2008 plan

[dbestpro]

There has been alot of talk about the free agents of 2008. Those who could opt out and be of allstar caliber are Garnett (24mil), Arenas (12.8mil), Marion (17mil) Brand (16mil) and Aretest (8.5mil).

I look for Garnett to stay for the final year of his contract unless he can get a 15mil for 5 years elsewhere. I know the Spurs love Brand's game, but 16 mil would really squeeze cash available for the bench. Artest probably doesn't fit and Pop always is big on players that fit. That leaves Arenas. So' if the Spurs are looking at a big time free agent for 2008 it would either be Arenas or Brand with an outside shot for a long contract on Garnett.

With some creative movement along the bench they could afford a player 10-15mil per year.
Not much else to talk about these days. :reading
So what would be your choice?

[Reckless28]

when do the contracts of manu and tony expire? what will be there asking price when they do? will that affect the spurs f/o? hmmm???

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Brand or bust.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

I'd rather the Spurs use that money to bring in some solid young roll players.

[Reckless28]

will tim duncan move to the center position for brand to be the pf?

[dbestpro]

when do the contracts of manu and tony expire? what will be there asking price when they do? will that affect the spurs f/o? hmmm???
Manu in 2010 and Tpark in 2012.

[dbestpro]

will tim duncan move to the center position for brand to be the pf?
Brand would be called the Center and play the opposing power foward. Duncan would be called the power foward and play the opposing center.

[barbacoataco]

I doubt that the Spurs would or could sign any of those players. They just don't ever sign big name free agents. Why would they change their philosophy? I think they will try to keep the 3 All-Stars they have together, while bringing in role players to surround them.

[exstatic]

The Spurs will be built around T,T, and M for the next three seasons. They will use the cap room to fill out the roster. What good is signing Brand when you'll have to fill out the roster with minimums and rookie contracts? You need a solid 8 or 9 man rotation, or you're not going anywhere in the playoffs. Just ask the Suns.

[Kindergarten Cop]

I doubt that the Spurs would or could sign any of those players. They just don't ever sign big name free agents. Why would they change their philosophy? I think they will try to keep the 3 All-Stars they have together, while bringing in role players to surround them.

I thought that the whole idea of preserving '08 Cap Space, was that they could bring in another big time player. It wouldn't make much sense to have $17M+ to spend and only bring in role players.

I don't see Garnett coming aboard, because I remember reading a long while back that he and Duncan aren't on the best of terms. Besides, that would be a better discussion of who would give up the #21 than whott's Splitter/Duncan post. :lol

[SenorSpur]

Arenas? Please. He's terrific player, but he's also shot-lovng, ball hog who doesn't fit the Spurs style of play.

[Reckless28]

I thought that the whole idea of preserving '08 Cap Space, was that they could bring in another big time player. It wouldn't make much sense to have $17M+ to spend and only bring in role players.

I don't see Garnett coming aboard, because I remember reading a long while back that he and Duncan aren't on the best of terms. Besides, that would be a better discussion of who would give up the #21 than whott's Splitter/Duncan post. :lol


when you start adding role players with MLE contracts anywhere from 3-5 mil per year, it starts to add up quickly. look at the payroll now. it would have to continue to be somewhat similar in order to stay under the lux tax.

[Beno Udrih]

It wouldn't make much sense to have $17M+ to spend and only bring in role players.

What are you talking about? It makes perfect sense to fill the roster with qulity guys in stead of using most of that up on a 4th star and then filling the roster up with scrubs.

On top of that next year there will be a whole bunch of big name free agents. The role players should fly under the radar for the Spurs to pick up at a reasonable price.

[dbestpro]

While next year has some big time free agents you do not see very many middle of the road type free agents that would be worth 5 mil/year. Ricky Davis? Eduardo Najera? I challenge you to go to http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries.htm and find someone that isn't already signed that would be worth 5mil/year. They just are not there.

[Beno Udrih]

While next year has some big time free agents you do not see very many middle of the road type free agents that would be worth 5 mil/year. Ricky Davis? Eduardo Najera? I challenge you to go to http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries.htm and find someone that isn't already signed that would be worth 5mil/year. They just are not there.
I think you should look at this instead.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=2008FreeAgents

[AFBlue]

After the recent signings and projected signings for next year (at least bring back Bowen and add Splitter & Mahinmi), I don't think the Spurs will have the kind of cash necessary to grab one of these high-profile guys.

Having said that....I still think they'll try to go for at least one of them. Spurs may have ended up with Rasho and Hedo in 2003, but only after they failed to lure J. O'Neal or J. Kidd to SA.

Of the group listed, I think Elton Brand is probably the most attainable and might just be the best fit of them all. But he would have to take a legitimate paycut to join this squad....

Bottom Line: I think they make a play for Brand and when that doesn't work out they use the $$ to get a little younger on the wings.

[yavozerb]

Emeka Okafor, Andris Biedrens, Maggette, Igoudala are a couple of possiblities if they not re-signed by then..Some would be restricted but who cares, these guys would look great in silver/black!!

[dbestpro]

Restricted free agents are core players on most of the lists and will not be let go by their teams. It doesn't matter whether you look at espn or hoopsworld the list is still the same. Maggette might be available, but that is just the point. Take away the restricted free agents the unrestricted free agents are slim pickins. Also, most of the players who have player options have better contracts than they would get in free agency so it is likely that most of them will not opt out. I think you will be seeing us next year scratching our heads as to what moves the Spurs will make as there will be very little on the market.

[ss1986v2]

i dont know where ppl are getting the 17+ mil figure, but wow, is that off. with just duncan, parker, and manu that puts the spurs at ~42 mil. add in ~3 mil for bonner, ~3.5 mil with oberto, and ~1 mil for vaughn, that puts the spurs at just a shade under 50 mil, with at least 7 roster spots to fill. the cap figure this year is 55.6 mil, and if it goes up ~3 mil, we are looking at a 2008 cap of somewhere around 58 mil. and that doesnt even factor in the minimum cap holds for those 7 open roster spots. this also doesnt include any future signings (udoka or mahinmi?) or splitter. so a much more realistic number would probably be between 5-6 mil, which is more or less what the MLE is worth anyway.

so unless guys like brand are willing to take a massive pay cut (more than 50%), and the spurs are willing to fill out the rest of the roster with vet mins and rookie contracts, its never going to happen. i just pray we can put together a quality roster; heres to hoping finely and/or bowen re-up on the cheap.

[yavozerb]

NBA Sets Salary Cap for 2007-08 Season
Posted Jul 10 2007 9:39PM
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NEW YORK, July 10, 2007 – The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2007-08 season will be $55.630 million. The new Cap goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 11, when the league’s “moratorium period” ends and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.
The tax level for the 2007-08 season has been set at $67.865 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $67.865 million

The tax level is what the spurs will be concerned about!!The salary cap means nothing. So yes, the spurs will have plenty of money to throw at FA's..

[ss1986v2]

The tax level for 2007-2008 is 67.8$ mil...Many teams (including spurs) go well over the cap. The spurs are currently around this mark (slightly over) for the coming year. So yes, the spurs will plenty of money throw FA's way!!
you cant go over the cap to sign free agents (exemptions and "bird rights" players aside). the tax level has NO impact on free agent signings. the reason teams like the spurs as well as other are well over the cap is by giving contacts to their own players who have their "bird rights" as well as using the exemptions available to them every year to offer longer term deals.

[yavozerb]

I anticipating 7 players returning (TD,TP,Manu,Bowen,Oberto Bonner,JV), + 3 young guys who wil eat up possibly 3-4 mil(Splitter, Mahinmi, Sankidze) and possibly Williams =11 roster spots already taken with possibly grand total of around 52-53 mil being used on these players..So as SS has said (thanks for explanation) 6-8 mil. I think can be used on FA's and draft picks..

[Extra Stout]

The Spurs are not going to sign a big-name free agent next year. They don't have the cap room to do so. The 2008 "plan" is to replace current old role players with new younger role players. Stop the madness.

[Despot]

Has the Spurs FO ever mentioned, or even alluded to a "2008 Plan"? Or is it that some people have assumed that is what the Spurs were doing due to the contract situations and salary dumping?

[Big P]

I think you should look at this instead.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=2008FreeAgents

I think some people are getting confused about which season we are talking about..the "master" plan was for the Spurs to have some room in 2008/2009, not 2007/2008, which that list of FA's is from.

With the signing of Bonner & Oberto, most of the cap room that was supposed to be available, will not be there in 08/09..therefore, no more master plan in 08/09.

[Beno Udrih]

I think some people are getting confused about which season we are talking about..the "master" plan was for the Spurs to have some room in 2008/2009, not 2007/2008, which that list of FA's is from.

With the signing of Bonner & Oberto, most of the cap room that was supposed to be available, will not be there in 08/09..therefore, no more master plan in 08/09.
:lol Um I think you're the one thats confused. You're right about the plan being for the 2008/2009 season. But you're confused about the summer part of it. In the summer of 2008, the summer before the 2008/2009 season was originally the summer that the spurs were supposed to have just Tim, Tony, and Manu under contract. Not the 2009 summer. The link I provided was a list of free agents for the summer of 2008, The summer before the 2008/2009 season. At least this is the way I understand it.

[Beno Udrih]

That list is not updated though.

[Kamnik]

brand and marion

no thanks to others

[exstatic]

After watching three series where Marion disappeared like a little girl against us, added to the fact that he's a wing player getting older, I can NEVER understand the strange Jones that Spurs fan has for Shawn "Mommy, it's those mean old Spurs" Marion. He sucks ass.

[lotr1trekkie]

When will the FO make a contract extension offer to Tim? Obviously they want him to finish his career here and so does he. Maybe offering long term security for less money would open up some cap space to assure a winner. David did it and I think Tim values success over $$$ also. Making $350,000 a week instead of $400,000 isn't really going to get noticed in his family budget. We know Splitter is coming in 2008 probably for aboutr what Scola got in Houston. If Mahinmi goes back to Europe I think he will be the new "Scola' & we will discussing him when he turns 26. Sandikze[?] seems to be a Spurs type. Question: What happens if we don't sign Williams? A lot of the other teams have signed their #2's but we don't seem to be in a hurry with him.

[Extra Stout]

You idiots are impervious to reality. Even huge red letters don't help. Let me try again.

There is no master plan.

Elton Brand is not coming.

Shawn Marion is not coming.

No big free agents are coming.

Tim Duncan is not going to take a pay cut.

What is wrong with you people? Why this obsession with dreaming about signing superstars? Do you think this is a rotisserie league? Are you all just losers and geeks?

I stand in judgment over all of you.

[AFBlue]

You idiots are impervious to reality. Even huge red letters don't help. Let me try again.

There is no master plan.

Elton Brand is not coming.

Shawn Marion is not coming.

No big free agents are coming.

Tim Duncan is not going to take a pay cut.

What is wrong with you people? Why this obsession with dreaming about signing superstars? Do you think this is a rotisserie league? Are you all just losers and geeks?

I stand in judgment over all of you.

Relax dude. The original poster basically discounted most of the possibilities and capped the post with....


Not much else to talk about these days. :reading

It's pretty clear that any one of those scenarios are incredible longshots, but if the Spurs DO manage to come up with $$$, I think they'd at least inquire as to the availability of some of those big-name guys.

Obviously though, the chances are far greater that they split the $$ much like they did when they had cap space in Summer 03.

[Bruno]

The 2008 master plan has never existed.

[SpursDynasty]

Based on the last 5 seasons, here is the only master plan worth having:

1. Don't get injured. (Miami would have been in the Finals if Wade was 100% this year)
2. Don't kill your players during the regular season trying to get 70 wins
3. Don't foul in the closing minute of a deciding playoff game when you have a 3-point lead
4. Make sure you play defense until the clock runs out, that means even 0.4 seconds.

Other than that I don't see any reason to bring in any "big names". If they were so big they'd have a championship, but they don't. The guys who have the championship now are all coming back next season.

I'm guaranteeing a Spurs championship for 2008 just like I did this year.

[mowgli]

Artest would fit in just fine in San Antonio. One nutter can play like a model citizen on a good team. Two nutters is what causes trouble. If we want four more trophies, Artest is the guy to bring in. Think of Rodman and the Bulls.

The formula for winning is simple. Play with Tim Duncan. Play hard and keep your mouth shut.

[justanotherspursfan]

Artest would fit in just fine in San Antonio. One nutter can play like a model citizen on a good team. Two nutters is what causes trouble. If we want four more trophies, Artest is the guy to bring in. Think of Rodman and the Bulls.
Then again, think of Rodman with the Spurs. Pass.

[BILLYE]

thank god none of us are in the Spurs FO...or we would never win again.

[RC's Boss]

Matt Harpring-type players would be all the Spurs would need. While Tim will probably still want to get paid nicely, I doubt it would be a very long contract. As long as tony doesn't want "super-max" money and Manu takes a reasonable contract, the FO should be able to fill a roster that can contend until 2012.

[RC's Boss]

thank god none of us are in the Spurs FO...or we would never win again.
True :lol But it wouldn't be a forum if we didn't all pretend we could out coach and out manage the team than the current personell.

[JP le Requin]

bradn will be a good deal..another dominant twin towers with our actual backcourt...terrific!!!

[urunobili]

I anticipating 7 players returning (TD,TP,Manu,Bowen,Oberto Bonner,JV), + 3 young guys who wil eat up possibly 3-4 mil(Splitter, Mahinmi, Sankidze) and possibly Williams =11 roster spots already taken with possibly grand total of around 52-53 mil being used on these players..So as SS has said (thanks for explanation) 6-8 mil. I think can be used on FA's and draft picks..

Mahimni will never use a spurs uniform.... start digesting that...

[Civilfatman]

When will the FO make a contract extension offer to Tim? Obviously they want him to finish his career here and so does he. Maybe offering long term security for less money would open up some cap space to assure a winner. David did it and I think Tim values success over $$$ also. Making $350,000 a week instead of $400,000 isn't really going to get noticed in his family budget. We know Splitter is coming in 2008 probably for aboutr what Scola got in Houston. If Mahinmi goes back to Europe I think he will be the new "Scola' & we will discussing him when he turns 26. Sandikze[?] seems to be a Spurs type. Question: What happens if we don't sign Williams? A lot of the other teams have signed their #2's but we don't seem to be in a hurry with him.

Luis Scola was a second round draft pick thats why he got so much money. Splitter is a 1st round pick and his salary is fixed

[yavozerb]

Mahimni will never use a spurs uniform.... start digesting that...
Your kidding, right? Mahinmi is going to get his chance, whether or not he becomes a decent NBA player is another matter..Digest that!!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I think some people are smoking crack if they think the 2008/2009/20whatever master plan involves getting a fourth star.

It's about finding replacements for everyone not named Tim, Tony, or Manu. It's about bringing over guys like Sanikidze, Ian, Tiago, along with a sprinkling of NBA vets.

If you think the Spurs are going to go after Brand or KG or someone, save yourself the time and let that dream die.

[yavozerb]

I think some people are smoking crack if they think the 2008/2009/20whatever master plan involves getting a fourth star.

It's about finding replacements for everyone not named Tim, Tony, or Manu. It's about bringing over guys like Sanikidze, Ian, Tiago, along with a sprinkling of NBA vets.

If you think the Spurs are going to go after Brand or KG or someone, save yourself the time and let that dream die.

Agreed..If people want another superstar at the time of being signed they will probably have to wait until 2010 offseason. But, they have money $ to get solid players to fit into their system and can def. fill the roles of finley, barry, and horry while adding depth..The players aggie mentioned is where our youth will come from..