto).

I don't know if it's accurate to say that Spurs didn't try to get that kind of players. It's more than it isn't easy to get one.

For the next season, our 2 best hopes to fill that 4th player who can create his offense are Hill and Mahinmi. However, both are rookies and there is a quite high probability that they aren't ready or tun to be busts.

Spurs two biggest need are : a 4th player who can create his shot and athleticism at the forward spots. At this point of the offseason, I'm far from sure that Spurs have somewhat fixed one of these two weaknesses.

Players who might fit that (atheletic forward, can create own shot), who are affordable (roughly LLE money), and are on the market?

Azabuike (restricted, likely to be too expensive, unless an S&T deal is reached. Vaughn perhaps - they currently have no decent experienced PG's...)

Ricky Davis (yeah, he fits the description, but do we really want him?)

Carlos Delfino (Probably too expensive - is a UFA, no sign and trade possible)

Matt Barnes (Can't really create his own shot, also doesn't like being outside CA, maybe S&T able)

Dorrell Wright (see Barnes above, but I doubt Miami lets go...)

JR Smith (Much too expensive. Can't see an S&T deal working...)


Of the above, Davis Might be the best option...

[The Truth #6]

SJax and Hedo could have been this 5th Player you're referring to but it never happened.

[rj215]

SJax and Hedo could have been this 5th Player you're referring to but it never happened.

If there was only some way to get SJAX back....Vaughn+Bonner???? :p:

[JPB]

Tiago could have been...

[Ice009]

SJax and Hedo could have been this 5th Player you're referring to but it never happened.

Fuck it. Don't mention Sjax.

Why oh why did the front office not push hard to bring him back? Hedo freaking sucked in the PO.

[Obstructed_View]

Without Googling, name the "5th guy" on any of the great Celtics teams (prior to this year). How about the "5th guy" on any of the Kareem-years Lakers?

I can't name the sixth guy on the Celtics. Does that count? I don't suppose Bill Walton had the minutes to be the first guy off the bench.

[mrspurs]

well we found someone who should give manu some rest(roger mason), we tried and maybe found parker some rest(hill/mason), bowen has udoka and most likely finley and or bonehead.......that leaves the most important player on the court.......whos gonna help timmy rest?.......if ian is another fab (aka choke artist) next season will be like this past one....i still think the FO will find timmy some help, i know they cant believe gist is gonna help timmy get rest...theres my imo........

[IronheadSpur]

Without Googling, name the "5th guy" on any of the great Celtics teams (prior to this year). How about the "5th guy" on any of the Kareem-years Lakers?

Almost anyone that watched the NBA in the 1980's can answer that question.

1980's Celtics:
Dennis Johnson
Danny Ainge
Larry Bird
Kevin McHale
Robert Parrish

1980's Lakers:
Magic Johnson
Byron Scott
James Worthy
A.C. Green
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Michael Cooper off the bench

[anakha]

Almost anyone that watched the NBA in the 1980's can answer that question.

1980's Celtics:
Dennis Johnson
Danny Ainge
Larry Bird
Kevin McHale
Robert Parrish

1980's Lakers:
Magic Johnson
Byron Scott
James Worthy
A.C. Green
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Michael Cooper off the bench

If you're willing to go year-to-year rosters, I'd argue Jamaal Wilkes, Norm Nixon, and Bob McAdoo are deserving to be on that Lakers list as well.

[waly.mg]

Tiago could have been...

Well, Tiago in the TAU was Scola´s Backup

We don´t want Scola and we want Tiago

[Solid D]

Almost anyone that watched the NBA in the 1980's can answer that question.

1980's Celtics:
Dennis Johnson
Danny Ainge
Larry Bird
Kevin McHale
Robert Parrish

1980's Lakers:
Magic Johnson
Byron Scott
James Worthy
A.C. Green
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Michael Cooper off the bench

:tu

[JPB]

Well, Tiago in the TAU was Scola´s Backup

We don´t want Scola and we want Tiago

Tiago is 5 years younger than Scola and is a 5. Luis is a 4.

[waly.mg]

Tha´s the reason because we never can sign a great big man

Check this Number by 82games.com

Tim Duncan plays Center 62% of the Spurs Total minutes and Plays PF the 4% of the Spurs minutes.
Scola play Center only 12% of the Rockets minutes and the 38% as PF
Every year TD plays Center more and more.
Then, why we need a center?
Because TD want to be a PF?
Yes, but he plays Center all the time
And now, when we are playing Small Ball, we needs a PF more than a Center, because the 96% of the Minutes of the Spurs Tim Duncan isn´t the PF, is too difficult to see that.

For example:
PF:
Duncan 4%
Thomas: 6%
Oberto: 26%
Bonner: 20%
Horry: 14%
Udoka: 14%
Finley: 2%
Bowen. 10%
Others: 4%

Then, there are 6 player who played more minutes than Duncan as PF

Center:
Duncan: 62%
Oberto: 15%
Thomas: 6%
Elson: 13%
Others:4%

TD played 4 times more minutes as Center than any other Spur

Then we don´t need Tiago, and we don´t need Elson, and we don´t need a Center because in the numbers Tim Duncan is our Center

[Solid D]

waly.mg You are correct that Timmy typically plays what most people would consider the Center position. After all, he is the tallest big out there for the Spurs most of the time and he jumps center at the start of games (origin of the positional name "Center" or "Jump-Center").

Now, to address your original thread comments. The Spurs haven't been successful in drafting a key 5th player who can contribute 27+ minutes per game like, Timmy, Tony, Manu and Bruce give them...regardless of position. They haven't been able to sign a free agent who deserves that many minutes yet, either, because the Spurs do not want to pay Lux Tax. Therefore, it has been like hitting all the garage sales because they cannot afford another $7-10M player (aka Corey Maggette most recently). They typically only have an MLE type cap on additional players.

The only way to pull in that Danny Ainge or AC Green type contributor is to get either:
A. a bargain FA willing to take MLE money or less and hope they can merit 27+ minutes,
or
B. find a guy in the draft and get a diamond,
or
C. go over the Lux Tax line and get penalized double the money.

[Brox6]

Kurt Thomas..retain him..He is the Man!!!

[Solid D]

There is one other point I would like to make and that is, there may not 27+ minutes for a 5th player on the Spurs simply because the way Pop likes to manipulate matchups, one Big and a couple of Wings may split those 27 minutes because that actually is more effective defensively. Nowadays, Pop may not want to be locked-in on that many minutes for that 5th defender. (The Large Straight Yahtzee principle: keep the inner 2345... so you can win with a 6 or a 1 :smokin ).

[Solid D]

waly.mg, this is actually a quality thread...just so you will know.