LMA is gone!

[The Truth #6]

Sometime between the shutdown last March, and the bubble, there was a fundamental organizational change in SSE. I think PATFO sat down and assessed the team to that point in the season, and figured that if they were going to miss the playoffs, they might as well see what they had in the kids. The bubble was the perfect Petri dish to perform their experiment. I believe they had already decided to move on from LMA, and told him to stay home. They wanted to retain DD, though, thinking they might get him at a discount, so they let him participate. Players they had no plans for didn’t play or didn’t play much. Forbes didn’t play at all, and Patty played coach. Marco only played a couple of games to cover minor injuries. The rest of the minutes were covered by the draft picks between 2015 and 2019, and the players they wanted to go forward with minus Luka. They liked what they saw.

After the offseason, they tried to move LMA, and almost did. Bad luck. They didn’t get DD to agree to an extension, but that was always a possibility. They had to pay a bit more for Poeltl than they wanted to, but that turned out to still be a bargain. They began the season,and things were better, but still not optimal. LMA’s defense had fallen off a cliff. It became apparent that he couldn’t start and have us be successful. He refused to come off the bench, so they invented the hip thing while shopping him. The Spurs were rolling, bouncing between the 4 and 6 seeds. Then, COVID. They played through it, but between the weird roster, and the continuing recovery/restart, there was some ground lost.

The point of this long telling is that when you make a fundamental change, sometimes you have to cut away the wreckage. That includes LMA, via trade or buyout, and possibly DD, at this point,although only a trade in that case. You don’t throw good money after bad. You don’t make a trade just to make a trade. You make a trade if you get some good shit, and don’t have to take too much bad shit. There are apparently no offers of that type currently on the table for LMA, which is why you wait it out to the deadline.

That’s a really good timeline.

[Ice009]

Not to mention the fact that he was a high school classmate of LeBron.

Was he really? I didn't know that. Is that how he got his foot in the door with the media, or was he already going down that path job wise without knowing Lebron?

[Chinook]

Sometime between the shutdown last March, and the bubble, there was a fundamental organizational change in SSE. I think PATFO sat down and assessed the team to that point in the season, and figured that if they were going to miss the playoffs, they might as well see what they had in the kids. The bubble was the perfect Petri dish to perform their experiment. I believe they had already decided to move on from LMA, and told him to stay home. They wanted to retain DD, though, thinking they might get him at a discount, so they let him participate. Players they had no plans for didn’t play or didn’t play much. Forbes didn’t play at all, and Patty played coach. Marco only played a couple of games to cover minor injuries. The rest of the minutes were covered by the draft picks between 2015 and 2019, and the players they wanted to go forward with minus Luka. They liked what they saw.

After the offseason, they tried to move LMA, and almost did. Bad luck. They didn’t get DD to agree to an extension, but that was always a possibility. They had to pay a bit more for Poeltl than they wanted to, but that turned out to still be a bargain. They began the season,and things were better, but still not optimal. LMA’s defense had fallen off a cliff. It became apparent that he couldn’t start and have us be successful. He refused to come off the bench, so they invented the hip thing while shopping him. The Spurs were rolling, bouncing between the 4 and 6 seeds. Then, COVID. They played through it, but between the weird roster, and the continuing recovery/restart, there was some ground lost.

The point of this long telling is that when you make a fundamental change, sometimes you have to cut away the wreckage. That includes LMA, via trade or buyout, and possibly DD, at this point,although only a trade in that case. You don’t throw good money after bad. You don’t make a trade just to make a trade. You make a trade if you get some good shit, and don’t have to take too much bad shit. There are apparently no offers of that type currently on the table for LMA, which is why you wait it out to the deadline.

Yeah, I had come to a similar conclusion. I think the way Murray talked about LMA during camp suggested the team hadn't expected him to come back. They might've even flirted with the idea of cutting him before that, which is why they guaranteed his contract way early. I think that was them deciding against that, maybe in order to be able to trade him for full value. If they end up buying him out, that was obviously a poor decision. They could've used that extra salary space to sign an MLE player or might've been able to slide into some cap space for a Wood or Grant, depending on how they handled the rest of their off-season.

It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy, though. If this timeline is true, a lot of Aldridge's poor play could be the result of him not wanting to be in SA or knowing SA doesn't want him to be there. The way Jakob's playing, LMA probably shouldn't've started anyway, but Poe didn't exactly start the year off strong either. Could they have gotten Aldridge to snap into a similar contract-year mentality as DeRozan had they not been so keen to go young? I find that worth consideration. Otherwise, I might wonder if there were other deals SA could've made but didn't because they were gambling on getting better offers down the line. Basically, was Young right that the Spurs wanted to deal LMA but "overplayed their hands"? Maybe Miami was willing to swap 20 for 41 back then when they were coming off a Finals appearance. Maybe Boston was willing to play ball before they signed Thompson to a contact.

I dunno. I think what PATFO did with LMA was logical, but I also think they probably did make some mistakes on how they handled it. I used to think it was fine how they treated players, because it fostered loyalty. I don't know if that's the case any more. I guess Kawhi and LMA might just be exceptions to the rule. Hell, even Carroll defended the Spurs recently. There's a big gap between treating guys like pieces of currency and hemming and hawing over any deal like they're choosing to adopt a child. Players during the off-season expect to relocate. It's okay to move them, even if they're not asking for it.

[Thomas82]

Was he really? I didn't know that. Is that how he got his foot in the door with the media, or was he already going down that path job wise without knowing Lebron?

X

[Ice009]

He was already going down that path, but he knew LeBron and even covered him in high school (school newspaper, etc.). He even followed LeBron to Miami when he signed with the Heat.

Darn, I never really looked up any history before. No wonder the guy had what seemed like pretty good info on Lebron back then.

[Thomas82]

Darn, I never really looked up any history before. No wonder the guy had what seemed like pretty good info on Lebron back then.

I found out about their connection when ESPN had that special with LeBron announcing that he was going to Miami.

[daslicer]

Darn, I never really looked up any history before. No wonder the guy had what seemed like pretty good info on Lebron back then.

He was never a high school classmate of Lebron. He is six years older than Lebron but was an alumni of Lebron's highschool which was prestigious private school in Cleveland. He got up front access to Lebron by being an alumni member of that High School.

[Ice009]

He was never a high school classmate of Lebron. He is six years older than Lebron but was an alumni of Lebron's highschool which was prestigious private school in Cleveland. He got up front access to Lebron by being an alumni member of that High School.

Oh OK, that makes more sense. Thanks for the correction. I thought he was older.

[Maddog]

He was already going down that path, but he knew LeBron and even covered him in high school (school newspaper, etc.). He even followed LeBron to Miami when he signed with the Heat.

Windhorst is 43
Lebron 36
Same high school but different years
Windhorst was with Akron news paper and covered Lebron in high school then basically followed him to Cleveland and Miami

[cd021]

Sometime between the shutdown last March, and the bubble, there was a fundamental organizational change in SSE. I think PATFO sat down and assessed the team to that point in the season, and figured that if they were going to miss the playoffs, they might as well see what they had in the kids. The bubble was the perfect Petri dish to perform their experiment. I believe they had already decided to move on from LMA, and told him to stay home. They wanted to retain DD, though, thinking they might get him at a discount, so they let him participate. Players they had no plans for didn’t play or didn’t play much. Forbes didn’t play at all, and Patty played coach. Marco only played a couple of games to cover minor injuries. The rest of the minutes were covered by the draft picks between 2015 and 2019, and the players they wanted to go forward with minus Luka. They liked what they saw.

After the offseason, they tried to move LMA, and almost did. Bad luck. They didn’t get DD to agree to an extension, but that was always a possibility. They had to pay a bit more for Poeltl than they wanted to, but that turned out to still be a bargain. They began the season,and things were better, but still not optimal. LMA’s defense had fallen off a cliff. It became apparent that he couldn’t start and have us be successful. He refused to come off the bench, so they invented the hip thing while shopping him. The Spurs were rolling, bouncing between the 4 and 6 seeds. Then, COVID. They played through it, but between the weird roster, and the continuing recovery/restart, there was some ground lost.

The point of this long telling is that when you make a fundamental change, sometimes you have to cut away the wreckage. That includes LMA, via trade or buyout, and possibly DD, at this point,although only a trade in that case. You don’t throw good money after bad. You don’t make a trade just to make a trade. You make a trade if you get some good shit, and don’t have to take too much bad shit. There are apparently no offers of that type currently on the table for LMA, which is why you wait it out to the deadline.


My issue isn't moving on from Aldridge-- this team is obviously better without him now-- its holding on to him too long and then finally moving on from Aldridge with no asset return to show from it.

What you speculated is exactly what I presumed to be the case. They knew that Aldridge wasn't in their long-term plans and wanted to get a long look at the young front court players like Jakob and Eubanks. Both played well and both were capable of being retained, and ultimately were. Assuming that is indeed the case, then why did they not move him in the off-season when he still held value?

Its only now that it appears that moving him would require that they take back bad salary in order to get an asset but he was an asset prior to this season, before he sunk his value with his poor play. It's not like Miami didn't have interest, then, and plus they actually had more flexibility and assets. Now, the Spurs are looking at cutting Aldridge.

They held on to him too long, either hoping that his value would hold up and that they could move him at the deadline or that they could make another playoff run with him helping carry the team.

Neither happened and it's not like the Spurs couldn't have foreseen such a decline, he turns 36 this year and masked some of his decline by shooting 3's at a high clip and percentage. Instead of moving him sooner, for some value, the team is going to take another hit to their rep by buying him out.

[cd021]

Yeah, I had come to a similar conclusion. I think the way Murray talked about LMA during camp suggested the team hadn't expected him to come back. They might've even flirted with the idea of cutting him before that, which is why they guaranteed his contract way early. I think that was them deciding against that, maybe in order to be able to trade him for full value. If they end up buying him out, that was obviously a poor decision. They could've used that extra salary space to sign an MLE player or might've been able to slide into some cap space for a Wood or Grant, depending on how they handled the rest of their off-season.

It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy, though. If this timeline is true, a lot of Aldridge's poor play could be the result of him not wanting to be in SA or knowing SA doesn't want him to be there. The way Jakob's playing, LMA probably shouldn't've started anyway, but Poe didn't exactly start the year off strong either. Could they have gotten Aldridge to snap into a similar contract-year mentality as DeRozan had they not been so keen to go young? I find that worth consideration. Otherwise, I might wonder if there were other deals SA could've made but didn't because they were gambling on getting better offers down the line. Basically, was Young right that the Spurs wanted to deal LMA but "overplayed their hands"? Maybe Miami was willing to swap 20 for 41 back then when they were coming off a Finals appearance. Maybe Boston was willing to play ball before they signed Thompson to a contact.

I dunno. I think what PATFO did with LMA was logical, but I also think they probably did make some mistakes on how they handled it. I used to think it was fine how they treated players, because it fostered loyalty. I don't know if that's the case any more. I guess Kawhi and LMA might just be exceptions to the rule. Hell, even Carroll defended the Spurs recently. There's a big gap between treating guys like pieces of currency and hemming and hawing over any deal like they're choosing to adopt a child. Players during the off-season expect to relocate. It's okay to move them, even if they're not asking for it.

I think they either held on to Aldridge too long, and tried to hold out for more assets or that they tried to trade him at last years deadline, and in the offseason, but asked for too much. Either way, I think they botched this. Miami has had interest in Aldridge dating back years, and they actually had cap space and assets to get a deal done but the Spurs decided to enter the season with him despite bringing back Poeltl whom they had just committed to.

Even recently there was a report that the Spurs asking price was simply to high for Miami and they decided to pull back rather than meet the asking price. I just don't get their rationale, they had a chance to get assets back but it seems likely that he'll either be waived or bought out.

[cd021]

I am curious , if the lack of suitable trades for Aldridge now makes them strongly consider moving DeRozan to over-compensate for losing Aldridge for nothing. It's not a lock that DeMar returns next season and losing what had been their two best players, plus possibly Gay too, for nothing, seems like a really bad look.

[poopbox]

I kind of think that if the Spurs were interested in Lauri, Pop would have been more active during the Bulls game. He didn't look more attentive than he usually does. I think if he was interested in a guy, he wouldn't waste his last (is there another game with the Bulls?) opportunity to see him first-hand to see if he would fit with the team and if his skills were worth investing in.

I mean however they feel about Lauri isn't going to change with what they see in 2 games from him. If they like him and want him it doesn't matter how bad he plays this year they will pursue him. If they don't like him it wouldn't matter if he dropped 50 in both those games they still wouldn't want him.

[Dejounte]

I am curious , if the lack of suitable trades for Aldridge now makes them strongly consider moving DeRozan to over-compensate for losing Aldridge for nothing. It's not a lock that DeMar returns next season and losing what had been their two best players, plus possibly Gay too, for nothing, seems like a really bad look.

Eh, a lot of Spurs fans would prefer all three of those players gone to benefit the youth movement.

This sounds like a "damned if the Spurs do and damned if the Spurs don't" type of situation when it doesn't need to be. It's only like that when you view it that way and ignore all the other plus factors.

[poopbox]

I do find it funny that there are posters here who talk about how the spurs treating their players right and not just looking to trade them for the best deal has some real impact and yet when they wanted LMA to come of the bench he pouted said no and pretty much left the team never to return... yet the spurs are still going to "do right by him"...

NBA front office version of being a cuck...

[Dverde]

Myles Turner/Jeremy Lamb for LMA and a future draft pick or picks? Pacers are in 10th place and Turner’s name has been thrown out there before.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I am curious , if the lack of suitable trades for Aldridge now makes them strongly consider moving DeRozan to over-compensate for losing Aldridge for nothing. It's not a lock that DeMar returns next season and losing what had been their two best players, plus possibly Gay too, for nothing, seems like a really bad look.

If they go they won't go for nothing - it'd create $50+ mil of cap space, which can then be used for FAs or for selling it for bad contracts and picks. Getting a 2027 2nd rounder for Gay, for example, isn't worth as much as keeping a rotation player for the rest of the season.

[Dejounte]

I do find it funny that there are posters here who talk about how the spurs treating their players right and not just looking to trade them for the best deal has some real impact and yet when they wanted LMA to come of the bench he pouted said no and pretty much left the team never to return... yet the spurs are still going to "do right by him"...

NBA front office version of being a cuck...

I mean, if anyone needs evidence that this is a positive thing for player relations, just listen to what Dejounte had to say:

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1370539472618729476?s=19

But I don't think anyone really wants their mind changed from the fact that what the Spurs are doing benefits anybody, not even when their own player applauds them for doing it.

[exstatic]

My issue isn't moving on from Aldridge-- this team is obviously better without him now-- its holding on to him too long and then finally moving on from Aldridge with no asset return to show from it.

What you speculated is exactly what I presumed to be the case. They knew that Aldridge wasn't in their long-term plans and wanted to get a long look at the young front court players like Jakob and Eubanks. Both played well and both were capable of being retained, and ultimately were. Assuming that is indeed the case, then why did they not move him in the off-season when he still held value?

Its only now that it appears that moving him would require that they take back bad salary in order to get an asset but he was an asset prior to this season, before he sunk his value with his poor play. It's not like Miami didn't have interest, then, and plus they actually had more flexibility and assets. Now, the Spurs are looking at cutting Aldridge.

They held on to him too long, either hoping that his value would hold up and that they could move him at the deadline or that they could make another playoff run with him helping carry the team.

Neither happened and it's not like the Spurs couldn't have foreseen such a decline, he turns 36 this year and masked some of his decline by shooting 3's at a high clip and percentage. Instead of moving him sooner, for some value, the team is going to take another hit to their rep by buying him out.

My issue was guaranteeing his contract for this year all the way back in Oct 2019. If his cost for this season were $6M guaranteed, he would have had much higher value on the trade market last fall. If that didn’t pan out, you cut him, eat the $6M, and move into the season with Poodle as your starter, and no LMA drama to deal with.

[Dejounte]

If they go they won't go for nothing - it'd create $50+ mil of cap space, which can then be used for FAs or for selling it for bad contracts and picks. Getting a 2027 2nd rounder for Gay, for example, isn't worth as much as keeping a rotation player for the rest of the season.

Exactly. We could get someone like Collins this summer and people would still view DeMar as a loss only because it wasn't a direct exchange.

[SAGirl]

Y'all still love Jabroni Young right?

1371927634255486977
I would not be surprised to hear they overplayed their hand last year. They have overplayed their hand so often these last few years that they haven’t been able to make any good trades.

[poopbox]

I mean, if anyone needs evidence that this is a positive thing for player relations, just listen to what Dejounte had to say:

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1370539472618729476?s=19

But I don't think anyone really wants their mind changed from the fact that what the Spurs are doing benefits anybody, not even when their own player applauds them for doing it.

Dejounte Murray is a spurs player who just signed a contract last year. What do expect him to say ? "Nah man fuck LMA that dude quit on us. As ssoon as I started doing something else other than feed him in the post he packed up his ball and went home."

Does any NON spurs player care about this ? Is Lauri going to sign with the spurs cause he knows 5 years from now when he wants to leave the spurs will accommodate him ? Will John Collins sign with the spurs cause he knows in 4 years when he wants to leave they won't ship him to cleveland ? Somehow I think the answer to that is no. I also don't think for a second that if Dejounte every wants to leave the spurs, he is going to stay because the spurs "do right by their players." I do not think their is one player on our team that would stay because of that, if they really wanted to leave.

Also, I took this as a shot at LMA more than anything. "He deserves to be happy." Makes it seem like LMA wasn't happy in SA, even though this is the best team we have had in 3 years...

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Exactly. We could get someone like Collins this summer and people would still view DeMar as a loss only because it wasn't a direct exchange.

Absolutely. It's similar with the LMA situation - they're not getting much if anything for him, everyone knows it. The Spurs need to sign a back up center to replace him while staying under the tax. There's no need to trade him for the sake of trading him unless they're getting that player back in the LMA trade ( say Olynyk, Thompson, Theiss, etc. ). They could identify someone who's a FA.

And no, teams won't send unprotected firsts just to get rid of a bad contract. Cleveland aren't sending their pick with Love for an expiring. Warriors aren't sending their Beal ticket just to get rid of Wiggins, not to mention they'll need his salary for matching purposes in trades, etc.

[exstatic]

Exactly. We could get someone like Collins this summer and people would still view DeMar as a loss only because it wasn't a direct exchange.

The thing is, none of those bad contracts people are trying to move are going anywhere. They’ll be there this summer if the FA thing doesn’t pan out. If you take them now, you close off options. FA, or other trades that may become available after the season.

[Dverde]

Exactly. We could get someone like Collins this summer and people would still view DeMar as a loss only because it wasn't a direct exchange.

The big young FAs are mostly restricted like Collins and Lauri Markkadan and the trend is to match the offers no matter what and not lose “the asset”. We’ll have to overpay a lot to get the teams not to match.

[look_at_g_shred]

The thing is, none of those bad contracts people are trying to move are going anywhere. They’ll be there this summer if the FA thing doesn’t pan out. If you take them now, you close off options. FA, or other trades that may become available after the season.
Which is why a S&T is on the table this summer. The team that wants Derozan would be more incentivized to trade assets away knowing he's going to be signed with them long term.

[Maddog]

I would not be surprised to hear they overplayed their hand last year. They have overplayed their hand so often these last few years that they haven’t been able to make any good trades.

Asking for a first round draft pick is overplaying your hand?
Second round picks are not worth a lot.
I would agree on some levels they may have misplayed this- but I strongly suspect very little was out there- that is his market was pretty low even last year.
Even a late first taking back salary doesn't sound that attractive.

[Kurgan]

I do find it funny that there are posters here who talk about how the spurs treating their players right and not just looking to trade them for the best deal has some real impact and yet when they wanted LMA to come of the bench he pouted said no and pretty much left the team never to return... yet the spurs are still going to "do right by him"...

NBA front office version of being a cuck...

Guaranteeing all of LMA's salary this season only to buy him out months later. Fucking embarrassing front office. Its the Carroll situation all over again. Ever since Wright was hired, this team has done nothing right outside of the draft.

[Kurgan]

I would not be surprised to hear they overplayed their hand last year. They have overplayed their hand so often these last few years that they haven’t been able to make any good trades.

A trade would have been much easier if they didn't gift all $24 million of LMA's salary this year. He was only guaranteed $7 mil this season. Spurs acted like a ”classy” organization and LMA still pouted and whined about being benched. Meanwhile, Celtics and Lakers treat their players like cattle and everybody still lines up to play for them. Nice guys always finish last. Spurs truly are the cucks of the NBA

[SAGirl]

A trade would have been much easier if they didn't gift all $24 million of LMA's salary this year. He was only guaranteed $7 mil this season. Spurs acted like a ”classy” organization and LMA still pouted and whined about being benched. Meanwhile, Celtics and Lakers treat their players like cattle and everybody still lines up to play for them. Nice guys always finish last. Spurs truly are the cucks of the NBA
There’s always deal to make specially last season. The Grizzlies traded a worse looking Marc Gasol who had been quarreling with his coach on a horrible tanking Grizzlies team (and Conley) and launched themselves into a rebuild that just the immediate year after saw them improve. They are nowhere near great but their team is very young and Jackson is always injured apparently that’s bad luck. They got a lot of miscellaneous vets and veterans they rerouted to other teams the season after and got pieces they wanted to keep. Heck they traded the untradeable albatross that was Chandler Parsons who had not played in two years and was awful when he did and who was refusing to rehab in the gleague... There’s no one telling me there weren’t deals. They likely did overvalue LMA (them picking his option supports this). They just haven’t been savvy making deals to improve the team... and that’s likely to stay the same as long as they have the same management.

still hoping for a trade though.

[Dverde]

Guaranteeing all of LMA's salary this season only to buy him out months later. Fucking embarrassing front office. Its the Carroll situation all over again. Ever since Wright was hired, this team has done nothing right outside of the draft.

Funny that you think Wright is in charge. We all know it’s :pop:

[Kurgan]

Funny that you think Wright is in charge. We all know it’s :pop:

Pop, Buford, Wright... whoever's in charge doesn't change the fact that the front office has been in shambles since the Kawhi trade to Toronto. Just one bad move after another

[rankingtear]

A trade would have been much easier if they didn't gift all $24 million of LMA's salary this year. He was only guaranteed $7 mil this season. Spurs acted like a ”classy” organization and LMA still pouted and whined about being benched. Meanwhile, Celtics and Lakers treat their players like cattle and everybody still lines up to play for them. Nice guys always finish last. Spurs truly are the cucks of the NBA

How would it be easier?

[lmbebo]

Pop, Buford, Wright... whoever's in charge doesn't change the fact that the front office has been in shambles since the Kawhi trade to Toronto. Just one bad move after another


Strength has been in drafting/player development and cap management. But not so much in adaption, trades, etc. Cap space is great, if you feel like you can attract players, but LMA was the exception to the rule. Our last 2? big free agents: 1 backed out and screwed us over. The other came in lazy and uninterested in learning the plays and was cut after a few months ... Rudy Gay was a good signing, would have paid off better if nephew didn't screw us over...

[Dverde]

Pop, Buford, Wright... whoever's in charge doesn't change the fact that the front office has been in shambles since the Kawhi trade to Toronto. Just one bad move after another

It was before Nephew left. That Pau Gasol contract is a good starting point. Wright may still be in the dog house after that Marcus Morris debacle.

[Mr. Body]

A trade would have been much easier if they didn't gift all $24 million of LMA's salary this year. He was only guaranteed $7 mil this season. Spurs acted like a ”classy” organization and LMA still pouted and whined about being benched. Meanwhile, Celtics and Lakers treat their players like cattle and everybody still lines up to play for them. Nice guys always finish last. Spurs truly are the cucks of the NBA

To be fair, the Celtics did treat a very prominent player like shit and have paid for it ever since. Big FAs have declared they're not signing there. (Also the city is pretty fucking racist.) The Lakers, however, can do anything they want, plus they get League help for nearly anything they do.

[BillMc]

That Pau Gasol contract is a good starting point. .

That Pau contract is overly emphasized (on the site in general, not necessarily your point.) Pau had a player option that he was likely to take. The Spurs wanted to make a run at Chris Paul and needed Pau to opt-out so they cold afford CP3. Then they colud re-sign Pau to a new contract with his Bird rights. Obviously, they had to make it worth Pau's time to opt-out so they gave him a richer contract. Unfortunately, CP3 blew off the Spurs for Houston. When he did that, the Spurs, being honest people and knowing if they renegged on their verbal agreement to Pau it would quickly become well-known in the market, gave him the agreed upon new contraact. Of course, it was bigger. Pau had to be incentivied to opt-out.

Everyone always wants the Spurs to swing for the fences, and this was a case of them trying to do it by getting CP3 price-be-damned, and why it isn't usually prudent to do so. You can argue it was a mistake, but it was a calcualated gamble that just didn't work in the Spurs' favor. It's not like PAFO were just morons or handing out loyalty contracts as is often asserted on ST. You roll the dice and sometimes you lose.

[Thomas82]

Windhorst is 43
Lebron 36
Same high school but different years
Windhorst was with Akron news paper and covered Lebron in high school then basically followed him to Cleveland and Miami

Ok thanks for the clarification. I guess I got my info mixed up.

[exstatic]

The big young FAs are mostly restricted like Collins and Lauri Markkadan and the trend is to match the offers no matter what and not lose “the asset”. We’ll have to overpay a lot to get the teams not to match.

It used to be automatic that teams picked up all options on the rookie deal, too. That’s not 100% any more. ATL had their chance to extend them. Now, if they overpay on a match just to not lose him, they’ll have a harder time moving him. He won’t be a value like he is now. He may not even be break even. A team the overpays him with an offer won’t be looking to move him, so they won’t care.

[exstatic]

Guaranteeing all of LMA's salary this season only to buy him out months later. Fucking embarrassing front office. Its the Carroll situation all over again. Ever since Wright was hired, this team has done nothing right outside of the draft.

It was almost two years ago, Oct 2019, and he was coming of an AS selection.

[Cabrito]

Let’s not forget that when LMA’s contract was guaranteed, the Spurs had not committed to the youngsters and they were playing a different style with lots of iso.

[Maddog]

It was almost two years ago, Oct 2019, and he was coming of an AS selection.


Let’s not forget that when LMA’s contract was guaranteed, the Spurs had not committed to the youngsters and they were playing a different style with lots of iso.

Yes
And in October 2019 Spurs youth movement wasn't anything to write home about....
DJM- coming of an ACL missed the year
LWIV- Coming off an injury plagued Rookie year
KJ and Luka just drafted
Derrick- Looked promising
Not to mention Devin and Tre

[pookenstein]

That Pau contract is overly emphasized (on the site in general, not necessarily your point.) Pau had a player option that he was likely to take. The Spurs wanted to make a run at Chris Paul and needed Pau to opt-out so they cold afford CP3. Then they colud re-sign Pau to a new contract with his Bird rights. Obviously, they had to make it worth Pau's time to opt-out so they gave him a richer contract. Unfortunately, CP3 blew off the Spurs for Houston. When he did that, the Spurs, being honest people and knowing if they renegged on their verbal agreement to Pau it would quickly become well-known in the market, gave him the agreed upon new contraact. Of course, it was bigger. Pau had to be incentivied to opt-out.

Everyone always wants the Spurs to swing for the fences, and this was a case of them trying to do it by getting CP3 price-be-damned, and why it isn't usually prudent to do so. You can argue it was a mistake, but it was a calcualated gamble that just didn't work in the Spurs' favor. It's not like PAFO were just morons or handing out loyalty contracts as is often asserted on ST. You roll the dice and sometimes you lose.

How dare you? Making sense of things and not just take them out of context? Is that the ST way? You, sir, should think long and hard next time you're about to post something like that. Or even better: don't think, just make something up and shout it out.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

It was almost two years ago, Oct 2019, and he was coming of an AS selection.

Again, Ex, we can't disrupt people's arguments with facts around here.

[exstatic]

There’s always deal to make specially last season. The Grizzlies traded a worse looking Marc Gasol who had been quarreling with his coach on a horrible tanking Grizzlies team (and Conley) and launched themselves into a rebuild that just the immediate year after saw them improve. They are nowhere near great but their team is very young and Jackson is always injured apparently that’s bad luck. They got a lot of miscellaneous vets and veterans they rerouted to other teams the season after and got pieces they wanted to keep. Heck they traded the untradeable albatross that was Chandler Parsons who had not played in two years and was awful when he did and who was refusing to rehab in the gleague... There’s no one telling me there weren’t deals. They likely did overvalue LMA (them picking his option supports this). They just haven’t been savvy making deals to improve the team... and that’s likely to stay the same as long as they have the same management.

still hoping for a trade though.

And, they’re in 10th place. Houston has made big trade after big trade, and they’re in the toilet.

Trades aren’t everything.

[SAGirl]

here is Windhorst saying it. He's saying they could trade him tonight if they wanted to, but would have to take on a bad contract


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVHvkydMJSM
Thanks for sharing. This was useful to know. It does seem like a buy out is 90% or over the likely scenario.

[SAGirl]

And, they’re in 10th place. Houston has made big trade after big trade, and they’re in the toilet.

Trades aren’t everything.
They are very useful in the right situation. This was one. Not a revisionist version either.

[Dverde]

That Pau contract is overly emphasized (on the site in general, not necessarily your point.) Pau had a player option that he was likely to take. The Spurs wanted to make a run at Chris Paul and needed Pau to opt-out so they cold afford CP3. Then they colud re-sign Pau to a new contract with his Bird rights. Obviously, they had to make it worth Pau's time to opt-out so they gave him a richer contract. Unfortunately, CP3 blew off the Spurs for Houston. When he did that, the Spurs, being honest people and knowing if they renegged on their verbal agreement to Pau it would quickly become well-known in the market, gave him the agreed upon new contraact. Of course, it was bigger. Pau had to be incentivied to opt-out.

Everyone always wants the Spurs to swing for the fences, and this was a case of them trying to do it by getting CP3 price-be-damned, and why it isn't usually prudent to do so. You can argue it was a mistake, but it was a calcualated gamble that just didn't work in the Spurs' favor. It's not like PAFO were just morons or handing out loyalty contracts as is often asserted on ST. You roll the dice and sometimes you lose.

I have more of a problem with the initial overpriced contract with a Gasol, who was benched by the Lakers, then benched by the Bulls in the 4th quarters. Spurs payed top dollar for a player on an obvious decline. The re-sign was a side agreement that I think the Spurs should have honored and a nice thing for Gasol to do

[BillMc]

How dare you? Making sense of things and not just take them out of context? Is that the ST way? You, sir, should think long and hard next time you're about to post something like that. Or even better: don't think, just make something up and shout it out.

My apologies, my friend. :bobo

[cd021]

Eh, a lot of Spurs fans would prefer all three of those players gone to benefit the youth movement.

This sounds like a "damned if the Spurs do and damned if the Spurs don't" type of situation when it doesn't need to be. It's only like that when you view it that way and ignore all the other plus factors.

The Spurs entered the season with four solid veterans and could leave the off-season, losing all four without moving any for assets. That's not a damned if the Spurs don't type of situation, they could've moved at least some of them for assets while also making more playing time for the young players and possibly improving their own pick. That's technically a win-win.

[cd021]

If they go they won't go for nothing - it'd create $50+ mil of cap space, which can then be used for FAs or for selling it for bad contracts and picks. Getting a 2027 2nd rounder for Gay, for example, isn't worth as much as keeping a rotation player for the rest of the season.

I don't necessarily agree with that logic. If the Spurs weren't going to re-sign them anyways, can they really view 50+ million in cap a positive result of not moving those players when under contract?

If Gay isn't likely to be brought back; getting a potentially good future second rounder isn't a bad return, especially when considering the Spurs had Lyles that they could plug in there as well as getting Luka some developmental minutes. The Spurs probably wouldn't have been made much worse had such a deal happened.

I do agree that having a lot of cap space can be useful but probably not so much to the Spurs. They desperately need a four, unless they can get Collins or Markkanen then there are pretty slim pickings that can be had, limiting the usefulness of cap. They can rent out cap space for picks but will they, actually? That requires them to be proactive and make trades.

[cd021]

I mean, if anyone needs evidence that this is a positive thing for player relations, just listen to what Dejounte had to say:

https://twitter.com/tom_orsborn/status/1370539472618729476?s=19

But I don't think anyone really wants their mind changed from the fact that what the Spurs are doing benefits anybody, not even when their own player applauds them for doing it.

Murray is happy to see his friend being able to move on to a better situation, ok. Its not like the Spurs don't already have a rep for doing right by their players for decades.

My issue is that they waited too late to move Aldridge, they could've moved him last deadline or in the off-season--especially after it became clear that Poeltl was the starting center of the future. Instead they brought him back, possibly hoping to try and move him at the deadline but Aldridge's value dropped significantly and he ended up getting benched until he asked out.

[Teamduncan21]

Murray is happy to see his friend being able to move on to a better situation, ok. Its not like the Spurs don't already have a rep for doing right by their players for decades.

My issue is that they waited too late to move Aldridge, they could've moved him last deadline or in the off-season--especially after it became clear that Poeltl was the starting center of the future. Instead they brought him back, possibly hoping to try and move him at the deadline but Aldridge's value dropped significantly and he ended up getting benched until he asked out.

They wanted a first round pick. Or a good young player. There is no point trading for a long contract if they want to make a run for collins or lauri. 2nd rounders rarely make a dent anyway. Again no point trading for the sake of trading. You trade to become better. If there's no trade to become better. Then just let lma walk.

Spurs is not trying to tank. (At least seems so) they won't trade for a longer contract. Now did they get first round or good offers that they missed? That's another story. But as of now it seems they wanted a first round. A trade which makes them better. And not a trade for the sake of it.

For instance. Trading lma for myers lenard and a 2nd round 2027 (for simplicity sake) doesn't really add value to spurs. And has almost no difference to letting him walk or hope a better deal comes along.not saying they shouldn't do it. But it's horizontal by nature and can hope for better deals without losing much. (at worst he walks)

Spurs are a small market. They are conservative. Cause a long term mistake can be costly. Unlike a lakers where they magically get lebron even after making mistakes we can't afford that

[poopbox]

There’s always deal to make specially last season. The Grizzlies traded a worse looking Marc Gasol who had been quarreling with his coach on a horrible tanking Grizzlies team (and Conley) and launched themselves into a rebuild that just the immediate year after saw them improve. They are nowhere near great but their team is very young and Jackson is always injured apparently that’s bad luck. They got a lot of miscellaneous vets and veterans they rerouted to other teams the season after and got pieces they wanted to keep. Heck they traded the untradeable albatross that was Chandler Parsons who had not played in two years and was awful when he did and who was refusing to rehab in the gleague... There’s no one telling me there weren’t deals. They likely did overvalue LMA (them picking his option supports this). They just haven’t been savvy making deals to improve the team... and that’s likely to stay the same as long as they have the same management.

still hoping for a trade though.

Pretty sure getting getting Morant had more to do with their rebuild than anything else.

[DeRozan m8]

It's pretty fitting the Aldridge stint finishes like this tbh

Hes quit on the team before and has had too many diva tendencies

[John B]

It's pretty fitting the Aldridge stint finishes like this tbh

Hes quit on the team before and has had too many diva tendencies

Yeah it sounds like Pop had it with this guy. “You want out?, okay.” And the same as before, Aldridge is not getting much of a return. But this time, Pop is not convincing him back. It’s not the best poker play, not even trying to hide to get any leverage. As much as PATFO are great at scouting, drafting and developing players, they suck in trades :lol:lol. I mean it’s not like they had a lot of experience doing it. That GH for Kawhi was more like knowing who to pick. Besides that, I don’t remember a successful trade. Dennis Rodman was before this PATFO. Jefferson? Yeah for an expiring Bruce and Thomas, but it didn’t work out. At this time, I’m expecting no more than a buyout. I like the PATFO to prove me wrong :toast

[JuneJive]

Otto Porter Jr. -- LMA swap would be nice.

[baseline bum]

That Pau contract is overly emphasized (on the site in general, not necessarily your point.) Pau had a player option that he was likely to take. The Spurs wanted to make a run at Chris Paul and needed Pau to opt-out so they cold afford CP3. Then they colud re-sign Pau to a new contract with his Bird rights. Obviously, they had to make it worth Pau's time to opt-out so they gave him a richer contract. Unfortunately, CP3 blew off the Spurs for Houston. When he did that, the Spurs, being honest people and knowing if they renegged on their verbal agreement to Pau it would quickly become well-known in the market, gave him the agreed upon new contraact. Of course, it was bigger. Pau had to be incentivied to opt-out.

Everyone always wants the Spurs to swing for the fences, and this was a case of them trying to do it by getting CP3 price-be-damned, and why it isn't usually prudent to do so. You can argue it was a mistake, but it was a calcualated gamble that just didn't work in the Spurs' favor. It's not like PAFO were just morons or handing out loyalty contracts as is often asserted on ST. You roll the dice and sometimes you lose.

Gasol even after opting out would have counted like $15 million against the cap until either renounced or signed. So they couldn't have had Paul and used Bird Rights to give Gasol the contract he got. He either would have had to be renounced or signed to a bargain basement deal before that cap space would have opened up to give Paul. This precise scenario you're talking about going over the cap to sign your own free agents after using up your capspace was eliminated I think in the 1999 Collective Bargaining Agreement, maybe even earlier by placing cap holds on teams' free agents. The way you explain it is how Bird Rights initially worked in the 80s and early to mid 90s though. My best guess is Gasol said if you offer me three years at $16 million a year if Paul says no I'll opt out, and if he says yes Gasol would have left. Risk $16 million to more than likely get $48 million was likely what he was thinking at the time. And really, it was more like risk $6 million since he would have almost certainly got $10 million a year on the open market.

[DAF86]

Otto Porter Jr. -- LMA swap would be nice.

THIS. THIS. THIS.

The salaries matchup perfectly and Porter is pretty much the type of player we are missing. A 6'8" 3 and D guy. If you asked me, which player would you choose to fill that gaping hole we have at the 4, it would be Porter Jr.

-6'8"
-40% 3pt shooter.
-lifetime positive impact player on both sides of the ball.
-Only 27 years old.

PATFO needs to do something right for once in a mid-season trade and get this guy. This would be such a perfect trade that I'm tempted to start a thread about it.

[cjw]

THIS. THIS. THIS.

The salaries matchup perfectly and Porter is pretty much the type of player we are missing. A 6'8" 3 and D guy. If you asked me, which player would you choose to fill that gaping hole we have at the 4, it would be Porter Jr.

-6'8"
-40% 3pt shooter.
-lifetime positive impact player on both sides of the ball.
-Only 27 years old.

PATFO needs to do something right for once in a mid-season trade and get this guy. This would be such a perfect trade that I'm tempted to start a thread about it.

It also lets you ship out Gay (+ Lyles’ expiring salary) for value too. Porter + Luka can absorb all of their minutes.

It’s just hard to see why Chicago would do that deal straight up given Porter is expiring, unless they plan to keep LMA. And LMA can drag his feet and not go there by forcing the trade kicker (trade numbers still work).

And Spurs would have to unload at least Lyles to stay under the tax. Bulls are fine on the tax it seems.

[BlackAndWhite]

33 pages later and LMA is still on the team

[pad300]

Gasol even after opting out would have counted like $15 million against the cap until either renounced or signed. So they couldn't have had Paul and used Bird Rights to give Gasol the contract he got. He either would have had to be renounced or signed to a bargain basement deal before that cap space would have opened up to give Paul. This precise scenario you're talking about going over the cap to sign your own free agents after using up your capspace was eliminated I think in the 1999 Collective Bargaining Agreement, maybe even earlier by placing cap holds on teams' free agents. The way you explain it is how Bird Rights initially worked in the 80s and early to mid 90s though. My best guess is Gasol said if you offer me three years at $16 million a year if Paul says no I'll opt out, and if he says yes Gasol would have left. Risk $16 million to more than likely get $48 million was likely what he was thinking at the time. And really, it was more like risk $6 million since he would have almost certainly got $10 million a year on the open market.

I see it a little different.
I think the Spurs went to him and said if we sign CP3 to a max, we will have the full MLE left. To sign CP3 to a max, we need you to opt out, and then, if we need to (to sign CP3), we will abandon our bird rights to free cap space. If you do opt out, we promise you a contract worth the full MLE. In support of this, note that the guaranteed portion of the $50M contract that Pau got was the full MLE (spread over 3 years)...

[baseline bum]

I see it a little different.
I think the Spurs went to him and said if we sign CP3 to a max, we will have the full MLE left. To sign CP3 to a max, we need you to opt out, and then, if we need to (to sign CP3), we will abandon our bird rights to free cap space. If you do opt out, we promise you a contract worth the full MLE. In support of this, note that the guaranteed portion of the $50M contract that Pau got was the full MLE (spread over 3 years)...

Only could have worked if they sent out salary in a trade with the Clippers as they didn't have much left after factoring in Paul's contract. Can't just use capspace and then use an MLE too.

[Dejounte]

https://twitter.com/aldridge_12/status/1373493432040185856?s=19

Likely a buyout, but still crossing my fingers.

[spurraider21]

crofl if we went from potentially flipping him to move from 11 to 2 to just buying him out

[duncan2150]

crofl if we went from potentially flipping him to move from 11 to 2 to just buying him out


This trade with aldridge plus 11 for pick 2 was never serious imo. His value could have been good two years ago but not this year.

[pad300]

crofl if we went from potentially flipping him to move from 11 to 2 to just buying him out

That's what happens when your play drops off a cliff at 36 years old and you pout about being benched...

[Mr. Body]

crofl if we went from potentially flipping him to move from 11 to 2 to just buying him out

That was never happening. Can we let it die already?

[BacktoBasics]

That was never happening. Can we let it die already?

Die? There are some here that think it’s still possible to make some kind of convoluted trade to land Collins, Lauri, Cavs pick or any number of potential top 15 picks because other teams are desperate to shed salary enough to give up a lottery pick.

Good luck with that request in the land of Spurstalk stupidity.

[BackHome]

Lamar Is NOT Gone!

[Mr. Body]

Die? There are some here that think it’s still possible to make some kind of convoluted trade to land Collins, Lauri, Cavs pick or any number of potential top 15 picks because other teams are desperate to shed salary enough to give up a lottery pick.

Good luck with that request in the land of Spurstalk stupidity.

Spurstalk, where LaMarcus Aldridge is simultaneously the worst player in the world and worth a top 3 draft pick.

[spurraider21]

That was never happening. Can we let it die already?
Cope

[Maddog]

Spurstalk, where LaMarcus Aldridge is simultaneously the worst player in the world and worth a top 3 draft pick.

Didn't you know that any Spurs player that gets plug into a trade machine suddenly increases 150 to 200% in desirebility

[Ice009]

Darn, I am sick of hearing about this guy. Hopefully he gets traded or bought out soon. I'm starting to warm up to the idea of Otto Porter Jr.

I don't know how much potential Otto has left, but I remember reading somewhere years ago when Otto was still with the Wizards, that the one major difference between Otto and Kawhi is that Kawhi was drafted by the Spurs and Otto was not. I'm not saying Otto could have become as good as Kawhi if he were drafted by the Spurs, but I'd still like to see what the Spurs could do with him.

If they were to trade for him, how much do you think he'd command in the off-season to re-sign?

[tbdog]

Darn, I am sick of hearing about this guy. Hopefully he gets traded or bought out soon. I'm starting to warm up to the idea of Otto Porter Jr.

I don't know how much potential Otto has left, but I remember reading somewhere years ago when Otto was still with the Wizards, that the one major difference between Otto and Kawhi is that Kawhi was drafted by the Spurs and Otto was not. I'm not saying Otto could have become as good as Kawhi if he were drafted by the Spurs, but I'd still like to see what the Spurs could do with him.

If they were to trade for him, how much do you think he'd command in the off-season to re-sign?

Porter had similar size and a dependable shot. Porter at his peak would be like comparing year 2 Leonard with more responsibility. But by year 3 and 4, Leonard had everything else that Porter didn't have.

[poopbox]

Dude is still here :lmao

What if he doesn't get bought out and he is just back on the court next week :lmao

[bluebellmaniac]

Dude is still here :lmao

What if he doesn't get bought out and he is just back on the court next week :lmao

Don't matter. Not making a move is just as good. Just let it expire. We'll use the space.

[SAGirl]

33 pages later and LMA is still on the team
With a big proportion of the fanboys explaining away why it didn’t make sense to move him in a trade b4 or now anyways.

[exstatic]

Dude is still here :lmao

What if he doesn't get bought out and he is just back on the court next week :lmao

LMA will never play another minute for the Spurs.

[exstatic]

With a big proportion of the fanboys explaining away why it didn’t make sense to move him in a trade b4 or now anyways.
You act like someone is always the same player, year in and year out. That’s just wrong headed thinking, and if they aren’t, then it makes sense to trade them at one point, and it doesn’t at others.

[SAGirl]

You act like someone is always the same player, year in and year out. That’s just wrong headed thinking, and if they aren’t, then it makes sense to trade them at one point, and it doesn’t at others.
Nah I just don’t have the energy to engage with everyone here when they answer one point with something marginally relevant to what I was addressing. It’s tiring and I am exhausted.

[Chillen]

No one is going to trade for him if they were would have happened by now. This will end in a buyout. Spurs fools for not trading him when is value was higher. I would love to be surprised though. Trade him for the best deal and take it. Beats buying him out and getting no value back.

[exstatic]

No one is going to trade for him if they were would have happened by now. This will end in a buyout. Spurs fools for not trading him when is value was higher. I would love to be surprised though. Trade him for the best deal and take it. Beats buying him out and getting no value back.

I think someone will need that contract in a multi team deal. Don’t give up the ghost before deadline day.

[Dverde]

Why trade for the cow when you can get the milk for free in a buyout.

[exstatic]

Why trade for the cow when you can get the milk for free in a buyout.

Only one team gets him, and it looks like a few are interested. You can take active measures, or wait for fate to take a hand.

[bluebellmaniac]

No one is going to trade for him if they were would have happened by now. This will end in a buyout. Spurs fools for not trading him when is value was higher. I would love to be surprised though. Trade him for the best deal and take it. Beats buying him out and getting no value back.

By that logic, there will be no trade announcements this week. Let's see how this post ages.

[KobesAchilles]

:lol at expecting anything good from Brian Wrong

[baseline bum]

Don't know why people are getting worked up over this. Whatever the Spurs trade him for will be a shitty haul if they do trade him. The guy has to have no trade value as anything other than an expiring with how terrible he is defensively now.

[GreekSpursfan]

He's gonna end up with the effing lakers and he's gonna look better, the motherf, just watch. I hope we dont pay him, let him stay the rest of the season being an after thought.

[gambit1990]

i've wanted the spurs to trade for him since he was a net.

https://twitter.com/thenbacentral/status/1374048579413757955?s=21

[bluebellmaniac]

i've wanted the spurs to trade for him since he was a net.

https://twitter.com/thenbacentral/status/1374048579413757955?s=21

He'd have to agree to a haircut. Pop ain't signing no hippie.

[ginobilized]

i've wanted the spurs to trade for him since he was a net.

https://twitter.com/thenbacentral/status/1374048579413757955?s=21

Artis Gilmore PT 2! I say sign him just for the hair. Spurs had some incredible fros back in the day. Pops hair is long, he’s gotta be ok with it.

[BillMc]

He'd have to agree to a haircut. Pop ain't signing no hippie.

That made me laugh. Thanks.

[Leetonidas]

Cleveland ain't giving up Allen for our trash. Plus he is a starter so not sure who is coming off the bench then.

Only way it would happen is if Spurs also take Klove off their hands and no thanks. Even then I bet they could just trade love by giving up a future pick instead of one of their young building blocks

[mo7888]

Cleveland ain't giving up Allen for our trash. Plus he is a starter so not sure who is coming off the bench then.

Only way it would happen is if Spurs also take Klove off their hands and no thanks. Even then I bet they could just trade love by giving up a future pick instead of one of their young building blocks

The article isn't talking about a trade for him...they are talking about signing him to an offer sheet this summer.

[dokdok]

Are there seriously zero rumors about LMA? I really hope we don't just buy him out....

[Leetonidas]

The article isn't talking about a trade for him...they are talking about signing him to an offer sheet this summer.

Ah true, didn't read close enough lol. Interesting the Spurs are looking at him. But that would likely mean getting rid of Jakob

[Dex]

Are there seriously zero rumors about LMA? I really hope we don't just buy him out....

Life is full of disappointment.

[GAustex]

Artis Gilmore PT 2! I say sign him just for the hair. Spurs had some incredible fros back in the day. Pops hair is long, he’s gotta be ok with it.
I was a kid when I saw Gilmore with the Kentucky Colonels play the Spurs. Got there early and you could stand pretty close to the basket during warmups. He was a very large man. Him and Swrn Nater pushing on each other was epic.
Dan Issel and Louie Dampier were plain evil.

[mo7888]

Ah true, didn't read close enough lol. Interesting the Spurs are looking at him. But that would likely mean getting rid of Jakob

I agree... it's very Interesting... I would expect cle to match any offer we made though... I wonder if this story isn't something leaked by his agent to drive his value up though..

[FutureMan]

3 team trade that everyone should be good with:

MIA: Lowry & Aldridge
TOR: Dragic, Olynyk, & Lyles (they get a couple Canadians lol)
SAS: Iguodala, Baynes, & Bradley

Baynes would be a great back up center, especially of Poeltl gets into foul trouble. He is struggling this year but it could just be because he doesn’t fit in Toronto.

[spurraider21]

here's a good one team trade

spurs buy out aldridge

thats it

[Dverde]

How about a package of Cedi Osman/Taureen Prince for LMA with draft compensation? Desperate times and I’ve always like Prince.

[FutureMan]

How about a package of Cedi Osman/Taureen Prince for LMA with draft compensation? Desperate times and I’ve always like Prince.

I’ve been thinking about a possibility of a three team trade that includes Prince coming to the Spurs and sends Drummond to the third team. Possibly NYK

[lmbebo]

https://twitter.com/hpbasketball/status/1374444872279584770?s=21

[spurspl]

im wondering whats the spurs price for lma... 25 yo player and two firsts? should be sth like this, right?

[KingKev]

im wondering whats the spurs price for lma... 25 yo player and two firsts? should be sth like this, right?

Definitely.

[james evans]

Had the spurs did what I suggested 3 years ago, we'd be sitting good. I said, trade Leonard AND Aldridge in the summer of 2017(since leonard didn't want to be here), but trade them to a team that had no chance of going to the draft and trade them for a 1st round pick. Then we should have tanked that season. In the 2019 draft, we would have had 3 lottery picks. that's the draft we got keldon and Luka.

[Mr. Body]

Had the spurs did what I suggested 3 years ago, we'd be sitting good. I said, trade Leonard AND Aldridge in the summer of 2017(since leonard didn't want to be here), but trade them to a team that had no chance of going to the draft and trade them for a 1st round pick. Then we should have tanked that season. In the 2019 draft, we would have had 3 lottery picks. that's the draft we got keldon and Luka.

I like how you think a team that acquired Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge wouldn't make the playoffs. Real genius here.

[james evans]

I like how you think a team that acquired Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge wouldn't make the playoffs. Real genius here.
had Aldridge or Kawhi been traded to the right teams with no other superstars, they wouldn't have. Shit, Aldridge couldn't even make the playoffs here with Defrozen. wtf lol.

[cjw]

had Aldridge or Kawhi been traded to the right teams with no other superstars, they wouldn't have. Shit, Aldridge couldn't even make the playoffs here with Defrozen. wtf lol.

Aldridge literally helped make the playoffs with neither Kawhi nor Demar, and a conference finals with Kawhi sidelined. I know he’s on the way out, but let’s not create revisionist history here.

[Seventyniner]

Aldridge literally helped make the playoffs with neither Kawhi nor Demar, and a conference finals with Kawhi sidelined. I know he’s on the way out, but let’s not create revisionist history here.

Good post. It reminds me of when Parker started to decline late in his career, and his long-time haters crawled out of the woodwork and made the asinine argument of "he's not good now, therefore he was never good to begin with". The same thing is happening with Pop now fwiw.

[daslicer]

had Aldridge or Kawhi been traded to the right teams with no other superstars, they wouldn't have. Shit, Aldridge couldn't even make the playoffs here with Defrozen. wtf lol.

He made it with Derozan during their first year together. Like the other poster who responded to you said lets not have revisionist history here. If you hate him fine but lets not make up lies.

[Chucho]

What's the incentive for the Spurs to buy him out?

[Seventyniner]

What's the incentive for the Spurs to buy him out?

It opens up a roster spot, and if he accepts a small pay cut in return for the ability to sign with a team of his choosing (and get paid by that new team), it gives the Spurs a bit more breathing room under the tax to bring in a prospect or use some of the MLE on a buyout candidate of their own.

There's no point in keeping a player who clearly doesn't want to be with the team anyway.

[exstatic]

It opens up a roster spot, and if he accepts a small pay cut in return for the ability to sign with a team of his choosing (and get paid by that new team), it gives the Spurs a bit more breathing room under the tax to bring in a prospect or use some of the MLE on a buyout candidate of their own.

There's no point in keeping a player who clearly doesn't want to be with the team anyway.

A buyout is also for less money, taking us far enough under the tax to sign someone into that spot.

[Dverde]

A buyout is also for less money, taking us far enough under the tax to sign someone into that spot.

Or a scrub with a broken leg :lol

[Chomag]

Or a scrub with a broken leg :lol
:lol
Oh wait... no that's not funny .:depressed

[objective]

Or a scrub with a broken leg :lol

:lol

Spurs now the team that resorts to faking Workman's Comp and Medicaid fraud