Spurs wanted Korver?

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sport...t_to_Utah.html

76ers' Korver dealt to Utah
The Jazz gave up guard Gordan Giricek and a first- round pick as the Sixers clear salary-cap space.
By Marc Narducci

Inquirer Staff Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. - The 76ers traded one of their most popular players for the chance to clear more salary-cap space, signaling the first bold move by president and general manager Ed Stefanski.
Fifth-year swingman Kyle Korver was sent to the Utah Jazz yesterday for guard Gordan Giricek and a future first-round draft choice.

Even Stefanski, speaking by conference call, couldn't spin this move into anything more than a cap-clearing measure.

The Sixers will save approximately $15 million in this deal.

Giricek, who is making $4 million this season, has an expiring contract, a desired commodity for teams such as the Sixers looking to get well under the cap in order to make a run at a desired free agent.

Korver, who is earning nearly $4.4 million this year, has $15.4 million owed to him in the next three years after this one.

The first-round pick has more provisions than most player contracts. According to Stefanski, the pick can start no sooner than 2009, and the Sixers have seven years in which to make it.

There are different protections for each year, according to Stefanski. Teams often put protections on picks so they don't lose a potential lottery choice.

Stefanski estimated that if nothing else happens, the Sixers would be about $10 million under the estimated salary cap for next season. It's possible that the Sixers could have the most cap room of any NBA team.

"We felt this was a move for the plan that we have to try to secure cap space in the summer," Stefanski said. "The pick could be a player or a chip in a future trade."

Korver had mixed feelings, knowing he is going to a quality team but also sad to leave so many friends.

"I am not totally shocked, but I am surprised," Korver said in a phone interview. "I feel I can fit in well in Utah, but the hardest part is leaving the city of Philadelphia, where I had great friendships not only with my teammates but the people here who have been great to me."

Korver, 26, was so respected on the team that coach Maurice Cheeks talked to the players yesterday about the business side of basketball and the necessity to move on. Still, it didn't make taking the news any easier.

"He is one of the best in my time being in this league, not only coaching, he is one of the classiest guys who was always doing things for the good of the team," Cheeks said.

Sixers guard Willie Green was among the players closest to Korver. Both are fifth-year players who went into the NBA together as unheralded second-round picks.

"Kyle is definitely a good friend and a spiritual brother of mine," Green said. "We are losing a great teammate, a great friend and a great guy."

The Jazz see Korver as a "proven" NBA player.

"We think Kyle is a good basketball player who has proven he can make shots and proven he can play in the NBA, and we're happy to acquire him," said Kevin O'Connor, Jazz senior vice president of basketball operations.

Giricek, 30, who fell out of favor with coach Jerry Sloan at Utah, likely doesn't figure in the Sixers' long-range plans. He is averaging just 4.3 points per game this season.

It is not known if Giricek will be available for today's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He is expected to arrive in Portland this morning.

Stefanski and another NBA source said that Korver generated sufficient trade interest. According to the source, Utah beat out Miami and San Antonio for Korver.

Even though he had an inconsistent season this year, averaging 10 points and shooting 39.6 percent from the field, Korver is valued for his range.

The beneficiaries of this trade appear to be wing players Thaddeus Young, Rodney Carney, Green and combination guard Lou Williams. Those four will likely pick up Korver's minutes unless Giricek can find his way into the rotation.

the question is, what spurs players was involved in the discussion?

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Korver, who is earning nearly $4.4 million this year, has $15.4 million owed to him in the next three years after this one.

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Maybe Barry or Elson + one player

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Originally Posted by Spurs Brazil

Maybe Barry or Elson + one player

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Maybe this will motivate Barry now.

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Originally Posted by themvp

Maybe this will motivate Barry now.

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i'd doubt it. two rings and the constant chatter of always being involved in whatever deal is happening has likely left him numb to it all.

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Originally Posted by td4mvp3

i'd doubt it. two rings and the constant chatter of always being involved in whatever deal is happening has likely left him numb to it all.

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He usually responds with a good performance when his in trade talks

Makes sense. Shoots the rock well and isn't a moron.

Great shooter, not so great defender.
It must've included Barry. Their styles of play are very similar.

Jazz rebuilding their team with the same blueprint from the mid 90's.

I'm sure images of Jeff Hornacek was dancing in their heads when they made this deal.

The Spurs will have to replace either one of Barry and Finley or both going into next season. The free agent pool for swingmen will be rather shallow next summer, especially in the Spurs' price range. It wouldn't surprise me to see a trade between now and the deadline.

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Originally Posted by Holt's Cat

The Spurs will have to replace either one of Barry and Finley or both going into next season. The free agent pool for swingmen will be rather shallow next summer, especially in the Spurs' price range. It wouldn't surprise me to see a trade between now and the deadline.

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Very true. Here's my hope for the swingman rotation for next season

DeMarr Johnson
James Jones or Hakim Warrick (if Johnson doesn't pan out)
Marcus Williams (assuming he continues to develop)
Ime Udoka
Bruce Bowen

could you see the spurs singing gordon next summer??

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Originally Posted by Holt's Cat

The Spurs will have to replace either one of Barry and Finley or both going into next season. The free agent pool for swingmen will be rather shallow next summer, especially in the Spurs' price range. It wouldn't surprise me to see a trade between now and the deadline.

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The Spurs are going to about 8.2 mil to sign a player next year based on the current wages they are now paying and that doesn't include any increase.
This year salary and roster
Oberto 3.6
Duncan 19
Bowen 4.1
Finley 3.1
Parker 10.5
Elson 3
Horry 3.6
Udoka 1
Ginobili 9.1
Vaughn 1.2
Bonner 2.7
Barry 5.5
Mahini 1
Langaford 0.5
Johnson 0.5
67.9 mil

Next year salary and roster

Oberto 3.8
Duncan 20.6
Bowen 4
Xxx 8.2
Parker 11.5
Splitter 1
Bonner 3
Udoka 1.1
Ginobili 9.9
Vaughn 1.3
Mahini 1
Xxx 1
Xxx 1
Xxx 0.5
Xxx 0.5
67.9 million

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

Very true. Here's my hope for the swingman rotation for next season

DeMarr Johnson
James Jones or Hakim Warrick (if Johnson doesn't pan out)
Marcus Williams (assuming he continues to develop)
Ime Udoka
Bruce Bowen

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So you hope that Spurs trade Ginobili ?

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Originally Posted by Bruno

So you hope that Spurs trade Ginobili ?

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Of course not. I look at Manu as strictly a 2. Not a 3.

I think that would have been a pretty good deal. Get a spot up accurate 26 yr old 3 shooter that could do what Barry does for us. Barry at 26 had twice the game of Korver, but Barry at 35 = Korver at 26.

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Originally Posted by dbestpro

The Spurs are going to about 8.2 mil to sign a player next year based on the current wages they are now paying and that doesn't include any increase.

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thats not how the cap works. even with the amount of salary coming off the books next season for the spurs, they dont get to spend that much on free agents, because they are already well above the cap.

next year, the spurs are on the books for about 55.4 mil in salary with 9 players under contract (assuming they pick up the option on vaughn, which they will). the salary cap this season is set at 55.6 mil. so we will only have as much cap space as they raise the cap by next season (which will probably be around 3 mil on the low side).

but since that is less than what the MLE would be worth (somewhere between 5 and 6 mil), the spurs will simply forgo their 3 or so mil in cap space for the MLE instead. thats how much the spurs will have to spend, not that 8.2 mil figure you have.

If the plan was to bring everyone back then I don't see why they should get rid of Barry right now. It would take Korver too long to get the Spurs system for this year. That would put even more pressure on Finely to produce, which is a thought that doesn't excite me. In a short rotation Barry should be our back up point guard. In fact he should be our backup point guard always. Vaughn's fake no-look passes are way worse than Barry's.

This is pretty surprising. Korver is a really good shooter and that always attracts the Spurs. But the only trade I see possible is Barry for Korver. I wouldn't have liked that trade because even thought it might help down the line, it'd probably hurt this year.

If the trade involved Elson as the main piece, that would have been a nice trade. I just don't see a trade that would have worked under the salary cap that included Elson, unless it was Elson and Udoka for Korver. That would have been a decent yet risky trade.

I wouldn't trade Udoka for Korver.

You'd lose alot of defensive flexibility.

Given the news of this possible trade (which had to have included Barry) I wonder if our recent player acquisitions were based on the potential of Barry getting traded.

I realize Barry and Manu are injured but the awkward flurry of activity seemed odd. Just trying to connect the dots...

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Originally Posted by The Truth #6

Given the news of this possible trade (which had to have included Barry) I wonder if our recent player acquisitions were based on the potential of Barry getting traded.

I realize Barry and Manu are injured but the awkward flurry of activity seemed odd. Just trying to connect the dots...

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You might be onto something. Barry for Korver would have saved enough money under the cap that the Spurs would have been able to keep a 14th and 15th man.

I just can't convince myself Barry for Korver would have been a good trade. True, Barry was sub par for the most part in last year's playoffs but I think he has a chance to help more this year than Korver would.

While it's possible the Sixers just floated the Spurs' name to generate interest, if this is true perhaps the Spurs are actually going to be active at the trade deadline. The trade deadline is actually the best place to trade an expiring contract for a guy who has multiple years. And with the amount of expiring contracts the Spurs have, they have at least be on the lookout.

Finanicially speaking, Bonner and Elson for Korver would have worked too.

timvp - I agree. As much as I don't like it, Barry's name might be involved in another 11th hour trade discussion.

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Originally Posted by tav1

Finanicially speaking, Bonner and Elson for Korver would have worked too.

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Yea but that's a dumb trade.

Why is everyone so ready to include Elson in a trade when there is no other backup C to take his place? Unless you're thinking that Ian is suddenly ready to step into that role.

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

Why is everyone so ready to include Elson in a trade when there is no other backup C to take his place? Unless you're thinking that Ian is suddenly ready to step into that role.

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Or we can just give Bonner and Horry more playing time.

My guess is that maybe the Spurs weren't even interested in Korver. :lol

Well maybe, but maybe not. It just seems that every player that gets signed or wants to gets signed ALWAYS has a source or an agent saying San Antonio was interested in them.

I would bet it was Barry and his 5.5mil expiring contract that was floated.

I find it interesting what the guys on the team said about Korver - sounds like a Spurs kinda guy.

On an unrelated point, who are these sportswriters:

"Giricek, who is making $4 million this season, has an expiring contract, a desired commodity for teams such as the Sixers looking to get well under the cap in order to make a run at a desired free agent."

That is TERRIBLE writing! Too many clauses, double use of the word "desired" (unnecessarily!), especially when the correct word is "desirable". Half of this board can write better than that. Rewritten:

Giricek has a $4 million contract which expires at the end of this season. Expiring contracts are a desirable commodity for teams such as the Sixers looking to get well under the cap in order to sign free agents.

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Originally Posted by RuffnReadyOzStyle

I would bet it was Barry and his 5.5mil expiring contract that was floated.

I find it interesting what the guys on the team said about Korver - sounds like a Spurs kinda guy.

On an unrelated point, who are these sportswriters:

"Giricek, who is making $4 million this season, has an expiring contract, a desired commodity for teams such as the Sixers looking to get well under the cap in order to make a run at a desired free agent."

That is TERRIBLE writing! Too many clauses, double use of the word "desired" (unnecessarily!), especially when the correct word is "desirable". Half of this board can write better than that. Rewritten:

Giricek has a $4 million contract which expires at the end of this season. Expiring contracts are a desirable commodity for teams such as the Sixers looking to get well under the cap in order to sign free agents.

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Difference is he made the correct point and you changed the meaning of his text. Original is better.

I dont understand Korver for Barry - Brent brings a lot more to the table than Korver, AND is better at what Korver is 'known' for in his 3 point shooting... the only advantage Korver has is age...

Elson is completely useless as a rotation player. Geico is right.

Maybe the Spus can find some way to use their trade exception money (roughly 2 million) to get someone better than DJ/Williams/Langford/yoursister at the wing. Hakim Warrick is available, or so says ESPN, and Memphis is losing money. Maybe they'd trade him just to get his number off their books.

Nice trade for the Jazz, Korver gives them some perimeter shooting that they miss at times with Fisher gone, and is actually alright at the defensive end, better than most "shooter-only" types.