If the Spurs let Mahinmi go in favor of Bonner that will be more stupid than dealing Scola and retaining Bonner. At least in the latter scenario the Spurs saved $13 million.
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If the Spurs let Mahinmi go in favor of Bonner that will be more stupid than dealing Scola and retaining Bonner. At least in the latter scenario the Spurs saved $13 million.
An one year min salary is a damn good deal because the league will pay a big part of his salary.
Gut feel Mason might be traded.Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdog
Considering our need for an interior defender to contest around the rim, this is the best insurance the league can buy us as a back up big if Mahimni doesn't pan out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
Very good move by the Spurs. Theo can still handle most centers for a couple of minutes per game. I don't see Bonner gone unless Haslip can prove to be a reliable 3pt shooter.
Excellent. A decrepit big man on the Spurs always works as the final piece to a title.
Ratliff Lands With The Spurs
Theo Ratliff has gone from backing up Samuel Dalembert to backing up Tim Duncan.
Ratliff, a 76ers' unrestricted free agent, has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs for a little more more than $1.3 million, the minimum salary for players with at least 10 years of service in the NBA. He spent last season with the Sixers on a similar contract.
Ratliff, 36, who entered the league as a first-round draft choice with the Detroit Pistons in 1995-96, will be playing his 15th season.
''He had numerous offers, but decided San Antonio was the best place for him to be this season,'' said agent Joel Bell.
The 6-10 Ratliff averaged 3.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 46 games with the Sixers last season. He was critical of the coaching staff after the team was eliminated 114-89 by the Orlando Magic in Game 6 of the first round of the playoffs, then skipped his exit meeting.
The Sixers had no interest in re-signing him.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/s...The_Spurs.html
if ratliff can give us 46 games this year ill be thrilled
interesting to c if the spurs now try one more deal with all theses pieces...
Damn, he's more fragile then Ginobili?? :wowQuote:
Originally Posted by slick'81
I don't think he was ever injured. Most of the games he didn't play were DNP-CD.Quote:
Originally Posted by rayray2k8
Spurs get a veteran at the rim
By Mike Monroe
The Spurs on Thursday added another defensive-minded player to their front line, signing veteran center Theo Ratliff.
A 36-year-old veteran of 15 NBA seasons, Ratliff last season played 46 games for the Philadelphia 76ers. Used entirely in a reserve role, he averaged 1.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 12.6 minutes.
"Theo has always been a very good defender and shot blocker," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "Looking to next season, we thought that shot blocking and rim protection was an important piece we needed to fill."
The Spurs now have seven big men under contract: Returning veterans Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner and Ian Mahinmi; recently signed free agents Antonio McDyess, Marcus Haislip and Ratliff; and second-round draft pick DeJuan Blair.
Six perimeter players are under contract: Point guards Tony Parker and George Hill; shooting guards Manu Ginobili and Roger Mason Jr.; and small forwards Michael Finley and Richard Jefferson.
The club regards both Bonner and Haislip as perimeter power forwards, and Haislip likely will play some small forward, as well as power forward.
Ratliff is seen as veteran insurance behind Duncan and McDyess in the low post, a solid rebounder and defender whose presence will allow Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to better manage the minutes of both Duncan, who is 33, and McDyess, who is 34.
:wow
The Spurs have been very active. This offseason has been full of surprises!
The spurs needed this, they were starting to get too young.
Damn
Our paint looks mean now
I love it
:lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Spursfan 87
I don't think this indicates Bonner is gone. I have always thought that (using next years MLE) that Bonner's cap room would go to Splitter so the Spurs don't end up further in the tax. I just don't see the Spurs trading their two decent sized expiring contracts for a longer contract when they are going to try and bring Splitter over next year. Also (assuming Manu is healthy and returns to form) they will need more money for Manu. I just don't see trading the two bits of cap relief the Spurs have for next season, especially if the trade only brings back Bell (as alot of people have wished for). Besides why would they take a Finely/Bonner for Bell? Brown loves Bell and they are all expirings. If we do this then we would have to include Mason, but he's expiring too. Do you really want to give up Splitter or a future draft pick to change Finely and Bonner into a washed up Bell?
George Hill is very good against 1's and 2's and Jefferson will be guarding any three's with size and hopefully Hairston will be there to take some spot minutes when a better defender than Finely is needed. There is nothing left that the Spurs need. Ginobili is a good perimeter defender, so is Jefferson. Tony is decent. Tim is still great. Hill is very good. For Christ sake the weakest defender who will be in rotation is Blair or Finley. Two back ups, who come playoff time will not be the decisive factor, (and hopefully Blair gets better over the year)
Last year, with all the injuries and the early season screw up by the coaching staff, the Spurs were still the 5th best defensive team in the league. Now they are more talented have a better defender on the perimeter (Bowen almost never played), and better post defense. The Spurs will be a top 2 team defensively next year (Boston might beat'em) and the offense will be much improved. So everybody calm down, realize that as a 4th or 5th big, Bonner is good, and that as a backup 3 Finely won't kill the Spurs. The team is now ready to begin the season. The only thing that holds us back from being equal with the Lakers (I am assuming that Odom will be back) is we have bigger health issues. If we are fully healthy we are a better team.
I would feel better if our new bigmen weren't all really really old or really really young.
Hell no! Bonner hasn't got the foot speed to guard the slower 5 men in the league, can you imagine him trying to chase around players even like Maggette? Josh Howard? Durant? Not to mention LeBron, Pierce and other elite 3 men. A lineup of Parker, Ginobili, Bonner, Duncan, Mcdyess at any one point of the game??? You must be joking. Surely.Quote:
Originally Posted by waly.mg
With the LLE still available, don't you guys think it would be a good idea to get another backup-PG, preferably an experienced one?
And no, Vaughn doesn't count as an option ... :tongue
Good point, Marcus!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant
Spurs fans are never satisified!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Spursfan 87
Yikes!!:wow
Some solid and well thought out takes by Stern. Bell is an upgrade to Bonner/Finley, but not seeing why Bobcats would bite or Bell as a critical need. Sure we want to get "all-in" for the '09 title, but not at the expense of crippling our cap situation (e.g taking on a big contract) in the few remaining TD-window years.
good Signing....... We got him at A Vet Minimum! Cant beat it......
The Sixers didn't make an effort to re-sign him and I read where he was critical of the coaching staff.. an acrimonious parting of ways it would seem.. can anyone shed more info?
http://www.examiner.com/x-14479-San-...-bigger-better
Michael Chartier - San Antonio Spurs Examiner
When San Antonio passed on center DeAndre Jordan to select a point guard with their first round pick last year, I had my doubts. Not that Jordan would have contributed last season, if ever, but the Spurs frontcourt was thin on talent, size and athletes.
Jordan certainly had at least two of those areas covered, and fellow Aggie, Chinemelu Elonu, seemed nearly as innocuous, especially as a late second round pick. While I believe at least one of those guys will turn into an NBA contributor, the Spurs recent roster overhaul has more than sufficed.
As it stands now, San Antonio has at least five new faces in the frontcourt, including Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, DeJuan Blair, Theo Ratliff and Marcus Haislip. That doesn’t factor possible contributors in power forward Ian Mahinmi and small forward Malik Hairston.
Assuming both make the roster, that is seven potential new contributors manning the three, four and five spots.
It’s also a mix of veterans, youth and players still in their primes.
Jefferson and Haislip are in their prime years. They’ve gotten about as good as they’re going to get. Jefferson has All-Star-like talent and Haislip is an athletic reclamation project.
McDyess and Ratliff are proven veteran commodities. Both have found success in their combined 27 years of NBA service.
Blair, Mahinmi and Hairston are all youngsters with their best years of production, hopefully, in front of them. Blair brings a wide-body, strength, rebounding and low post skills. Mahinmi continues to develop as a 22-year-old with length and athleticism. Meanwhile, Hairston brings youth, size, strength and athleticism to the small forward position.
Remember, this was a frontcourt that featured Matt Bonner, Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen, Michael Finley and Fabricio Oberto – not exactly the picture of versatility. From a pure basketball perspective, only two have shown to be better than an “average” NBA player.
Now the Spurs have shooters, scorers, rebounders, shot blockers, size, length, athletes, young legs, experience and numbers. The Spurs have never had a frontcourt this deep.
And the best part?
I haven’t mentioned Tim Duncan’s name one time.