Rubbing the Crystal Balls...

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So try again, or perhaps, give it a rest already.

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Tracy McGrady WILL BE A SPUR! WHOO-HOOO!!!

I seem to remember him mentioning this team among those he wanted to go to last year. Did anybody think it was in any way likely? Nope. Did anybody think it made any basketball sense for anybody involved? Nope. Did most people understand it as a way for McGrady to indicate the kinds of winning programs he wanted to play for? Yep. Did people on this board go crazy thinking it was imminently going to happen? Yep. A disturbing and embarrassing number of them.

Granted, it's more likely SAR will be a Spur. 10% beats 0%. But in the end it doesn't make basketball sense for SAR. That's the bottom line.

However...

Homers Can Be Dreamers.

HCBD.

Edited to add: Kukoc. No. Just... no. If you're going after vets, grab somebody who fills a role. Kukoc's prospective role? Already filled.

Yawn. My my, someone needs to have their ego stroked.

Kukoc's prospective role is not yet filled. Try again.

And for the record, I certainly did not think McGrady to SA was even a remote possibility.

So try again, or stop reading the forum if you are offended so by the discussions in here.

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So try again, or stop reading the forum if you are offended so by the discussions in here.

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Oh, I'm not offended. It's pretty hilarious. Every summer, after the playoff buzz subsides, everybody spontaneously throes into these spasms of unlikely scenarios about what ferociously good players are coming to the team. Players who will never miss a shot. Players who will suddenly play great defense. Players who will play for sawbacks instead of the millions they have been earning. It's like a seasonal rite.

Alright, I'll give up. I stated my reasonings: Kukoc doesn't fill any needs at all and otherwise is a liability. SAR will not want to pine on the bench, when it comes down to it, since most human beings like to maximize their potential even if - and this might be hard to understand - the other option is to become a Spur.

My opinion, which may obviously turn out to be misguided, is that we should bring in Scola and possibly resign Glenn Robinson. I don't see Robinson as necessary, but he could help as he learns his role. I see Scola as really working in this system. I see you don't. That's fine. We'll see.

Again, every discussion about SAR in this forum has been with the implicit (and often explicit) assumption that he'd accept a different role than he's had in the past. Given that the team is reportedly interested in him, that he's yet again for the 10th year or whatever interested in coming to SA and the Spurs have tradeable assets (ie Nazr and Radosoft) that his current team might find appealing to take back in a sign and trade, the discussions in this forum about him are rather appropriate.

While there are plenty of reasons why it won't materialize, it is certainly not equivalent to the pipedream of McGrady to SA.

As for a true backup 3, apparently the Spurs thought it mattered last season. Who's more likely to sign for more elsewhere, Kukoc or Robinson?

If you can bring Scola now, you do it. No need to wait if he wants to come over. The sooner the better. He's already 25, so you should bring him over to start learning the system. His offensive game will be a tremendous asset to the Spurs.

SAR (or Marshall in TMVP thread) is good and would like to have him, but only if involves dealing Rasho. No need to spend the MLE when we could use it on Scola and DBrown.

The Spurs can only hope that SAR desire to win will allow for him to play less minutes for the Spurs.

Kukoc fills the following roles:

-- veteran who can impart experience to others.

-- long 6'10" guy who takes up space against other long small forwards during the infrequent stretches he actually would be on the court.

-- cheap player whose vet-min salary is paid by the league, and who doesn't count against luxury tax figures.

-- someone who can impersonate Rashard Lewis, Tayshaun Prince, or Richard Jefferson in practice.

He'd fill the role of Steve Smith in 2003 -- a guy who almost never plays, but has value in the locker room.

There are 14 spots on the active roster now, and not all of them have to be projects. There are small forward projects playing in Europe right now.

Alright, my last post before I have to go. If SAR signs with the Spurs, I'd be elated, though it would spell the end for Scola in San Antonio. I know you're not high on him, but I see a ton of promise (and a more likely scenario). I just don't see it making sense for Shareef to truly consider the Spurs and is just keeping his options open. He certainly doesn't want to drop into a lousy situation if New Jersey falls through.

Kukoc I just don't see. If he was signed, I'd support him, sure, but it'd be just like he wasn't there, since he'd have little to no impact on the team. I'm still dubious about Robinson signing for big money elsewhere, but it could happen. Even if neither player comes in, it's all equal, since Robinson's effect during the playoffs was negligible.

So, in short, SAR is a fine player should he convert to bench production. But a more likely situation is Scola coming in. I'd be very excited about that.

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

Kukoc fills the following roles:

-- veteran who can impart experience to others.

-- long 6'10" guy who takes up space against other long small forwards during the infrequent stretches he actually would be on the court.

-- cheap player whose vet-min salary is paid by the league, and who doesn't count against luxury tax figures.

-- someone who can impersonate Rashard Lewis, Tayshaun Prince, or Richard Jefferson in practice.

He'd fill the role of Steve Smith in 2003 -- a guy who almost never plays, but has value in the locker room.

There are 14 spots on the active roster now, and not all of them have to be projects. There are small forward projects playing in Europe right now.

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Good points. He'd be a stopgap fix for one season. Both DFerry and Horry looked washed up when the Spurs signed them, but they proved to be useful. Not to say that Kukoc would be much more than the description in the above quote. Still, I think he's closer to Ferry than Smith when it comes to usefulness.

Something to think about...prior to the 2002-03 season wouldn't have Kerr and Ferry fit the description of an "awful idea" in this thread? Were they not crucial in that title run?

The Spurs play for championships. Experienced vets at the end of the bench make more sense than projects.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

Something to think about...prior to the 2002-03 season wouldn't have Kerr and Ferry fit the description of an "awful idea" in this thread? Were they not crucial in that title run?

The Spurs play for championships. Experienced vets at the end of the bench make more sense than projects.

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It was different in 2003. We had rookie Manu as our 6th man, a 2nd year point guard, a starting 2 guard in the playoffs for the first time. This years team is WAY more experienced than that team ever was. I say you bring in a young 3 that you can stick on the end of the bench to learn. I'm comfortable with the experience the core we have now brings to the table.

Sure, but both Ferry and Kerr were out of the rotation by playoff time.

and Kukoc would be out of the rotation before the end of training camp. I say find a young long 3 and let the guy learn. No use in wasting the space/time with a player i don't see contributing at all this season or next.

Seems like a winner to me, but we still need to bring Scola over.

I'd take Luis over Kukoc anyday, even if we do have to give him a year to break in.

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Originally Posted by TheTruth

and Kukoc would be out of the rotation before the end of training camp. I say find a young long 3 and let the guy learn. No use in wasting the space/time with a player i don't see contributing at all this season or next.

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And Ferry and Kerr were? Come on. The Spurs do have a young long 3. He's in Europe now where he can actually be of more value than sitting on the bench in SA. You want guys there at the end of the bench who you can call on and expect an immediate contribution.

The Spurs play for championships today, not hope tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

The Spurs play for championships today, not hope tomorrow.

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Yeah, we're not the freaking Knicks. :lmao

When I rub my balls, I wonder if Beno and Rasho get to do that.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

And Ferry and Kerr were? Come on. The Spurs do have a young long 3. He's in Europe now where he can actually be of more value than sitting on the bench in SA. You want guys there at the end of the bench who you can call on and expect an immediate contribution.

The Spurs play for championships today, not hope tomorrow.

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When did we need the experienced 3 during this playoff run? The way I see it is we won a championship this year w/o that playoff tested veteran coming off the end of the bench. What I see next year is Brent Barry with a year of Spurs basketball under his belt, a healthy Devin Brown to fill the spot you are looking at Kukoc filling.

The spurs will WILL be playing for the championship today, while building for tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by SequSpur

When I rub my balls, I wonder if Beno and Rasho get to do that.

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When I rub MY balls, beno and rasho are nowhere near my thoughts.

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Originally Posted by TheTruth

When did we need the experienced 3 during this playoff run?

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Robinson, Glenn. Game 4 against Denver and then in Game 1 of the Finals. He came up huge in both of those games.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

Robinson, Glenn. Game 4 against Denver and then in Game 1 of the Finals. He came up huge in both of those games.

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I almost forgot about all that championship experience that Glen Robinson brought off the bench. My bad.

Robinson is an experienced veteran small forward. I'll spell it out for you next time.

And, your telling me Devin (an inexperienced playoff performer) couldn't have done the same things that Big Dog did? Hustle plays can be made by anyone. A first year player, a 5th year player, a 10th year player.

If i asked you when we signed Glen if you would rather have him in there in the finals or Devin would you have picked Glen? Not a freaking chance!