Spurs Players Reaction

[conversekid]

Bowen said it's a business and nothing personal - the look in his eye told a different story.

Tim Duncan refused to speak to the Media

I hope this doesn't cause trouble.

[whottt]

It better not cause that kind of trouble.

These guys make 3-15 million dollars a year...they aren't making that to be in a social club.

Most of us are miserable over Malik being traded...it hurts. But that's no excuse to tank and pout and I will lose respect for any player that lets it effect them in that way.

[Blazer16]

Well said.

[johnny00]

Chemistry within a team is a delicate thing to control. I believe the Spurs ARE professional enough to handle this in the correct manner

[GoldToe]

While these men know the NBA is a business it doesn't mean they can't act human.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Not to sound callous, but you know damn well Tim was consulted before making this deal. I think he just didn't want to face the questions implying as much.

[whottt]

I'm not so sure Duncan has the kind of pull he used to have to warrant a consultation. He's signed up long term now. I see him get yelled at more...He doesn't have that leverage of going elsewhere any more. Pop doesn't have to play that game anymore and Pop is a guy that likes having control.

Not only that but Malik had a lot of personal investment in this team as well. I can see how Pop might think it disrespectful to Malik to let any other players know about it before letting Malik himself know.

IMO, I don't think Duncan would have wanted to do this trade. Duncan knows he can win with Malik...he's been through wars with Malik right there beside him, there's a type of trust there and a bond there that isn't easily cast aside IMO...

I don't think Duncan would let Malik go for someone like Mohammed if it was up to him.

This isn't Jason Kidd VS an unproven PG. It's Malik VS an unproven C.

[ducks]

jason kidd is a proven winner when?

[ducks]

just maybe pop has to get on duncan more this year
his stats are down you do realize that whott

it is not like duncan is having a mvp year

[ducks]

duncan is not a idiot
spurs were not trying to hide the fact they were shopping rose
everyone knows how close rose was actually to become a knick last year
duncan would have said something

rember this year duncan went to bat for tp about his extenstion
IMO HE HAS PULL

[whottt]

jason kidd is a proven winner when?

Good point, have to remember to never label Kidd a winner because he most certainly isn't...as his dumbas decision to stay in NJ proved...Let's just say he had more impressive credentials at the time the Kidd pursuit began than Parker did. He was more of a proven PG.

[whottt]

just maybe pop has to get on duncan more this year
his stats are down you do realize that whott

it is not like duncan is having a mvp year

Um...Duncan is like third in the league in rebounding and blocks...his scoring his down...but Manu and Parker and taking more shots and Duncan's minutes are reduced.

Pop has said he is deliberately reducing Duncan's minutes...Where have you been the entire season?

Look...if you don't think anything changed when Duncan signed a long term contract then you must not be a very good businessman.

Duncan doesn't have the leverage of signing with another team in one or two years that he used to have...That was a tremendous amount of leverage Duncan had and he used it very well.

Pop doesn't have to kiss Duncan's ass like he used too...isn't it obvious?

The only out Duncan has now is to become a malcontent and demand a trade...would you want to be traded from this team if you were him? Manu and Parker? They built the freaking practice facility close to his house for his comfort...he's got it made here.

He doesn't have the leverage of just being able to walk like he used to do...

I think he was consulted on the Kidd deal...but that was because he was a FA...the Spurs were at his mercy.

This is different...they aren't at his mercy now.

[ducks]

lets see...
how many superstars have demanded being traded
several
how many got traded several
peja demanded one but did not get traded but he got webber gone
vc got traded
mcgrady got traded
kobe got shaq gone and phil gone


see if pop makes duncan mad enough maybe duncan will be next
I doubt pop would take that risk what do you think?

[whottt]

duncan is not a idiot
spurs were not trying to hide the fact they were shopping rose
everyone knows how close rose was actually to become a knick last year
duncan would have said something

rember this year duncan went to bat for tp about his extenstion
IMO HE HAS PULL

I don't get the point you are making...everyone knew Malik was going to be traded...but I don't know what makes you think Duncan had say on if it went through or not.


And Pop went to bat for Parker as well, it was all very public and well documented...plus Holt was being stupid.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'm sorry whott, gotta disagree. We've been shopping Malik for over a year now. Everyone with a pulse in south Texas knew that, and you can bet that Tim did too.

If he really felt he needed Rose to get his back, he would have made it known. I think the reality is the Spurs front office and Tim both came to the same conclusion - we need more size than just Tim and Rasho to deal with our potential playoff opponents, particularly our probable opponent in the Finals for the next 3-4 years (the Heat).

[whottt]

lets see...
how many superstars have demanded being traded
several
how many got traded several
peja demanded one but did not get traded but he got webber gone
vc got traded
mcgrady got traded
kobe got shaq gone and phil gone


see if pop makes duncan mad enough maybe duncan will be next
I doubt pop would take that risk what do you think?

Nope, I don't think Duncan had any say in this trade....and I don't think he's the same type of individual as most of the guys that demand trades...that's pretty obvious.

Duncan could have gotten what ever he wanted in his contract year...because he could just walk. That's a lot different than demanding a trade...how often is it well recieved when a player starts demanding a trade?

On top of that Duncan is set up for the long haul here now...he'd be foolish to leave...and Pop is smart enough to know that.

I say that if Duncan had any say on whether or not THIS trade went down, if the Spurs were still waking on eggshells to appease him...that it would not have gone down.

[GoldToe]

I hope the drama doesn't make it's way into the player's heads.

[whottt]

If Duncan still has that much pull then why was the appeal for Parker made public?

Why didn't he just walk into Holt's office and say sign him and it never saw the light of day?

That's not what happened...he pleaded for Parker to be signed. And so did Pop...

And yes, I know everyone knew Malik was going to be traded...I don't see how that proves Duncan was embracing it.

I just don't think Duncan is sitting there getting wood over Nazr Mohammed...

Duncan doesn't hate Malik like you and Ducks do.

[ducks]

I am sure duncan would like to have a longer career and realizes how much david helped him

IF NAZR buys into the system and starts doing more then rasho everyone will forgot about rose

[whottt]

And if Duncan still had that kind of pull Stephen Jackson would be on this team.

[GoldToe]

Even Duncan is an employee of the Spurs organization.

[ducks]

player gms suck
see kobe me bryant

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I never said he did.

I think there's a big myth about Tim's friends on the team. We traded away AD when they were best friends, and they still talk. I just think Tim is smart enough to realize what he needs around him on the court, and in this case it was more than Malik had to offer.

It was a lot easier to cover up Rose's limitations (namely height) when he had Duncan, Elliott, and Drob bracketing him on the Spurs front line.

[milkyway21]

Tim Duncan refused to speak to the Media

well, i expected that. :angel

[milkyway21]

just maybe pop has to get on duncan more this year
his stats are down you do realize that whott

it is not like duncan is having a mvp year..i hope you are not implying Duncan is a non-factor to our best record this season, Ducks.

Duncan doesn't have to play 40 minutes to prove he is an MVP contender and improve his stats, & playing garbage time. just by being the "GLUE" of this team is enough.

[ducks]

I am not saying duncan is not a factor

I am just not being a homer and saying duncan should win the mvp which he should not

[GoldToe]

Tim is always a candidate for MVP as long as he is healthy and in his prime years.

[whottt]

It was a lot easier to cover up Rose's limitations (namely height) when he had Duncan, Elliott, and Drob bracketing him on the Spurs front line.

Duncan gets a strong example of size not being everything playing right beside him every day in practice. Duncan consitently works men that are bigger than him.

Mohammed aint that great.

You are right that Duncan is smart(althought the Kidd thing was questionable)...Duncan knows winners...Duncan was the guy wanted Jack...Duncan was the guy that called for Kerr...Malik Rose is a winner and Duncan knows it. Duncan is smart enough to know that a simplistic bigger is better credo is probably a bad one to have.

[missmyzte]

How did this go from being a thread on Spurs players' reaction to a question of how much power Timmy has?

[whottt]

We need more player reactions Missmyzte...what do you think Horry's reaction is?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Back to the reactions, Manu just said "Malik will live" :lol

Something overlooked here the last day and a half.

[san antonio spurs]

We need more player reactions Missmyzte...what do you think Horry's reaction is?
oh yeah? I thought u had duncan's reaction :rolleyes
________
E-Cigarettes (http://www.ecigarettes123.com/)

[milkyway21]

I am not saying duncan is not a factor

I am just not being a homer and saying duncan should win the mvp which he should not..i am sorry to read that from you Ducks.

MVP consideration depends on a lot of things...Stats or Eff. rating or how valuable he is on his team and Tim is definitely one of them.

Steve Nash's is being considered but he ONLY ave.16 ppg but have 11 assts.

Tim ranks 2nd in blocks, 3rd in rbds.despite hip/ankle/knee/playing less minutes.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

did manu really say that? That's news, I knew he was an arrogant prick.

[exstatic]

Arrogant prick? Did it ever occur to you that Spurs players always kid around, and that wouldn't stop just because one of them got traded? That Manu would be sending a message to Malik "We're OK, and you'll be OK too"? Or are you just too wrapped up in your poultice of self-pity?

[ChumpDumper]

poulticeOuch.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

That was just part of what Manu said.

He said something to the effect of "he was a great guy, we're all gonna miss him, he has been a part of this team for a long time. But we also realize it is a business, and Malik will live, he'll be alright. We're professionals and we need to put this behind us and focus on going and winning the championship."

Something like that.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

well that sounds a lot better, as for the ouch I am going to assume it is from the exstatic post chump, but he is on my ignore list so whatever he said doesnt bother me in the least.

[ChumpDumper]

That's not really ignoring it then.

It was pretty funny though.

[exstatic]

Then I won't waste anymore time on you.
This message is hidden because RobinsontoDuncan is on your ignore list.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yeah I just posted the "he'll live" part the first time, because it reminded me of something one of the guys at work said today. Said that Spurs fans were acting like someone died today, when reality is Rose will still be friends with everyone, will still be around in the off-season doing stuff in the community, will get more playing time in NY than he could ever could hope to get on the Spurs (not to mention way more than his fans could hope to see him get in SA), and oh yeah he's getting $30 million along the way.

[T Park]

Robinson to duncan, you need to chill the fuck out.

[cqsallie]

and oh yeah he's getting $30 million along the way.
For those of us who don't hope to earn $30 in our lifetimes, that might sound good enough. However, what nobody here has seemed to address is the fact that the Spurs organization wanted to get rid of Malik so badly that they threw in two first-round picks. That, to me, is the ultimate diss!
"You hate me so much that you're willing to jeopardize your future to get me off your team?"
What do you suppose the other Spurs feel when that happens? Malik came off the bench on numerous occasions to help us to a win. Who knows what's going to happen down the line? We might really need to replace somebody through the draft. God forbid something happens to one or more of our starters.
As for T. Duncan not having much clout anymore (with allusions to his diminished minutes), what's that about? It's almost a deliberate attempt on the part of Pop to diminish Tim's clout. I am reluctantly returning to my opinion of Pop from a few years ago - a control freak, rather than the cool, nice guy I have grudgingly begun to think of him as.
But one thing galls me totally - and that is Pop whining to the press about how hard this was. Bull! Nothing's forced on you when you're in control.
We have a big problem here in San Antonio: the fans - the loyal fans, not the show-off fans who buy boxes and high-priced seats and never show up - fall in love with the members of our team. We embrace them as though they were members of our own family. We worry about their health, their personal lives, whether or not they're getting their fair shake from the organization.
We really start to think of ourselves as the force that keeps the Spurs playing; we stupidly think our season tickets, frequent mid-range-price tickets, or regularly purchased $32 tickets are the glue. We are so stupid!!!!! We mean nothing in the scheme of things. The organization pays us lip service, offering platitudes about our loyalty that leads us to believe we're important.
It's a business, damn it! That's what the Spurs players were telling us today. The bean counters are in charge of our emotions. :bang

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Why are you putting words in the mouth of Tim/Pop? YOu don't know what Tim was thinking on this one, so don't speculate.

As for the draft picks, people are getting way too upset about two picks that will probably be 29 and 30 in two different drafts.

We have our first rounder coming in this year in Scola. You could also say LJIII will be seeings he has been out all year long.

We've still got that other pick this year, I don't think we're gonna get that much help sitting at 29 and 30 in the first round.

Take a look at the future of this team and contract length:

Duncan 2010
Ginobili 2010
Parker 2010
Rasho 2009
Beno 2009
Barry 2008
Bowen 2007 (team option through 2008, but I suspect it will be time for BB to hang it up in 2007)
Nazr 2006

You've got 6 guys locked up for basically the next 4 years (counting this year).

On top of that you're going to have Devin Brown (hopefully) inking a long term deal this year, and Scola coming in. I'm going to give Nazr the benefit of the doubt and say he pans out like I think he will, the Spurs use his bird rights to ink him to a deal through 2010 as well.

There's your core for the rest of the Tim Duncan era.

Parker/Beno
Manu/Barry
Bowen/Brown
Duncan/Scola
Nazr/Rasho

The only conceivable hole on this squad for the next two years is not having a long athletic three, and you could maybe kick in another outside shooter. So for the next 4-5 years on this team, you're looking to find a long three, then add journeymen league minimum types (vet center, outside shooter).

Looking at a long three, we've got Linton Johnson out there on the IL. The front office speaks highly of his potential. You've got Sanikidze over in Europe.

Then the Spurs have two draft picks this draft (first, second), and a second rounder next summer. So if you're worried about draft picks, we've got three cracks at finding a long three assuming the two we've already got rights to (Sanikidze, Linton) don't pan out.

Show me where in there I should be upset about losing two guaranteed contracts for bottom of first round talent.

Too many people are reacting out of emotion to this trade, and not looking at the big picture, which the Spurs front office most decidedly is. This team is set for the rest of Tim Duncan's prime after getting Scola and Devin in this summer, and probably hammering out a new deal with Nazr next summer.

We don't need two extra first rounders that would more than likely be IL fodder on this squad.

[missmyzte]

We need more player reactions Missmyzte...what do you think Horry's reaction is?

"As long as you're in this league playing basketball, that's a plus. If you get traded you get traded, but I'd be a little upset if I got traded from this team to somebody like New Orleans. That's the only time you really get upset, because if you're on a team that has a chance to win the championship and you go to a team that doesn't, it's a little heartbreaking." -- Robert Horry


"It's very difficult because you're losing someone you're close to," Spurs forward Bruce Bowen said. "When someone goes, there's a period of mourning. But in this business you can't mourn too long."
"It's sort of like being in love with one woman for numerous years and she tells you she had to go away because of something she needs to work out," Bowen said. "You're hurt, but you don't hate her. She didn't leave because she cheated you. She just had to work some things out that you couldn't control."

"We are missing a great guy, someone who was really enjoyable to share the locker room with," guard Manu Ginobili said. "But we just have to trust Pop and R.C. that this is the best thing for the franchise. Now we have to welcome Nazr to our home."
"I was surprised because once Karl Malone said he was retiring, I thought that was it," Ginobili said. "I thought this was going to be the team we used to finish the season."
"We just have to welcome Nazr now and go for the ring," Ginobili said. "That's still the only goal."

[Kori Ellis]

FYI, there's some video of Bowen/Manu/Pop's reaction at today's practice up on SpursZONE. Just look in the sidebar.

[Dario]

This will affect the team, rose being traded after 8 years will refresh the fact, that even if you do all to help the team, when someday you dont, you will be gone. Its business over all other things, its normal, but it makes you think harder if you are a player. This will break the team chemistry for sure.
Good thing is that there is still lots of time before playoffs for all this to settle down - hopefully

[boutons]

"This will break the team chemistry for sure."

For sure, that's BS.

[ducks]

well tp called duncan cheap because after he dunked it duncan hit that three
does that mean he is a prick?

[ducks]

in tim's duncan era the spurs kepted 2 first round draft picks
I do not think they ruined their future
they have their core locked up

[whottt]

We traded away a physical player who wasn't afraid to stick his nose in there and fight for rebounds or play extremely physical defense.

We just got softer inside.

[T Park]

Mohammed is physical numbnuts are you kidding me.


God your such a rose homer.

[travis2]

For those of us who don't hope to earn $30 in our lifetimes, that might sound good enough. However, what nobody here has seemed to address is the fact that the Spurs organization wanted to get rid of Malik so badly that they threw in two first-round picks. That, to me, is the ultimate diss!
"You hate me so much that you're willing to jeopardize your future to get me off your team?"


Oh puh-leeze...:rolleyes

This is not the NFL. Once you get beyond the lottery picks (sometimes you don't even get OUT of the lottery picks), the draft becomes a huge crapshoot.

It's a testament to the Spurs scouting (especially their overseas scouting) that they've done as well as they have over the years.

Late first round picks are as often as not expensive junk. First round picks have GUARANTEED contracts. You have to pay them. No matter how much of a bust that player might be, you're stuck with them.

That's why you see a lot of draft-day trades, especially with the Spurs...if there's someone a team is looking at, they will spend the capital to ensure they get that person. If there's no one they're interested it, then they'll do their best to RID themselves of that albatross.

"The ultimate diss"?!?! Give me a break.


What's scarier than the bean counters controlling people's emotions? The fact that some people WANT their emotions to be controlled by a BASKETBALL TEAM!

[Useruser666]

I'm sorry Whottt, but Duncan knew about the trade before hand. And by the way, Duncan does have pull with the FO, contract or no contract.