BillMc
04-26-2009, 04:44 AM
There seem to be two basic schools of thought on these threads about what the Spurs should do in this off season and in 2010.
One school of thought is The Quick Fix:
The thinking here is Duncan has only a few more good years left and we need to make a dramatic move now to improve. Duncan is 33 years old now with bad knees, the end is near. Mortgage the future to get a few all-star level guys or another Hall of Famer on board. This worked in recent years for the Heat when they rented Shaq, brought back Zo, and added Gary Payton and other vets for a short window (2years) to contend for the title. Boston has done the same thing and won their title and may already be falling to age as their injuries pile up. The Quick Fix is tempting as it could get Ring 5 for TD, but may leave us hurting for years after that. And we don't have much to trade for The Quick Fix except Manu's expiring contract, and if healthy, I am not sure who we can bring in that is of equal value that could really put us over the top. Quick Fixes are easier when you have dumb GM's on the phone who will give you KG for next to nothing or Gasol for almost literally nothing.
The Other Thinking is Lay a Foundation:
Accept that for 2 to 3 years or so we're going to be a lot weaker as we find ways to put in the pieces to be a contender for another extended run. It requires good management, drafting, etc. For fans of TD (pretty much all of us) we would have to hope he hangs on until the team is able again, surrounded by younger guys and new acquisitions. There is also the matter of Pop who has said there are other things he wants to do in life. Sure, it's easy to bash him but there aren't many other coaches that command his respect, and going through a few until we find a new one will only lengthen our down time. The foundation method(if done right) is better for the long run, but we Spurs fans would have to accept some relatively tough years and possible the knowledge that TD will have to retire with 4 rings. It is not inconceivable the club could even trade Duncan, though I myself would boycott, and they would never get equal value for him even with bad knees. The plan in rebuilding would be to get the pieces in place to placate Parker before his contract is up. Manu, in this plan, is probably a trade item for draft picks or young players.
A third option is to try and tinker and add small pieces to an aging nucleus as we have done since 2007. If Manu, Tim and Tony are healthy and we find a few good roleplayers we might (just might) be able to get another title with this middleground approach. But as Tim and Manu age the chances that both will be healty come playoff time each year grows slimmer and slimmer.
So, what is it Spurs fan?
The Quick Fix?
The Foundation for the Future?
Tinkering with What We Have?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Best, Bill
One school of thought is The Quick Fix:
The thinking here is Duncan has only a few more good years left and we need to make a dramatic move now to improve. Duncan is 33 years old now with bad knees, the end is near. Mortgage the future to get a few all-star level guys or another Hall of Famer on board. This worked in recent years for the Heat when they rented Shaq, brought back Zo, and added Gary Payton and other vets for a short window (2years) to contend for the title. Boston has done the same thing and won their title and may already be falling to age as their injuries pile up. The Quick Fix is tempting as it could get Ring 5 for TD, but may leave us hurting for years after that. And we don't have much to trade for The Quick Fix except Manu's expiring contract, and if healthy, I am not sure who we can bring in that is of equal value that could really put us over the top. Quick Fixes are easier when you have dumb GM's on the phone who will give you KG for next to nothing or Gasol for almost literally nothing.
The Other Thinking is Lay a Foundation:
Accept that for 2 to 3 years or so we're going to be a lot weaker as we find ways to put in the pieces to be a contender for another extended run. It requires good management, drafting, etc. For fans of TD (pretty much all of us) we would have to hope he hangs on until the team is able again, surrounded by younger guys and new acquisitions. There is also the matter of Pop who has said there are other things he wants to do in life. Sure, it's easy to bash him but there aren't many other coaches that command his respect, and going through a few until we find a new one will only lengthen our down time. The foundation method(if done right) is better for the long run, but we Spurs fans would have to accept some relatively tough years and possible the knowledge that TD will have to retire with 4 rings. It is not inconceivable the club could even trade Duncan, though I myself would boycott, and they would never get equal value for him even with bad knees. The plan in rebuilding would be to get the pieces in place to placate Parker before his contract is up. Manu, in this plan, is probably a trade item for draft picks or young players.
A third option is to try and tinker and add small pieces to an aging nucleus as we have done since 2007. If Manu, Tim and Tony are healthy and we find a few good roleplayers we might (just might) be able to get another title with this middleground approach. But as Tim and Manu age the chances that both will be healty come playoff time each year grows slimmer and slimmer.
So, what is it Spurs fan?
The Quick Fix?
The Foundation for the Future?
Tinkering with What We Have?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Best, Bill