3 interesting answers from Thorpe's Chat on ESPN

[urunobili]

Daniyal (Cleveland): Do you think the Spurs should sign Gerald Green to get younger? He has potential and could thrive if he had the Spurs worth ethic instilled in him.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:38 PM ET ) Very good idea.

Kevin Tyiska (Long Beach, California): What do you think is wrong with the San Antonio Spurs right now? Do you think they're just waiting to turn the light switch on? As a Spurs fan, i have never, ever seen them play like this under Coach Pop.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:28 PM ET ) Sometimes a team just struggles to light a fuse. Think Pistons 2 years ago in the playoffs.

Thorpe answered my question!

Rodrigo (Uruguay): Do you think Scola has a chance to get the ROY over Durant at all?

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:04 PM ET ) Yes I do. Still #1 in my system.

[ancestron]

If I remember correctly, things didn't work out too well for the Pistons 2 years ago in the playoffs, but a good point nonetheless.

[Indazone]

Sign Spanoulis!!

[WalterBenitez]

Daniyal (Cleveland): Do you think the Spurs should sign Gerald Green to get younger? He has potential and could thrive if he had the Spurs worth ethic instilled in him.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:38 PM ET ) Very good idea.

Kevin Tyiska (Long Beach, California): What do you think is wrong with the San Antonio Spurs right now? Do you think they're just waiting to turn the light switch on? As a Spurs fan, i have never, ever seen them play like this under Coach Pop.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:28 PM ET ) Sometimes a team just struggles to light a fuse. Think Pistons 2 years ago in the playoffs.

Thorpe answered my question!

Rodrigo (Uruguay): Do you think Scola has a chance to get the ROY over Durant at all?

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:04 PM ET ) Yes I do. Still #1 in my system.


Scola's thread :p:

[urunobili]

Scola's thread :p:
oh well.. suck it already... this ain't no scola thread... i just can't believe the guy has a chance.. that's all

[JamStone]

If I remember correctly, things didn't work out too well for the Pistons 2 years ago in the playoffs, but a good point nonetheless.


I think that was his point. He's basically saying, for whatever reason, it just hasn't clicked for the Spurs this season. To clarify, that season two years ago was when the Pistons went 64-18 in the regular season but couldn't find their defensive identity against the Miami Heat in the conference finals. I think Thorpe might be suggesting it's not the Spurs year this year.

[Supergirl]

Oy. No way is Scola ROY. Please.

Scola is rapidly on his way to becoming the most overrated player in the NBA. In a year or 2 when this guy has flamed out, people will be comparing him to Kenyon Martin or some of the other players who are overrated far above their talent. He's OK. He's not great. If you think he's your savior, you're in big trouble.

[Obstructed_View]

I'd sure like to have his hustle, basketball IQ, rebounding and scoring. His defense and his shooting are better than advertised as well. Splitter better be really good for the Spurs.

[nkdlunch]

The Pistons didn't have guys like Manu Ginobili or Pop

[T Park]

2 years ago the Pistons had Flip Saunders.

Thats the reason they floundered.

[Allanon]

Like it or not, Scola is a solid NBA player in his rookie season. He has much more veteran savvy than say Durant or Hortford. It's not really fair because he's not really a rookie but it is what it is. He's ready to contribute right now on a good team. Durant will overtake him in a few years.

Spurs could really have used Scola, Green, Artest this year. Blue collar guys with athleticism for their size.

[ChumpDumper]

Green is not blue collar.

[ancestron]

I would love for the Spurs to pick up Green..finally a player that we can throw lobs too once a play on the offense end breaks down. Imagine Manu or Tony penetrating into the lane and just throwing the ball up a running Green for an easy basket!

From what I hear Gerald Green is incredibly immature and has a terrible work ethic.


I think that was his point. He's basically saying, for whatever reason, it just hasn't clicked for the Spurs this season. To clarify, that season two years ago was when the Pistons went 64-18 in the regular season but couldn't find their defensive identity against the Miami Heat in the conference finals. I think Thorpe might be suggesting it's not the Spurs year this year.

In reference to the whole Pistons 2 years ago thing--Thorpe said "some teams struggle to light a fuse" which to me sounded like he was implying the Spurs eventually would get it lit, whereas the 2006 Pistons had it lit throughout most of the season and then kinda fizzled out, seemed an odd reference. I see what you're saying about him maybe meaning this isn't the Spurs year, but at this point as a fan, despite recent struggles, I refuse to believe that.

[urunobili]

In reference to the whole Pistons 2 years ago thing--Thorpe said "some teams struggle to light a fuse" which to me sounded like he was implying the Spurs eventually would get it lit, whereas the 2006 Pistons had it lit throughout most of the season and then kinda fizzled out, seemed an odd reference. I see what you're saying about him maybe meaning this isn't the Spurs year, but at this point as a fan, despite recent struggles, I refuse to believe that.
+1

[ChumpDumper]

Gerald Green is so good, nobody wants him.

I'd give him a summer league invite, but he probably thinks it's beneath him.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

If we're looking at athletic swingmen with problems, JR Smith is a better option.

[urunobili]

If we're looking at athletic swingmen with problems, JR Smith is a better option.
i don;t think the Nuggets will let him go... you truly positive Pop wanted this kid?

[FromWayDowntown]

Gerald Green is so good, nobody wants him.

I'd give him a summer league invite, but he probably thinks it's beneath him.

Ndudi Ebi is really good, too.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

i don;t think the Nuggets will let him go... you truly positive Pop wanted this kid?
The Spurs DO want him. Or at least that's the last impression they gave us about him.
In 05, the Spurs traded Barry to the Hornets for Smith, but it couldn't go down because it was agreed upon right when the trade deadline passed.

[ChuckD]

i don;t think the Nuggets will let him go... you truly positive Pop wanted this kid?
He's a FA this summer, and their payroll is skyrocketing out of control. They have AI, Carmela, and Kenyon all making big MAX type money, and Camby and Nene are pulling down nice bucks as well, 6yr/$60M and 6yr $57M, respectively. That's five guys above or around $10M per year, and 3 of them are considerably higher than that.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Oy. No way is Scola ROY. Please.

Scola is rapidly on his way to becoming the most overrated player in the NBA. In a year or 2 when this guy has flamed out, people will be comparing him to Kenyon Martin or some of the other players who are overrated far above their talent. He's OK. He's not great. If you think he's your savior, you're in big trouble.

You sound like fan base everything on some stat of player.

[Capt Bringdown]

He's not great. If you think he's your savior, you're in big trouble.
He doesn't need to be great in order to have played a big role. And he's certainly better than Bonner.

Right now the Spurs have too many non-performing assets. Scola appears to be a solid contributor who would have made a big difference this year.

[Bruno]

If we're looking at athletic swingmen with problems, JR Smith is a better option.

Agree.

I think Spurs will have a chance to get him.
Smith could want to sign a short term contract because he won't get a big long term contract this summer. I can see him signing a 2 years MLE contract and Nuggets not matching it because it will mean paying $11M per year for him with the luxury tax.
The only trouble is that he can think that Spurs aren't the best team to raise his market value.

[lrrr]

I think that was his point. He's basically saying, for whatever reason, it just hasn't clicked for the Spurs this season. To clarify, that season two years ago was when the Pistons went 64-18 in the regular season but couldn't find their defensive identity against the Miami Heat in the conference finals. I think Thorpe might be suggesting it's not the Spurs year this year.

maybe he meant the Pistons from THREE years ago, when they played pretty crap in the reg season but went on to the finals.

[pad300]

Agree.

I think Spurs will have a chance to get him.
Smith could want to sign a short term contract because he won't get a big long term contract this summer. I can see him signing a 2 years MLE contract and Nuggets not matching it because it will mean paying $11M per year for him with the luxury tax.
The only trouble is that he can think that Spurs aren't the best team to raise his market value.

Rings do help with Market value. So does showing you can play as a part of a team...

[Supergirl]

Personally, I think the ROY is Horford - great numbers, all season, and doing it for a team most likely in the playoffs, whereas Durant is doing it on a team that sucks.

Scola is putting up decent numbers NOW but I don't anticipate that to last in a year or two, or even throughout the playoffs. I'm not saying he's terrible (neither is Kenyon Martin) but like Martin, I'm saying fans vastly overrate him. For a year or two (people may remember) NJ fans thought Martin was the Jesus himself or something.

[Obstructed_View]

Let's try it on for size, shall we?

*Ahem*

GERALD GREEN!

Nah, doesn't have the same ring.

[The Truth #6]

Personally, I think the ROY is Horford - great numbers, all season, and doing it for a team most likely in the playoffs, whereas Durant is doing it on a team that sucks.

Scola is putting up decent numbers NOW but I don't anticipate that to last in a year or two, or even throughout the playoffs. I'm not saying he's terrible (neither is Kenyon Martin) but like Martin, I'm saying fans vastly overrate him. For a year or two (people may remember) NJ fans thought Martin was the Jesus himself or something.


Why would he play well this year, but in a year or two get worse? That doesn't sound rational. He isn't too old yet. If you think he's playing out of his mind at the moment, I can see your point. But I don't get a sense that he is playing beyond his abilities.