LUDDEN: Spurs will make changes to keep pace in West

QUOTE: "One of the reasons the Spurs said they traded Scola was that Splitter would be a better fit alongside Duncan. Popovich, however, simmered over the Scola deal throughout the season because it violated one of his long-held edicts: Never help a rival."

Hmmm.....really. Then why did Pop help strengthen TWO rivals in the summer of 2003? Both Josh Howard & Barbosa were available to draft and Pop arranged a deal with Phoenix to draft Barbosa and then trade him. Dallas drafted Howard with the next pick. So we strengthened two conference rivals with one transaction.

Pop didn't want to draft a player in the first round in 2003 as that would have required extending a guaranteed contract and eating up cap space Pop had reserved for his foolish chase of Jason Kidd.

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Dawg

QUOTE: "One of the reasons the Spurs said they traded Scola was that Splitter would be a better fit alongside Duncan. Popovich, however, simmered over the Scola deal throughout the season because it violated one of his long-held edicts: Never help a rival."

Hmmm.....really. Then why did Pop help strengthen TWO rivals in the summer of 2003? Both Josh Howard & Barbosa were available to draft and Pop arranged a deal with Phoenix to draft Barbosa and then trade him. Dallas drafted Howard with the next pick. So we strengthened two conference rivals with one transaction.

Pop didn't want to draft a player in the first round in 2003 as that would have required extending a guaranteed contract and eating up cap space Pop had reserved for his foolish chase of Jason Kidd.

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Wrong again.


Pop and Duncan wanted Josh Howard. RC Buford wanted Jason Kidd.

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Originally Posted by TDMVPDPOY

isnt matt bonner on 3m a season?

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Whats your point?

Don't blame the Spurs for the Steven Jackson experience. We offered him a good contract of $10 million over three years. Jackson delayed and drug his feet which caused us to lose Speedy Claxton.

Oh by the way, when Jackson turned us down and went shopping....all he found was a $1million a year contract with Atlanta. For a time he was the contract laughing stock of the league. Eventually replaced by Sprewell.

The Spurs lost Speedy Claxton cause he wanted a good sized contract and to start.

Neither one they were willing to give, and I'm thankfull they didn't.

Spurs might make a run at Delfino. Shit, Delfino for some part of the MLE and Herrmann for the LLE.

I could think of worse players off the bench than Delfino.

Delfino, Herrmann, Ginobili, Oberto? :lmao

You could have that lineup on the court at one time.

You know that would be some kick ass chemistry.

I think we need an energy guy more than anything. Manu has been doing that all year, and is obviously spent by the time the playoffs come around. Delfino could be it, if he's let loose. The thing is, Pop would rather play an old washed up vet (JV) instead of a scorer (Stoudemire) simply because the vet can play defense and the other one can't.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

I think we need an energy guy more than anything. Manu has been doing that all year, and is obviously spent by the time the playoffs come around. Delfino could be it, if he's let loose. The thing is, Pop would rather play an old washed up vet (JV) instead of a scorer (Stoudemire) simply because the vet can play defense and the other one can't.

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:lmao Both were washed up vets.

Fail.

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Originally Posted by T Park

:lmao Both were washed up vets.

Fail.

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Sure. I'm not saying Stoudemire was the saviour. But Pop actually went to court the guy mid-season because Tony went down and we couldn't score to save our lives. What's the point if you're not going to play him? He played what, 15 games as a Spur?

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Originally Posted by T Park

Yeah that BBall IQ never came in handy vs the Suns or the Hornets.

Great take :tu

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:rolleyes

Please give me Horry's wonderful stats and tell how much he came in handy this post season. We all waited for the big shot and it never came. Horry had one of his worse post seasons. T-Park, all you do in here is criticize everyone's take. Your takes aren't all that and are just a repeat of Kori's or timvps. Please.

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Originally Posted by MoSpur

:rolleyes

Please give me Horry's wonderful stats and tell how much he came in handy this post season. We all waited for the big shot and it never came. Horry had one of his worse post seasons. T-Park, all you do in here is criticize everyone's take. Your takes aren't all that and are just a repeat of Kori's or timvps. Please.

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Yeah because Kori's take that Horry is gone is what I'm saying :rolleyes

The big shot never came?

Uh, did you watch game 7 vs the Hornets?!?!

HELLO!!!!!

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Originally Posted by T Park

Wrong again.


Pop and Duncan wanted Josh Howard. RC Buford wanted Jason Kidd.

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T Park,
I respectfully disagree with you. And I know there are two camps in this town about that.

But back in 2003, Pop had all the power. He had just coached a team to his second title. And he was still the GM back then. Now don't you think, had he wanted Howard, we would have drafted Howard? A writer for the Express News told me that everbody in the front office was for drafting Howard, except one lone hold out. He wouldn't tell me who, but I could tell it was Pop. When Parker questioned the siging of Kidd, Pop went bersek in the local media on Parker for quesitoning the move. When Kidd spurned us, who went to Indiana to try to get O'neal to sign and then to Slovenia to get Rasho? Pop that is who.

So unless you have some proof to the contrary, I will always believe it was Pop who vetoed the drafting of Howard.

I will agree the Scola fiasco was all on Buford and Lindsey.

ElNono, don't waste your time trying to convince the SpursTalk hall monitor (TPark) about your take because in his eyes they aren't good.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

Sure. I'm not saying Stoudemire was the saviour. But Pop actually went to court the guy mid-season because Tony went down and we couldn't score to save our lives. What's the point if you're not going to play him? He played what, 15 games as a Spur?

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He did his job by filling in while Parker was out.

He lost his job when he played horrible after Parker got back.

Simple as that.

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Originally Posted by T Park

The Spurs lost Speedy Claxton cause he wanted a good sized contract and to start.

Neither one they were willing to give, and I'm thankfull they didn't.

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I recall Pop was very irriatated with Jackson and his agent, and clearly said their delay had a factor in us losing Claxton.

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Dawg

T Park,
I respectfully disagree with you. And I know there are two camps in this town about that.

But back in 2003, Pop had all the power. He had just coached a team to his second title. And he was still the GM back then. Now don't you think, had he wanted Howard, we would have drafted Howard? A writer for the Express News told me that everbody in the front office was for drafting Howard, except one lone hold out. He wouldn't tell me who, but I could tell it was Pop. When Parker questioned the siging of Kidd, Pop went bersek in the local media on Parker for quesitoning the move. When Kidd spurned us, who went to Indiana to try to get O'neal to sign and then to Slovenia to get Rasho? Pop that is who.

So unless you have some proof to the contrary, I will always believe it was Pop who vetoed the drafting of Howard.

I will agree the Scola fiasco was all on Buford and Lindsey.

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It was Buford.

Its been mentioned a billion times on this forum that its been RC Buford.

Search Josh Howard threads on this forum and see what the top posters said about that deal.

Pop Duncan wanted Howard. RC wanted Kidd.

RC convinced them all to go with Kidd. Thats the truth.

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Originally Posted by MoSpur

ElNono, don't waste your time trying to convince the SpursTalk hall monitor (TPark) about your take because in his eyes they aren't good.

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No Stoudamire and Vaughn aren't good I agree.

Bringing Horry back would be a huge mistake. The guy needs to retire. Its time to get younger. Not saying all vets need to be cut loose, but its obvious Finley and Horry need to go. If Bonner is not going to get playing time, the Spurs need to find a way to trade him. His contract isn't bad nor good, but I think the Spurs can package him to get someone decent in return.

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Dawg

I recall Pop was very irriatated with Jackson and his agent, and clearly said their delay had a factor in us losing Claxton.

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They were never signing Claxton due to him wanting to Start.

Go back and read the articles again.

Pop can deflect that all he wants due to his hate for the agent, THATS true. It had no effect on Claxton though due to him wanting to start. He signed with Golden State, started for a year, then they backstabbed him and went with Derek Fisher.

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Originally Posted by MoSpur

Bringing Horry back would be a huge mistake. The guy needs to retire. Its time to get younger. Not saying all vets need to be cut loose, but its obvious Finley and Horry need to go. If Bonner is not going to get playing time, the Spurs need to find a way to trade him. His contract isn't bad nor good, but I think the Spurs can package him to get someone decent in return.

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Horry would be fine as the 11th or 12th man.

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Originally Posted by T Park

The problem is hindsight. AT THE TIME, Stephen Jackson had 1 good playoff run, he was still an unknown, if you give him a big contract will he slack and not perform? They didn't know. THey offered a fair 3 year 12 million dollar deal. He wanted 5 and whatever else. Turkoglu would've been a good replacement had he had a set of juevos, and thats how that whole scenario wound up going bad.
No sense living in the past.

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Very accurate report.

The Spurs did a great job this season with who they rolled with. However, the teams they're going to compete with in the West are younger and more athletic. Such as Portland, L.A, Golden State, Denver even.

IMO, get younger in a few spots and they'll be right up there again.

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Dawg

Very accurate report.

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Yeah at the time when Jackson left it was thought, is this a mistake?

I thought it was (although I'm sure at the time I said otherwise) but like I said, everyone that gnashes their teeth over it is just wasting energy.

Horry as a 11th or 12th might take away an opportunity for someone young to develop though. The Spurs have nine players under contract for next season. That only leaves a few spots open. I don't want them to waste those spots on someone like Horry. The guy is on the decline. Obviously. I like what he did for us, but this post season was not good for him. He was rested. He hardly played in the regular season because of injury. Why waste a spot and $$$ on someone like that?