Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 04:25 PM
"You and Timmy" should be the Spurs' free agent recruiting pitch. "You and Timmy" will be counted on to lead this team to future glory. "You and Timmy" are the ones this team is going to lean on be successful. "You and Timmy" will be the face of this team for the rest of the decade.
"You and Timmy" makes it clear to the free agent that they won't be an afterthought, just another player on the team, but will be regarded as a star. "You and Timmy" also serves as a reminder that Duncan is still the franchise player and you are fortunate to have the opportunity to join a player like him in his prime. If there is a player who the Spurs will need to make this pitch to it is Jermaine O'Neal, in my opinion. Kidd knows what playing with Duncan means for his career and his twice-frustrated quest for a title. Ditto for Payton. Think Elton Brand is ready to get the hell out of Dodge? But Jermaine O'Neal is the Pacers franchise player in the center-less Eastern Conference. Individual glory is all but guaranteed for the rest of his career should he remain a Pacer. The Spurs need to sell O'Neal on the uniqueness of the opportunity of joining a player like Tim Duncan in his prime. Having David Robinson talk to him about his own championship frustrations prior to Duncan's arrival would be a good start. Bringing out George Gervin would be a great touch as well. Pointing out that great players on championship teams are often remembered more than great players on non-championship teams is also a good point to make. The bottomline is that the Spurs need to show him that they want him badly and that he has a real opportunity to distinguish his career in a league in which so many great players over the years have been desperate to be called.....a Champion.
"You and Timmy" makes it clear to the free agent that they won't be an afterthought, just another player on the team, but will be regarded as a star. "You and Timmy" also serves as a reminder that Duncan is still the franchise player and you are fortunate to have the opportunity to join a player like him in his prime. If there is a player who the Spurs will need to make this pitch to it is Jermaine O'Neal, in my opinion. Kidd knows what playing with Duncan means for his career and his twice-frustrated quest for a title. Ditto for Payton. Think Elton Brand is ready to get the hell out of Dodge? But Jermaine O'Neal is the Pacers franchise player in the center-less Eastern Conference. Individual glory is all but guaranteed for the rest of his career should he remain a Pacer. The Spurs need to sell O'Neal on the uniqueness of the opportunity of joining a player like Tim Duncan in his prime. Having David Robinson talk to him about his own championship frustrations prior to Duncan's arrival would be a good start. Bringing out George Gervin would be a great touch as well. Pointing out that great players on championship teams are often remembered more than great players on non-championship teams is also a good point to make. The bottomline is that the Spurs need to show him that they want him badly and that he has a real opportunity to distinguish his career in a league in which so many great players over the years have been desperate to be called.....a Champion.