Getting Inside
Despite having limited budgets in most cases, the rich tend to get richer in the NBA off-season.
The explanation is simple: Many veteran players, anxious to get a ring before hanging up their sneakers, are willing to take less money to play for a good team.
It’s how teams like the Celtics wind up with key guys like James Posey. And how the Spurs have landed the likes of Michael Finley, Robert Horry and Brent Barry at relatively bargain rates in the past.
So, why did Corey Maggette break from the mold and sign with playoff wannabe Golden State when San Antonio wanted him so badly?
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The harsh reality is: Maybe the Spurs aren’t rich anymore. Just upper-middle class.
The Spurs wooed the Clippers star with talk of him being a difference-maker on a club that’s just 13 months removed from having won a le and were just three games away from another berth in the NBA Finals this past season.
But a $5.8 million offer (the most the Spurs could offer in a first-year deal by rule) couldn’t compete with the Warriors’ $10 million salary for 2008-09 and $50 million guarantee overall.
So the Spurs went to Plan B: Roger Mason Jr., a free agent who agreed to take $7.5 million over two years.
He’s no Maggette, but there was a silver lining in the ex-Clipper’s choice: At least he didn’t choose one of the Spurs’ rich compe ors.
Notes, Quotes
• Roger Mason Jr., a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, has a strength: Perimeter shooting. He made 130 of his 327 three-point shots last season, a trustworthy 39.8-percent clip. In his four-year NBA career with the Bulls, Raptors and Wizards, Mason was almost as likely to hit a three (37.4 percent) as a two-pointer (40.5 percent overall).
• Having signed Mason to back up Michael Finley, the Spurs basically let Brent Barry leave as a free agent. He signed with the Rockets, getting almost $4 million for two years.
• The Spurs assigned all three of their draft picks—point guard George Hill, swingman Malik Hairston and power forward James Gist—to their summer-league team that was signed up to participate in the Las Vegas and Rocky Mountain leagues. Veteran Ian Mahinmi also was on the club.
Quote To Note: “If the veterans want me to carry their bags or get doughnuts or McDonald’s, I’m down with that.”—Rookie point guard George Hill, acknowledging he knows his role on the veteran-laden Spurs club.
Roster Report
Draft Picks:
George Hill, G, 6-2, IUPUI—The Summit League Player of the Year is considered equally talented at both ends of the floor. The 22-year-old stood out at the NBA predraft camp in Orlando.
Malik Hairston, F, 6-6, Oregon—The run-and-gun Ducks were known for their offense, and Hairston (sixth-leading scorer in school history) provided his fair share. But he also was considered the club’s best defensive player.
James Gist, F, 6-9, Maryland—A powerful interior presence who made the Atlantic Coast Conference’s all-defensive first team.
Biggest Needs: Having imported Roger Mason Jr. via free agency, the Spurs now must turn their attention to retaining last year’s key contributors. Re-signing Kurt Thomas becomes their top priority.
Free-agent Focus: The Spurs have four key free agents: Thomas, Robert Horry, Michael Finley and Damon Stoudamire. Following the drafting of Hill, Stoudamire now rates alongside the 38-year-old Horry, who is pondering retirement, as the least likely to return.
Player Notes:
• If the Spurs aren’t able to re-sign veteran big man Kurt Thomas this summer, you can probably blame the Warriors. The Lakers have been looking at Thomas, but only as an insurance policy should Ronny Turiaf leave as a free agent. With the Warriors having signed Turiaf to an offer sheet, the Lakers were left asking: Who should they pursue, Turiaf or Thomas? If Thomas were to sign with the Lakers, that would be doubly difficult for the Spurs to swallow.
• James Gist must play well in the summer leagues to crack the Spurs’ 12-man roster. But even if he stands out, his playing time next season surely will be affected by Thomas’ status. Having dealt Francisco Elson last season, the Spurs would have few big-man options if Thomas were to sign elsewhere. Gist could play his way into the backup power-forward role with a series of impressive outings and favorable news (for him, anyway) regarding Thomas.
• Even though Spurs coach Gregg Popovich all but handed George Hill, the team’s first-round pick, a roster spot on the night of the draft, the IUPUI point guard vowed to earn his guaranteed salary by performing well in the summer leagues to earn meaningful minutes once the real games begin in November. Hill will earn $2.7 million in his three-year, rookie-wage-scale deal.
linky
• Having signed Mason to back up Michael Finley, the Spurs basically let Brent Barry leave as a free agent. He signed with the Rockets, getting almost $4 million for two years.
This line made me cringe...and hopefully its not coming from Ludden, because then we would have to assume he knew what he was talking about.
If we lose KT who do we go for?
Sure Barry is a good offensive player, but I am sure you won't be too concerned when he misses half the season with another injury. I like Mason, good signing by the Spurs FO. Now for some action in the front court.
Finley's backup?
Isn't that Manu? Only in rotation of course.
Patrick O'Bryant, Lorenzen Wright, Kwame Brown, Chris Anderson, or *gulp* Fransico Elson or hopefully Walter Herrmann
In Finley is ahead of anyone in the rotation next year, Spurs will be fishing in May again.
More than likely, Fin is Steve Smith circa 2002-2003.
if we lost Thomas we should go for Javtokas
Me too. What? They can't be thinking Finley has a place on the team next year, surely??? He was horrible for large stretches of last season. Love ya Mike, but it's time to hang up the boots. Pity they let Bones go though...
This makes me think Ludden is just filling column inches. Anyone with a brain knew Damon wasn't gonna be here next year back in March.The Spurs have four key free agents: Thomas, Robert Horry, Michael Finley and Damon Stoudamire. Following the drafting of Hill, Stoudamire now rates alongside the 38-year-old Horry, who is pondering retirement, as the least likely to return.
As for KT, he is a MUST. Give him $10-12mil for 2 years - GET IT DONE ALREADY! He is the only other reliable veteran big we have outside TD (Oberto was very hit and miss last year).
From that list I'd go with The Birdman - he's on a path toward redemption and I think he could really benefit from our locker-room.
BTW, not talking about bigs any more, but what has James Jones done?
i'm all in for this
agreed
If he is even considered to be a part of the rotation, he's a lot better than I thought.
I'm sure it's gonna take Gist a while to develop into a regular rotation player. However, I can see Gist easily becoming the Spurs best "energy" player, off the bench, since Malik Rose. His at ude, hustle, and willingness to defend alone, should help earn him a spot at the end of the bench.
If the Lakers get Kurt and then get Bynum back we're in some deep doo doo...
Mason was not brought in as a backup, IMO. Finley should be a bench player who comes in at the 2 and 3 depending on matchups. He can help, but SAS cannot put heavy minutes on the oldest guys next year and expect to contend.
The La Las cannot offer more money to Thomas than what the Spurs can offer unless SAS decides only a two year deal will be done with him. The Spurs have Bird rights on Thomas. I would hope the FO was interested in this guy for more than just renting him a third of last season if they traded a #1 in 2009 for him. If he leaves, the FO will have been pretty short sighted.
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