Prediction: trade will happen if we are worse than 3-2 on the road trip.

[Tom_Foolery]

We should be able to win @ WA, NJ, and ORL. Loses in MIA & DET are forgiving, but if we come back from the rodeo trip losing to WA, NJ or ORL, I really think there will be a trade happening by Feb 22.

Another scenerio that could happen is coming back from the road trip at 3-2 & losing to the Nuggets and @ ATL on the 2nd of a back-to-back and being 3-4 during that time. If that happens, I also see a trade happening before midnight.

I think Pop is smart enough to know when a trade is needed. He's been pretty good at knowing the talent he has, but at the same time I think his loyalty has kept him from being a repeat champion when he's needed to make a change.

Any thoughts on the upcoming road trip and what needs to be done in order to keep the guys we have from being traded?

[Extra Stout]

I think Pop is smart enough to know when a trade is needed, but he also is smart enough to know not to defy his boss.

[1Parker1]

:lol I'd like to believe the month of January indictated they need a trade. Wins against a crappy Eastern conference shouldn't change their view...

[baseline bum]

Then I hope they go 0-5, because this team can't get it done and needs a big, a backup point, or an athletic three to have any shot of touching Phoenix or Dallas.

[Tom_Foolery]

winning on the road isn't easy, especially around the halfway mark when teams make a push. that's why i think anything less than 3-2 would really be a red flag to pull the trigger on a trade or if we end up 3-4 by midnight on the 22nd.

as loyal as Pop is, he absolutely has to put on his "reality" cap and pull the trade if either of those 2 scenerios come into play. if either of those scenerios happen and he does not make a trade, i think we will start to snowball and I see a 1st round exit and if that happens, the heat will really be on Pop to either make a big change(which may require trading one of our big 3 stars), make some trades, and start off extremely strong next season and I'm talking about leading the entire league out of the gate through All-Star break.

The window is closing in on San Antonio if changes are not made and if Pop is not able to see this, then maybe he needs to step down if all goes to hell because of it.

[exstatic]

Holt writes the checks, or doesn't, as the case may be. Pop only works for him.

[boutons_]

In the last 4 RRT, Spurs are an amazing 27 - 6

03 8-1
04 6-1
05 6-2
06 7-2
=====
27 - 6 = .82 ( 67 - 15 season rate ) ( Fixed! :) )

I predicted the Spurs this RRT would go 4-4 at best. They're halfway there with 5 games remaining

The Spurs might sweep the next 5 games, go 6-2, but the money isn't on it.

Pop said he wouldn't trade, which may be an implicit admission that he has almost NOTHING to trade with, the falloff after the Big 3 is so precipitous, rather his lack of desire to trade.

[vander]

go 0-5 on remaining road trip
trade for maggette (include oberto somehow)
start fat jackie, he can't be any worse then what we got out there now

[Budkin]

I have a sinking feeling the Spurs will not be making a trade this month. I hope to God I am wrong.

[ChumpDumper]

We try to trade every season. This season won't be any different.

[MannyIsGod]

:lol @ people blaming Holt.

It isn't Holt's fault that we don't have any tradeable players that will bring something back. Unless you want them to trade Tony or Manu there isn't they can do. You have to give to get.

So yeah, regardless of their record the only way a trade gets done is if our players suddenly become tradeable. I don't know how the Spurs record on this road trip has that effect, but ok.

[Big Shot Rob]

Guys--who wants our bench?!

When we were kids--we used to trade baseball cards.

If you didn't have any cards that I wanted, I'd tell you to fuck off, I'm not trading shit.

That same principle applies to overpaid white men who can't jump.

[johnpaulwall21]

We aint gettin jack shit from no one, no trades will happen unless Tim asks to get his ass out of this hell hole!!!!!!! Pop will get fired!!!!!!!!!and pj will takeover!!!!!!!!!

[Pugglekicker_21]

if no trade happens , then i hope on the magical potion that gives the spurs a boost after the trip into the playoffs

[johnpaulwall21]

WE SHOULD be able to beat everyone for the month of February starting now...... its up to the Spurs to get it done....

[Mr. Body]

Any trade would happen no matter what happens on the road trip. They won't make a trade out of desperation. They're a considerate, deliberate franchise and have the next two years as much in mind as anything. So no, your prediction has nothing to do with anything.

[Tom_Foolery]

:lol @ people blaming Holt.

It isn't Holt's fault that we don't have any tradeable players that will bring something back. Unless you want them to trade Tony or Manu there isn't they can do. You have to give to get.

So yeah, regardless of their record the only way a trade gets done is if our players suddenly become tradeable. I don't know how the Spurs record on this road trip has that effect, but ok.

Let's say they go 0-5 when they get back from the road trip. Do you honestly believe Popovich would not look into trading at all?

[Tom_Foolery]

if no trade happens , then i hope on the magical potion that gives the spurs a boost after the trip into the playoffs

that ship has already sailed when Pop said "there would be no trades". That was a clear sign of desperation on Pop's part.

[Tom_Foolery]

Any trade would happen no matter what happens on the road trip. They won't make a trade out of desperation. They're a considerate, deliberate franchise and have the next two years as much in mind as anything. So no, your prediction has nothing to do with anything.

We disagree.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i want to see td start to pull down 24ppg 13repg 5apg 4bpg during the remaining games of this cow trip....

[johnpaulwall21]

hes a beast now when it comes to the block shot and everything in his stat line is improving except for the assists cause no one can make a basket for him.

[Mr. Body]

We disagree.

Well, my friend, you're simply wrong. Why would this team make a desperation trade? What trade would they make losing 3 games that they wouldn't if they lost only 1? You don't seem to understand this team very well.

[velik_m]

In the last 4 RRT, Spurs are an amazing 27 - 4

03 8-1
04 6-1
05 6-2
06 7-2
=====
27 - 4 = .871 ( 71 - 11 season rate )



boutons needs to brush up on his math.

[JPB]

He was close.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

There won't be a trade this season. The front office would have pulled something off by now, and it's obvious that they have there own fanacial reasons for not doing it. Peter Holt is probably hoping to pile in alot of money, hoping that the loyal Spurs fans will keep on coming to games, buy merchandise, and keep their hopes up in spite of the teams' wavering consistency, and seemingly inadeqaute, but sufficient and legit under the guise of a legitimate championship team team, that he hopes, with it's old-but-still-able-to-pass-as-good-because-they were-only-three-years-ago-but NOW-DEFINITELY-suck-players, can evoke faith.

[conversekid]

That same principle applies to overpaid white men who can't jump.

The same can be said for overpaid black men who can't box out, can't create their own shot, can't rebound, and can't move laterally... get them a walker.

[nkdlunch]

we have too little and it's too late

[Extra Stout]

On the bright side, all these ancient players with expiring contracts become terrific trade assets next year, that is if the Spurs decide they want to make another run at it rather than just milk the fans' naivete.

[supaphly119]

gerald wallce or rashard lewis during FA this summer. i can only hope...

[Mr. Body]

On the bright side, all these ancient players with expiring contracts become terrific trade assets next year, that is if the Spurs decide they want to make another run at it rather than just milk the fans' naivete.

They still won't trade them next year. The 2008 Plan is predicated on opening up at least max-contract room under the cap. They will not jeopardize this. We will go in next year with the same graybeards we have now plus a couple draft picks and maybe Luis Scola.

There's not going to be a lot of movement in this team.

[timvp]

One thing I worry about is that if Bonner plays well when he comes back and ups his market value, I doubt the Spurs will be willing to pay. I'm guessing the Spurs will only be offering a one year contract with a team option on the second year.

[MannyIsGod]

Let's say they go 0-5 when they get back from the road trip. Do you honestly believe Popovich would not look into trading at all?I think he's looked into trading all year, but no one wants we we have to offer. That isn't going to change no matter how many games the Spurs drop.

[mountainballer]

The 2008 Plan is predicated on opening up at least max-contract room under the cap. They will not jeopardize this.


it is often mentioned, but I can't see the big picture, unless they don't also trade Manu.
otherwise they will have Tim, Tony and Manu under contract, making a combined 42 million.
they will be the only players under contract (if Spurs pass on the team option for Butler's 3rd year, which is likely)

maybe the cap will rise to 50-52. then the Spurs would be able to offer a FA contract starting at 8-10 million.
if they get a player (remember, last time they had money to spend, they got Rasho...wow), there would still be another 9-11 roster spots to fill and they can only sign minimum contracts and rookie contracts.
I really don't like this strategie.
if they can trade away Manu's contract (or Tony's), they would have 18-20 in cap space. this would be what it takes to rebuild the roster. they could offer a good contract (close to max.) + 3 decent contracts, each starting from 3-4 million.

but if they decide to go with the big 3 till the end of Tim's and Manu's contract in 2010 and rebuild then (this option I like more), it wouldn't make much sense to go into the FA market in 2008.
so I don't think, that there is a big plan for 2008. it is more accidently, that due to the expiring contracts, the Spurs will be enough under the cap to offer this one big contract.

[Mr. Body]

The salary cap for this year (2006-2007) is $53.135 million, so unless the league capsizes the cap should be well above your figure of 50-52 million for 2008-2009. It has gone up $10 million total in the last two years and, while it may not go up that much, I'd arbitrarily project $6 million. So, if we project a cap of $60 million, that leaves the Spurs (as is) with approximately $16 million under the cap. Now, they will likely have some more contracts in the books by then, but these will be rookie and low-level contracts that won't put much bite into that figure.

There's been some speculation as to what Duncan might do with his player option that summer. Will he take it and earn his $20 million or could he possibly be planning on re-upping for a lower figure? Imagine if he takes $15 million, $12 million, or God forbid, $10 million per year. Obviously this is his money and it's practically unprecedented for a player to take less money than he's worth, but he might be planning on opening up more room. All he'd need to do, really, is open up enough for a max deal, compensating for the various smaller contracts on the team.

Elton Brand has a player option that summer and will be 29. Shawn Marion is up and will be 30. These guys will get max deals and might get some attention from the Spurs. But San Antonio may not decide to go for a max type player and instead spread the money around, since guys like Josh Childress will probably be available, along with a number of players that might want to test the waters. Even if Duncan re-ups at $20 million, there will be significant cap room to fill the roster with some choice younger players. One way or another, the team looks to rebuild in 2008 with a core of Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan still intact.

This is something like what I think the 2008 Plan looks like. They won't pull any trades to jeopardize it unless someone comes around who is worth it (Andres Nocioni this summer, for example).

[MannyIsGod]

Assuming there is a 2008 plan. Something tells me that if the Spurs FO reads threads like this they laugh their asses off.