Have the Spurs EVER landed a big name free agent?

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Originally Posted by Yorae

We signed Horry as a free agent, right?

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Yes. But it was a big free-agent signing because of of what was accomplished here in his time, not initially.

If you would have asked some at the time, they probably would have told you the Spurs were kind souls to give him some shelter. Plenty thought he was done, even after his first year with the team -- that Lakers series didn't endear him to the fans too much. :lol

As has been mentioned, the Big 3 signings are all significant and even somewhat rare to find in this day and age. You just don't see that many players re-upping with their original team time and time again -- even rarer in a market like the Spurs. But I got the feeling the extremely reputable and very serious thread starter was speaking to those that came from outside the organization. And if that's the case, it's Finley, Van Exel and Barry and then you'd probably have to go to the veteran buyouts the Spurs picked up during the season (i.e., Ward, Robinson and Gooden in recent years).

nick van exel?

Nick Van Exel and Finley were thought to be big-time signings for the Spurs at the time. Big names that were viewed as being just what the doctor ordered for the Spurs.

the spurts have never landed a big name FA.

Chepsake bastards

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Originally Posted by Cry Havoc

Our salary this year is ~$23,000,000 less than the Lakers. That's roughly 3 mid level exceptions and a league minimum, or enough to pay anyone's salary not named Kobe Bryant.

Makes it tough to win bidding wars when we spend ~$70 mil on a team and other teams spend over $85 mil+ to fill out their roster.

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This.

I think barring the Thunder, the Spurs have the most cost-effective, winning team in the league. And credit the Thunder's success to Spurs alumni Sam Presti who is way under-rated as compared to that overrated David Morey.

The Spurs have the best FO in the league. Every idiot and savant who follows the league properly knows that. And their organisation can be arguably termed the best in all professional sports all across the world.

hey buddy holly,


SHAQ\


owned you bitch ass cuckold faggott.

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Originally Posted by Spursfanfromafar

This.

I think barring the Thunder, the Spurs have the most cost-effective, winning team in the league. And credit the Thunder's success to Spurs alumni Sam Presti who is way under-rated as compared to that overrated David Morey.

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I don't know if their cost-effectiveness will last long when they will have to pay KD, westbrook, Green, Ibaka... real money

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Originally Posted by mathbzh

I don't know if their cost-effectiveness will last long when they will have to pay KD, westbrook, Green, Ibaka... real money

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Didn't KD just sign an extension? Either way, they have done a great job so far.

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Originally Posted by mathbzh

I don't know if their cost-effectiveness will last long when they will have to pay KD, westbrook, Green, Ibaka... real money

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AFAIK..they have extended KD already. Ibaka was picked up only last year.. so there is a bit of time to go. Westbrook will hit the jackpot soon, but I think Green is likely to be a FA when his time comes. But the OKCT have good assets (the contracts + picks + bench talent) to make some decent trades and shore up their core of KD + RW + Ibaka.

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Originally Posted by Seventyniner

If I remember right, Shaq was supposed to be a restricted FA, but the CBA that summer got re-done and somehow restricted free agency ceased to exist for that summer only, allowing Shaq to go to LA. Orlando would've definitely matched any offer.

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:lol oh and :bang

There's always the 2 major signings in spurs history: That of Center - Uwe Blab 89-90 and then Forward - Tom Copa 91-92(who is on facebook btw, lol).

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Originally Posted by Seventyniner

If I remember right, Shaq was supposed to be a restricted FA, but the CBA that summer got re-done and somehow restricted free agency ceased to exist for that summer only, allowing Shaq to go to LA. Orlando would've definitely matched any offer.

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A lot like how the league revenue numbers for last season were magically revised upward, which allowed Miami just enough room to sign both LeBron and Bosh. What a piece of luck, huh?


BTW - Jackie Butler was billed as the best pickup of that off-season by a lot of "experts".

A few have mentioned Finley. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't a straight up free agent acquisition because Dallas payed the bulk of his salary in 2006 and 2007, right?

Either way, excepting Nesterovich and Antonio McDeyess to a lesser extent, I can't think of any big free agent acquisitions made by the Spurs. True, Duncan signed as a free agent but, he remained with San Antonio. He didn't come to SA after playing out a contract with another team.

Failed to mention 'Dyess, good call -- but that kind of speaks to the level of free-agent the Spurs have acquired; or maybe the state of the player upon arrival . . .

And, yeah, Finley came about because of a one-time cap measure allowed by the league. But he was a free agent nonetheless -- Miami was recruiting him pretty hard.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rtdP-SZP21...400/willis.jpg

Terry Cummings.

And thank Allah that we "lost" the Jermaine O'Neal sweepstakes. That could have sunk our organization.

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Originally Posted by awktalk

Terry Cummings.

And thank Allah that we "lost" the Jermaine O'Neal sweepstakes. That could have sunk our organization.

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No, the Spurs traded Alvin Robertson and Cadillac Anderson for Cummings.

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Originally Posted by awktalk

Terry Cummings.

And thank Allah that we "lost" the Jermaine O'Neal sweepstakes. That could have sunk our organization.

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I dont think JO had had any major knee injuries prior to the summer of 03' had he? He was a 20-10 player and a very solid man and team defender. He wouldve been the ideal replacement for DRob...he comes here and who knows maybe the staff handles his injuries more cautiously. I wouldve taken that chance.

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Originally Posted by FkLA

I dont think JO had had any major knee injuries prior to the summer of 03' had he? He was a 20-10 player and a very solid man and team defender. He wouldve been the ideal replacement for DRob...he comes here and who knows maybe the staff handles his injuries more cautiously. I wouldve taken that chance.

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the spurs really threw a boatload of money at JO and were surprised that he did not bite. spurs had just won the 2003 title with very, very little help for duncan - he still has the highest playoff win share ever recorded.

IIRC, JO's first injury season was in '07 and he played 70+ games that year. granted that we would not have been able to sign ginobili again for a huge amount, but think about this pipe dream for a second:

we get a healthy JO for 3 seasons - 04, 05 and 06 - we win 4 consecutive titles which convinces the owners to pay ginobili enough to stay in sa. for the 07 season, we do not need JO, and maybe we do not win b/c we would not have had enough money for other players.

it's fun to dream and having JO in sa would have been an adventure - an adventure charlie!

Sean Elliott was a pretty big deal

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Originally Posted by spurs_fan_in_exile

Radoslav Nesterovic. 18 letters is a big name in my book.

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Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo

We we're never able to sign Dikembe. :depressed

Some people don't know the difference between a FA and a draft.

this is a silly (and somewhat stupid) question.

since the new CBA - very few teams have landed a "big name" free agent (and that includes the Lakers & Celtics). Prior to the movement this past offseason - the Knicks and Bulls would have been in that group as well (rounding out the 4 biggest markets and arguably the 4 highest profile franchises in the game).

Hell, Cuban's biggest free agent signing is...DeSagana Diop.

doc rivers, terry porter

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Originally Posted by DMC

Some people don't know the difference between a FA and a draft.

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You do realize Sean was traded to Detroit and then signed as a free agent with the Spurs in the offseason.... Of course you did.