That doesn't sound bad at all, actually.
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Scola sucks badly, Wes Johnson would likely get at least 2 years on his deal and he's not that good and I would hope trading expiring contracts would lead to something that could improve the team.
IMO, from basketball perspective Bonner > Scola for the Spurs. When you factor in the extra year (not that it's that big of a deal) for Scola and Wes, I just don't see the point or that it's an improvement when you could just sign a FA SF for the min and be better basketball wise with Bonner/FASF
who needs a SF when it looks like we are signing GREG THE MONSTER ODEN.
You won't catch me defending Scrubla but I think he is better, or more precisely, less bad, than Bonner though.
Now, if Spurs are sold on not taking salaries after 2014-2015, they won't have a gazillion of trade options. I don't really see a gettable PF with 1 or 2 years left on his contract that would make a true difference. I would like more a player like Amir Johnson but not really if the over-cost to get him is a first round pick or taking Fields contract.
Agreed about the not sending picks out (unless it's for a legit player and upgrade), but I just don't see Scola as an upgrade worth having an extra year of salary. I would imagine the Spurs would not care too much about taking back someone with an extra year on their contract, but only if that meant there was an upgrade that was noticeable. Maybe people feel Scola is enough of an upgrade, I am just doubtful.
I don't know about a "gettable" PF, but personally, I would not actually object to absorbing the Fields contract - it shouldn't be a problem WRT lux tax (we are at roughly $62 million right now, adding $6M doesn't push us beyond the lux tax line of $71M), and it ends in 14/15 which is the right time...
Fields has been a WP/48 positive his entire career, http://www.thenbageek.com/players/220-landry-fields, even with his decline in Toronto. The single biggest issue is clearly that his 3pt% has fallen through the floor - his rookie year was 39.3% on 4.1 3FGA/48... If Chip could get him back on form, he'd be quite a damn good Kawhi backup, maybe even play 3 when Kawhi is playing small ball 4. Fields can defend and rebound, and he has enough skills to fit into an offensive system.
Say
Landry Fields and 2 2014 seconds (TOR and SAC) (alternatively to the 2nd round picks, the right to exchange 1st round picks with TOR in 2014, to 10 protected)
for
Neal (S&T) and de Colo (and/or Mills, depending on TO's choice)
Duncan, Tiago, Baynes
Diaw, Pendergraph, Bonner
Kawhi, Fields
Green, Manu, Belinelli
Parker, Cojo, Mills?
Ugh, there's no way in hell I'd want the team to take on Scola. The big rotation is fine as it is (or rather as it will be). I am all for getting rid of Bonner, but I'd rather give that last roster spot to a player like Richards, Oden or Pittman. That would let Pendergraph and Baynes compete to be Splitter's backup next to Diaw.
Maybe Indiana's still willing to give up a pick for Green...
I agree with you that if Fields can shoot again, he would be a great backup SF but the issue is that it's a big if.
Fields shooting struggles results of a pinched nerve in his shooting arm. He had a surgery to fix that early in the season but he still hasn't been able to shoot well after that. It possible that with a full season, he finally get his shot back but it's also possible that he is broken goods.
What happened to Gerald Henderson? I thought he was a free agent this season?
No, I just think, in general, people are too quick to write players off in this league. Thomas Robinson is a perfect example. In one year, he went from close to being the 2nd pick to the Rockets pretty much handing him away. I realize he didn't look very good, but he also didn't play all that much and started off with arguably the single most dysfunctional franchise in the league.
In this specific case, you could be right (in fact, you probably are), but I'll give him another season, or better yet, a season period, on a credible franchise, before definitively labeling him a bust.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was Luke Walton for the minimum.