duncan228
02-13-2010, 01:20 AM
Are the San Antonio Spurs the next Detroit Pistons? (http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/2010/02/are_the_san_antonio_spurs_the.html)
By Patrick Hayes
Full-Court Press - A Detroit Pistons Blog
While the Detroit Pistons have seemingly bottomed out after a decade-long run as a top-four team in the NBA, the team has faced its share of criticism.
One of the top things I've heard: "You don't have to bottom out to rebuild. Look at the San Antonio Spurs."
Well, things haven't been going so hot for the Spurs of late either. They are absolutely better than the Pistons right now -- having Tim Duncan will do that for you -- and still a playoff contender, but is the end nearing for a core group of Spurs who have become accustomed to dominating the NBA?
Check out some of the things that have been going wrong (http://technorati.com/sports/article/are-we-witnessing-the-crumbling-of/) for the team of late:
- Yahoo! reported (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-jeffersonspurs020910&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) that coach Gregg Popovich is quickly losing patience with pricey offseason acquisition Richard Jefferson, who has not provided the offense the team was expecting when they acquired him from the Bucks for expiring contracts.
- Star guard Manu Ginobili, whose scoring average is the lowest it has been since his second year in the league, has openly wondered (http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/02/08/morning.tip/) if he'll be in San Antonio next year (his contract is up after the season).
- Tony Parker has been injured and his scoring average is down five points per game from last year.
- Promising second-year player George Hill had to apologize because he Odened (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/26/greg-oden-naked-pictures_n_437238.html) himself -- aka someone posted a naked picture of him online (http://www.nba.com/2010/news/02/09/spurs.hill.ap/index.html?rss=true).
Now, because Duncan doesn't appear to age and is having his typical 20 points/10 rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting season, the Spurs have managed to stay above .500 and are in fifth place in the West, although fifth through 11th in the West are only separated by four games. But what about what's around Duncan? Are the Spurs in that much better position long-term than the Pistons? Let's break it down:
Contracts: The worst ones the Spurs have are Richard Jefferson -- he makes $15 million next year then expires and Antonio McDyess. McDyess has been solid, as always, for the Spurs, but is an aging 20-minute a night player really worth the $4.8 and $5 million that he will make the next two seasons after this? 'Dyess has helped the Spurs, but if they had never signed him and had never done the Jefferson trade, they would have only significant cap room next year. Maybe not enough to snag a max player, like Texas native Chris Bosh, but most likely better value than the Jefferson/McDyess combo they have right now.
The Pistons obviously have some not-so-great deals -- Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton and Charlie Villanueva are all signed long-term and Tayshaun Prince is signed through next year. The Spurs obviously have better veterans for the money they spending on them next year, but they aren't exactly in a great position to improve either.
Young Players: Hill has filled in admirable for Parker -- 16.1 points per game in his last 12, all starts -- and looks to be a first round steal in last year's draft. Dejuan Blair, who should've been a first round pick this year, might be the best value in what has turned out to be a very deep draft. He's averaging 13 rebounds per 36 minutes. But those two are really it for the Spurs as far as young players, unless you want to count Matt Bonner. They have one under-30 guy locked up to a price deal in Parker.
The Pistons have Rodney Stuckey, a young guard who has improved each of his three seasons and has established himself as one of the toughest players in the league -- look at the pounding he takes going to the basket. Jonas Jerebko is in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game and Austin Daye has shown promise. Two of the Pistons long-term contracts are to guys in Gordon and Villanueva who are still considered young players.
It's pretty safe to say the Pistons have more guys on their roster with the potential to get better than the Spurs, unless you are convinced Michael Finley just needs more minutes to finally show his potential.
Obviously, anyone in their right mind would still trade rosters with the Spurs in a second, simply because of Duncan. But remove Duncan from the equation, and what the Spurs have around him is a question mark at best.
The Pistons' decline has been obvious, but they are far from the only team that is going to go from a recent stretch of dominance to a big dropoff as they try and find a new identity. The Spurs are catching up with them, quicker than many expected.
By Patrick Hayes
Full-Court Press - A Detroit Pistons Blog
While the Detroit Pistons have seemingly bottomed out after a decade-long run as a top-four team in the NBA, the team has faced its share of criticism.
One of the top things I've heard: "You don't have to bottom out to rebuild. Look at the San Antonio Spurs."
Well, things haven't been going so hot for the Spurs of late either. They are absolutely better than the Pistons right now -- having Tim Duncan will do that for you -- and still a playoff contender, but is the end nearing for a core group of Spurs who have become accustomed to dominating the NBA?
Check out some of the things that have been going wrong (http://technorati.com/sports/article/are-we-witnessing-the-crumbling-of/) for the team of late:
- Yahoo! reported (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-jeffersonspurs020910&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) that coach Gregg Popovich is quickly losing patience with pricey offseason acquisition Richard Jefferson, who has not provided the offense the team was expecting when they acquired him from the Bucks for expiring contracts.
- Star guard Manu Ginobili, whose scoring average is the lowest it has been since his second year in the league, has openly wondered (http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/david_aldridge/02/08/morning.tip/) if he'll be in San Antonio next year (his contract is up after the season).
- Tony Parker has been injured and his scoring average is down five points per game from last year.
- Promising second-year player George Hill had to apologize because he Odened (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/26/greg-oden-naked-pictures_n_437238.html) himself -- aka someone posted a naked picture of him online (http://www.nba.com/2010/news/02/09/spurs.hill.ap/index.html?rss=true).
Now, because Duncan doesn't appear to age and is having his typical 20 points/10 rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting season, the Spurs have managed to stay above .500 and are in fifth place in the West, although fifth through 11th in the West are only separated by four games. But what about what's around Duncan? Are the Spurs in that much better position long-term than the Pistons? Let's break it down:
Contracts: The worst ones the Spurs have are Richard Jefferson -- he makes $15 million next year then expires and Antonio McDyess. McDyess has been solid, as always, for the Spurs, but is an aging 20-minute a night player really worth the $4.8 and $5 million that he will make the next two seasons after this? 'Dyess has helped the Spurs, but if they had never signed him and had never done the Jefferson trade, they would have only significant cap room next year. Maybe not enough to snag a max player, like Texas native Chris Bosh, but most likely better value than the Jefferson/McDyess combo they have right now.
The Pistons obviously have some not-so-great deals -- Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton and Charlie Villanueva are all signed long-term and Tayshaun Prince is signed through next year. The Spurs obviously have better veterans for the money they spending on them next year, but they aren't exactly in a great position to improve either.
Young Players: Hill has filled in admirable for Parker -- 16.1 points per game in his last 12, all starts -- and looks to be a first round steal in last year's draft. Dejuan Blair, who should've been a first round pick this year, might be the best value in what has turned out to be a very deep draft. He's averaging 13 rebounds per 36 minutes. But those two are really it for the Spurs as far as young players, unless you want to count Matt Bonner. They have one under-30 guy locked up to a price deal in Parker.
The Pistons have Rodney Stuckey, a young guard who has improved each of his three seasons and has established himself as one of the toughest players in the league -- look at the pounding he takes going to the basket. Jonas Jerebko is in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game and Austin Daye has shown promise. Two of the Pistons long-term contracts are to guys in Gordon and Villanueva who are still considered young players.
It's pretty safe to say the Pistons have more guys on their roster with the potential to get better than the Spurs, unless you are convinced Michael Finley just needs more minutes to finally show his potential.
Obviously, anyone in their right mind would still trade rosters with the Spurs in a second, simply because of Duncan. But remove Duncan from the equation, and what the Spurs have around him is a question mark at best.
The Pistons' decline has been obvious, but they are far from the only team that is going to go from a recent stretch of dominance to a big dropoff as they try and find a new identity. The Spurs are catching up with them, quicker than many expected.