duncan228
02-12-2008, 11:24 PM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA021208.SpursMailbag.en.b6e7d017.html
Spurs Mailbag: To trade or not to trade
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
CLEVELAND – All of a sudden, Spurs fans are Laker blue over the Pau Gasol trade, as they are scratching their heads over Shaquille O’Neal’s second move westward from Florida.
The acquisition of Damon Stoudamire was nice. But Spurs fans (apparently) want Mike Miller. Or Corey Maggette. Or Andres Nocioni.
If the names of random marginal NBA players are zipping through the Internet between Spurs fans’ parents’ basements and the laptop belonging to the Mailbag, it must be trade deadline season.
Teams have less than two weeks, until Feb. 21, to play “Let’s Make a Deal.” Whether the Spurs will be active or inert in the market remains to be seen.
Last season, coach Gregg Popovich went on record in January saying his team wouldn’t be swinging any deals. He refuses to say the same this year, if for no other reason than just to keep us all on our toes.
“I thought that was pretty cool when I did that last year,” Popovich said. “Now I feel like I have to top it or something.”
Somehow, we think there’s no need for Tim Duncan to put his house on the market. But at least it’s safe to say the Spurs haven’t ruled themselves out of trade discussions.
“We talk to everybody just like all other 29 teams,” Popovich said. “If something comes along and it makes sense for us, we’ll do it.”
That’s a big if.
The Spurs have most of their money tied up in three players they have no interest in moving – Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Their best bargaining chip, Brent Barry (who has an expiring contract worth about $5.5 million), is injured.
Then there’s the question of what kind of player the Spurs could land anyway.
Judging from our e-mail inbox, several Spurs fans wanted their team to make a run at Suns-turned-Heat-player Shawn Marion. One emailer even suggested a trade that would have sent Michael Finley, Jacque Vaughn, Brent Barry, Robert Horry, Francisco Elson and (ostensibly) a partridge in a pear tree to Phoenix to get him.
We’ll ignore the obvious questions -- why would the Suns want all these players? Are they hoping to use some as ringers on Phoenix’s WNBA team – and move on to another: Why would the Spurs want Shawn Marion?
Isn’t that like willingly agreeing to contract cancer?
Marion was somewhat of a malcontent in Phoenix, perpetually pouting over a lack of respect, either real or perceived. How do you think he would respond to playing fourth fiddle to Duncan, Ginobili and Parker in San Antonio?
Of course, with Finley, et al gone, there would be plenty of shots to go around.
Now, on to more questions from you …
My question is about Bruce Bowen. He in one of my favorites but in this season he isn’t producing for the team like other years. Don’t you think (Ime) Udoka is a better player right now and deserve more minutes??
-- Fernando, Buenos Aires
Finally, a letter from Argentina that doesn’t call for more minutes for Manu. Bowen is getting older, sure, but it’s probably unfair to say he’s completely slipped. I can think of a couple of games in the past month he has basically won for the Spurs with his individual defense (vs. Dwyane Wade and Miami; vs. Jamal Crawford and the Knicks, to name two).
The truth is, Udoka is getting more minutes, and he deserves them. But Bowen remains the Spurs’ most valuable defensive stopper.
How much longer will Pop coach the Spurs if they don’t have that superstar in the middle? I mean we have been blessed these past 18 years. What’s going to happen when Tim Duncan is retired and there’s no one to clog the middle?
-- Josh, Seguin
Our guess: If Duncan were to retire on a Sunday morning, Popovich will retire before brunch. (:lol)
A lot of the things that Pop has always preached do not appear to be happening -- rebounding, protecting the ball, and movement. Is this due to all of the injuries or all of the experimentation with lineups? Although I am not worried yet, I will be if this continues. Is Pop concerned about what position the Spurs could get by the playoffs?
-- D. Johnson, San Antonio
On the list of things Gregg Popovich cares passionately about, playoff seeding ranks just above the Silver Dancers’ halftime routine – but barely. He wouldn’t turn down the top seed, but he won’t kill his team to get it, either.
During the course of a 7-game series, the best team is given ample chances to win, either at home or away. The key is just getting to the postseason, which ought to be no small feat this season. Right now, five games separate winning the Western Conference from missing the playoffs altogether. Should be a fun second half.
While I think this was a great move by the Suns getting Shaq, would you say it was a panic move following the Spurs win against them last week?
-- Kevin, San Antonio
The Suns apparently believed they weren’t going to win an NBA title as constructed, which is an odd thing for a team winning the West to believe. However, they were probably right.
Every year, the Suns seem to peter out in the playoffs, when you have to be able to grind out a game or two during the course of a 7-game series. The Spurs have owned the Suns over the past several seasons, in part because Amare Stoudemire couldn’t guard the snack bar from Kate Moss. Adding O’Neal might not net the Suns a title, but what did they really have to lose? Besides G.M. Steve Kerr’s job, we mean.
Did the Lakers outthink the Spurs on the Gasol trade? Seems like that's a trade they should have done. Never mind the excuses that trade needs to get done.
-- Ray, San Antonio
The Lakers had a key bargaining chip to make that deal work: A $9 million waste of space named Kwame Brown. Nobody on the Spurs makes that much except for Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. Even if R.C. Buford went temporarily insane and decided to deal one of those players, none of them have expiring contracts – so the cost-slashing Grizzlies wouldn’t have wanted them anyway.
OK, I understand that the Suns don't need five guys for a fast break but how efficient their fast break will be when the officials stop it because the opponent uses the Hack-a-Shaq?
-- Daniel, Budapest
That’s actually an interesting point. Somebody get Don Nelson on the phone.
Ginobili is a really good sport. I live in DC and attended last night’s game. During a timeout the Wizards events people were doing a silly “kiss-cam” and put the camera on the Spurs bench, on Oberto and Ginobili. Ginobili noticed it and kissed Oberto on the cheek. The crowd got a great laugh.
-- A.W., Washington, D.C.
We’re guessing that made for a more appropriate kiss-cam moment than Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury. Or Marbury and a certain Knicks intern.
Spurs Mailbag: To trade or not to trade
Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News
CLEVELAND – All of a sudden, Spurs fans are Laker blue over the Pau Gasol trade, as they are scratching their heads over Shaquille O’Neal’s second move westward from Florida.
The acquisition of Damon Stoudamire was nice. But Spurs fans (apparently) want Mike Miller. Or Corey Maggette. Or Andres Nocioni.
If the names of random marginal NBA players are zipping through the Internet between Spurs fans’ parents’ basements and the laptop belonging to the Mailbag, it must be trade deadline season.
Teams have less than two weeks, until Feb. 21, to play “Let’s Make a Deal.” Whether the Spurs will be active or inert in the market remains to be seen.
Last season, coach Gregg Popovich went on record in January saying his team wouldn’t be swinging any deals. He refuses to say the same this year, if for no other reason than just to keep us all on our toes.
“I thought that was pretty cool when I did that last year,” Popovich said. “Now I feel like I have to top it or something.”
Somehow, we think there’s no need for Tim Duncan to put his house on the market. But at least it’s safe to say the Spurs haven’t ruled themselves out of trade discussions.
“We talk to everybody just like all other 29 teams,” Popovich said. “If something comes along and it makes sense for us, we’ll do it.”
That’s a big if.
The Spurs have most of their money tied up in three players they have no interest in moving – Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Their best bargaining chip, Brent Barry (who has an expiring contract worth about $5.5 million), is injured.
Then there’s the question of what kind of player the Spurs could land anyway.
Judging from our e-mail inbox, several Spurs fans wanted their team to make a run at Suns-turned-Heat-player Shawn Marion. One emailer even suggested a trade that would have sent Michael Finley, Jacque Vaughn, Brent Barry, Robert Horry, Francisco Elson and (ostensibly) a partridge in a pear tree to Phoenix to get him.
We’ll ignore the obvious questions -- why would the Suns want all these players? Are they hoping to use some as ringers on Phoenix’s WNBA team – and move on to another: Why would the Spurs want Shawn Marion?
Isn’t that like willingly agreeing to contract cancer?
Marion was somewhat of a malcontent in Phoenix, perpetually pouting over a lack of respect, either real or perceived. How do you think he would respond to playing fourth fiddle to Duncan, Ginobili and Parker in San Antonio?
Of course, with Finley, et al gone, there would be plenty of shots to go around.
Now, on to more questions from you …
My question is about Bruce Bowen. He in one of my favorites but in this season he isn’t producing for the team like other years. Don’t you think (Ime) Udoka is a better player right now and deserve more minutes??
-- Fernando, Buenos Aires
Finally, a letter from Argentina that doesn’t call for more minutes for Manu. Bowen is getting older, sure, but it’s probably unfair to say he’s completely slipped. I can think of a couple of games in the past month he has basically won for the Spurs with his individual defense (vs. Dwyane Wade and Miami; vs. Jamal Crawford and the Knicks, to name two).
The truth is, Udoka is getting more minutes, and he deserves them. But Bowen remains the Spurs’ most valuable defensive stopper.
How much longer will Pop coach the Spurs if they don’t have that superstar in the middle? I mean we have been blessed these past 18 years. What’s going to happen when Tim Duncan is retired and there’s no one to clog the middle?
-- Josh, Seguin
Our guess: If Duncan were to retire on a Sunday morning, Popovich will retire before brunch. (:lol)
A lot of the things that Pop has always preached do not appear to be happening -- rebounding, protecting the ball, and movement. Is this due to all of the injuries or all of the experimentation with lineups? Although I am not worried yet, I will be if this continues. Is Pop concerned about what position the Spurs could get by the playoffs?
-- D. Johnson, San Antonio
On the list of things Gregg Popovich cares passionately about, playoff seeding ranks just above the Silver Dancers’ halftime routine – but barely. He wouldn’t turn down the top seed, but he won’t kill his team to get it, either.
During the course of a 7-game series, the best team is given ample chances to win, either at home or away. The key is just getting to the postseason, which ought to be no small feat this season. Right now, five games separate winning the Western Conference from missing the playoffs altogether. Should be a fun second half.
While I think this was a great move by the Suns getting Shaq, would you say it was a panic move following the Spurs win against them last week?
-- Kevin, San Antonio
The Suns apparently believed they weren’t going to win an NBA title as constructed, which is an odd thing for a team winning the West to believe. However, they were probably right.
Every year, the Suns seem to peter out in the playoffs, when you have to be able to grind out a game or two during the course of a 7-game series. The Spurs have owned the Suns over the past several seasons, in part because Amare Stoudemire couldn’t guard the snack bar from Kate Moss. Adding O’Neal might not net the Suns a title, but what did they really have to lose? Besides G.M. Steve Kerr’s job, we mean.
Did the Lakers outthink the Spurs on the Gasol trade? Seems like that's a trade they should have done. Never mind the excuses that trade needs to get done.
-- Ray, San Antonio
The Lakers had a key bargaining chip to make that deal work: A $9 million waste of space named Kwame Brown. Nobody on the Spurs makes that much except for Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. Even if R.C. Buford went temporarily insane and decided to deal one of those players, none of them have expiring contracts – so the cost-slashing Grizzlies wouldn’t have wanted them anyway.
OK, I understand that the Suns don't need five guys for a fast break but how efficient their fast break will be when the officials stop it because the opponent uses the Hack-a-Shaq?
-- Daniel, Budapest
That’s actually an interesting point. Somebody get Don Nelson on the phone.
Ginobili is a really good sport. I live in DC and attended last night’s game. During a timeout the Wizards events people were doing a silly “kiss-cam” and put the camera on the Spurs bench, on Oberto and Ginobili. Ginobili noticed it and kissed Oberto on the cheek. The crowd got a great laugh.
-- A.W., Washington, D.C.
We’re guessing that made for a more appropriate kiss-cam moment than Isiah Thomas and Stephon Marbury. Or Marbury and a certain Knicks intern.