blaze89
07-06-2006, 08:45 AM
If this has been posted, sorry.
Mike Finger: Spurn Spurs at your own risk
San Antonio Express-News
07/06/2006
Nazr Mohammed and Joel Przybilla got the contracts they wanted, so financially speaking, both have it made.
But if Mohammed wants to hold on to all that money, he better hope the checks don't arrive via entry passes to the post.
The Spurs would never make such a joke, nor would they criticize a player for making a business decision. Besides, R.C. Buford, Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan always seem to have the last laugh in these situations anyway.
Spurning the Spurs in free agency? That's almost never a good career move.
Since Duncan arrived in San Antonio, an average of about one sought-after player per year has turned down the Spurs. And this is where Mohammed and Przybilla — the two centers who just agreed to terms with Detroit and Portland, respectively — should start to get nervous.
History does not look kindly on those who said, "Thanks, but no thanks," to life in South Texas.
Remember the summer of 2000, when Orlando was trying to steal Duncan and sign Grant Hill as part of one big coup? At one point, the Spurs made their own pitch to Hill, thinking that the chance to play with Duncan would entice the player who at the time was arguably the league's premier small forward.
Well, we all know how that turned out. Duncan stayed put and won two more championships. Hill, meanwhile, signed in Orlando, where he became the highest-paid one-footed player in NBA history and spent more time in Epcot Center than on the floor.
But Hill certainly wasn't the last guy to learn the don't-burn-the-Spurs lesson. A year later, it was Derek Anderson, the self-proclaimed "X-Factor," who turned up his nose at a Spurs offer and bolted for Portland. With the Spurs, Anderson appeared to be emerging as one of the game's most exciting shooting guards. But after languishing with the Trail Blazers and most recently being relegated to the end of Miami's bench, he became nothing more than an Ex-Factor.
The list goes on and on. That same summer, while the Spurs were in the middle of heated contract negotiations with David Robinson, they made a brief run at Chris Webber, who never warmed to the idea of playing in San Antonio. As it turned out, Webber's knee wasn't warmed to the idea of playing anywhere. He has not played a full season since, and his achy knee has forced his numbers to drop even when he's been on the court.
In 2003, it was Jason Kidd — an MVP candidate fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals — who received the Spurs' wine-and-dine treatment. Kidd passed, then saw his scoring totals, assists and field-goal percentage diminish, and saw his team lose three of its next five playoff series.
Then there was Stephen Jackson (who found more playing time elsewhere but also helped start a riot in Detroit), and Karl Malone (who elected to retire during the 2004-05 season, thereby wasting the chance to win what would have been his first NBA title).
So go ahead and congratulate Mohammed and Przybilla on their new contracts. Chances are, they won't have much else to celebrate for a while.
* * *
Over the past seven years, the Spurs have pursued — to varying degrees — several highly prized free agents who turned them down. For the most part, those players haven't exactly thrived elsewhere. Here's a lineup of the top spurners, with their production before and after their free-agent dance with the Spurs:
Player Before After
PG Jason Kidd Took Nets to 2003 NBA Finals while averaging 18.7 points and shooting 41percent from the field. Never advanced past second round; points, assists, shooting percentage all below 2003 levels.
SG Derek Anderson Averaged 15.5 points per game for Spurs in 2000-01. Averaged 11.4 points per game since; didn't see any playing time for Miami in NBA Finals against Dallas.
SF Grant Hill Averaged 25.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game in 1999-2000. Injuries limited him to 27 games per season since signing in Orlando.
PF Chris Webber/ Karl Malone Webber was a perennial all-star; Malone was one of the greatest ever to play the position. Webber's knee injury limited his mobility and his production; Malone retired without a championship ring.
C Nazr Mohammed/ Joel Przybilla Mohammed played a significant role on the Spurs' 2005 championship team; Przybilla showed promise as one of the league's best shot-blockers. To be determined.
Link... (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/mfinger/stories/MYSA070606.2C.COLfinger.page2.f92006.html)
Mike Finger: Spurn Spurs at your own risk
San Antonio Express-News
07/06/2006
Nazr Mohammed and Joel Przybilla got the contracts they wanted, so financially speaking, both have it made.
But if Mohammed wants to hold on to all that money, he better hope the checks don't arrive via entry passes to the post.
The Spurs would never make such a joke, nor would they criticize a player for making a business decision. Besides, R.C. Buford, Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan always seem to have the last laugh in these situations anyway.
Spurning the Spurs in free agency? That's almost never a good career move.
Since Duncan arrived in San Antonio, an average of about one sought-after player per year has turned down the Spurs. And this is where Mohammed and Przybilla — the two centers who just agreed to terms with Detroit and Portland, respectively — should start to get nervous.
History does not look kindly on those who said, "Thanks, but no thanks," to life in South Texas.
Remember the summer of 2000, when Orlando was trying to steal Duncan and sign Grant Hill as part of one big coup? At one point, the Spurs made their own pitch to Hill, thinking that the chance to play with Duncan would entice the player who at the time was arguably the league's premier small forward.
Well, we all know how that turned out. Duncan stayed put and won two more championships. Hill, meanwhile, signed in Orlando, where he became the highest-paid one-footed player in NBA history and spent more time in Epcot Center than on the floor.
But Hill certainly wasn't the last guy to learn the don't-burn-the-Spurs lesson. A year later, it was Derek Anderson, the self-proclaimed "X-Factor," who turned up his nose at a Spurs offer and bolted for Portland. With the Spurs, Anderson appeared to be emerging as one of the game's most exciting shooting guards. But after languishing with the Trail Blazers and most recently being relegated to the end of Miami's bench, he became nothing more than an Ex-Factor.
The list goes on and on. That same summer, while the Spurs were in the middle of heated contract negotiations with David Robinson, they made a brief run at Chris Webber, who never warmed to the idea of playing in San Antonio. As it turned out, Webber's knee wasn't warmed to the idea of playing anywhere. He has not played a full season since, and his achy knee has forced his numbers to drop even when he's been on the court.
In 2003, it was Jason Kidd — an MVP candidate fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals — who received the Spurs' wine-and-dine treatment. Kidd passed, then saw his scoring totals, assists and field-goal percentage diminish, and saw his team lose three of its next five playoff series.
Then there was Stephen Jackson (who found more playing time elsewhere but also helped start a riot in Detroit), and Karl Malone (who elected to retire during the 2004-05 season, thereby wasting the chance to win what would have been his first NBA title).
So go ahead and congratulate Mohammed and Przybilla on their new contracts. Chances are, they won't have much else to celebrate for a while.
* * *
Over the past seven years, the Spurs have pursued — to varying degrees — several highly prized free agents who turned them down. For the most part, those players haven't exactly thrived elsewhere. Here's a lineup of the top spurners, with their production before and after their free-agent dance with the Spurs:
Player Before After
PG Jason Kidd Took Nets to 2003 NBA Finals while averaging 18.7 points and shooting 41percent from the field. Never advanced past second round; points, assists, shooting percentage all below 2003 levels.
SG Derek Anderson Averaged 15.5 points per game for Spurs in 2000-01. Averaged 11.4 points per game since; didn't see any playing time for Miami in NBA Finals against Dallas.
SF Grant Hill Averaged 25.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game in 1999-2000. Injuries limited him to 27 games per season since signing in Orlando.
PF Chris Webber/ Karl Malone Webber was a perennial all-star; Malone was one of the greatest ever to play the position. Webber's knee injury limited his mobility and his production; Malone retired without a championship ring.
C Nazr Mohammed/ Joel Przybilla Mohammed played a significant role on the Spurs' 2005 championship team; Przybilla showed promise as one of the league's best shot-blockers. To be determined.
Link... (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/mfinger/stories/MYSA070606.2C.COLfinger.page2.f92006.html)