If you add in the Robinson years, the Spurs have 20 years, in which they were a contender in 19 of them, and finished 1st or 2nd in division 19 times, all 19 with a winning record.
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If you add in the Robinson years, the Spurs have 20 years, in which they were a contender in 19 of them, and finished 1st or 2nd in division 19 times, all 19 with a winning record.
diego, I believe I can answer your questions.Quote:
Originally Posted by diego
1) Charlotte has admitted they had a pre-draft deal to draft Kobe and trade him for Vlade Divac. See the link I posted.
2) This one is trickier, regarding Charlotte not doing homework on Divac and his potential retirement. Ok, follow along:
A) Teams have contracts of players and may trade them to other teams at will, barring no-trade clauses, and of course salary cap rules. GM's don't consult players or their agents unless:
B) The player and agent are actively seeking a trade. Still, it's going to be GM talking to GM and they only talk to agent once an offer has been made. The Charlotte GM wouldn't call Divac or his agent and ask if he would play in Charlotte. It's a business and players get traded without their approval. When a trade is completed, each GM calls his old players' agent and tells him of the trade, Then the player gets the news from his agent.
C) Free agency means agent talks to GM. Divac was under contract, not a free agent.
D) Who would expect Divac to retire in the prime of his career? No one would.
3) Divac threatening to retire does not give Charlotte any additional leverage in the deal. They have a deal, draft Kobe and trade him to LA for Divac. It can't be changed. See following for what could change it.
4) Now, suppose Divac does retire. His contract with the Lakers is over. Charlotte keeps Kobe. Divac can't step in and say, trade me to the Clippers so I can stay in LA and let the Clippers send someone to Charlotte and make it a 3 team trade. All Divac retiring does is void the trade between LA and Charlotte.
As mentioned, and shown with a link, Divac agreed to the trade 5 days after draft day. GSH mentioned it took 13 days and I figured out where he got that notion. The trade was official on July 11. This is standard procedure. Players must undergo physical examinations and the league must approve. If a player fails an exam, and that happens, deal is off. Usually, the NBA approves all trades, I can't think of any they don't, but I'm no expert on that. Trades are announced one day and become official on a later one. This policy confused GSH is all, nothing wrong with that. He wasn't the first, and won't be the last.
Can we close the books on the proven fact that Kobe did not force Charlotte to trade him? Since there is no evidence to say otherwise, I think it's wise.
Let's get back on topic, let me add something. Spurs missed the playoffs only 4 times. Two of those times they were fortunate to get a franchise player in the draft. If they start a youth movement now, they should be at least a 35-45 win team when Duncan retires.
Lakers missed the playoffs 5 times, once in Minnesota. In LA, they did after West retired and when they traded all their prospects for Kareem the following year. In the 90's it happened after Showtime was dismantled and a few years ago when Shaq was traded. 2014 is the key year, that's when Kobe's and Pau's contracts expire. Looks like the Lakers will bust their nuts to win while that window is open so a few years of mediocrity could await after 2014. That's also when they'll have a hell of a lot of cap space too, so who knows?
As others have said, both the Spurs and the Lakers have spoiled fans as a result of their ability to contend.
Yes, he broke his foot, but if I recall correctly, it was his back mostly:Quote:
Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown
He got his ass handed to him by Dream the year before after he just won MVP. Spurs FO realized that he needed help so he feigned injuries all year for a chance to get some kid named Duncan. Spurs tanked.Quote:
A back injury and a fractured left foot limited Robinson to just six games in 1996-97. The Spurs won just 20 games that season, but won the NBA Draft Lottery. With the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, San Antonio selected Tim Duncan.
No no no. No way a 17-year old had any leverage. Drafting a skinny guard straight out of HS is a major risk, plus Charlotte needed a center. The Lakers cleared cap space for a run at a disgruntled Shaq (who openly said he didn't want to play for the Magic and wanted to play for the Lakers). If anything the Lakers took a risk in losing their starting center and gambling that Shaq would sign with the Lakers. It all could have all blew up in the Lakers face but thankfully it didn't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry Callahan
Bryant absolutely would not have gone overseas. That's ludicrous.
Magic was fortunate? Showtime used to kick the Knicks, Bucks, and Bulls asses on a regular basis - especially the Bulls despite MJ going off for 40 or 50. Again, the Spurs run is impressive. TD has been the centerpiece of a dynasty (I'm so glad he didn't end up in Boston) but it doesn't compare to winning one more ring than y'all did when the NBA was uber competitive in the 1980's. Anyone that disagrees with that is not thinking straight. The NBA is convoluted with expansion and manufactured superstars - unlike the 1980's.Quote:
Originally Posted by BronxCowboy
I can't get over the unfortunate part of your post. The 1987 Lakers would kick any team in NBA history's ass - including the 1996 Bulls. Look up the 1987 Lakers roster - they were stacked with Magic in his prime. 1996 Bulls made their run in the expansion era. Showtime did it before legal zones, no hand checking, and other bitch made Stern mandates.
Oh yeah, David faked injuries (do you know how absurd that sounds knowing the kind of man he is, and given his record of behaviour?) so that we could then tank and only be the 3rd worst team that year (http://www.nba.com/history/lottery_probabilities.html), giving us a 21.6% chance at the top pick. Yup, that makes a lot of sense. :rolleyesQuote:
Originally Posted by LkrFan
I have no doubt that we tanked after David went down in the 6th game of the year with a broken foot (no Spurs team of the 1990s was going anywhere without David - any team in the same situation would have done the same thing), an injury that takes 3-4 months at least (ie. at least the majority of the season) to recover from, but to suggest that David faked injuries just proves that you are just a conspiracy nut and a moron to boot.
Taking longer to heal or tanking - it's all the same. You guys saw a chance to go get TD and you went for it. Kudos for keeping him out of Boston. If anyone should have sat out 60 games that year, it should have been The Dream for breaking his foot...off into Robinson's ass on his way to a ring. :lolQuote:
Originally Posted by RuffnReadyOzStyle
:toast
Good post OP, thanks. It's very true that we are spoiled. i try to remind myself about that and it's easier when you have friends who are fans of other teams.
LkrFan has no clue, no surprise there.
great thread