Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
tesseractive
I can't imagine that RC was under any illusions last year about RJ, yet they went through the season with RJ because he's who they had. When a deal was a possibility, they traded him. I expect things with Bonner will go the same way until/unless an opportunity presents itself.
The thing with RJ is that the previous summer there were rumors that the Spurs were trying hard to package him with offers they received for Parker. So you knew they were looking to get rid of him. After the amnesty was announced in the new CBA, the Spurs using it on RJ was another rumor ongoing until the season started.
Other than shopping Blair, you don't really hear anything about the Spurs trying to move Bonner. I really think they're in love with him. Carcass of Michael Finley kind of love.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Well done, LJ! Having seen the video prior to reading this recap, it matches up well quite accurately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timvp
6. The Matt Bonner Era Continues
The possibility of trading or even amnesthizing Matt Bonner has been bandied about
Possibility? Matt has been anesthetized since May.
:smokin
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TD 21
First of all, they're not a team with needs, at least not positionally. Second of all, no offense, but this is cliche nonsense. The reality is, every team around the league is acutely aware of all of the other teams situations. You don't think the other 29 teams don't know that the Spurs would like to move Blair and that Blair wouldn't mind being moved, but that they're not exactly desperate to move him? I realize they would never admit to this, but even if they did, it wouldn't change a thing.
timvp, I disagree about room for internal improvement. Not that there's none, but in short order, this team has quickly shifted more towards older and athletically deficient again. They're not back to '08 levels in those respects, but the rotation does consist of six players on the wrong side of 30 and of the four under 30, only Leonard would seem to have the potential for significant improvement. Splitter, Green and Mills, could improve, but probably no more than incrementally. Joseph and Denmon are irrelevant, as neither has a shot at being in the rotation (barring injuries, of course). Blair is 50/50 to return, but again, barring injury, won't be in the rotation either way and Neal is a virtual lock to be traded.
This is not like the past few summers, when significant internal improvement was a strong possibility. Hoping for/expecting that is akin to thinking the defense will significantly improve with more practice time. As we saw in the playoffs and have seen time and time again in recent seasons, that's fools gold. Teams that defend well are teams that either have an elite defensive anchor who can log major minutes, a lot of plus defenders or both. This team has neither. The same logic applies here. Teams with room for significant internal improvement either underachieved for whatever reason(s) the previous season, have a lot of young players with a lot of room for growth or both. Again, this team has neither.
I thought the defensive number were kind of decent through the first two rounds. Even the first 2 games against the Thunder. Having guys like Diaw and Splitter playing more minutes over Blair/Bonner helps because there is less need to help in the post and guys can actually be more aggressive on the perimeter. Going back to single coverage and less help would solve alot of our defensive problems. Would OKC shoot so well from midrange if there was even a guy within 2 feet of them to contest the shot?
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
ThaBigFundamental21
My opinion is, if the Spurs are to have any shot whatsoever at a title, they have to give Splitter about 30 minutes a game. Like him, hate him, whatever. We are only going as far as our big men can take us. We know what Tim, Diaw, and Blair can offer. We don't really know all Splitter can bring. He has room to grow and if Pop is wise he will explore his abilities more and pair him with Duncan.
We need to hire an assistant coach that knows how to and develop bigs because Pop sure as hell doesn't.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ThaBigFundamental21
My opinion is, if the Spurs are to have any shot whatsoever at a title, they have to give Splitter about 30 minutes a game. Like him, hate him, whatever. We are only going as far as our big men can take us. We know what Tim, Diaw, and Blair can offer. We don't really know all Splitter can bring. He has room to grow and if Pop is wise he will explore his abilities more and pair him with Duncan.
I agree. If we still had the version of Splitter from the RRT there's no doubt we win it all. He really regressed from that point onward in confidence and everything. The only way to nurture that confidence is to give him enough minutes. He has to get enough opportunities to post up on the block and run the offense through him. Diaw also has a post game. The Spurs really need to add more post scoring. It can't just be TD.
Spurs' Buford indicates no pressing need to add another big man (talks about Blair)
This article is a couple of days old
Buford indicated no pressing need to add another big man.
“As far as our big rotation, we don’t have Dwight Howard but between Tim, Tiago (Splitter), DeJuan (Blair), Matt (Bonner) and hopefully bringing Boris back, I’m not sure where our needs are there,” Buford said. “We’d love to have an All-Star center but there’s only two or three of those. Short of that, I think we’ve got a pretty diverse group that fills a lot of needs.”
Reading between the lines, it doesn’t appear there is any imminent plan to move either Blair or Bonner at the moment.
*Speaking of Blair, Buford seemed unfazed by the fourth-year big man’s comments to the Express-News, indicating he expected to be traded or otherwise moved this offseason.
“We understand the way he feels,” Buford said. “If you look at the story he laid out, it’s very true. And while I don’t think we have to apologize for the results that the team built, DeJuan, we understand the way he feels and we’re looking forward in building the best team we can, and our hope is that DeJuan wants to be a part of that.
“If he comes and tells Pop (coach Gregg Popovich) he doesn’t, I think they’ll address it and then we’ll have opportunities elsewhere if we need to, but I don’t think anyone’s going to react to what a frustrated player says publicly.”
* Former Texas standout Alexis Wangmene, Buford’s adopted son, has been named to the Spurs’ summer league roster. Buford joked a guaranteed contract was on its way.
“You didn’t hear he was starting?” Buford deadpanned. “That was part of Tim’s negotiations, that Tim had to come off the bench to make room for Alexis.”
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...r-and-big-men/
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
timvp
R.C. Buford
spoke with the press earlier today to announce the re-signing of Tim Duncan and Danny Green. He also talked about the Spurs' plans for the summer and their goals heading into next season. While it can be difficult to slice through Buford's doublespeak and endless cliches in order to arrive at his true feelings, here are ten conclusions I've drawn from his meeting with the press.
1. The Spurs Seek Continuity
Coming into the offseason, I suspected the Spurs would simply look to
bring back the same team and give it another go next season. Following Buford's spiel, we can say with supreme confidence that the Spurs are aiming to reload with the same pieces -- while obviously hoping for a happier ending.
"Our hope going into free agency was to bring the group back together and build on the momentum we had throughout the season," offered Buford.
Pop endorsed this in his interview last night. Starting around the 2:20 mark:
Q: What type of ballplayers are you looking to add to your team?
A: None. We're pretty loaded up right now. We signed basically all the guys from last year.
http://www.nba.com/video/games/hawks...vich_intv.nba/
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
Mel_13
Pop endorsed this in his interview last night. Starting around the 2:20 mark:
Q: What type of ballplayers are you looking to add to your team?
A: None. We're pretty loaded up right now. We signed basically all the guys from last year.
http://www.nba.com/video/games/hawks...vich_intv.nba/
His way of saying, "Fuck you, fans!"
Re: Spurs' Buford indicates no pressing need to add another big man (talks about Blai
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Duncan2177
Buford indicated no pressing need to add another big man.
“As far as our big rotation, we don’t have Dwight Howard but between Tim, Tiago (Splitter), DeJuan (Blair), Matt (Bonner) and hopefully bringing Boris back, I’m not sure where our needs are there,” Buford said. “We’d love to have an All-Star center but there’s only two or three of those.
Short of that, I think we’ve got a pretty diverse group that fills a lot of needs.”
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...r-and-big-men/
This is the kind of mentality that drives me nuts.
Yes, we do have a diverse group of bigmen who fill a lot of needs. We have big men who can shoot, big men who can assist, big men who can perform the pick & roll. Unfortunately, those are mostly not the needs that you expect to be filled by big men. When it comes to those needs....rebounding, post defense, physicality in the paint, we only have one big man who really excels in those areas, and he's on the short side of 30.
Just because we have four guys who are moderately big, does not mean that the big-man role is filled.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
If Spurs were so fine with what they have at PF/C, they wouldn't have been rumored as a team wanting Scola had he cleared waivers.
I won't judge Spurs front office on what they but on what they do. So far, it's been a very good off-season for Spurs but there are still some work to do.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
SA210
His way of saying, "Fuck you, fans!"
Now I know why you usually just use other members quotes. :lol
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
jjktkk
Now I know why you usually just use other members quotes. :lol
Get off the nuts. You can quote me.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Solid piece.
I've long said that the Spurs are milking the Duncan, big 3 era for all it's worth. They are profit minded. They want to sell season tickets, and keeping people around that ticket holders recognize is their way of saying that ticket sales >>>>> championships.
Actually, there comes a point when you have to harvest what you've toiled away at sewing, and the Spurs are doing that now. Some teams just spend constantly trying to get the owner some ego boost, but the Spurs run like an enterprise, profit minded people who believe they make money by delivering a good, consistnt level of product year after year, and they shy away from the get rich quick schemes of seling the farm for hyped up highschoolers.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Quote:
Originally Posted by
therealtruth
I agree. If we still had the version of Splitter from the RRT there's no doubt we win it all. He really regressed from that point onward in confidence and everything. The only way to nurture that confidence is to give him enough minutes. He has to get enough opportunities to post up on the block and run the offense through him. Diaw also has a post game. The Spurs really need to add more post scoring. It can't just be TD.
Bro, aint nobody winning a title this year but the Heat.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
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Originally Posted by
DMC
Bro, aint nobody winning a title this year but the Heat.
You are probably right all things considered.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DMC
Bro, aint nobody winning a title this year but the Heat.
To get back in title contention the Spurs are going to need to improve their post scoring and defense.
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
...Which are things that can be done in training camp. If Kawhi can develop a post game...
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Re: Ten Things We Learned from RC Buford
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Cagney
You are probably right all things considered.
Considering no one is playing again this year, but you know what I meant.
There are no moves the Spurs can make that will make them contenders at that level. Their only hope is that other events unfold during the year that gives them a chance, but they probably don't hold out for that hope.
