What the San Antonio Should Plan to Do Heading Into Free Agency

https://www.spurstalk.com/overview-w...o-free-agency/

It seems like most Spurs fans are willing to go higher on Poeltl's contract than I am. I think I've settled on $7 million being my max.

Spurs are dangerously thin at the 4/5 if Poeltl walks tbh. I could definitely see them going up to $10mil to retain him unless they have someone else in mind that can potentially start.

Real talk, assuming the Spurs lose Poeltl/Lyles/Metu they can't go into the season with 35-year old LMA as their only legitimate big right?

Baynes.

As long as the young guys get run I’m good with whatever they do

He is the only rim protector on our group, nobody in the pipeline. He is a ball mover , mobile for 7'1 and a good screener. Resign him for 9-10 then just move some salaries around on the trade deadline to get under the tax.

A flat contract of 7 millions for 4 seasons would be actually just over his actual market value, would guarantee his career regarding money and role on the team and would not impact too much our cap space for next season...

Thanks for the write-up as usual. Guess we're gonna see what happens over the weekend. Go Spurs!

I don't see how you replace Poetl with anyone remotely adequate for this team.

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Originally Posted by jeebus

Baynes.

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BRING BACK BAYNES

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Originally Posted by Robz4000

Real talk, assuming the Spurs lose Poeltl/Lyles/Metu they can't go into the season with 35-year old LMA as their only legitimate big right?

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I don't see the big deal, tbh. You're comfortable spending $10 million in cap space to fortify the backup center position for a non-contending team? That ....... makes no sense to me.

I think the Spurs should value cap space extremely highly. They obviously aren't going to trade their way out of their current position so having a massive amount of cap space in 2021 should be the focus. Throw part of that away to lock up Poeltl for twice the going rate of a run of the mill center? Yeah, no, I'll pass on that.

I'd spend cap space to retain Derrick White. He's a valuable piece to any type of team. But Poeltl, a guy whose ceiling is a low end starter? I don't see how that's justifiable. Give me $10 million more in cap room than a guy whose archetype is nearing extinction any day of the week, tbh.

re: Lyles

Pop might be feeling like doing Bud a solid after the Bogey disaster. Lyles for DJ Wilson & $$$ or a second in the far future could make some sense. Lyles is replacement level but Wilson is worse.

Opens up either time for Luka (ehhh), time for DDR at PF, or playing LMA and Poeltl together. Maybe even KJ at PF

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Originally Posted by timvp

I don't see the big deal, tbh. You're comfortable spending $10 million in cap space to fortify the backup center position for a non-contending team? That ....... makes no sense to me.

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I assume the people who are fine with giving Poeltl 10 per is that they don't expect he'd be a back-up for very long. One season at most until LMA leaves as a free agent, which makes Poeltl the starter.

He's limited, and the full MLE is a lot to pay for any center who isn't a threat to make an all-star game or crack 27 mpg ... but he'd be an okay starter.

Too bad the Spurs have burned their bridge with Milutinov or he might have been a cheaper than MLE replacement. Throw him on the pile with Scola and Hanga.

Yes. I am willing to go higher for Poeltl for the following reasons -

1. He is an advanced Stats delight with three very high quality & useful abilities - very good in screen actions and rolling, defending in space and on the perimeter and very good at blocking shots. He is good at finishing, but inconsistent. That is something to continue to work on.
2. He is the only true center in the Spurs squad and among the true centers, and except for the superskilled versatile ones -Embiid, Jokic, Porzingis, etc.. he is the best of the rest of them. Which is why he needs to command more than the average center and below the superskilled versatile ones.
3. He is still relatively young (25) and is by all accounts a good, glue guy who is coachable and plays within the system. If the Spurs can find a way to get more minutes and reverse roles with Aldridge, he can thrive better and even possibly grow more in his role.

For these reasons, I think he can and should command a $10 million contract. And I suspect the Spurs will have to match one when some new FOs who value advanced Stats will offer him so much (Pistons? or Kings?).

And yes, I missed saying this in the previous post - the Spurs must find a way to deal Aldridge elsewhere. It makes no sense to think of rebuilding with a young core and yet carry Aldridge with them. DDR fits much better with a rebuilding, young squad as the Bubble showed and there is some trade value for Aldridge as well unlike DDR. The Spurs shouldn't be too greedy about what they get in return for Aldridge.

The Spurs most go all in for Harden: Murray, Mills, Walker, Luka, Vassell, rights to Milutinov, 2 future first... Can any team beat that offer?
Spurs becoming big time favourite:
White/Forbes
Harden
DeMar/Johnson
Lyles/Rudy
LMA/Jacob

If they keep Aldridge and DeRozan the Spurs should try to move Mills and Gay for a starting caliber combo forward who can play SF/PF. Moving Mills opens up a guard spot for the young guys. They could try to trade one of the 2 into salary cap to shed some salary. Jae Crowder would be one target. Christian Wood would be one of my favorites for that position as well. Or they might sign Paul Millsap since Pop loves players close to their 40s.

Great read.

@timvp Interesting that you value cap space that much. What do you think the Spurs should do with it next summer? Try to go after free agents? Plunge into rebuilding after LMA and DDR are gone and trade for bad contracts and picks, etc.? If they go this route they likely try to postpone White's extension as well.

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Originally Posted by RC_Drunkford

If they keep Aldridge and DeRozan the Spurs should try to move Mills and Gay for a starting caliber combo forward who can play SF/PF. Moving Mills opens up a guard spot for the young guys. They could try to trade one of the 2 into salary cap to shed some salary. Jae Crowder would be one target. Christian Wood would be one of my favorites for that position as well. Or they might sign Paul Millsap since Pop loves players close to their 40s.

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Gay + Lyles or Mills + Lyles and draft picks might get Aaron Gordon

They were supposedly shopping Gordon to get a lotto pick in 2020, maybe a top 10 protected pick in the allegedly stacked 2021 draft would be enough?

However, while he plays the 4 and 3, his terrible shooting would not help on spacing next to DeRozan at all

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Originally Posted by objective

Gay + Lyles or Mills + Lyles and draft picks might get Aaron Gordon

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With the next couple of drafts looking to be stacked I wouldn't want them to trade any future first round picks. It's not like a Gordon type player would change their ceiling that much, so I don't think it'd be worth it.

so weird to have a logjam on the wings (DeRozan, Walker, Keldon, Vassell) without any clear direction as to where the franchise is going

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Originally Posted by FireMicoHalili

so weird to have a logjam on the wings (DeRozan, Walker, Keldon, Vassell) without any clear direction as to where the franchise is going

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I think the biggest question is about whether they start DeMar at the 4 and bring Lyles off the bench. That means Murray, White and Walker/KJ can play together and frees up minutes for Walker/KJ and Vassell.

On the other hand, that means Lyles and Gay would be playing behind DeMar, that doesn't make a lot of sense. Maybe they start Lyles, have Gay as his backup and close with DeMar at the four.

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Originally Posted by kobyz

The Spurs most go all in for Harden: Murray, Mills, Walker, Luka, Vassell, rights to Milutinov, 2 future first... Can any team beat that offer?
Spurs becoming big time favourite:
White/Forbes
Harden
DeMar/Johnson
Lyles/Rudy
LMA/Jacob

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It actually makes some sense, but Pop would never coach this diva and the Spurs would go te a really-really dark rebuid in 3 years without any real assests left.

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Originally Posted by objective

Gay + Lyles or Mills + Lyles and draft picks might get Aaron Gordon

They were supposedly shopping Gordon to get a lotto pick in 2020, maybe a top 10 protected pick in the allegedly stacked 2021 draft would be enough?

However, while he plays the 4 and 3, his terrible shooting would not help on spacing next to DeRozan at all

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I‘m not giving away a high draft pick in a stacked draft for Aaron Gordon. I‘d keep Lyles, get rid of Gay

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Originally Posted by timvp

I don't see the big deal, tbh. You're comfortable spending $10 million in cap space to fortify the backup center position for a non-contending team? That ....... makes no sense to me.

I think the Spurs should value cap space extremely highly. They obviously aren't going to trade their way out of their current position so having a massive amount of cap space in 2021 should be the focus. Throw part of that away to lock up Poeltl for twice the going rate of a run of the mill center? Yeah, no, I'll pass on that.

I'd spend cap space to retain Derrick White. He's a valuable piece to any type of team. But Poeltl, a guy whose ceiling is a low end starter? I don't see how that's justifiable. Give me $10 million more in cap room than a guy whose archetype is nearing extinction any day of the week, tbh.

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I agree. I know I am in the minority but I think Drew could be a serviceable backup center. Not as good as Jakob but good enough considering the price difference.

Do we know yet if the trade deadline remains the same? (Feb)