Spurs looking to add experience to the bench

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs seem to be interested in adding some experience to the bench, particularly at point and at the 2. The 'lux tax amnesty' rule is apparently partly responsible for this desire. The Spurs had Michael Finley high on their list of free agent targets in the summer of 2001. Straight up would the Spurs prefer DBrown or Michael Finley? I'd say the latter.

Beyond the 'amnesty' casualties, there are veteran free agents who are potentially available on the cheap who the Spurs have reportedly had some interest in either this summer or in seasons' past. Sprewell remains under the radar and would fit in quite well backing up Manu at the 2 spot. Nick Van Exel is another potential vet free agent target for the Spurs. They were interested in Damon Stoudamire before he agreed to terms with Memphis. Apparently they have soured on Udrih as the backup point.

[TheTruth]

Nick Van Exel is another potential vet free agent target for the Spurs.
I'd be down with that. Instant offense off the bench never hurts. At least he's not Kukoc.

[Solid D]

They really need another wing player of some size who can play SF and defend opposing SFs.

[gospursgojas]

Nick van Exel is not Spurs material

[TDMVPDPOY]

Nick van Exel is not Spurs material

Dont hate him if he likes to shoot his fts 3ft away from teh ft line or has a high% ft shooter :D

[Dex]

I WAS for the whole NVE thing...until I sat and watched Game 6 of the 2003 Conference Finals again a couple times. The guy would have to learn to quit the ball-hoggin' if he wanted to make it off the bench on our squad.

I know how potent he CAN be at times, but he can get just as cold as he can hot. And he was responsible for like 60 percent of the clanged shots that cost Dallas that game as he went into one-on-five mode.

[Dre_7]

I have hated NVE for the longest time. If you woulda asked me during the playoffs if SA should sign him in the offseason, I woulda said "HELL NO!!" But now that I think about it. I would really like NVE in SA. He would be an excellent backup for TP. He would be able to play heavy minutes if (more like when) Tony starts to struggle in the playoffs. Yes I dont like the guy, but I also didnt like Robert Horry. But once he put on that silver and black, my hate dissapeared. I have a feeling the same thing would happen with NVE if he signs with SA. I say, sign him. Make SA even deeper this next year!!

If they dont get NVE, Michael Finley would not be a bad pickup either.

[Vashner]

No burnouts please.. we need young legs...

[Dre_7]

No burnouts please.. we need young legs...

"We" have plenty of young legs. Veteren expierence off the bench is priceless. It has worked for all 3 Spurs championships. The core of this Spurs team is young. That is all that matters. All SA needs to do, is put players (young or old) around their core.

[xcoriate]

I completely agree with Dex. Watch the WCF fourth Q on the 03 DVD and when it counted NVE was horrible. He was ICE cold.

[Spursman]

But then again, can't you pick a given point in time and say any player was horrible?

I would take NVE for the right price.

[Ocotillo]

There's always Gangsta Spree

[Streakyshooter08]

From realgm:

Van Exel, who turns 34 on Nov. 27, has narrowed his choices to the Mavs, Houston, San Antonio and Miami.

[JUUOT]

so we should add experience at the 2 behind manu? what about barry...
in one thread it is all about not getting old since we have two old wings (barry -brent)
and now we need old at the same position?

the only place we need a veteran is at PG to back up tony and beno.
we need young blood at the wing and it has been discussed in multiple thread
might be good to have a veteran big like every year added to horry.

fill the rest of the roster (2 spot) with young minimum player (aka sanders britton winston)

[spurster]

With only 3 swingmen so far, the Spurs could use a vet swingman and a young athletic Devin Brown type.

[midgetonadonkey]

With only 3 swingmen so far, the Spurs could use a vet swingman and a young athletic Devin Brown type.

Then they should probably focus on resigning Devin Brown.

[yavozerb]

I would love to have Finley and NVA join the team!! Both Have the experience and are still playing at a NBA level. Imagine second team being:
Nick Van Exel (PG)
Brent Barry (SG)
Michael Finley (SF)
Horry (PF)
Oberto (C)

Would probably be an awesome running second team with plenty of scoring and average D at best.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

They really need another wing player of some size who can play SF and defend opposing SFs.

How about a real SF instead of this stop gap stuff we've been doing behind Bruce? That worked well last year because Bruce was healthy (knock wood). But what if he's injured and his minutes decline or he misses games? Don't you think we need a full time backup at the 3?

As far as shooting guard, we're plenty deep unless one of them has to spell Bowen again next season. What is the point of bringing in somebody like The Strangler when Manu and Barry have secured the 2 as our second most productive position behind PF? Please 'splain it to me D.

[wildbill2u]

Veterans? I'd say we're loaded with veterans. Moreover, they're veterans who have played through the playoffs and won a championship.

[Marcus Bryant]

Apparently the Spurs do not agree. Not that I like this mindset, but NVE is a better option than Udrih next season and ditto for Finley or Sprewell v. Brown.

[Marcus Bryant]

If you want to maximize your chances of winning another championship(s) in the next 2 seasons, do you go with guys like NVE, Sprewell and/or Finley on the bench or Udrih and a Devin Brown with a bad back?

[Solid D]

How about a real SF instead of this stop gap stuff we've been doing behind Bruce? That worked well last year because Bruce was healthy (knock wood). But what if he's injured and his minutes decline or he misses games? Don't you think we need a full time backup at the 3?

As far as shooting guard, we're plenty deep unless one of them has to spell Bowen again next season. What is the point of bringing in somebody like The Strangler when Manu and Barry have secured the 2 as our second most productive position behind PF? Please 'splain it to me D.

If a "real SF" means someone with some length and taller than 6'-5", I totally agree. The Spurs 2 and 3 positions are fairly interchangeable offensively but defensively, that is not always the case. Many times, it is not.

Teams with wing players 6'8", 6'9", 6'10" or > give the Spurs a tough matchup, particularly when Manu and Brent are playing at the same (a frequent occurance). The Spurs used a strategy of immediately doubling Tayshaun with the nearest Big, whenever he isolated and posted up. Ideally, you don't create double-team situations because of size, if you can help it.

[Marcus Bryant]

Hedo was quite nice defensively.

[spurster]

If you want to maximize your chances of winning another championship(s) in the next 2 seasons, do you go with guys like NVE, Sprewell and/or Finley on the bench or Udrih and a Devin Brown with a bad back?
I don't think it is an either-or. The Spurs have room to add a vet backup PG in addition to Beno. The Spurs also have room and need for 2 more swingmen; there's no reason why you can't have one vet plus a young gun.

I don't really want to have too veteran of a team. I don't really want to see another I-fell-down-and-can't-get-up Terry Porter episode.

[Solid D]

Hedo was quite nice defensively.

How was he offensively?

[Marcus Bryant]

Not as bad as Spurs fans seem to think.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yeah, he had that stand in the corner and watch the ball go off the finger tips because he didn't want to take one step over to catch the play down pat.

The greatest offensive play I've ever seen.

For someone who bags on Rasho for going up soft, not sure how you can defend a guy who went up as soft at the rim as Hedo.

[Extra Stout]

It appears the Spurs' strategy with these "amnesty" vets is to stick a whole bunch of lines in the water and see how many bites they get.

[Marcus Bryant]

Compare Hedo to Barry and tell me who sucks worse offensively in the postseason.

[Solid D]

Hedo smells like cabbage.

[yavozerb]

People, you go with what you already have and what is available. Needless to say that the spurs are not the only team in search of this prototypical SF (taller than 6'5 with long arms) so with that said they are not cheap!!Every team has some weaknesses, its how well you are able use your strengths on the team that seperate the teams in this league..

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Not as bad as Spurs fans seem to think.

:lol

Yeah, and as Samuel Clemens said, Wagner's music isn't as bad as it sounds.

[Taking it to the Hole]

Well, we have three spots open still. One backup point, one swingman, and a another big man is what we really need. The SG position is probably the best next, to the PF position.