Harvey: Pay Up -- Jefferson To The Spurs

[duncan228]

Pay up -- Jefferson to the Spurs (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/buckharvey/2009/06/pay-up----jefferson-to-the-spu.html)
By Buck Harvey

Richard Jefferson can defend and rebound for a small forward. He shoots free throws at an 80 percent clip, and he shoots a lot of them. He's healthy and he just turned 29.

Here's something else: He can dunk. Assuming this trade is finalized, the Spurs will get their most athletic jumper playing in the rotation since David Robinson was around.

He's also a company man, and Gregg Popovich saw this firsthand in the 2004 Olympics. While Allen Iverson and others checked out, Jefferson kept listening to Larry Brown and stuck to the plan. Knowing that he is coachable and willing to play the Spurs' way is a huge reason for this trade.

Jefferson didn't shoot well in those Olympics, and that's part of his profile, too. He shot almost 40 percent last season from the 3-point line, but he's known as being inconsistent. Then again, Jefferson can't have everything.

The problem with him has been his contract, and that caused the Spurs to hesitate last winter when considering a deal for him then. His talent does not match his salary. He will earn more than Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili next season, for example, including about $4 million more than Ginobili.

That's the significance of this trade. The Spurs were willing to deal Luis Scola for financial reasons, but, even then, Spurs officials insisted Peter Holt never dictated their decision. They also insisted Holt remained this way over the last winter, even in a struggling economy.

One story from last February: They talked about Vince Carter, who earns even more than Jefferson, and they showed the numbers to Holt. And Holt signed off.

That fits with another story now that the Spurs also considered Carter again this month. Holt trusted R.C. Buford to continue what he's done in this era, which is weigh value and money.

In doing so, Buford maintained some versatility in the payroll. That meant the Spurs were in position to take advantage of another team's desire to dump a salary.

Jefferson may not change the Spurs as Pau Gasol changed the Lakers, but this is close.
___________

There's already speculation the Bucks will buy out Bruce Bowen's partially guaranteed contract, and that Bowen will return to the Spurs. But there were few signs last season that the Spurs still valued Bowen, and there are as few reasons to think he will wear a Spurs uniform again.

He should come back one more time, and I've said this before. The Spurs should retire No. 12.

The Spurs gave up three role players for Jefferson, and two of them were largely out of the rotation last season. But there will be times the Spurs miss Kurt Thomas next season. Buford will need to find a big body for the Shaq-Yao nights.

As for Fab Oberto: Rarely has a player contributed as he did during the 2007 championship run and been as overlooked. If Milwaukee buys him out, the Spurs could use him.

[timvp]

VC is better than Jefferson. But VC doesn't fit with the Big 3. You'd have to trade Manu to make VC fit on this team.

Plus with VC, that'd make all four of your best players somewhat injury prone.

[Mark in Austin]

There's already speculation on Spurstalk.com that the Bucks will buy out Bruce Bowen's partially guaranteed contract, and that Bowen will return to the Spurs.


fixed.

[coyotes_geek]

But there were few signs last season that the Spurs still valued Bowen, and there are as few reasons to think he will wear a Spurs uniform again.

???

Only Tim, Tony and Finley played more minutes than Bowen did in the series against the Mavs. That sure suggests a sign of value to me.

[rayray2k8]

Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Jefferson >>>>> Duncan, Parker, Carter

[Mark in Austin]

But there were few signs last season that the Spurs still valued Bowen, and there are as few reasons to think he will wear a Spurs uniform again.


Actually, the fact that the League will pay for most of his salary if he comes back on a vet min deal might be enough of a reason for the Spurs at this point.

[EricB]

Yeah that Holt, what a cheap fuck.

[tmtcsc]

I'd like to see the Spurs get Dahntay Jones. If he proved anything, its that he can cover Chris Paul better than most and can finish a fast break. He's a little short but he's got some hops.

[Phenomanul]

Actually, the fact that the League will pay for most of his salary if he comes back on a vet min deal might be enough of a reason for the Spurs at this point.

I thought that only happens if the team is under the luxury tax threshold, no?

[timvp]

I'd like to see the Spurs get Dahntay Jones. If he proved anything, its that he can cover Chris Paul better than most and can finish a fast break. He's a little short but he's got some hops.

Jones was about the 7th best defender the Nuggets had to put on Kobe.

Pass.

[timvp]

Actually, the fact that the League will pay for most of his salary if he comes back on a vet min deal might be enough of a reason for the Spurs at this point.
The more I think about it, the better this point becomes. If Bowen were traded in a deal for someone like Camby, perhaps the Spurs don't bring him back and instead use the money and roster spot elsewhere.

But in this situation where the Spurs will likely have to fill roster spots with multiple players on minimum deals, re-signing Bowen seems pretty darn likely.

[Mark in Austin]

Yeah that Holt, what a cheap fuck.

don't be such a knee-jerk asshole. It wasn't meant as a knock against Holt. If you can get a player of Bowen's talent / knowledge of the system and do it in a way that minimizes salary ramifications; you do it, especially after taking on more salary like they just did with RJ.

If the choice is Bowen at the vet min with the League picking up most of the tab or an inexperienced noob in a full price minimum salary slot, I don't know about you, but I'm taking Bowen.

[Spurs Brazil]

Jefferson averaged 19.6 points and shot a career-high 39.7 percent from 3-point range while starting all 82 games.

Parker said he would welcome a big, athletic player like Jefferson.

"He's a great wing," Parker said. "It's something we don't have on our team."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4281291

[tmtcsc]

Jones was about the 7th best defender the Nuggets had to put on Kobe.

Pass.

Because he couldn't guard Kobe ? I wouldn't dismiss him that fast. No one stopped Kobe this year. Look at what Jones did against Chris Paul in the playoffs. I thought he did a great job besides the Laker match up.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Yeah that Holt, what a cheap fuck.

No shit. Cheap fucking drunk prick. :pctoss

[timvp]

Because he couldn't guard Kobe ? I wouldn't dismiss him that fast. No one stopped Kobe this year. Look at what Jones did against Chris Paul in the playoffs. I thought he did a great job besides the Laker match up.

Jones looked good against CP3 but the Hornets are a team on the decline. You don't sign a player to help you beat a team that you can already beat.

[HarlemHeat37]

Jones is talented, but his mind really concerned me when I saw the Lakers series..they got in his head easily, he made a lot of basketball IQ mistakes, his offense is beyond horrible, and he seems to have an attitude problem on the court..

We don't need any major help at the wing anymore, that problem has been addressed..we'll just bring in an athlete or 2 with Spurs experience from the minors, somebody like Hairston/Williams or Gist..

we need a big, and that should be the #1 priority from now until the season begins..

[tmtcsc]

Jones is talented, but his mind really concerned me when I saw the Lakers series..they got in his head easily, he made a lot of basketball IQ mistakes, his offense is beyond horrible, and he seems to have an attitude problem on the court..

We don't need any major help at the wing anymore, that problem has been addressed..we'll just bring in an athlete or 2 with Spurs experience from the minors, somebody like Hairston/Williams or Gist..

we need a big, and that should be the #1 priority from now until the season begins..

I agree that another Big should be our priority now. We'll see how this all plays out.

[SequSpur]

whatever... Scola situation was stupid and someone should've been fired over it.

[EricB]

don't be such a knee-jerk asshole. It wasn't meant as a knock against Holt. If you can get a player of Bowen's talent / knowledge of the system and do it in a way that minimizes salary ramifications; you do it, especially after taking on more salary like they just did with RJ.

If the choice is Bowen at the vet min with the League picking up most of the tab or an inexperienced noob in a full price minimum salary slot, I don't know about you, but I'm taking Bowen.

Practice what you preach.

I'm being sarcastic to all the BS about Peter Holt won't sign off on this or that blah blah blah.

[Solid D]

whatever... Scola situation was stupid and someone should've been fired over it.

I have always believed that RC is most to blame for the Scola trade and not so much Holt. I still feel it was a combination of 1)lux tax vision position, 2) a mis-evaluation of Splitter's talent versus Scola's, and 3) Tau and Splitter throwing a back-door slider on RC's assumption about Tiago's availability.

Tau and the Rockets got over on RC and if you ask me, they still walk around with an invisible leash teathered to RC's neck.

[Mark in Austin]

Practice what you preach.

I'm being sarcastic to all the BS about Peter Holt won't sign off on this or that blah blah blah.


RIF. Harvey's point was actually exactly the opposite - that Holt wasn't cheap. At the time of your post, the only point in the thread that money saving was discussed was in my post. It is reasonable to assume that you were directing your comment to me.

"All that BS" was nowhere to be found in this thread until you brought it up.

The fact that you clearly didn't think through what I wrote but just posted the first thing that popped in your head makes it a knee-jerk response. If occasionally calling you out for acting like an ass makes me one in your book, I'll live with it. This is a perfect example of circular logic:

Person A is acts like a knee-jerk asshole.
Person B calls out person A - "stop acting like a knee jerk asshole"
Person A gets offended - "you're being an asshole by telling me I'm acting like an asshole."

makes perfect sense.:toast

[Mark in Austin]

I have always believed that RC is most to blame for the Scola trade and not so much Holt. I still feel it was a combination of 1)lux tax vision position, 2) a mis-evaluation of Splitter's talent versus Scola's, and 3) Tau and Splitter throwing a back-door slider on RC's assumption about Tiago's availability.

Tau and the Rockets got over on RC and if you ask me, they still walk around with an invisible leash teathered to RC's neck.


wow. That might be the most smack talk I've ever seen from Solid D
Can't say I disagree though. To take it a little further, I'm convinced that the tension evident between Scola and RC in a couple press reports about RC's commets on Scola's rebounding prowess (or lack thereof) after he was drafted colored RC's evaluation of Scola's true talent level - especially the "intangibles" part of his game.

Maybe I'm wrong, but to me the Scola trade happned because RC didn't "get over himself" - a cardinal sin in the Pop era, and one of the reasons why it made Pop so mad.

[SequSpur]

lol at MIA

[jag]

Actually, the fact that the League will pay for most of his salary if he comes back on a vet min deal might be enough of a reason for the Spurs at this point.

48MoH maybe...?