Report: Spurs might get a free agent meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge

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Originally Posted by xtremesteven33

Would Tim be cool with playing Center?

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He was playing PF when Bonner started next to him? Duncan has been playing both positions his entire career... whatever he choses to call himself is irrelevant.

LMA would be the best choice

the only big name free agents i want the spurs to go after are restricted ones. Draymond Green! Tristan Thompson! get them, or drive that cost up!

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Originally Posted by Malik Hairston

Aldridge is pretty overrated and soft, but it's San Antonio, if you can get a talent like that, you take him, tbh..

He's a good character guy and he plays team ball, too..he's also a competent defender, not great, but far from a liability..

It's not like he's a cancerous player that you're taking a chance on like a Monta Ellis..

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Overrated? Sure, a few people in the past couple of years have claimed he's the best PF in the game, but that's never been the general consensus. He's widely regarded as a top 15 player and I don't see an argument for that not being the case.

Despite this fan bases' propensity for picking apart damn near every player, as you alluded to, there's no chance of doing any better than him. In fact, even getting someone a tier under him should be viewed as a win.

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Originally Posted by cjw

Chime the typical "Spurs never get any free agents", with people forgetting they never have cap space and have a pretty deep roster (read: not as many minutes to go around).

Lowe laid it out on Grantland today, but Spurs would have around $15 million including Green's QO. By renouncing CoJo, I get to $18 million which is still only 27.3% of the projected cap of $67.1mm. Both guys would be entitled to deals worth 30% of the cap, so would need to take a $3 million discount on year 1 salary. That's what makes this scenario unlikely.

While I'd love LMA or Gasol, I'm fine getting the next tier of guys on good deals if they avail themselves. The team would be pretty barren if using cap space to sign a big FA and would have to go with minimum salaries etc. to fill out the roster. If Duncan or Ginobili come back (I think Manu does as he'll go out post-Olympics), cap space is probably in the $8 million range assuming VERY team friendly deals, so not even much more than the MLE.

Player	2015/16	#	Notes
Parker	13,438	1
Splitter	8,500	2
Diaw	7,500	3
Mills	3,200	4
Leonard	4,269	5
Joseph	3,202	6
Anderson	1,143	7
Subtotal	41,251
First round pick	992	8
Renounce Joseph	(3,202)	7
Green cap hold	7,648	8	(190% of prior year)
Minimum salary holds	2,100	12	(4 players @ $525k - 13th player would be theoretical FA)
Subtotal	48,788
Projected Cap	67,100
Cap space	18,312
% of cap	27.3%

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He wouldn't take a cent below the max, nor would they need him to. We're talking about one of the 15 best players in the league, in his prime and he'd be as close as realistically possible to a perfect fit for this team. As much as I like Diaw and Mills, if one of them has to go to accommodate a player of this magnitude, so be it.

The key would be retaining Green. Clearly, the bench would have to be re-built, but a Parker-Green-Leonard-Aldridge-Splitter starting five would give them a puncher's chance at remaining in contention.

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Originally Posted by xtremesteven33

Would Tim be cool with playing Center?

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:lol He's been defending C's almost exclusively since '06-'07.

That Parker contract really puts a damper on my hope for the next few years, tbh..

Keep Duncan and drop splitter

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Originally Posted by Malik Hairston

That Parker contract really puts a damper on my hope for the next few years, tbh..

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Next year is the only year it will have a big impact. With the cap skyrocketing, Parker's money takes up a smaller percentage, which is what max contracts are based on. He'll still be overpaid but not by as much.

If the above calculations are correct, the Spurs are a Joseph salary-dump away from max space even with keeping Green's cap hold (and thus Bird rights). With enough sweeteners, a team with a little cap space looking to roll that cap space into 2016 should be willing to take a year of Joseph.

A max contract next summer starting around $20M could very well be a bargain in two years with a $108M cap. I would happily give LMA the 2015 max. Players of his caliber are hard to come by and the salary as a percentage of the cap will actually go down in the 2nd and 3rd years of his deal.

In fact, if the Spurs can get LMA on a 2015 max deal, max out Kawhi, and get Green to take around $55M over 5 years, the Spurs could have another max slot in 2017, assuming they don't give out any more big long-term deals before then.

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Originally Posted by Blake

If it's rumored that he's coming then we can forget it...... my wife will offer him a "welcoming party" which means we'll have to kick out Jamaal. A new buck, sweeeeettt! I hope we get frow tickets for each game.

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:lmao

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Originally Posted by TheGreatYacht

Only player the Spurs should max, tbh..

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Spurs will need a rim protector to replace Timmy especially if they plan on keeping Splitter. So wouldn't really be a fan of signing Aldridge.

keep duncan sign Greg Monroe or DeAndre Jordan

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Originally Posted by The Reckoning

spurs fans still thinking they'll land a big named free agent :lol

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This is true, those saying they don't like Aldridge or don't offer him the max need not worry because he is not going to sign in SA. This happens every year though, it's as if they don't get it already after years of not getting FA's to come to SA. Spurs build through the draft and get pieces, thats what they do.

Wait, so we might get a meeting with a soft jump-shooting big? Oh boy!

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Originally Posted by Seventyniner

In fact, if the Spurs can get LMA on a 2015 max deal, max out Kawhi, and get Green to take around $55M over 5 years, the Spurs could have another max slot in 2017, assuming they don't give out any more big long-term deals before then.

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Financialy I don't think that the Spurs would be able to sign LMA and keep Green.

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Originally Posted by Beaverfuzz

Just say no to LMA. Gasol is a much better option.

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I'd prefer Gasol but if Aldridge wanted to come here you'd have to be a lunatic to say no.

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Originally Posted by TXstbobcat

Financialy I don't think that the Spurs would be able to sign LMA and keep Green.

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If we dump Mills with Manu and Duncan retiring we can have $18.8m, close enough to a max slot to be in the conversation

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Originally Posted by TD 21

He wouldn't take a cent below the max, nor would they need him to. We're talking about one of the 15 best players in the league, in his prime and he'd be as close as realistically possible to a perfect fit for this team. As much as I like Diaw and Mills, if one of them has to go to accommodate a player of this magnitude, so be it.

The key would be retaining Green. Clearly, the bench would have to be re-built, but a Parker-Green-Leonard-Aldridge-Splitter starting five would give them a puncher's chance at remaining in contention.

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Yeah, agree and trying to point out that cap space isn't quite there. Incumbent team has a huge advantage. Issue is you would need to have a trade in the bag for Diaw / Mills in advance to get it done. 90% of the board would love to see Parker be that guy shipped out to create space, but I'm not going to stir the pot there.

If you lost Green, you'd be scrambling to fill the other holes with cap space. I don't think you pull the trigger on one deal unless all the dominoes are ready to fall. This strategy would also be highly dependent on the FO having their guys identified to bring in on cheap deals to replenish the bench. On the bright side, pressure of winning a title immediately wouldn't be there as that team would have more time to gel.

If Aldridge can't be had, I'd love to steal Matthews from Portland and have more cap space to play with. He's not going to be the same guy post-injury but would complement Kawhi and Danny well. No idea what he's going to cost because it will depend on how he's healed.

Ultimately, Gasol and LA will talk about how they respect San Antonio but if they wind up leaving their respective teams, they'll go to the flashy, big market team like they all do. And LeBron will probably try to lure both of them, too.

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Originally Posted by TheGreatYacht

Only player the Spurs should max, tbh..

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Originally Posted by Richie

If we dump Mills with Manu and Duncan retiring we can have $18.8m, close enough to a max slot to be in the conversation

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That would be enough to sign LMA but not enough money to also sign Green.

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Originally Posted by Malik Hairston

Aldridge is pretty overrated and soft

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You just described today's NBA

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Originally Posted by TXstbobcat

That would be enough to sign LMA but not enough money to also sign Green.

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$18.8m is taking in to account Greens $7.5m cap hold

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Originally Posted by Blake

If it's rumored that he's coming then we can forget it

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