Trade Roger Mason????????

[tbear280]

He has been clutch but he is a free agent after this year. Next year somebody is going to offer him alot more money then he is worth. do you think SAS will try to trade himnow or during the year, or does he just go into free agency next year

[coyotes_geek]

Mason's not going anywhere this year. The Spurs will worry about next year, next year.

[Spursmania]

Mason has this one year to really step it up and hit his shots. I really hope he's working on his Defense this off-season. Mason deserves a chance to prove himself in his natural position. I hope Pop doesn't experiment again with the PG position or he really will get traded next year. We all know what a failure it is to place him in the PG role.

[tbear280]

He is one hell of an insurance policy for Manu though....

[poeticism707]

If the Spurs could someone great for him like an above average big like Camby, then the Spurs would have to make the deal if there was no other way.

Other than that, no way the Spurs trade Mason. He's clutch in his proper role, and the Spurs will need that this year as true contenders.

[Spurs9]

No way I'd trade him, he was one of the most clutch last year and will only be better this year.

[FkLA]

I'd trade him in a heartbeat if we can get someone useful in return (camby), maybe package him with Bonner and our other expiring contracts. I know some Spurs fans really like him, and I was one of them, but we have to be honest he played like a pussy in the playoffs...nice reg season but nothing more--same as Barry, Hedo, Udoka, in the past. Pop playing him as the back-up PG is only part of it as well cause even when he was playing with Parker and simply being a spot-up shooter he wasnt hitting his shots. Bottom line is he couldnt deliver in the playoffs.

Besides Im expecting a big year from Manu, so he'll be the one being re-signed after we win the title next June not Mason.

[4RINGS]

Mason has this one year to really step it up and hit his shots. I really hope he's working on his Defense this off-season. Mason deserves a chance to prove himself in his natural position. I hope Pop doesn't experiment again with the PG position or he really will get traded next year. We all know what a failure it is to place him in the PG role.

He failed at the pg position because he can not finish at the rim. He misses more bunnies than any PG I have ever seen. He needs to stick to his 15'+ jumpers... that is where he excels. Let Hill or Manu run the point. :flag:

[HarlemHeat37]

He failed at the PG position, because he isn't a PG..

When he was playing strictly at the 2 for most of the year, he was arguably the best 3-point shooter in the NBA, he was making clutch plays everywhere, and he was playing passable defense..

I would obviously trade him if somebody good comes along, but I would like to see Mason on this team..he's a very good player to have on this team, especially now with the added weapons that will allow him to take more open shots..

[Mr. Body]

Shop him, sure, but he's a great fit for the first team. With Duncan playing inside, Dice roaming, and RJ and TP both good slashers, you need a very good spot-up shooter to catch and pitch.

[FkLA]

He failed at the PG position, because he isn't a PG..

When he was playing strictly at the 2 for most of the year, he was arguably the best 3-point shooter in the NBA, he was making clutch plays everywhere, and he was playing passable defense..

I would obviously trade him if somebody good comes along, but I would like to see Mason on this team..he's a very good player to have on this team, especially now with the added weapons that will allow him to take more open shots..

Its not like Pop was playing him at the PG postion all game long, it was only when Parker was resting...which was 10 minutes max. Mason didnt do shit in the playoffs even when he was playing alongside Tony and being a spot-up shooter. Great regular season for him but nothing more...same old story as Barry, Hedo, and Udoka that do well and than dissapear in the playoffs. These guys are expendable, the league is filled with great shooters.

BTW this is a big reason why I like Finley, alot of u guys bitch about him...but he has balls. If he misses he keeps shooting and keeps the defense honest, disregarding how bad he's been shooting. Guys like Mason, Barry, Hedo, Udoka would miss and be scared to keep shooting and by the end of the series we see them at the end of the bench gettiing 5 mpg. Give me Findawg over any of these pussies any day.

[Biggems]

I'd trade him in a heartbeat if we can get someone useful in return (camby), maybe package him with Bonner and our other expiring contracts. I know some Spurs fans really like him, and I was one of them, but we have to be honest he played like a pussy in the playoffs...nice reg season but nothing more--same as Barry, Hedo, Udoka, in the past. Pop playing him as the back-up PG is only part of it as well cause even when he was playing with Parker and simply being a spot-up shooter he wasnt hitting his shots. Bottom line is he couldnt deliver in the playoffs.

Besides Im expecting a big year from Manu, so he'll be the one being re-signed after we win the title next June not Mason.

you mean the oft-injured, old, expensive Camby? No thanks. just treat Mason like a SG and not a PG and we will be rewarded handsomely.

[Muser]

No keep him, when he is allowed to be a spot up shooter he plays great.


Of course if someone offers some amazing player than you do it, but i'm all for keeping mason.

[kobyz]

he can't guard at NBA level, he just a good regular season tree point shooter who can't do nothing else and choke in the playoffs.
trade his expiring contract combin with another expiring contracts for a quality swingman.

[kobyz]

Its not like Pop was playing him at the PG postion all game long, it was only when Parker was resting...which was 10 minutes max. Mason didnt do shit in the playoffs even when he was playing alongside Tony and being a spot-up shooter. Great regular season for him but nothing more...same old story as Barry, Hedo, and Udoka that do well and than dissapear in the playoffs. These guys are expendable, the league is filled with great shooters.

BTW this is a big reason why I like Finley, alot of u guys bitch about him...but he has balls. If he misses he keeps shooting and keeps the defense honest, disregarding how bad he's been shooting. Guys like Mason, Barry, Hedo, Udoka would miss and be scared to keep shooting and by the end of the series we see them at the end of the bench gettiing 5 mpg. Give me Findawg over any of these pussies any day.

i can't understand how Peoples here prefer Mason over Finley!

[FkLA]

you mean the oft-injured, old, expensive Camby? No thanks. just treat Mason like a SG and not a PG and we will be rewarded handsomely.

Camby is not expensive for what he brings to the table, he is a beast on the boards and at blocking shots. Besides he's got one year left so we're not taking on a huge long-term contract or anything....as for injuries the last three years the least games he's played is 62, which was last season. Before that he played 79 and 70 respectively. I'll take that.

Mason was treated as a SG in the playoffs for all but 5-10 minutes each game...and we were not rewarded handsomely at all.

[Ace9]

Play him at SG, he's got skills and he's a real nice fit for the Spurs. I don't want him to go anywhere, unless I see some serious reward coming back to me.

[lefty]

Mason is a fucking keeper


He is a clutch mofo :tu

[FkLA]

Clutch in the regular season.

Open your damn eyes Spurs fans, he choked and played like a little bitch in the playoffs.

[TimDunkem]

Then he has this year to prove himself, but playing him at the point, then benching him didn't help him establish any sort of rhythm. He adds depth to our team. I'd rather get rid of Fin.

[FkLA]

He was only played 5-10 mpg as a PG while Tony was resting, people are using that as an excuse without even considering that the rest of time he was playing alongside Tony as a spot-up shooter....where he missed his shots, than hesitated to take shots, and ultimately ended up at the end of the bench.

As for Findawg, he's the only shooter we've had since Jack that has the balls to shoot himself out of a slump in the playoffs. I'll take him over Mason any day, Fin has hit a share of clutch shots himself as well...a couple in the playoffs.

[Demo Dick Marcinko]

i can't understand how Peoples here prefer Mason over Finley!

I didn't either until I started digging.

Fin Dawg: 28.8 mpg, FG% nearly 44%, 3pt % 41%, FT% 82%, ORB .3, DRB 3.0 & 9.7 pts per game

Mason: 30.4 mpg, FG% 41%, 3pt% 41%, FT% 89% (who the hell does he think he is), ORB .2, DRB 2.9 & 11.8 pts per game.

These numbers from last season. I gotta think that Finley had a tangible advantage on Mason that should disappear this year because he has played in the Spurs system for multiple years. Last year was Mase's first.

Secondly, we got to ask ourselves since the numbers are too close to call now, though that it is subject to change as Mase learns the Spurs system even better and Finley ages another year, who do we want?

My grandmother can take it to the hole or stop and pop, run the pick and roll to perfection on either Fin or Mase so defense is not really a determining factor, though at this time I would have to give the edge to Finley but only by the slimmest of margins. And I think Finley is more of a vocal, positive influence in the locker room and on the court then Mason.


The final analysis is that I'd prefer, hell I still don't know. My mind says Finley but my heart says stick with Mase and he's only going to get better as he gets more versed in the Spurs system. Glad I'm not the GM on this one.

[SonOfAGun]

Mase has got the fire.

[DesignatedT]

Mason :tu
Finley :tu



keep them both. use them both.

they can both hit the 3 and both are clutch performers... minus masons playoff stunt last year but our whole team was playing terrible at that point.

[ohmwrecker]

You don't trade a shooter in a contract year. He has got something to prove.

[SenorSpur]

He failed at the PG position, because he isn't a PG..

When he was playing strictly at the 2 for most of the year, he was arguably the best 3-point shooter in the NBA, he was making clutch plays everywhere, and he was playing passable defense..

I would obviously trade him if somebody good comes along, but I would like to see Mason on this team..he's a very good player to have on this team, especially now with the added weapons that will allow him to take more open shots..

Well said. I completely concur. :toast

I love Mason's dead-eye, 3-pt shooting too. Unless there's a deal on the table for a significant key piece, I'd rather the see him remain on the squad.

[Slinkyman]

Mason's defense is bad and he didn't show up for the playoffs going from 12ppg to 6. Guys who don't show up when it matters are easy to replace, Mason has to prove he can contribute when it matters. Until then i'd trade him for the right deal otherwise hold on to him and see if he can at least be a factor in the playoffs.

[Tully365]

Adding Jefferson, who will penetrate and create much more than Finley or Bowen did, will make Mason more valuable as a spot up three option... plus, with McDyess, Blair, Haislip, and Mahinmi on the team it's a safe assumption that Bonner will get significantly fewer minutes, meaning Mason could be the #1 three point shooter on the Spurs. Any trade would probably have to include a SG coming back, since the Spurs don't want Manu playing extended minutes, and I don't think Hairston is ready yet to play 25 mpg.

[45 bank shot]

last season proved that wasn't the case, don't know what you're smoking

c'mon, let's be honest. Before the PG experiment, RMJ was playing his heart out and continuted hitting clutch shots.

[gtownspur]

whott bait

[mikeb2016]

I think this is a classic case of the grass being greener on the other side...we automatically assume that other players playing similar roles on other teams will be better than the guys we already have. This is due in large part to only seeing the good that other team's players produce, and seeing both the good and the bad that your own guys produce. Yes, Mason had a bad 5 games in the playoffs, and the second half of the year was not as great as the first half. But that was the case for the entire team, and I am willing to bet that the slide of the team had a lot more to do with Mason's slide than the other way around.

The answer to the question is easy...no, you don't trade him, unless you have to include him in a deal that significantly improves the team and you have someone who can replace his shooting. He is a great fit on this team as a shooting specialist...was anyone interested in trading him on Christmas Day last year?

[duncan228]

...was anyone interested in trading him on Christmas Day last year?

67MP5tJY-vw

[VivaPopovich]

He has been clutch but he is a free agent after this year. Next year somebody is going to offer him alot more money then he is worth. do you think SAS will try to trade himnow or during the year, or does he just go into free agency next year

probably not, mason would be great off the bench

i wouldnt pay too much money for him, esp. now that we got mcclinton to develop. he's a shooter, but he's not on michael redd's level. other than hitting open kick-out shots, he doesnt have any strengths that really stand out

let's see him hustle some more for the ball with off-ball screens, then we can talk more money

[HarlemHeat37]

It's also funny that so many of you are forgetting that Mason is a bench player..he only starts by name..clearly Manu is the "starter"..knock him if you want, but Mason will be one of the better bench players in the NBA this season..

[Spurs1234]

we need to keep mason, every season, to win a ring, you need guys to hit big spot up three pointers, and mason will be that guy. Same with finley, i dont know why so many people want to trade him, every team needs a steve kerr 2003 on their team for that big shot. The spurs still rely on good outside shooters to knock down shots, not sure why people want to get rid of the spurs best shooter in mason. Mason's only flaw, is he cannot create his own shot by taking it to the rack, which he had to do with no manu...but with a healthy manu and jefferson, he can do what he does best, knock down open shots....sounds good to me.

[Lackluster]

i think mason will play better next year without the kinda pressure that was put on him in the post season to be a big time scorer.

he can't be our 3rd best scorer, and that won't be the case if a healthy manu and rj are shouldering the load.

i can see him flourishing in this role / line up. same with bonner. these guys will come in and hit big shots, but these shots need to be the icing on the cake from what the big 4 are already giving you night in and night out.

[Allanon]

If Pop tries to play Mason at the PG position again this year, it's not going to be pretty.

Parker/Hill - PG
Manu/Mason - SG

That's it, no experiments Pop, you're just gonna mess it up.

[Taking it to the Hole]

A lot of posters in here are forgetting Mason played lights out at the beginning of last season. He along with G Hill and Duncan carried this team. We easily would have had a losing record by the time Parker and Manu came back if he didn't step up his game, but he did. You don 't trade guys like that.

And the argument that Finley is better than Mason is a weak one at best. Finley may be a pure shooter, but his defense is WORST than Mason's!!! What I can't comprehend is the astounding number of Finley supporters in this forum? If anyone needs to be traded it is Finley, not Mason!!!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

No way you trade Mason - great shooter on a cheap contract, and now in his second year in the Spurs' system (which means he'll improve at both ends).

As for the guff about his playoff performance - please name me a player who played WELL in that series. There was no Manu, and Tim was not well, not to mention Pop's benching of Hill, odd rotations and playing Mason out of position. Give the guy an incomplete on last year.

Contrast that with the lineup now - the addition of RJ and return of Manu means that Mason doesn't have to create at all, he just has to shoot, which is what he does best. I think he'll hit over 200 3s this year if he's uninjured.

[Spurs da champs]

Raja Bell!

[FkLA]

As for the guff about his playoff performance - please name me a player who played WELL in that series. There was no Manu, and Tim was not well, not to mention Pop's benching of Hill, odd rotations and playing Mason out of position. Give the guy an incomplete on last year.


Noone played spectacular, but guys still showed up and did what they could...Mason on the other hand completely dissapeared. Seeing him as a 12th man by the end of the series was pathetic.

The guy had a nice reg season no doubt, I was all up on his nuts as well...remember that rumored VC trade that included Mason? I was hesitant because I didnt want him gone. But his dissapearance in the playoffs completely exposed him as an average player with no balls. Ive seen this shit enough already with guys like Hedo, Barry, Udoka doing good in the reg season and playing like bitches in the playoffs. They dont have the balls to shoot themselves out of slumps, thats why I like Finley. He doesnt give a fuck if he's struggling, he keeps shooting until he gets out of the slump. If we can get a good player by trading Mason and his expiring contract, I'd jump at it.

[FkLA]

A lot of posters in here are forgetting Mason played lights out at the beginning of last season. He along with G Hill and Duncan carried this team. We easily would have had a losing record by the time Parker and Manu came back if he didn't step up his game, but he did. You don 't trade guys like that.

And the argument that Finley is better than Mason is a weak one at best. Finley may be a pure shooter, but his defense is WORST than Mason's!!! What I can't comprehend is the astounding number of Finley supporters in this forum? If anyone needs to be traded it is Finley, not Mason!!!

The regular season and post-season are two different animals homie.

As for the comparison with Finley...the defense argument is pretty stupid considering both of them are below-average defenders. And why would u trade Fin instead of Mason? Last time I checked it was Mason, not Finley, that played like a bitch against the Mavs. It was Mason not Finley who ended up as a 12th man by the end of the series. And u know all those clutch shots Mason has made? Fin has made his fair amount of clutch shots for us too, including huge ones in the playoffs.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Noone played spectacular, but guys still showed up and did what they could...Mason on the other hand completely dissapeared. Seeing him as a 12th man by the end of the series was pathetic.

The guy had a nice reg season no doubt, I was all up on his nuts as well...remember that rumored VC trade that included Mason? I was hesitant because I didnt want him gone. But his dissapearance in the playoffs completely exposed him as an average player with no balls. Ive seen this shit enough already with guys like Hedo, Barry, Udoka doing good in the reg season and playing like bitches in the playoffs. They dont have the balls to shoot themselves out of slumps, thats why I like Finley. He doesnt give a fuck if he's struggling, he keeps shooting until he gets out of the slump. If we can get a good player by trading Mason and his expiring contract, I'd jump at it.

5 game winners says he's got some balls.

Our team was so beaten up and out of sorts by the time the playoffs rolled around, due mostly to bad decisions by Pop like playing Mo Money at PG, that I don't think you can judge Mason for that. He's no 2004 Turkoglu.

Mason has balls in spades, and if Pop plays it right and just uses him to shoot, the guy will win us 10 games this year, and a few in the playoffs.

[FkLA]

5 game winners says he's got some balls.

Our team was so beaten up and out of sorts by the time the playoffs rolled around, due mostly to bad decisions by Pop like playing Mo Money at PG, that I don't think you can judge Mason for that. He's no 2004 Turkoglu.

Mason has balls in spades, and if Pop plays it right and just uses him to shoot, the guy will win us 10 games this year, and a few in the playoffs.

Barry hit a couple of reg season gamewinners for us, as did Hedo (still remember that Pacers double OT game)....the playoffs are a whole different animal. Bottom line is Mason dissapeared, I dont blame him for not playing well as a PG. That obviously isnt his natural position, but like Ive been saying he played that role maybe 5-10 mpg while Tony was resting. The rest of the time he was playing alongside Tony in his normal position and role.

He played like a bitch. If Finley ended up doing that we wouldnt be hearing the end of it, I dont understand why Mason gets a pass.

[ElNono]

I wouldn't have a problem moving him if it brings us a Raja Bell, or a perimeter defender of that kind.
I like Roger, and I think he can have a successful career, be it with us or somewhere else. I also think he has a TON to improve on his game. You simply can't be a one trick pony on a contending team. His defense is also very suspect. He's young though, so he's got the time to improve.
Also, real players are made in the playoffs. I don't care if he hit every game winner in the regular season, if the trend of not showing up in the playoffs continues, then I'm afraid his stay with the Spurs is going to be short.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Barry hit a couple of reg season gamewinners for us, as did Hedo (still remember that Pacers double OT game)....the playoffs are a whole different animal. Bottom line is Mason dissapeared, I dont blame him for not playing well as a PG. That obviously isnt his natural position, but like Ive been saying he played that role maybe 5-10 mpg while Tony was resting. The rest of the time he was playing alongside Tony in his normal position and role.

He played like a bitch. If Finley ended up doing that we wouldnt be hearing the end of it, I dont understand why Mason gets a pass.

I'm aware that Barry and Turk hit regular season winners for us, and I think you'll find Barry hit some playoff winners for us too (Turk, I agree, choked like a bitch in the playoffs - I still blame him for 04). I'm also aware that the playoffs are completely different to the regular season.

Pop destroyed Mason's confidence, and in fact the whole team's confidence, over the last month of the season to the point that none of them knew whether they were coming or going. The team was so out of sorts it affected everyone. Mason was one of the most affected because he was being asked to play PG and also create. Those are not his stregnths.

I have faith in him to be an even better Spur this year because he'll now be very comfortable in our system and, with the players the team has picked up, he won't be asked to do much more than shoot the lights out, what he does best.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

[ElNono]

Pop destroyed Mason's confidence, and in fact the whole team's confidence, over the last month of the season to the point that none of them knew whether they were coming or going. The team was so out of sorts it affected everyone. Mason was one of the most affected because he was being asked to play PG and also create. Those are not his stregnths.

I have to say I did subscribe to this sentiment late last season. That said, considering Hill didn't come back until the last game of the season, we never really knew if it was really that, or something else.
The signs were there, but I think this season is the time for Roger to show his stuff, and prove that it really was playing out of position what made him ineffective and got him out of his game.

[FkLA]

I dont buy that excuse.

Mason was asked to do that for 5-10 minutes per game to simply give Tony a rest, if u let that affect u than youre pretty weak mentally. There's also Hill, whom Pop basically had no confidence in and refused to play early in the series...that shouldve killed his confidence especially considering the fact that he's a rookie yet when he was given a chance late in the series he was one of our best players. Simply put, Mason dissapeared and Pop had little if anything to with it.

I hope youre right, and that he proves me wrong and has a great post-season next year for us if he's still in a Spurs uniform...his perfomance against the Mavs really makes me doubt that though.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

In my mind I have completely deleted last year's performance against the Mavs from all of the player's records - the team was incomplete, beaten-up, had no SPAM chemistry, and was always going to flame out in the first round. I, and a few others around here, said as much a fortnight before the playoffs and got ripped for it. I don't think there was much to learn from that flameout at all, it was just a flameout like 2000 after Tim's injury - sad, inevitable and depressing.

Last year was a forgettable one for every Spur bar Tony.

[itzsoweezee]

I dont buy that excuse.

Mason was asked to do that for 5-10 minutes per game to simply give Tony a rest, if u let that affect u than youre pretty weak mentally. There's also Hill, whom Pop basically had no confidence in and refused to play early in the series...that shouldve killed his confidence especially considering the fact that he's a rookie yet when he was given a chance late in the series he was one of our best players. Simply put, Mason dissapeared and Pop had little if anything to with it.

I hope youre right, and that he proves me wrong and has a great post-season next year for us if he's still in a Spurs uniform...his perfomance against the Mavs really makes me doubt that though.

i agree with you 100%. mason was terrible. he was a puss and i wouldn't be sad to see him go.

[ElNono]

In my mind I have completely deleted last year's performance against the Mavs from all of the player's records - the team was incomplete, beaten-up, had no SPAM chemistry, and was always going to flame out in the first round. I, and a few others around here, said as much a fortnight before the playoffs and got ripped for it. I don't think there was much to learn from that flameout at all, it was just a flameout like 2000 after Tim's injury - sad, inevitable and depressing.

Last year was a forgettable one for every Spur bar Tony.

I didn't forget. I watched. It happened. And this season' team is going to have to work very hard to scrub off Game 3 off my mind. That includes Pop.
Mostly not because I thought we could make a lot of noise. But because it was a team with glaring problems that were not addressed while there was still time.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I didn't forget. I watched. It happened. And this season' team is going to have to work very hard to scrub off Game 3 off my mind. That includes Pop.
Mostly not because I thought we could make a lot of noise. But because it was a team with glaring problems that were not addressed while there was still time.

Time for what? To limp into the second round? I don't think anyone wanted that. Losing to the Mavs, whilst painful and annoying, was actuyally a better result than crawling into Denver and getting slapped around.

I agree with you that there were glaring unanswered problems, although I'd put the timeline on that back to the end of Feb/start of March when Pop decided to sit Hill, jerk Mason around, Tim's knees visibly declined, Manu went out, and then there was no SPAM. SPAM is not imaginary - winning an NBA title is all about bringing all the elements (team health, chemistry, effort, desire, luck) together at the right time, and the good teams generally hit their power band late in March and ride it all the way to the end. That's what SPAM is. Last year there was no SPAM. I blame Pop partly for that, but there were a bunch of factors fedding into it - injuries, Benophobia, etc.

I'm not trying to deny that it happened, I'm saying that by the time the playoffs rolled around it was inevitable.

[Danny.Zhu]

Either Fin or Mason should be traded with Bonner.

[peter_slb]

I can't understand that Mason continues to be classified as "clutch". When it really matters, in the playoffs, he sucked. Being clutch in 3/4 games during the regular season is equal to nothing, in a team that wants to win the championship. He would be a clutch player in the Clippers, not in the Spurs.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Mason's skillset really fits a starting role on the Spurs with TD,TP and RJ, he'll thrive in this situation and while I also think he didn't do well in the playoffs and it was more his fault than Pop's, I disagree about throwing him in each and every trade scenario. We're a team that relies on 3 point shooting and we will keep relying on it, Mason is one of the best spot up shooters in the NBA and he deserves to be given another chance.

I agree he could be dealt in certain scenarios, but people are calling him a choker, pussy, etc. and in the very next sentence they're suggesting we could get a Camby for the supposed choker. WTF? At least be more reasonable unless you expect NBA GMs to know less than people on a message board.

[ElNono]

Time for what? To limp into the second round? I don't think anyone wanted that. Losing to the Mavs, whilst painful and annoying, was actuyally a better result than crawling into Denver and getting slapped around.

I agree with you that there were glaring unanswered problems, although I'd put the timeline on that back to the end of Feb/start of March when Pop decided to sit Hill, jerk Mason around, Tim's knees visibly declined, Manu went out, and then there was no SPAM. SPAM is not imaginary - winning an NBA title is all about bringing all the elements (team health, chemistry, effort, desire, luck) together at the right time, and the good teams generally hit their power band late in March and ride it all the way to the end. That's what SPAM is. Last year there was no SPAM. I blame Pop partly for that, but there were a bunch of factors fedding into it - injuries, Benophobia, etc.

I'm not trying to deny that it happened, I'm saying that by the time the playoffs rolled around it was inevitable.

I actually agree with the timeline you describe. I also want to point out we acquired Gooden when it became painfully obvious that Bonner was not the answer, and Pop barely played him at all in the Dallas series.
Which reminds me, why is that guy still on our roster? I guess we haven't found the right trade yet.

[dbestpro]

Either Fin or Mason should be traded with Bonner.

Either Finley or Bonner will be with the team for the entire year so that we have a spot for Splitter. Trade them both and you may struggle to find a way to sign Splitter when he is most likely to sign. We do not need to do another Jackie Butler.

[CaptainLate]

No way I'd trade him, he was one of the most clutch last year and will only be better this year.

Agreed. And (most?, all?) FA who come to the Spurs seem to be better the second year after a year of getting to know the system. I see a "small ball" lineup of TD, Jefferson, Manu, Mason and Parker being quite formidable.

Spurs 12-man Roster:

TD/McDyess/Blair/Mahinmi
Jefferson/Finley
Manu/Mason/

Parker/Hill/(McClinton?)

On the Hot Seat for 5 other openings:

Bonner
McClinton
Gist
Hairston
Gooden
Haslip
Udoka

[CaptainLate]

In my mind I have completely deleted last year's performance against the Mavs from all of the player's records - the team was incomplete, beaten-up, had no SPAM chemistry, and was always going to flame out in the first round. I, and a few others around here, said as much a fortnight before the playoffs...

And most of the sports talking heads knew the Spurs were done when Ginobili went down for good. Years ago I said Ginobili would have a short career b/c of the way he plays. I hope and pray he and all the Spurs stay healthy enough to grab 2 more rings during the Duncan era.

[CaptainLate]

As for the guff about his playoff performance - please name me a player who played WELL in that series. There was no Manu....Give the guy an incomplete on last year.

A healthy Manu changes the whole outlook of the team. Anyone with enough b-ball knowledge knows that, which is why when he went down, the talking heads knew the Spurs were done as far as title contenders. However, we still
should have kicked the pathetic Mavs' ass, even with a less than healthy TD.