genomefreak13
02-05-2008, 12:54 PM
Expiring Assets: Western Conference
Authored by Matthew Gordon - 30th January, 2008 - 5:16 pm
Believe it or not, the vaunted defending champs have a little breathing room. Brent Barry, Robert Horry, and Fabricio Oberto all have expiring contracts, and they combine to be about $13 million. That’s a significant chunk of money that could be used to bring in a really good player or maybe even two of them. Considering the Spurs’ aging roster, that might not be a bad idea.
It’s tough to justify trading Barry if you’re San Antonio. Throughout his four-year contract signed in 2004, his play hasn’t diminished at all; this season, he’s shooting 48% from the field, 43% from three, and is averaging almost a steal per turnover. He is thirty-six years old, though, which underscores the issue that team has. As Tim Duncan’s health fails and many of his support players get old, what’ll be left there besides Tony Parker and a bunch of cap space? Enticing as that proposition could be, the thought of another half-decade or more of deep playoff runs is even more so.
Horry and Oberto are replaceable at different levels. Horry, although he hasn’t been turning the ball over this season, hasn’t been doing anything else either; he’s been good for 18% shooting from the field and all of two rebounds per game. Oberto’s averaged five and five, solid for his twenty minutes of play, and is shooting a scorching 64% from the field. Horry is thirty-seven and clearly on the downside of his career and probably better as a mentor for young players than as a player at this point. Oberto, not quite 33, is productive and spry, having not been subjected to so many years of NBA pounding. Even so, while Horry is clearly expendable at this point, Oberto could be too if the player coming back is a starting-caliber big man.
The main thing stopping the Spurs from making a trade is that the expiring contracts they have are attached to players only contenders would want, and there is no way a Western Conference contender dares making a trade with the Spurs. None of the Mavericks, Suns, Hornets, or Lakers would particularly enjoy trading a player only to get burned by him three months later, I’d imagine. The logical place for the Spurs to look is East, but not that many Eastern teams would be willing to part with young(er) talent for the sole purpose of being the team that gets to be annihilated by the Celtics/Pistons' chainsaw in the second round.
The Verdict: If the Spurs can find a player around the league who’s on a small contract and is young but who doesn’t necessarily fit into his team’s system, trading Horry and maybe a second-rounder or two for the guy is a no-brainer. Barry and Oberto both have something left in the tank and are tougher to part with on that basis, but a starter at the five or maybe even the three would be too tempting. What the Spurs should do this deadline is what they’ve always done and what’s made them so successful: go bargain shopping and if the price isn’t right, be happy with a team that’s already championship-quality anyway.
Authored by Matthew Gordon - 30th January, 2008 - 5:16 pm
Believe it or not, the vaunted defending champs have a little breathing room. Brent Barry, Robert Horry, and Fabricio Oberto all have expiring contracts, and they combine to be about $13 million. That’s a significant chunk of money that could be used to bring in a really good player or maybe even two of them. Considering the Spurs’ aging roster, that might not be a bad idea.
It’s tough to justify trading Barry if you’re San Antonio. Throughout his four-year contract signed in 2004, his play hasn’t diminished at all; this season, he’s shooting 48% from the field, 43% from three, and is averaging almost a steal per turnover. He is thirty-six years old, though, which underscores the issue that team has. As Tim Duncan’s health fails and many of his support players get old, what’ll be left there besides Tony Parker and a bunch of cap space? Enticing as that proposition could be, the thought of another half-decade or more of deep playoff runs is even more so.
Horry and Oberto are replaceable at different levels. Horry, although he hasn’t been turning the ball over this season, hasn’t been doing anything else either; he’s been good for 18% shooting from the field and all of two rebounds per game. Oberto’s averaged five and five, solid for his twenty minutes of play, and is shooting a scorching 64% from the field. Horry is thirty-seven and clearly on the downside of his career and probably better as a mentor for young players than as a player at this point. Oberto, not quite 33, is productive and spry, having not been subjected to so many years of NBA pounding. Even so, while Horry is clearly expendable at this point, Oberto could be too if the player coming back is a starting-caliber big man.
The main thing stopping the Spurs from making a trade is that the expiring contracts they have are attached to players only contenders would want, and there is no way a Western Conference contender dares making a trade with the Spurs. None of the Mavericks, Suns, Hornets, or Lakers would particularly enjoy trading a player only to get burned by him three months later, I’d imagine. The logical place for the Spurs to look is East, but not that many Eastern teams would be willing to part with young(er) talent for the sole purpose of being the team that gets to be annihilated by the Celtics/Pistons' chainsaw in the second round.
The Verdict: If the Spurs can find a player around the league who’s on a small contract and is young but who doesn’t necessarily fit into his team’s system, trading Horry and maybe a second-rounder or two for the guy is a no-brainer. Barry and Oberto both have something left in the tank and are tougher to part with on that basis, but a starter at the five or maybe even the three would be too tempting. What the Spurs should do this deadline is what they’ve always done and what’s made them so successful: go bargain shopping and if the price isn’t right, be happy with a team that’s already championship-quality anyway.