Who would you say has been the Spurs best FA signing in the teams history?

[davi78239]

Someone that came in and actually made a difference and wasn't just a one year wonder disappointment? And don't say when we re-signed Tim because that doesn't count. Steve Kerr? Mario Elie? Horry? What's your take?

[Mr. Body]

Horry. Unless I can think of someone else.

When Finley scores 33 ppg next playoffs, he gets my vote.

[MajorMike]

Kerr which time? 1st time around he was a trade.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Finley or Horry.

[picnroll]

Bowen

[MoSpur]

How did the Spurs acquire Terry Cummings?

[davi78239]

Kerr which time? 1st time around he was a trade.

I'd definitely say the second time around when we traded Derek Anderson for him. I remember I was pissed off, but boy old steve came through huge in 03 for us. I'd say Elie in 99 big time for adding the clutchness and fire to a team that had always seemed to lack this.

[FromWayDowntown]

In terms of a first year impact, I'd be inclined to go with Elie (without giving it a great deal of thought).

In terms of an overall impact beyond the first year, Bowen is a stalwart. He might be one of the 10-15 best Spurs ever, all things considered.

In a more spectacular sense, Horry is a solid choice; but if Horry makes sense then Stephen Jackson would be a pretty good candidate there too.

[davi78239]

Bowen


I totally agree! I completely forgot about him.

[JGrice02]

(1) Bowen - came cheap and is one of the best defenders we have ever had
(2) Horry - quite simply, we don't win our third title without him
(3) Finley - considering he is our 4th best player he came as a real bargain
(4) Kerr - we might not beat Dallas and go on to win our second title without him

[MajorMike]

How did the Spurs acquire Terry Cummings?

In the 1989 offseason the Bucks traded Cummings to the San Antonio Spurs for Alvin Robertson and Greg "Cadillac" Anderson.

[K-State Spur]

How about Avery Johnson - "Signed as a free agent by the Spurs on 7/21/94"

...even if he is a cubano now...

[strangeweather]

Bowen, Elie, Finley, Horry.

I expect Elson will be a ways down the list, but hopefully he will still rate above Van Exel. :spin

[MajorMike]

Aj is a good point. We let him go but got him back, and that helped as much as anything for the 95-99 run: you can have all the starts you want but without a good QB you ain't going anywhere.

[Leetonidas]

Bowen by a mile.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Reggie Gear. :elephant

[TDMVPDPOY]

andrew gaze ftw, he won a ring by being a spectator behind the spurs bench hahahaha > nz sean marks

[Spurologist]

The date was July 31, 2001. Defensive Domination was the result.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursmavericksgame3/images/8.jpg http://marca.recoletos.es/marca_usa/nba/fotos_nba/sanantoniospurs/bruce_bowen.jpg http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/marty_burns/04/12/nba.awards/tx.bowen.jpg http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/mundo-img/20060509a/9_archivo55_photo_10_1_1_20060509_YBK02F2.tif.jpgh ttp://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/img/05-06/0518block1.jpg http://www.nba.com/media/sonics/bowen_210_041208.jpg http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spurslakersgame5/images/8.jpghttp://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2436/html/038244.jpg http://www.examiner.com/images/ap/small/small_efe14d23-0d80-4fd1-9d06-555db798374f.jpg

Bruce Bowen: Making whining bitches out of talented players.

[furry_spurry]

Kerr which time? 1st time around he was a trade.
First time he was a sign and trade- second time just a trade.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursmavericksgame3/images/8.jpg

Is that Bruce or Sean Elliot?

[furry_spurry]

Mario Elie for what he brought immediately.

Bruce Bowen for long-term impact.

[velik_m]

Manu

[Spurologist]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursmavericksgame3/images/8.jpg

Is that Bruce or Sean Elliot?

I can see the Elliot similarity but....

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursmavericksgame3/Slide_08.shtml

Enlighten yourself.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Mario Elie for what he brought immediately.

Bruce Bowen for long-term impact.

...and what he would have brought for another year or two at least if the league didn't outlaw handchecking. Junkyard bully. :elephant

[ShoogarBear]

LeBron James, 2010. :smokin

[Please_dont_ban_me]

I can see the Elliot similarity but....

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursmavericksgame3/Slide_08.shtml

Enlighten yourself.

Thanks, Buddah.

[Supergirl]

1. Bowen - we don't win in 2003 or 2005 without him
2. Horry

[Spurologist]

LeBron James, 2010. :smokin

You want to wait that long for a long 3? The sadness is spreading.

:depressed

[pache100]

How about Avery Johnson - "Signed as a free agent by the Spurs on 7/21/94"

...even if he is a cubano now...

No.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Let me dream for a second...

+TP
+Lebron
+Whoever
+Whoever
+Whover




:elephant:

[jman3000]

I have to agree with the others that said Bowen ... it may not have seen like much at the time ... but he has entrenched himself into the city and has sacrificed his own money for the good of his team. Without knowing the specifics of the older FA signings, I'd go with Bowen.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

I have to agree with the others that said Bowen ... it may not have seen like much at the time ... but he has entrenched himself into the city and has sacrificed his own money for the good of his team. Without knowing the specifics of the older FA signings, I'd go with Bowen.

Me too.

When we got him I was a little skeptical with the "this is the guy who will guard Kobe" mentality. Because nobody can stop Kobe...but he's done a hell of a job slowing him and down and making him work.

[ShoogarBear]

You want to wait that long for a long 3? The sadness is spreading.

:depressed

Yeah, but we can probably get him for half the MLE then.

BTW, the real answer is obviously Bowen. Unless you can think of another FA who was a starter for two Spurs championship teams.

[Spurologist]

Let me dream for a second...

+TP
+Lebron
+Whoever
+Whoever
+Whover




:elephant:

Cleveland has been trying to do a Drew Gooden + scrub for TP for some time now.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Cleveland has been trying to do a Drew Gooden + scrub for TP for some time now.

:lol


That's funny. :elephant

[itzsoweezee]

Someone that came in and actually made a difference and wasn't just a one year wonder disappointment? And don't say when we re-signed Tim because that doesn't count. Steve Kerr? Mario Elie? Horry? What's your take?

that list is completely pathetic.
if the spurs didn't tank the pre-duncan season, this team would have been a perpetual lottery team after robinson's retirement. cheap bastards didn't even want to pay him either.

[Winnipeg_Spur]

Francisco Elson.

No one else is even close.

[101A]

that list is completely pathetic.
if the spurs didn't tank the pre-duncan season, this team would have been a perpetual lottery team after robinson's retirement. cheap bastards didn't even want to pay him either.

sucking != tanking

[tlongII]

Rasho Nesterovic

[violentkitten]

larry stewart

[baseline bum]

Easily Bruce Bowen (can you believe he came here for the minimum?). He did the best job I've ever seen anybody do on Kobe in that second round series vs LA in 2003. Without Bruce, I'm 99% sure LA marches on to a 4-peat, minimum. Bruce completely shut down Hamilton in the first two games of the 2005 Finals, and then he shut down a blazing-hot Chauncey Billups late in the OT of game 5... then, he destroyed Billups again in game 7, capping it off with one of the 5 greatest plays in Spurs history with 51 seconds to go in the season. Bruce has already earned himself a place as a Spurs legend, with David Robinson, George Gervin, James Silas, Sean Elliott, and Tim Duncan. He's going to be one the Spurs I will miss most when he finally calls it quits. I just can't say enough about how much Bruce changed the face of this team. Until him, the Spurs had no answer for any team with a good guard (after Sean's illness forced his first retirement). Without Bruce Bowen, 99 is the only banner we'd be seeing in the AT&T Center.

[MrChug]

Manu

Manu was a draft pick.

Honestly, I was never more excited than when we signed NIQUE!!!! :clap The ORIGINAL #21 :lol

[spur219]

Manu/Bowen

[Obstructed_View]

Mario Elie for what he brought immediately.

Bruce Bowen for long-term impact.
:tu

[jman3000]

Bruce has already earned himself a place as a Spurs legend, with David Robinson, George Gervin, James Silas, Sean Elliott, and Tim Duncan.

I never really thought of him in that high a light before ... but now that I think about it, you're right. Impressive for only being with us for a few years.

[velik_m]

Manu was a draft pick.

Honestly, I was never more excited than when we signed NIQUE!!!! :clap The ORIGINAL #21 :lol

so were Scola and Javtokas, but spurs didn't seem to be able to sign them.

[Obstructed_View]

Manu was a draft pick.

Honestly, I was never more excited than when we signed NIQUE!!!! :clap The ORIGINAL #21 :lol
There was so little to be excited about back then.

[METALMiKE]

Mario Elie or Kerr. :fro

[AdmiralMVP]

The date was July 31, 2001. Defensive Domination was the result.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spursmavericksgame3/images/8.jpg http://marca.recoletos.es/marca_usa/nba/fotos_nba/sanantoniospurs/bruce_bowen.jpg http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/marty_burns/04/12/nba.awards/tx.bowen.jpg http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/mundo-img/20060509a/9_archivo55_photo_10_1_1_20060509_YBK02F2.tif.jpgh ttp://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/img/05-06/0518block1.jpg http://www.nba.com/media/sonics/bowen_210_041208.jpg http://www.mysanantonio.com/specials/spurschamps/slideshows/spurslakersgame5/images/8.jpghttp://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2436/html/038244.jpg http://www.examiner.com/images/ap/small/small_efe14d23-0d80-4fd1-9d06-555db798374f.jpg

Bruce Bowen: Making whining bitches out of talented players.

LOL. I love those photos and the caption. Yeah, Bowen gets my vote, too.

[exstatic]

I never really thought of him in that high a light before ... but now that I think about it, you're right. Impressive for only being with us for a few years.
If you consider 5 years a few, then I understand. Five years, five first or second All Defense teams. He came for the minimum, and already re-structured once to allow SA to sign or re-sign players. Number 12 will be hanging from the rafters one day. BOOK IT.

[SpursWoman]

I believe Tim Duncan was a free agent in 1999. I'm going to have to go with him. By a long shot. :lol

[rascal]

(1) Bowen - came cheap and is one of the best defenders we have ever had
(2) Horry - quite simply, we don't win our third title without him
(3) Finley - considering he is our 4th best player he came as a real bargain
(4) Kerr - we might not beat Dallas and go on to win our second title without him
That list is weak compared with what other teams have done with trades and fa signings.

[rascal]

sucking != tanking
No doubt the spurs tanked to get Duncan. Robinson could have come back from an injury but didn't play the rest of the year.

And I was glad they tanked. I wanted them to lose every game that year.

[rascal]

1. Bowen - we don't win in 2003 or 2005 without him
2. Horry
They win in 2003 without Bowen. Robinson and Duncan were too tough defensively on the inside and there were no great teams that year.

[strangeweather]

That list is weak compared with what other teams have done with trades and fa signings.
Hypothesis: having large amounts of cap space makes it easier to make big free agent signings. In the Duncan era, the Spurs had Duncan + Robinson, then Duncan + Parker + Ginobili. There was really only one year when we could have signed anyone significant.

Secondary hypothesis: it's easier to sign a bunch of extra free agents if you are completely indifferent to the luxury tax. You just go out and sign a max midlevel deal every year and let the contracts pile up.

Hypothesis: it's easier to make big, splashy trades if you have a roster full of big-name players that fit poorly together -- this is what gives you trade bait other teams want. This is aided by poorly considered free agent signings of flashy players, or by having a lot of lottery picks that produce name players that underperform.

Secondary hypothesis: it's easier to make big, splashy trades if you are completely indifferent to the luxury tax, and don't mind taking on horrible contracts.


The Spurs have rarely been in a good natural position to make high-impact trades and free agent signings. A few exceptional teams have gotten significantly better through trades or free agent signings despite lacking any natural advantages in these areas.

If your point is that the Spurs are not one of these few, exceptional franchises with respect to trades and signings, I agree. They are an everage team with respect to FAs and trades -- no towering successes, no epic disasters. The fact that they are average in these areas and have had remarkable success with consistently horrible draft position has been enough to make them one of the best front offices in basketball.

I imagine that after Duncan retires, the FO will have a much freer hand to demonstrate what they can do when they get lottery picks and have a lot of cap space.

[exstatic]

They win in 2003 without Bowen. Robinson and Duncan were too tough defensively on the inside and there were no great teams that year.
They HAD DRob and Duncan in 2001, and Kobe dunked all OVER their asses. Bad take. But then I expect that from you, weak link.

No doubt the spurs tanked to get Duncan. Robinson could have come back from an injury but didn't play the rest of the year.

And I was glad they tanked. I wanted them to lose every game that year.

Robinson recovered from his broken foot, but the injury that originally shelved him, the sports hernia, led to the back problems that dogged him for the rest of his career. He wasn't better in March, he NEVER got better. But then, I think you want to see them lose just to reinforce your negative bullshit.

That list is weak compared with what other teams have done with trades and fa signings.

And what has that gotten them? New York signs someone EVERY YEAR, and they're trash on a stick.

[rascal]

They HAD DRob and Duncan in 2001, and Kobe dunked all OVER their asses. Bad take. But then I expect that from you, weak link.


Robinson recovered from his broken foot, but the injury that originally shelved him, the sports hernia, led to the back problems that dogged him for the rest of his career. He wasn't better in March, he NEVER got better. But then, I think you want to see them lose just to reinforce your negative bullshit.


And what has that gotten them? New York signs someone EVERY YEAR, and they're trash on a stick.

Hey jackass I wanted them to lose to have a better chance at getting Duncan. But you were such a jackass you were rooting for meaningless wins.

And if you believe Robinson wasn't healthy enough to play your clueless.

[pjjrfan]

Bruce Bowen without a doubt. He was acquired with a relatively low contract, and he has performed at an all-star level, and then he re did his current deal to help obtain FA. Can't beat that. And hopefully he can maintain his excellence for another year or 2.