Will Spurs Tank 24-25 Season?

[TimmyBuckets]

Will they purposefully tank again?

[skin27]

Hell no

[scott]

Should they? No

Will they? Probably (in an inadvertent, we accidently failed to make the team better, kind of way)

[skin27]

Should they? No

Will they? Probably (in an inadvertent, we accidently failed to make the team better, kind of way)

No, they wont tank

[BackHome]

We won’t Tank will just loose because we simply lack talent and depth - The 2025 will hopefully solve half of those issues :lobt2:

[scott]

:pop: Jeremy has shown us a lot this offseason, and we think NOW he is able to handle the PG position

[skin27]

They going to waste another year of wemby if they tank

[BacktoBasics]

I don’t think they’ll sell out and trade their draft stock for anything outside of a perennial all star. I expect prudent moves and an improvement that has them knocking on the play in.

Year 3 and 4 are bigger years for Wemby. Historically it’s even further out than that for franchise players. Just look at the wolves. Ant is 4 years in. KAT?

I think they’ll improve and be comfortably 7-10 next year.

We have a fair amount of draft stock that could really matter by Wembys 5-7th season. Then you’re looking at a legitimate 6-9 year run.

[Knoxxx]

Just keep stock piling talent starting in June. I’m down with the two picks but we take what we get.

[Knoxxx]

I voted No but if it’s a soft tank to keep developing talent that’s livable.

[z0sa]

If they do anything of the sort, they're fucking assholes.

[Snaq O'Meal]

If they draft a PG, they'll be tanking inadvertently since those guys won't move the needle much their first few years in the league. Which will be a good thing, since the Spurs will have a shot at Ace or Flagg next year.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Eh it shouldn’t be difficult to grasp the tanking thing.

Will they go into the season planning to win 20 games? No
Will they burn through their assets in order to maximise their 24-25 win total? No
Will they resort to not giving their absolute best if they find themselves in a bad position after the trade deadline? Probably, like every other team in such a position.

[baseline bum]

There were still four teams worse than the Spurs in a season no one was outright tanking until late while next year teams will likely be tanking for Flagg plus an anticipated quite strong top 5 or so picks of the draft class. Probably reasonable to expect Victor to take another step forward next season and their guard play can't possibly be worse than what it was with Sochan and Branham starting at PG for the first 40% of the season. If Victor gets hurt and has to miss the season then they obviously tank but otherwise I'd be surprised to see them worse than say bottom 8 in the league.

[Texas_Ranger]

no tank, and I think with a solid offseason the team could even win 35+ games.

[JPB]

I voted No but if it’s a soft tank to keep developing talent that’s livable.

What talent?

[Dejounte]

What talent?

Bro, you’re not going to convince everyone about your opinion on this. Just stop it. I don’t go on this board to see you on every thread spouting the same shit.

scott (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=150) this is the shit that I was talking about. You aren’t nearly in the same category as this, and I find your posts way more insightful than the recycled trash this guy posts. But… you expressed love for John B so I will try to channel my inner good side and find love for all people.

[KingKev]

:pop: Jeremye has shown us a lot this offseason, and we think NOW he is able to handle the PG position

Additionally, Bramham and Vassell now identify as a power forwards and NBA superstar chuckers respectively so let us all embrace their individuality on the way to the lottery and a chance at a real running for VW.

:pop:

Seriously though I think this team in win now mode even though I’d be good with one more year of stealth tank.

[rascal]

They don't have to tank. They still won't be a playoff team.

[rascal]

Spurs need to find a way to come away in next year's draft with that badly needed 2nd star to go with Wemby.

[LeBowen]

If Wemby is healthy, it will be impossible to tank.
I expect him to average 25/12/5 with 4 blocks next season.

This is fifth straight year in lottery, it would be embarrassing to tank again next season. Only Hornets have a longer lottery streak.

Blazers just started tanking, Jazz will probably blow it up for a proper tank, East bottom three will be horrible again and everyone outside the playoffs in the East is trending downwards.
Tanking would be just idiotic.

[Mugen]

Barring a significant injury to Victor, they absolutely should not tank tbh.

They would not be able to withstand the narrative of "wasting" two years of Wemby's rookie deal and I honestly think it'd piss of Victor very much.

They also have Atlanta's pick so it's possible they still get a crack at a high lottery pick even if it's not their own.

Blatant "Tanking" would absolutely be dumb AF.

[jeebus]

They'll run it back with mostly the same team cuz they're players on cheap contracts, so whatever happens, happens. Then they can make a run at FAs next summer with another season of Wemby to showcase to said FAs.

[MultiTroll]

They don't need to tank.
https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/2669/screenshots/13975504/popovich_wine_web.jpg

[scott]

Bro, you’re not going to convince everyone about your opinion on this. Just stop it. I don’t go on this board to see you on every thread spouting the same shit.

scott (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=150) this is the shit that I was talking about. You aren’t nearly in the same category as this, and I find your posts way more insightful than the recycled trash this guy posts. But… you expressed love for John B so I will try to channel my inner good side and find love for all people.

It's all just good banter. There is a difference between this and someone who goes on some screed about how this franchise is shit and only notable because Timmy came around to carry Pop, like Luka carrying Yoda, etc.

JBP may fall on a pessimistic scale, but he also brings lots of good takes. So long as you bring the good takes every now and then - it's easy to overlook constant Sniffer/Anti-Pop tendencies, IMO.

[stnick2261]

They won't tank, but ideally, they won't be adding much help either before the '25 summer.

[JPB]

Bro, you’re not going to convince everyone about your opinion on this. Just stop it. I don’t go on this board to see you on every thread spouting the same shit.

scott (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=150) this is the shit that I was talking about. You aren’t nearly in the same category as this, and I find your posts way more insightful than the recycled trash this guy posts. But… you expressed love for John B so I will try to channel my inner good side and find love for all people.

"Bro", more than of half of this site and spurs fans think alike... You're not gonna make anyone stop posting what they want just because it hurt your liitle feelings and well being.

And I'm not going on this board to see guys like our good, old "keeping track" Dejounte who can't stand people think differently and takes everything so personnally and emotionnally that he can't help calling out everyone or everything he disagrees with...

You're cute Dejounte, by far from being the smartest cat in this forum, and I mean very far (I'll leave it at that). And while it's pretty clear for eveyone this board is a way for you to get whatever empowerment or self gratification you believe you can with your contrarian takes, or pseudo superior knowledge about the draft, keep your sweet attempts at patronzing me for whoever else will care. This isn't your board, deal with it or put me on ignore if it affects you so much.

And for the sake of it, maybe people will stop saying this roster has no talent when people will stop saying it has... But hey, "bro", let's keep track and see who on this roster is still here in 3 years, or has an important role on this team...

Peace.

[Dejounte]

"Bro", more than of half of this site and spurs fans think alike... You're not gonna make anyone stop posting what they want just because it hurt your liitle feelings and well being.

And I'm not going on this board to see guys like our good, old "keeping track" Dejounte who can't stand people think differently and takes everything so personnally and emotionnally that he can't help calling out everyone or everything he disagrees with...

You're cute Dejounte, by far from being the smartest cat in this forum, and I mean very far (I'll leave it at that). And while it's pretty clear for eveyone this board is a way for you to get whatever empowerment or self gratification you believe you can with your contrarian takes, or pseudo superior knowledge about the draft, keep your sweet attempts at patronzing me for whoever else will care. This isn't your board, deal with it or put me on ignore if it affects you so much.

And for the sake of it, maybe people will stop saying this roster has no talent when people will stop saying it has, or when they'll win more than 22 games in a season, or when they wont be terrible on the court anymore,or when their coach will look like he know what he's doing...

But hey, "bro", let's keep track and see who on this roster is still here in 3 years, or has a really important on this team...

Peace.

It seems like you took that “Bro” statement a little too personally. I remembered you aren’t American, so you don’t get it. I interact with plenty of people here with differing opinions. It’s your repeated, boring, and tedious takes that irk me. I don’t know why you often bring up my intelligence, unless you’re so insecure about your own. The board was in a better state before you started being a more active poster about a year ago tbh.

[scott]

Tbqh imo, I like Dejounte posts and JPB posts, tbh.

Don’t know the source of the beef, but seems like there is plenty of room in the tent for ya’lls. We aren’t talking ducks/T Park level bad here.

[JPB]

It seems like you took that “Bro” statement a little too personally. I remembered you aren’t American, so you don’t get it. I interact with plenty of people here with differing opinions. It’s your repeated, boring, and tedious takes that irk me. I don’t know why you often bring up my intelligence, unless you’re so insecure about your own. The board was in a better state before you started being a more active poster about a year ago tbh.

Look dejounte, I'm not gonna enter the "I'm smarter than you" or "Let me have the last word" games. I'm way past that in my Internet life (and I'm smarter anyway...). None of this having any kind of importance, we would probably hug each other, would we meet as spurs fans we both are.

The reason why I brought your intelligence is because you're precisely constantly questioning the ones of members you're disagreeing with (I don't believe calling people's takes "trash", like you did in your previous post, is exactly a mark of respect...).

Anyway, I'm still not sure why you take this whole thing so emotionnally, personnally, (and agressivily), but if you hate me so much, just put me on ignore. Problem solved. And don't worry for this board or for me, there's plenty of cool posters I enjoy sharing opinions with, and don't seem to detest it...

I'm gonna put you on ignore too now, because this is honestly becoming a bit too freaky and sick to my taste. And I'm not here for that.

[KobesAchilles]

It doesn’t matter if they purposely tank or not. We have a bottom 2 roster in the West. Detroit and Washington and Charlotte will suck again next year. The wild card is Toronto. So that puts us in the 6-7 range next year in the draft.

Nothing really changes next year. Our coaching is the same. Our players still are auditioning for jobs to play alongside Wemby. We won’t have good veterans on our team. We have zero great assistants on our coaching staff. And Pop won’t play Wemby more than 30 minutes a game. So what grand improvement are you expecting?

Sochan is a bench player on a good team. He’s a starter on ours. Vassell is a chucker on a bad team. Jones is a bench player on a good team. Champ is literally not a player at all on a good team. Collins isn’t worth his extension and will continue to show it. Besides Wemby, what improvements are you expecting from others? I’m interested to hear.

[james evans]

a lot of people got confidence in Flagg and he hasn't played a single college game yet. It's not hard to look like a monster against a bunch of 6 foot high schoolers. If Popovich decides to have another losing season with 2 lottery picks and wemby says, "get me the fuck out of here. Trade me now", I don't blame him.

[BackHome]

2025 Tanking Crew In the House...:lobt::flag:

[spurs1990]

Three straight lottery wins is doable. Flagg may be worth it from what we're hearing today

[skin27]

2025 Tanking Crew In the House...:lobt::flag:

Fk that

[skin27]

Three straight lottery wins is doable. Flagg may be worth it from what we're hearing today

Cant waste another wemby's season.. the kid wants to win now

[james evans]

Cant waste another wemby's season.. the kid wants to win now
and if they do and he wants out, don't blame him(as most of you will). He's confident in his ability and wants to win NOW. Not in 2030

[LeBowen]

Spurs already have the best prospect in 20 years on the roster.
Alongside him, two starters are #9 and #11 picks, respectively.
Another #12 pick should've been in there, but he was a bust.

This year we'll add #4 and #8.

Starting lineup next season should be: #8, #11, #4, #9, #1.
If there's still a need to tank after all those lottery picks, then we need an entire new front office.

I don't care about Flaggs or any other prospects. Spurs built around Duncan with very little.
Now we've got a lot to build around Wemby.
I've seen all 164 games from the past two seasons, I wouldn't be able to take another season of tanking.

[Mal]

They shouldnt tank, but they also should spend assets to bring good player. I doubt #4 and #8 will be trade, and outside Keldon, any bigger trade would be future assets in pick and swaps, rather than Collins, Brahnam, Wesley

[james evans]

Barring a significant injury to Victor, they absolutely should not tank tbh.

They would not be able to withstand the narrative of "wasting" two years of Wemby's rookie deal and I honestly think it'd piss of Victor very much.

They also have Atlanta's pick so it's possible they still get a crack at a high lottery pick even if it's not their own.

Blatant "Tanking" would absolutely be dumb AF.
It would be very stupid. Here is a guy that's projected to be the next big thing and having 2 seasons combined winning a little over 40 games while being rested in his rookie contract, he's gonna want out. Because you're going to have family members on social media reading how he's "overrated" and can't win, knowing that the popovich is holding the team back. I don't expect us to win this season at all, but another 20-win season would be absolutely absurd with TWO LOTTERY PICKS TO GO WITH THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!!!

[james evans]

Spurs already have the best prospect in 20 years on the roster.
Alongside him, two starters are #9 and #11 picks, respectively.
Another #12 pick should've been in there, but he was a bust.

This year we'll add #4 and #8.

Starting lineup next season should be: #8, #11, #4, #9, #1.
If there's still a need to tank after all those lottery picks, then we need an entire new front office.

I don't care about Flaggs or any other prospects. Spurs built around Duncan with very little.
Now we've got a lot to build around Wemby.
I've seen all 164 games from the past two seasons, I wouldn't be able to take another season of tanking.
This is what the fuk I'm saying. If you have been in an NBA front office with 7 lottery picks in 6 years, the best player of the future on your team, and TWO lottery picks this year(one being top 5) and you still can't win games, something is wrong and the entire front office AND coaching staff should be relieved of their duties. Because let's say they tank this season for Flagg(that I'm sure no one has watched his full games), and we don't get the 1st pick. Then what? Another tank in 2025-26?

[rascal]

It doesn’t matter if they purposely tank or not. We have a bottom 2 roster in the West. Detroit and Washington and Charlotte will suck again next year. The wild card is Toronto. So that puts us in the 6-7 range next year in the draft.

Nothing really changes next year. Our coaching is the same. Our players still are auditioning for jobs to play alongside Wemby. We won’t have good veterans on our team. We have zero great assistants on our coaching staff. And Pop won’t play Wemby more than 30 minutes a game. So what grand improvement are you expecting?

Sochan is a bench player on a good team. He’s a starter on ours. Vassell is a chucker on a bad team. Jones is a bench player on a good team. Champ is literally not a player at all on a good team. Collins isn’t worth his extension and will continue to show it. Besides Wemby, what improvements are you expecting from others? I’m interested to hear.

Yes, the Spurs roster is bad outside of Wemby. These players showed little to no improvement from two years ago to this past year.

The Spurs have already come out and said don't expect any major roster shakeup with a big trde, so expect the two rookie draft picks and maybe a weak role player addition and rolling out the same team.

[rascal]

This is what the fuk I'm saying. If you have been in an NBA front office with 7 lottery picks in 6 years, the best player of the future on your team, and TWO lottery picks this year(one being top 5) and you still can't win games, something is wrong and the entire front office AND coaching staff should be relieved of their duties. Because let's say they tank this season for Flagg(that I'm sure no one has watched his full games), and we don't get the 1st pick. Then what? Another tank in 2025-26?

There are many other great prospects in next year's draft. Ace Bailey is going to be great.

Spurs are still going to need to add a second all star level player with Wemby if they want to be contenders and build a dynasty with multiple titles.

There is no one on the current roster who will become that 2nd star(I don't care how many years you want to give them, they aren't talented enough) and this year's draft picks aren't likely to be that 2nd all star level player so it's going to take a high draft pick in 2025 to get the 2nd star.

[scott]

If we take Topic and Salaun, like rascal thinks we will, then yes - we are tanking.

[ismael-robert]

If they make no roster moves aside from drafting then they're tanking. Pops already on record saying couple years back they're projected to be good again in 3 years. Wemby knows this so it's not like he's being caught off guard. Their goal is another dynasty, not just build a playoff team.

[ismael-robert]

Forgot the point that wemby playing Olympics so yes the Spurs gonna handle him with kid gloves again to allow his body to recover. Not sure how much development a player can make who's constantly playing rather than honing skills

[John B]

Not tanking but I think they’ll stand pat (not popular opinion). They will draft their future “starting point guard” (and athletic wing), but keeping Tre at starting PG until Reed/Dilly/Castle or whoever takes it from him. See where the team at while Wemby continues to get stronger, and by trade deadline maybe see some moves (Graham, Collins and even Keldon). Class 2025 promises to be a deep draft, plus potential big names from FA who could be enticed to pair with Wemby, possible package of assets, picks to sign an all-star(s) (Lauri, Donovan, Ingram). So forget about getting Murray back, or pairing Wemby with Trae. Spurs are staying pat. Maybe get in the play-in but expectedly losing. 2025-26 is when Spurs go all in.

[SouthernFryd]

If they choose TOPIC and SALAUN in the draft...we will be tanking for 2025.

They'll sit TOPIC "we need to let his knee heal properly"...and they'll say SALAUN is a development project. Which he most definitely is.

If they choose who I want, SHEPPARD and KNECHT...then they're serious.

We shall see :)

[Obstructed_View]

Who the fuck knows? They are a rudderless ship, and nobody on the coaching staff gives me any reassurance that anything will change.

The 2013-2014 team was full of vets who knew how to play and how to win together. This team looks like the same hands-off management style. The result on the court doesn't end up looking that different from tanking.

[JPB]

Not tanking but I think they’ll stand pat (not popular opinion). They will draft their future “starting point guard” (and athletic wing), but keeping Tre at starting PG until Reed/Dilly/Castle or whoever takes it from him. See where the team at while Wemby continues to get stronger, and by trade deadline maybe see some moves (Graham, Collins and even Keldon). Class 2025 promises to be a deep draft, plus potential big names from FA who could be enticed to pair with Wemby, possible package of assets, picks to sign an all-star(s) (Lauri, Donovan, Ingram). So forget about getting Murray back, or pairing Wemby with Trae. Spurs are staying pat. Maybe get in the play-in but expectedly losing. 2025-26 is when Spurs go all in.

Spurs don't even sniff the play in if they stay pat. they're still bottom of the pack, for a third year in a row, specially if they have to give time to one or two rookies from this draft... Rockets missed it last year and were 41-41. Spurs are not passing one team in the top 11 this past season. Also add MEM getting Ja back...

As far as the 2025 class, we still don't know how many game changers or potential stars we will find there. One Cooper (who still has to prove he's elite) doesn't make a whole class elite or deep.

[John B]

Spurs don't even sniff the play in if they stay pat. they're still bottom of the pack, for a third year in a row, specially if they have to give time to one or two rookies from this draft... Rockets missed it last year and were 41-41. Spurs are not passing one team in the top 11 this past season. Also add MEM getting Ja back...

As far as the 2025 class, we still don't know how many game changers or potential stars we will find there. One Cooper (who still has to prove he's elite) doesn't make a whole class elite or deep.

The Spurs were 6 of 10 the last 10 games, and some of them against teams trying to position themselves in the playoffs including the depending champions. The first 25 games they’ve starting Sochan at point guard, minute restrictions on Wemby, and DNP for b2b games. A stronger 2nd year Wemby with 1 year learning to play together. Yes I think they will start winning more games.

[poopbox]

As long as they don't play Sochan at point guard then Victor will have this team competing for a play in spot, much like Houston did last year. All but 4 players on this team are bums but Victor is just so damn good he's going to drag them to plenty of W's they shouldn't get.

[JPB]

The Spurs were 6 of 10 the last 10 games, and some of them against teams trying to position themselves in the playoffs including the depending champions. The first 25 games they’ve starting Sochan at point guard, minute restrictions on Wemby, and DNP for b2b games. A stronger 2nd year Wemby with 1 year learning to play together. Yes I think they will start winning more games.

We said the same last year...they were tanking, didn't play defense, with one more year of development + Wemby, they can catch the play in... They didn't win more.

The last games of a season are always deceptive (tanking teams, load management, injuries, teams already focused on the POs)... and the worth thing to do is use them as a barometer.

The Denver game is a fluke, DEN was up 18 or something with 9 to go in the game and seated Jokic and Murray for the POs. DEN took it for granted vs a bottom team and stopped playing. Theu put JoKer and Murray back but that was too late, they minds were already out of the game. I mean, spurs are two universes away from Denver.

Teams above us are gonna improve too anyway, and they have better material if spurs stay put. Just check the first 13 teams in the standings this year and ask yourself who are the 4 teams spurs can be ahead of to get in the play in.

OKC,DEN,MIN;LAC,DAL,PHX,LAL,NO,SAC,GS,HOU,UTAH,MEM (with Ja).

[rascal]

We said the same last year...they were tanking, didn't play defense, with one more year of development + Wemby, they can catch the play in... They didn't win more.

The last games of a season are always deceptive (tanking teams, load management, injuries, teams already focused on the POs)... and the worth thing to do is use them as a barometer.

The Denver game is a fluke, DEN was up 18 or something with 9 to go in the game and seated Jokic and Murray for the POs. DEN took it for granted vs a bottom team and stopped playing. Theu put JoKer and Murray back but that was too late, they minds were already out of the game. I mean, spurs are two universes away from Denver.

Teams above us are gonna improve too anyway, and they have better material if spurs stay put. Just check the first 13 teams in the standings this year and ask yourself who are the 4 teams spurs can be ahead of to get in the play in.

OKC,DEN,MIN;LAC,DAL,PHX,LAL,NO,SAC,GS,HOU,UTAH,MEM (with Ja).

Spurs won a few games in the last 15 games of the year the year before to. Denver game was a lucky last second 2 point win against a team that took that game lightly. Other wins were against tanking teams.

[Extra Stout]

If the Spurs could trade a chunk of their stockpile of draft assets for an established All-NBA player on the perimeter, then they could accelerate the rebuild.

You’d look for a team that has stagnated like the Suns and was looking to blow it all up and start over. Except the Suns aren’t doing that. What team is

Failing that, you could overpay for a lesser but still All-Star player like Trae Young, assuming Atlanta really even wanted to do that. People say you can trade him if he doesn’t work out, but you’d pay 140 cents on the dollar* to get him and then get back 80 cents on the dollar to cut him loose. The move has significant risk.

*Atlanta would insist on a premium above and beyond the Dejounte Murray trade from the Spurs. Anything less would be an admission of failure that would require front office seppuku.

So if there’s not a great option to improve the team quickly, then it has to improve gradually. Wemby might get impatient and want out. That’s a risk too. There is no risk-free option. There was no guarantee that Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili were going to pan out. It was hard to foresee the crap Nephew would pull. There is no certainty.

The 2024 draft is not great. A year ago, it seemed would like it would be replete with great point guard options. Instead, there are a bunch of options that each have talent but also significant flaws. The players are all young and have a good chance to develop and iron out their flaws. But there is significant uncertainty and risk.

Things might pan out and they might not. Now if a team builds a portfolio of opportunities like the Spurs have and strikes out on talent evaluation on all of them, then the front office deserves to be held accountable and people should lose their jobs. That’s a risk they have to accept.

[CorrectCrusader]

Hell yeah they're gonna tank.

[R. DeMurre]

It's going to be awkward if Victor returns to San Antonio with a Gold or Silver Olympic medal, and he feels like the Spurs aren't doing their absolute best to maximize wins... which is how I think some would characterize last season-- not so much that they were blatantly tanking, but that they certainly weren't maximizing wins.

[Extra Stout]

It’s pretty easy for a fan to imagine that there was some blockbuster move the team might have made. But too often that it just a move for the sake of making a move.

You see this mindset in the media too. Phoenix made an aggressive move for Bradley Beal that blew up in their faces. Now they are stuck with a top-heavy, injury-prone roster with little opportunity for improvement because they are above the second apron. It was predictable and not a good risk to accept. But I’ve heard on ESPN radio that James Jones can’t be held accountable, because hey, he acquired another star.

Victor, on the other hand, is plugged into what the Spurs are doing. He knows whether they’re being aggressive in making calls that none of us ever hear about. Since we don’t know, we assume they’re sitting on their hands.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

Soft tank. They are going to use another year to develop their talent and see who they need to cut bait with. For those of you getting triggered at the thought of another losing season you guys have to understand there is a difference between being good for a rookie and being a championship centerpiece. Victor isn’t there yet he’ll get there but there’s no need to rush.

If the Spurs do what some you are suggesting and burn their assets for a win now move there’s a good chance they will get stuck in mediocrity. The young players that are starting to win now have already been in the league for 4+ years. Wemby is going to get there. The 2025 draft is going to be much deeper and the Spurs have the potential to have multiple excellent picks and the FA class is much stronger too.

Like I said before this isn’t NBA 2k they aren’t going to go from lottery team to contender in one off season. And the end goal shouldn’t be fringe playoff team it’s to be a perineal contender year after year for a title.