Spurs Article on nba.com

[nbaman99]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/david_aldridge/08/07/haves/index.html

[DaBears]

At work cant go to link, So You might want to give us a break down of what it says.

Thanks

[Rynospursfan]

Spurs reign supreme among the haves of the league
By David Aldridge, TNT Analyst
Posted Aug 7 2009 11:16AM

So, what was this offseason about in the NBA?



The rich getting richer, that's what. The defending champions lost nothing and gained Ron Artest, getting younger, deeper and more talented. The runners-up lost Hedo Turkoglu, but more than made up for it.

All over the league, the elites fortified themselves while their lessers fought for scraps. The Eastern Conference gained more traction in its tug-of-war with the West. The sour economy and the lack of much salary cap room this summer conspired to make movement slow for most, with players like Allen Iverson and David Lee waiting for the dam to burst and someone to come up with some cash. Money has now, unfortunately, created a class system in the NBA. It's clear that those with means can stay strong, while those without have to wait their turn. That cleaves the league nicely into five categories:

The Haves (Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Trail Blazers)

The Middle Class (Raptors, Wizards, Pistons, Hawks, Nuggets, Jazz, Rockets, 76ers)

The Holders (Bulls, Knicks, Heat)

The Folders (Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Bucks, Kings, Bobcats, Nets)

The Dreamers (Clippers, Hornets, Pacers, Warriors, Thunder, Suns)

In grading each team's offseason, the financial divide has to be taken into account. The Lakers simply have more money than a lot of teams, which makes their offseason that much easier. If Miami had offered Lamar Odom the same amount of money that Los Angeles did, he might be on South Beach right now. But Miami couldn't, and Los Angeles knew it, so L.A. could afford to wait for L.O. to come to its number. That's an advantage. But it doesn't mean the teams with less can't be productive, as you'll see below with teams like Indiana.

I grade teams on their entire offseason -- the Draft, free agency, trades, coaching changes, new ownership, new arenas, anything that has impacted or will impact rosters. But it's kind of graded on a curve because of the money disparities. Once again: This is not a predicted order of finish for next season, only one guy's evaluation of what's transpired between the end of each team's season and now.

Here are The Haves. For the others, click on the links above.

The haves
These are the teams that feel they have a legitimate shot at a championship, and acted accordingly, throwing money around like they were Mr. Monopoly (or, more accurately, given the business arrangements of the pro sports leagues, Mr. Cartel). They have high payrolls and don't care about paying the salary tax next season if the payoff is the Commish handing them the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June.

SAN ANTONIO

DA's Offseason Rank: No. 1

Last season: 54-28, first place, Southwest; Lost in first round of playoffs.

Added: F Richard Jefferson (trade with Milwaukee), F/C Antonio McDyess (free agent, Detroit; three years, $15 million), C Theo Ratliff (free agent, Philadelphia; one year, $1.3 million), F DeJuan Blair (second-round draft pick)

Lost: F Bruce Bowen (traded to Milwaukee), F/C Kurt Thomas (traded to Milwaukee), F/C Fabricio Oberto (traded to Milwaukee), F Drew Gooden (signed with Dallas)

Retained: None

The key man: C Ian Mahinmi. Any chance that a post-Tim Duncan era will amount to squat depends on whether the 22-year-old Mahinmi is ready for prime time.

The skinny: Incredible work by GM R.C. Buford to retool a still-good team and make it a contender again. The Jefferson deal is this offseason's version of the Gasol Heist of '08; with RJ on the floor the Spurs aren't held hostage by Manu Ginobili's deteriorating body parts -- though a healthy Manu is the key to a potential title run. Bad knees or not, Blair was a great second-round pickup, and McDyess classes up any locker room.

[nbaman99]

thanks 4 the break down rsf

[DaBears]

Spurs reign supreme among the haves of the league
By David Aldridge, TNT Analyst
Posted Aug 7 2009 11:16AM

So, what was this offseason about in the NBA?



The rich getting richer, that's what. The defending champions lost nothing and gained Ron Artest, getting younger, deeper and more talented. The runners-up lost Hedo Turkoglu, but more than made up for it.

All over the league, the elites fortified themselves while their lessers fought for scraps. The Eastern Conference gained more traction in its tug-of-war with the West. The sour economy and the lack of much salary cap room this summer conspired to make movement slow for most, with players like Allen Iverson and David Lee waiting for the dam to burst and someone to come up with some cash. Money has now, unfortunately, created a class system in the NBA. It's clear that those with means can stay strong, while those without have to wait their turn. That cleaves the league nicely into five categories:

The Haves (Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Trail Blazers)

The Middle Class (Raptors, Wizards, Pistons, Hawks, Nuggets, Jazz, Rockets, 76ers)

The Holders (Bulls, Knicks, Heat)

The Folders (Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Bucks, Kings, Bobcats, Nets)

The Dreamers (Clippers, Hornets, Pacers, Warriors, Thunder, Suns)

In grading each team's offseason, the financial divide has to be taken into account. The Lakers simply have more money than a lot of teams, which makes their offseason that much easier. If Miami had offered Lamar Odom the same amount of money that Los Angeles did, he might be on South Beach right now. But Miami couldn't, and Los Angeles knew it, so L.A. could afford to wait for L.O. to come to its number. That's an advantage. But it doesn't mean the teams with less can't be productive, as you'll see below with teams like Indiana.

I grade teams on their entire offseason -- the Draft, free agency, trades, coaching changes, new ownership, new arenas, anything that has impacted or will impact rosters. But it's kind of graded on a curve because of the money disparities. Once again: This is not a predicted order of finish for next season, only one guy's evaluation of what's transpired between the end of each team's season and now.

Here are The Haves. For the others, click on the links above.

The haves
These are the teams that feel they have a legitimate shot at a championship, and acted accordingly, throwing money around like they were Mr. Monopoly (or, more accurately, given the business arrangements of the pro sports leagues, Mr. Cartel). They have high payrolls and don't care about paying the salary tax next season if the payoff is the Commish handing them the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June.

SAN ANTONIO

DA's Offseason Rank: No. 1

Last season: 54-28, first place, Southwest; Lost in first round of playoffs.

Added: F Richard Jefferson (trade with Milwaukee), F/C Antonio McDyess (free agent, Detroit; three years, $15 million), C Theo Ratliff (free agent, Philadelphia; one year, $1.3 million), F DeJuan Blair (second-round draft pick)

Lost: F Bruce Bowen (traded to Milwaukee), F/C Kurt Thomas (traded to Milwaukee), F/C Fabricio Oberto (traded to Milwaukee), F Drew Gooden (signed with Dallas)

Retained: None

The key man: C Ian Mahinmi. Any chance that a post-Tim Duncan era will amount to squat depends on whether the 22-year-old Mahinmi is ready for prime time.

The skinny: Incredible work by GM R.C. Buford to retool a still-good team and make it a contender again. The Jefferson deal is this offseason's version of the Gasol Heist of '08; with RJ on the floor the Spurs aren't held hostage by Manu Ginobili's deteriorating body parts -- though a healthy Manu is the key to a potential title run. Bad knees or not, Blair was a great second-round pickup, and McDyess classes up any locker room.


Thanks for the good read!!!!!!!

[manu_maniac]

I don't like that he didn't mention the Haislip pickup. Also, when he talks about the Lakers, he says they got younger with the addition of Artest, which makes absolutely no sense.

[rayray2k8]

I don't like that he didn't mention the Haislip pickup. Also, when he talks about the Lakers, he says they got younger with the addition of Artest, which makes absolutely no sense.

Who do you think the spurs are expecting more out of, Haislip or Ian?

[narmerguy]

Who do you think the spurs are expecting more out of, Haislip or Ian?

I don't get why you quoted his above post to make that question? They have nothing to do with each other :nope I don't get why people do this so often...just a little thing that bothers me.

I think the spurs are expecting more out of Haislip now but they see more potential in Ian. I'm just not sure they expect it out of Ian all right now (but they definitely wanna see some of it or else...)

[manu_maniac]

It's not about what we expect from him, it's just a matter of mentioning that we picked him up. If David Aldridge is going to talk about our off season, why not include every move we made?

Also, although Mahinmi already knows the Spurs system fairly well and Haislip still needs to get accustomed to it, I agree that we should expect more from Haislip than Mahinmi. He's just has a more polished game at this point. Mahinmi is still a project for us.