ESPN.com: Spurs talking S&T with Portland, Rasho for Abdur-Rahim

I stilll think he's going to New Jersey.

Aha. I wasn't aware that Portland was looking to albatross Theo Huxtable. Going for Rasho makes a bit more sense now. I still have my doubts about this trade though.

In regards to the maximum the Spurs could offer Abdur-Rahim via a sign and trade with Portland for Nesterovic, they could offer a 6 year contract starting at $8.5 million with 10% annual raises (note, I am not saying they will, only that they can).

Compared to the max that any capped out team other than the Blazers can offer by signing SAR outright (MLE of $5 mil starting for 5 years with 8% annual raises), the Spurs could offer SAR as much as $32.5 million more in guaranteed salary if they completed a sign and trade of Nesterovic with Portland.

Again, not that they would, but that they could. So it's a bit more than "a mil" over the MLE. More like up to $4 mil per season on average over 5 years and that's not counting the extra guaranteed year that the Spurs could give SAR in a sign and trade.

where ever he ends up, i'm thinking they're going to try sign and trades to get him more money. portland probably does want to get out from under some contracts... like DAs. dropping NVE should help too. but now with nate there, this could be chance one to get someone he likes there, or get someone with trade value for later on.

god knows why he'd want to go to nj... but at the end of the day i dont think he's going to want to be stuck there 4 or more years at mle money. not when he knows shaq is waiting, and even detroit and indiana would be nearly impossible to get by probably for the next 2 to 3 years.

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Originally Posted by constantstate

where ever he ends up, i'm thinking they're going to try sign and trades to get him more money. portland probably does want to get out from under some contracts... like DAs. dropping NVE should help too. but now with nate there, this could be chance one to get someone he likes there, or get someone with trade value for later on.

god knows why he'd want to go to nj... but at the end of the day i dont think he's going to want to be stuck there 4 or more years at mle money. not when he knows shaq is waiting, and even detroit and indiana would be nearly impossible to get by probably for the next 2 to 3 years.

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If Portland is looking to dump contracts then they would have to take back some salary from NJ, even after assuming that the Nets use the trade exception. As far as expiring contracts go, the Nets don't really have any of significant size to make it worth Portland's while.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

If Portland is looking to dump contracts then they would have to take back some salary from NJ, even after assuming that the Nets use the trade exception. As far as expiring contracts go, the Nets don't really have any of significant size to make it worth Portland's while.

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thats why im thinking if its nj maybe there's a 3rd team involved... because on top of that, they dont have anyone that either fits or would be worth it to them. the only other option for him would be to take the mle money... and if he's going to do that... he could do it anywhere. (or at least alot of other places)

NJ would have to send Portland back some players in addition to the trade exception in order to give SAR something more than MLE money.

Here's a way to look at it, the most that can be guaranteed to SAR in a sign and trade using NJ's trade exception alone is $38.25 mil over 6 years.

Using the example of a sign and trade involving Nesterovic alone described above, the Spurs could offer SAR as much as $63.75 mil guaranteed over 6 years.

If you already have $30 mil committed to Nesterovic for the next 4 years, how much extra would it be worth to the Spurs to have SAR instead?

Not bad money for a 6th man.

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Originally Posted by Solid D

Not bad money for a 6th man.

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Perhaps. But you already have $30 mil committed to Rasho. Might it not be tempting for the front office to have SAR instead for a little bit more?

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Originally Posted by Solid D

Not bad money for a 6th man.

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Or 7th man. Is Horry going to get bumped to the end of the bench if SAR comes? Or would Horry move over and play 5 or even 3? Whatever the situation, Horry has got to get significant PT with Tim. That rotation kicked ass in the playoffs, and it doesn't make sense that Horry just got inked for 3 years to ride pine.

As far as the sign and trade options, it just makes more sense to me to go after a small forward. If Pop and RC go after SAR and try to bring Scola in as well, I think they're taking Bruce Bowen's durability for granted.

SAR is a great player, but as rumored, this trade doesn't make much sense from the Spurs' standpoint.

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Originally Posted by Marcus Bryant

Perhaps. But you already have $30 mil committed to Rasho. Might it not be tempting for the front office to have SAR instead for a little bit more?

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Maybe, but I just don't think SAR is worth that kind of term, nor $ to the Spurs. He would probably help the Spurs to improve, no doubt, but I just haven't seen the intensity from him while playing for all his other teams.

If SAR comes, you trade Scola's rights, plain and simple.

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Originally Posted by Solid D

If SAR comes, you trade Scola's rights, plain and simple.

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i totally agree. all you were going to ask from scola is to spell horry with good mins, some inside scoring when tim is out, and a rebound or two. (building him for the future) but sar, is offense ready. if you have him you dont need scola anyway. sar isnt going to average 20pts a game here, or even start (unless tim moves to center full time) but he's duncan's age or a little younger and he'd finish his career with a few championships.

Estimated 4/5 rotation minutes breakdown for next season:

35 Duncan
25 Mohammed
15 Horry
21 ?

Also, Horry's going to be around for perhaps 2 more seasons. SAR would give the Spurs someone to take up a lot of minutes in the rotation during the regular season.

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Originally Posted by Shawn Michaels

Scola gettin a rebound or 2? are you that stupid?

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its a figure of speech... take it easy... ok?

manu averaged 16pts his rookie year right?

all i said was if you get sar... you dont need scola. i would rather them use rasho or nazr to go after "the small forward of the future" -- but it doesnt seem to be out there.

having a guy like sar on the team would be more valuable than scola right now. tim's ankles go out on him for a week or 2... sar can score 20 in the nba... you dont know what scola can do. or do you?

so if its on the table... take it.

For a rotation with SAR I could see the following.

Starting

Nazr
Duncan
Bowen
Gino
Parker

First quarter:

Then Sar and Barry come in to spell Nazr and Gino.

Duncan rotates to center.

Horry and Nazr come in for Duncan and SAR.


For ending the game it will all be about matchups. Sometimes SAR and Duncan, sometimes Duncan and Horry. They can go big, small, or something inbetween. Think Duncan, SAR, Horry, Gino, and Parker/Barry. Now THAT is spreading the floor.

He'd give the Spurs one more option and I could see him replacing Horry as the primary big off the bench sometime next season or the season thereafter. He'd get plenty of PT.

From the Spurs' perspective, you get a great scoring 4 to play alongside TD and the incremental cost over Rasho wouldn't be that great. At 28, he has at least 4 more seasons of playing at a high level, in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by Shawn Michaels

Scola gettin a rebound or 2? are you that stupid?


this guy is going to be a beast in the NBA

someone averages 20+pts 10+rbs in the olympics and eurol league and you dont think he can average 15pts 7rbs in trh NBA?


SCOLA will help bring 3-4 more titles

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Um...if Scola had averaged 20 and 10 anywhere I'd be highly impressed...he hasn't, which means you don't know what the hell you are talking about.

Retire and get your back fixed.

he may not be a 20 and 10 guy but he is definitely a 15-20 pt/ 6.2 rebound type guy, and those numbers are great

Link to 2004-2005 Euroleague Stats

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6.2 rebound type guy

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sorry a 6'8 6'9

POWER forward

should average more than 6 rebounds a game.

It should be 8 or 9.

There is a reason RC Buford critiqued him so.

Scola could rebound better but they play 40 min. games, not 48 min. games. Points and rebounds averages are lower than NBA averages for top players.

yeah that is another reason , good point solid D