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

So are the prospects of moving LMA and DMDR now nil? I'd like the opportunity to still get something for LMA and trading DMDR opens up minutes for the younger guys. It'd be a tank year, but that could lead to the prize in next year's draft. Win, win and win on all fronts. I'd suffer for a year to see a definite light at the end of the tunnel result.

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Originally Posted by Excessive Egotist

Also, do we really want Gordon Hayward?

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Do we want him? Probably not. But I want him here :lol I just think he would fit seemlessly on this team and be the answer to a lot of problems.

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Originally Posted by KobesAchilles

Do we want him? Probably not. But I want him here :lol I just think he would fit seemlessly on this team and be the answer to a lot of problems.

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Hayward is a solid player, and at something like 22M/season he's worth the money. But he'd make us more competitive--but in the sense of finishing 9th rather than 11th in the conference. Maybe we push a 7 seed. The point is that Hayward represents more of the same and doesn't actually get us back to a top seed in the West.

Having said that, if Keldon Johnson emerges as a all star quality wing (big IF, but not implausible), Johnson plus Hayward could be one piece away from a winning team.

I'm not convinced that we have a future All Star in our young guys. So I'm reluctant to make moves that assume we do. But we'll know more soon.

On Poeltl, Thomas Bryant and Ivica Zubac are good comparisons to make contract-wise as they are all young, starting quality centers on their second contract. They got contracts in the $7-8 million range and that's what I would expect Poeltl to get. An offer sheet more than that means the Spurs might have to choose between LMA and Poeltl. I think the main competition for Poeltl will probably be from the Kings as they're desperately in need of a starting center of Poeltl's caliber with money available.

I'd like to know what's the appeal in having cap space next year.

Be a dumping ground in exchange for picks or is it to accomodate a possible free agent?

Jerami grant is better than Heyward

I have complete faith in PATFO to make the worst decisions during these next several weeks. :tu

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Originally Posted by Mugen

I have complete faith in PATFO to make the worst decisions during these next several weeks. :tu

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:lol

So according to Chris Haynes, the Rockets and Magic had discussed a trade that would’ve involved Westbrook and Gordon. I would not mind moving Aldridge or Derozan to Orlando in exchange for Gordon.

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Originally Posted by Atl Spur

I too think Boston is up to something; I hope we are in on it....

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Was thinking that may be a good trade partner, if Ainge is willing to be "fair".

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Originally Posted by lmbebo

Was thinking that may be a good trade partner, if Ainge is willing to be "fair".

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Ainge has been a vicious sonofabitch in free agency negotiations. That's not a complaint - it's exactly what I would like to see representing the Spurs.

I'll go one step further. Ainge would have gotten more value out of Kawhi. He just would have.

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Originally Posted by ZeusWillJudge

Ainge has been a vicious sonofabitch in free agency negotiations. That's not a complaint - it's exactly what I would like to see representing the Spurs.

I'll go one step further. Ainge would have gotten more value out of Kawhi. He just would have.

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Its the truth

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Originally Posted by MoSpur02

So according to Chris Haynes, the Rockets and Magic had discussed a trade that would’ve involved Westbrook and Gordon. I would not mind moving Aldridge or Derozan to Orlando in exchange for Gordon.

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I would be willing to move DeRozan in a deal with Orlando... I also think Boston is a potential trade partner for us centered around Poeltl... I could see indy as well around Turner if we're moving Aldridge. We probably stand pat (it's our mo) but there are trading partners that make sense out there.

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Originally Posted by MoSpur02

So according to Chris Haynes, the Rockets and Magic had discussed a trade that would’ve involved Westbrook and Gordon. I would not mind moving Aldridge or Derozan to Orlando in exchange for Gordon.

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Gordon is an empty stat garbage player. No thanks.

The Pistons are probably out on Poeltl. They burned a lot of their cap space and look like they'll go C by committee with Dedmon, Bradley, Stewart and presumably Wood will be re-signed and can toggle between both big positions.

The Hornets are the obvious suitor. If they go $10M or close, I think the Spurs let him walk and replace him with Plumlee, a similar, half decade older version.

I'd match it or at least look to work out a sign and trade, but it's not their style.

Who is paying more than the MLE for Poeltl?

The teams with space:

- Atlanta: just drafted a big and have Capella. Just moved out Dedmon.

- New York: you never know given their hard on for players that don’t fit together, but they have Randle, Mitchell Robinson and just picked Toppin

- Sacramento: possibly, but have a logjam at PF and could just bring back Len for cheaper. Imagine they’re aiming higher.

- Detroit: just brought in Dedmon and Bradley. Seems like overkill for a center.

- New Orleans: drafted Jaxson Hayes last year.

- Charlotte: we know they wanted Wiseman, but that doesn’t mean they’ll want Poeltl. Have Cody Zeller and their own FA they could bring back. But Zeller could be sunk cost to them and want to move on?

- Miami: no chance with Bam, Olynyk opting in, drafting Precious, etc.

- Toronto: maybe given free agents could leave

Jakob just doesn't make much sense in keeping if you're bring back Aldridge. I like Jak a lot tbh (though he should really be better than what he is currently) but pretty much agree with OP.

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Originally Posted by cjw

Who is paying more than the MLE for Poeltl?

The teams with space:

- Atlanta: just drafted a big and have Capella. Just moved out Dedmon.

- New York: you never know given their hard on for players that don’t fit together, but they have Randle, Mitchell Robinson and just picked Toppin

- Sacramento: possibly, but have a logjam at PF and could just bring back Len for cheaper. Imagine they’re aiming higher.

- Detroit: just brought in Dedmon and Bradley. Seems like overkill for a center.

- New Orleans: drafted Jaxson Hayes last year.

- Charlotte: we know they wanted Wiseman, but that doesn’t mean they’ll want Poeltl. Have Cody Zeller and their own FA they could bring back. But Zeller could be sunk cost to them and want to move on?

- Miami: no chance with Bam, Olynyk opting in, drafting Precious, etc.

- Toronto: maybe given free agents could leave

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Guess grabbing an average center isn't that hard at all.

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Originally Posted by MoSpur02

So according to Chris Haynes, the Rockets and Magic had discussed a trade that would’ve involved Westbrook and Gordon. I would not mind moving Aldridge or Derozan to Orlando in exchange for Gordon.

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Is there anyway we could trade Orlando Demar and Gay for Westbrook? I am as down as almost anybody on Westbrook but he has this thing that nobody else on our team has and it wouldn't be bad for the young guys to learn from him. He is by all accounts a great teammate, works tremendously hard, and an Alpha. I just think Westbrook would fit here. I know that's insane, but it would be interesting to say the least. Westbrook's major problem is he plays stupid and who better to teach him than Pop?

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Originally Posted by cjw

Who is paying more than the MLE for Poeltl?

The teams with space:

- Atlanta: just drafted a big and have Capella. Just moved out Dedmon.

- New York: you never know given their hard on for players that don’t fit together, but they have Randle, Mitchell Robinson and just picked Toppin

- Sacramento: possibly, but have a logjam at PF and could just bring back Len for cheaper. Imagine they’re aiming higher.

- Detroit: just brought in Dedmon and Bradley. Seems like overkill for a center.

- New Orleans: drafted Jaxson Hayes last year.

- Charlotte: we know they wanted Wiseman, but that doesn’t mean they’ll want Poeltl. Have Cody Zeller and their own FA they could bring back. But Zeller could be sunk cost to them and want to move on?

- Miami: no chance with Bam, Olynyk opting in, drafting Precious, etc.

- Toronto: maybe given free agents could leave

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Of that list you could probably work out S&T's with Charlotte and Sacramento... Boston might be interested in a S&T as well.

I like Poeltl at $8M but if its much over that I'd rather S&T if possible.

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Originally Posted by KobesAchilles

Is there anyway we could trade Orlando Demar and Gay for Westbrook? I am as down as almost anybody on Westbrook but he has this thing that nobody else on our team has and it wouldn't be bad for the young guys to learn from him. He is by all accounts a great teammate, works tremendously hard, and an Alpha. I just think Westbrook would fit here. I know that's insane, but it would be interesting to say the least. Westbrook's major problem is he plays stupid and who better to teach him than Pop?

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Westbrook is what he is. He's already 30 something. Too late to change his game.

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Originally Posted by cjw

Who is paying more than the MLE for Poeltl?

The teams with space:

- Atlanta: just drafted a big and have Capella. Just moved out Dedmon.

- New York: you never know given their hard on for players that don’t fit together, but they have Randle, Mitchell Robinson and just picked Toppin

- Sacramento: possibly, but have a logjam at PF and could just bring back Len for cheaper. Imagine they’re aiming higher.

- Detroit: just brought in Dedmon and Bradley. Seems like overkill for a center.

- New Orleans: drafted Jaxson Hayes last year.

- Charlotte: we know they wanted Wiseman, but that doesn’t mean they’ll want Poeltl. Have Cody Zeller and their own FA they could bring back. But Zeller could be sunk cost to them and want to move on?

- Miami: no chance with Bam, Olynyk opting in, drafting Precious, etc.

- Toronto: maybe given free agents could leave

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Don't forget that Detroit's Christian Wood is the top big man target on market. I'd guess the Pistons will move Dedmon yet again. He is no longer a human, he's now "Dedmon's semi-expiring contract".

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Originally Posted by Dejounte

Westbrook is what he is. He's already 30 something. Too late to change his game.

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This is very true. And for the most part I don't want him to change. Our youth could use that type of veteran leadership. Going balls to the wall every minute. Going after rebounds. Intensity and the whole idgaf attitude about non-teammates (in that way it is very Duncan like). Demar doesn't bring that and LMA is really just to lax to have that attitude and meaness.

If we don’t trade LMA, we probably can’t keep Jakob, obviously. I’d prefer to keep Jakob, though. We need a center that does exactly what he does and doesn't clamor for touches. We have 1,000,000 guards and so they will have to be the focus of the offense, and they need to develop.

If LMA stays, then regrettably we should roll with Eubanks (Ed Nealy’s secret love child) and focus on keeping Lyles for one more year.

ddr for bjelica and 2nd rnd