McDonald: For Spurs, Free Agency Begins At Home

All this talk about age not mattering if Timmy, TP and Manu were healthy is great BUT it seems like Pop is setting up the organization for success only up til he decides to call it quites in 2012.

I mean wat young players aside from TP do we have to build around? Ian isn't a sure thing or even close to it yet. We better try our damnest to sign Bosh or some other big man with all that magical salary cap space in 2012. This offseason I say go after Magette, Azabuke, JR Smith or even Artest if he opts out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rj215

All this talk about age not mattering if Timmy, TP and Manu were healthy is great BUT it seems like Pop is setting up the organization for success only up til he decides to call it quites in 2012.

I mean wat young players aside from TP do we have to build around? Ian isn't a sure thing or even close to it yet. We better try our damnest to sign Bosh or some other big man with all that magical salary cap space in 2012. This offseason I say go after Magette, Azabuke, JR Smith or even Artest if he opts out.

---

It's 2010. That's the year when the free agency market is supposed to be loaded, and when the Spurs should have enough money to spend a maz contract on someone.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pop

The question is, can we find something both sides can live with? In the end, it comes down to years and money.

---

I find it interesting that Pop mention years. Does Kurt Thomas want more than a two years contract which will screw the 2010 plan ?
Ford mentioned a three years contract for Thomas.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...eAgents-080629

Thomas could have also signed an extension with Spurs before July (like Jamison did). I doubt Spurs haven't made him a proposition after Splitter fucked Spurs. he obviously turned it down. Thomas coming back in SA is far from being a sure thing.

I'm still trying to figure out why in the hell the Thomas signing is viewed as a necessity...the Suns are done. Nash does not have it anymore...and concerning the value of Thomas, neither does Shaq.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whottt

I'm still trying to figure out why in the hell the Thomas signing is viewed as a necessity...the Suns are done. Nash does not have it anymore...and concerning the value of Thomas, neither does Shaq.

---

I'm not a big fan of Thomas. I just don't see who else Spurs could sign as bigman without using the MLE. Are you fine with Oberto, Bonner, Mahinmi and Horry as Duncan supporting cast ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by objective

It's not doom and gloom or panicking on my part.

What are they saying and what are they doing compared to last summer.

Last summer they talked about letting the team defend it's title with no big changes and said that Mahinmi wouldn't get any chances and play in the d-league.

What did they do?

Re-signed nearly the entire previous roster and didn't give Mahinmi any chances on the big stage so he played in the d-league. They did a modest modification of adding Udoka to the mix.

What are they saying now? Talking about how the important thing is the health of Tim, Tony and Manu and NOT any signing. Some are explicitly mentioned by the Spurs as being re-signed (Thomas) and others are written about by McDonald that the Spurs are interested in re-signing considering the cost (Finley and Horry). Sure they'll say the usual about keeping on top of things and being able to make a move if necessary. And the talk of getting younger has already been satisfied with Hill.

What will they do?

I don't know. I know what I hope them to do, I know what lots of other people hope for them to do (JR Smith for some, Diop for some, Najera for some, Azubuike for some, Maggette for some, Pietrus for some, etc)

But it's not so outlandish to think that the Spurs bring back the same roster with minor tweaks (G Hill, a 'Udoka-type' addition of a cheap veteran) unless there's an issue of money and/or years with KT, Finley and Horry.

That's a reasonable and possible outcome of the summer.

Is there anyone on the board who would be straight up SHOCKED and SURPRISED if the Spurs re-signed Horry or Finley? I don't mean disappointed by it, but shocked?

Doesn't mean it's likely, but I sure wouldn't be surprised.

---

This is what I see, too. I see the Spurs following the same template they have for a while: standing pat, slight tweaking. Finley and Horry returning are more likely than not.

This year, if they want, the Spurs can make a run in the Free Agent Market

The Spurs have the MLE and LLE + too many money if they Make a Sign and Trade

8 Millions with Thomas, 4 millions with D Stou, 3,5 millions with Horry and a couple of millions in Finley

So we can, but very probably we are not going to:

Thomas, Horry and Finley for Elton Brand

But this thing can means Luxury Tax

cant believe im saying this but keep kurt(he' old and short,but maybe with a whole season) and either trade a combo trade with the rest of our players or dump them at calveras lake.........

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whottt

I'm still trying to figure out why in the hell the Thomas signing is viewed as a necessity...the Suns are done. Nash does not have it anymore...and concerning the value of Thomas, neither does Shaq.

---

Gotta keep Kurt ... if for no other reason than trade bait. If you don't re-sign him, there will likely be wasted dead money between the salary cap and the lux tax threshold.

Two-year contract worth between $8M and $12M makes a lot of sense for both sides. If some team wants to throw a three-year, $16M contract at him ... then yeah you probably gotta let him walk. But another team would have to be pretty damn dumb to give him that contract.

I have a feeling Finley is coming back for the minimum.

Same with Horry.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by remingtonbo2001

I have a feeling Finley is coming back for the minimum.

Same with Horry.

---

my feeling is that Fin is staying with the spurs... as an assistant coach though...

If the Spurs bring back Michael Finley next year, I may not be able to watch them :pctoss

And I sincerely hope that this article, Pop was just being CIA. Obviously having a healthy Manu Ginobili would have made a huge difference in the WCF against the Lakers. But I honestly don't understand that mentality. Even without Ginobili, the Spurs still had arguably the 2nd the 3rd best players on the court in Parker and Duncan. That should have been more than enough to beat this Lakers team. Instead, we saw a Duncan and Parker which were gassed from the tough first two rounds of the playoffs. This team looked more and more like a 3 man team (with Bowen's defense as usual of course) then they've ever looked in previous seasons. Spurs essentially got nothing out of their bench, if you don't count Ginobili. Bonner, Vaughn, Finley, Horry, Udoka were rendered useless for most of the postseason games. That the Spurs even made it that far in the postseason is a testament of Pop's excellent coaching and how great the Big 3 and Bowen are.

Pop better not be thinking his usual "If we win, we are experienced, if we lose we are older than dirt" mentality anymore. It may have worked in 07, but this year, the Spurs officially went over that line of being a veteran team and just being an old team. I'm not saying they need to completely revamp their rosters, but bringing back guys like Finley/Horry/Vaughn etc next season would just be d*mb.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by remingtonbo2001

I have a feeling Finley is coming back for the minimum.

Same with Horry.

---

Yep.

I love them both, but I really wish Mike and Rob would just go gracefully into retirement. Both showed at times last season that they can't keep up with the increasingly frenetic league any more, and their roster spots should go to young up-and-comers who are potentially the future of the franchise. Holding onto those guys for another year will just delay the need to get younger, quicker and more athletic. Time to be bold, not rely on old horses.

PS I think many of you under-rate Kurt Thomas, and he will show you how valuable he is next year. The guy is a workhorse and a lunch-pail trench warrior.

Re sign Finley for the veteran minimum for one year!!
Re-sign Horry for the veteran minimum for one year!!
Re-sign Kurt Thomas for no more than two years and no more than 4 milion per year!!

I only saw a Little mistake

Last year the team remains the same and not improved, many people sayed was because the Spurs won with this team, and the same team can do it again

Every team, specially Celtics and Lakers improved, and both played the Finals

So, we must to improve this year

And dont talk to me about things like:

Save Money, Under the Luxury Tax, Cash Considerations, trade a player to remain under the Luxury Tax, trade a player for a Draft Pick

I want a better team, this is the NBA not Wall Street, NBA is Sport and Wall Street is Business

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1Parker1

If the Spurs bring back Michael Finley next year, I may not be able to watch them :pctoss

And I sincerely hope that this article, Pop was just being CIA. Obviously having a healthy Manu Ginobili would have made a huge difference in the WCF against the Lakers. But I honestly don't understand that mentality. Even without Ginobili, the Spurs still had arguably the 2nd the 3rd best players on the court in Parker and Duncan. That should have been more than enough to beat this Lakers team. Instead, we saw a Duncan and Parker which were gassed from the tough first two rounds of the playoffs. This team looked more and more like a 3 man team (with Bowen's defense as usual of course) then they've ever looked in previous seasons. Spurs essentially got nothing out of their bench, if you don't count Ginobili. Bonner, Vaughn, Finley, Horry, Udoka were rendered useless for most of the postseason games. That the Spurs even made it that far in the postseason is a testament of Pop's excellent coaching and how great the Big 3 and Bowen are.

Pop better not be thinking his usual "If we win, we are experienced, if we lose we are older than dirt" mentality anymore. It may have worked in 07, but this year, the Spurs officially went over that line of being a veteran team and just being an old team. I'm not saying they need to completely revamp their rosters, but bringing back guys like Finley/Horry/Vaughn etc next season would just be d*mb.

---

The question is who to replace them with?
And how much money do the spurs need to do good moves. I think they know what moves they want to do but there are possibilieties which are not depending only on them

This article sucks

I miss Ludden

McDonald seems to get worse the longer he is here.


Ludden should be forced to write a Spurs article every week, just so we can have something good to read.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by coopdogg3

Can we start a petition to bring Ludden back? I don't care how happy he is with Yahoo.

---

Another case of San Antonio being outbid by a 'foreign' employer.

Are the various comments about Ludden the first of the wails about "why doesn't the traitor stay to cover a championship team instead of going for the money?"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by timvp

I'd be pretty surprised if Finley is re-signed. Only way I think it'd make any sense at all is if Barry walks and the Spurs want an old veteran to put deep on the bench in case something happens. Pop seemed to trust Finley less and less last year, which usually ends in that player being let go.

Horry I can see either way. I'd say there is a larger chance he doesn't return.

If the Spurs don't spend their entire MLE, I'd be pretty pissed. The Spurs aren't even in lux tax danger, so there really is no excuse. If they offer it to a number of players and they get turned down ... I guess that is understandable. But if they sit on it and bring in a few bargain basement replacements, that'd be a disaster.

---

Yeah, but how often have this team at the Spurs FO made blockbuster moves that cost big money? Damn, I'd like to see some bold move(s) but I won't be shocked if they just trim a little around the edges.

Fuck the 2010 plan. No one is going to come to San Antonio when Brooklyn is going to have two max slots open.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by waly.mg

And dont talk to me about things like:

Save Money, Under the Luxury Tax, Cash Considerations, trade a player to remain under the Luxury Tax, trade a player for a Draft Pick

---

Why not? These things are very real considerations.

Quote:

---

I want a better team, this is the NBA not Wall Street, NBA is Sport and Wall Street is Business

---

You couldn't be more wrong.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wildbill2u

Yeah, but how often have this team at the Spurs FO made blockbuster moves that cost big money? Damn, I'd like to see some bold move(s) but I won't be shocked if they just trim a little around the edges.

---

Yeah cause Bold moves win championships.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wildbill2u

Yeah, but how often have this team at the Spurs FO made blockbuster moves that cost big money? Damn, I'd like to see some bold move(s) but I won't be shocked if they just trim a little around the edges.

---

The Spurs haven't had this much wiggle room under the lux tax threshold since the summer of 2004.