Spurs acquire Thomas from Sonics for Barry, Elson

[Holt's Cat]

then they sign someone to a minimum deal.

[DubMcDub]

You buy the player out for less than his contract calls for him to be paid.

Quite possible.

How is 14 "shorthanded"?

They wouldn't have to pay as much, and I have yet to see a team play a 15 man rotation with any regularity.

That confuses the issue, though. That makes it sound like Barry is the 15th guy in the rotation. He'd be top 5. It's "shorthanded" in the sense that you're giving up a halfway decent player, still paying him (albeit possibly less money, as you mention), but not getting anyone else to fill in.

I'm all on board with the "rebuilding" philosophy, but the Sonics would also like to win a game or two this year, you know. It will help them in the long run. Plus, nobody in a professional sporting league likes to lose. Waiving Barry without another trade lined up to fill his spot (or a FA-signing, which I'm not sure who that'd be) makes their team worse.

[rAm]

I think it is a good trade, we might miss that offense unless manu can continue this rape session he is having.



http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...=1#post2259546

ESPN Article on it

[Holt's Cat]

Spurs get better with this trade. Thomas can still score without having to play inside. He is a seasoned vet who can set solid screens and he has played good defense over the years in a great defensive system (NY Knicks). I am very happy with this trade.

Agreed. Other than sending out the pick. But you have to give to get.

[Bruno]

Another thing I didn't like about this trade is that it won't help Spurs in 08-09 and 09-10.
If Spurs are serious about the 2010 plan, they will have a hard time to have a good team after this summer. And it will be even harder than before the trade because Spurs won't have their 2009 first round pick.

It is the second trade in a row that I didn't like for Spurs. If you add the Marcus Williams failure, Spurs FO has been quite bad lately. The only bright spot was the Udoka signing.

[SenorSpur]

Spurs get better with this trade. Thomas can still score without having to play inside. He is a seasoned vet who can set solid screens and he has played good defense over the years in a great defensive system (NY Knicks). I am very happy with this trade.

No doubt. The Spurs desparately needed the size addition.

Artest would have been nice on the perimeter. But the addition of Thomas is better all around.

[Solid D]

Brent loves the city of Seattle, so it's a good trade to let him retire up here,(if he doesn't come back after being waived) so while he will be missed at least it's not like we are sending him to the Knicks. Plus he probably has a future in broadcasting at some point given his sense of humor.

But Thomas fills a definite need, with all the size we are going to be contending with. And it will add a defender in the paint that we have been lacking since Rasho left.

Udoka has proven to more than capable in Barry's minutes and he is a of a defender and has got good size.

Stoudamire is another cog that we have only just started to see meld into our team.

With these additions I really like our chances to repeat.

Some good points but I don't know about Brent being in Seattle....if he stays with the Sonics. The team is quite likely moving to Oklahoma City.

[ChumpDumper]

That confuses the issue, though. That makes it sound like Barry is the 15th guy in the rotation. He'd be top 5. It's "shorthanded" in the sense that you're giving up a halfway decent player, still paying him (albeit possibly less money, as you mention), but not getting anyone else to fill in.

They don't need a 15th player. They have a bunch of ty guards and forwards that need playing time if they are ever going to get better. What does Barry do for that?

I'm all on board with the "rebuilding" philosophy, but the Sonics would also like to win a game or two this year, you know.

That's pretty much last on their owners' priority list right now.

It will help them in the long run.

Does it move them to Oklahoma any faster? That's the long run.

Plus, nobody in a professional sporting league likes to lose. Waiving Barry without another trade lined up to fill his spot (or a FA-signing, which I'm not sure who that'd be) makes their team worse.

If they gave a about winning, they wouldn't have traded Thomas for a guy that currently can't play.

The biggest mistake anyone can make is failing to realize that money really is more important than winning.

[ThomasGranger]

.

[ploto]

I do have to laugh about one thing-- Thomas makes more than Rasho.

[SouthernFried]

If Barry's injury wasn't that bad then I would have rather kept him and traded Finley. I never understood the eagnerness to trade Barry and the reluctance to do so for Finley. I much prefer Ime and Barry on the court than Ime and Finley.

How Thomas affects Horry's playing time is the real question to me.

2 very interesting points. And I tend to agree, I preferred Brent out there over Finley. He gives you the 3 pointers, as well as some ball handling ability.

KT over Horry in the playoff's?

Pop's got some decisions to make.

[ThomasGranger]

I do have to laugh about one thing-- Thomas makes more than Rasho.

Because he's better.

[td4mvp21]

I do have to laugh about one thing-- Thomas makes more than Rasho.

Makes sense, he's way better than Rasho.

[jcrod]

Quite possible.





That confuses the issue, though. That makes it sound like Barry is the 15th guy in the rotation. He'd be top 5. It's "shorthanded" in the sense that you're giving up a halfway decent player, still paying him (albeit possibly less money, as you mention), but not getting anyone else to fill in.

I'm all on board with the "rebuilding" philosophy, but the Sonics would also like to win a game or two this year, you know. It will help them in the long run. Plus, nobody in a professional sporting league likes to lose. Waiving Barry without another trade lined up to fill his spot (or a FA-signing, which I'm not sure who that'd be) makes their team worse.

Give it up, you're not making sense.

They don't need 15 players. When a team buys out a contract, its always for less than the contract, duh!

They will try to win with the young players they have, more playing....more experince for next year. Barry doesn't help them in any way.

[ChumpDumper]

I do have to laugh about one thing-- Thomas makes more than Rasho.

And we should have traded Rasho for Thomas when we had the chance.

[angel_luv]

I hope Thomas does really well here -gets plenty of minutes and gels well with all the guys.

I expect he will.

[Spurs Brazil]

Thomas to the Spurs?
Former 76ers general manager Billy King of NBATV is reporting the Sonics and Spurs are working out a deal for Kurt Thomas. The Sonics likely would take back former favorite Brent Barry and perhaps Francisco Elson, another impending free agent.

The Sonics are not going to send Thomas to San Antonio as a favor, they would likely get a No. 1 pick in return, which would be late in the first round. The two sides would have to match salaries and the Spurs would like to throw in a draft pick or prospect to sweeten the deal. Sonics general manager Sam Presti knows the Spurs roster better than anyone, so he may request former first-round Ian Mahinmi in exchange. Stay tuned.
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/s...ves/132321.asp

[ThomasGranger]

I preferred Brent out there over Finley. He gives you the 3 pointers, as well as some ball handling ability.

Yeah, Fin's really been struggling from behind the arc lately, especially in the fourth quarters of games.

[td4mvp21]

2 very interesting points. And I tend to agree, I preferred Brent out there over Finley. He gives you the 3 pointers, as well as some ball handling ability.

KT over Horry in the playoff's?

Pop's got some decisions to make.

I say use all three of them (Oberto, Horry, Thomas), they can all do something different.

[DazedAndConfused]

There are two reasons why the Spurs would make this trade:

1. Barry is really done for this season.
2. They are scared less of the Lakers new frontline.

Probably a little bit of both.

[picnroll]

I'm just not sure I agree at all that it makes sense for them to waive him. Unless you think the Sonics have another deal or two up their sleeves, why would they go with a roster short of the max for no reason? Doesn't make sense.

I think it's much more likely that they'll enjoy having Barry around for 2 months, then they'll be glad to have his contract expire so they can work on building up their team of the future.

Maybe buying out Barry was part of the price for the first round pick. Barry is just 10x as smart as house.

I guarantee Barry will be back in a Spurs uniform.

[timvp]

How Thomas affects Horry's playing time is the real question to me.

Good question. This trade also could protect the team in case Horry doesn't have it anymore. The Spurs could use a bigman rotation of Duncan, Oberto and Thomas with Udoka filling in at PF when going with small ball if Horry becomes ineffective.

The best thing about this trade is the Spurs now have an abundance of quality bigmen options. Since Robinson retired, this is suddenly the best group of bigs the Spurs have had. Pop can mix and match to find who works best next to Duncan in each matchup.

Now if Barry comes back, that'd make this trade pretty good. If not, I guess Spurs fans have to be happy with the added bigman depth and the fact that no other contender got their hands on Thomas.

[Spurs Brazil]

Thomas traded to San Antonio
Posted by Percy Allen

The Sonics traded Kurt Thomas to the San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN and Yahoo Sports reports.

A Sonics PR spokesman couldn't confirm the report, but team officials are expected to make an announcement today.

Citing league sources, Yahoo Sports said the Sonics acquired center Francisco Elson, injured guard Brent Barry and a 2009 first-round draft pick. Elson and Barry, a former Sonic, have contracts that expire after the season.

In 42 games with the Sonics this season, Thomas averaged 7.5 points and 8.8 rebounds.

In his final game, a 108-101 victory against Memphis Tuesday at KeyArena, Thomas scored converted four of four field goals and finished with eight points and five rebounds. He played just 14:50 minutes, which was his fewest since Nov. 14.

UPDATE -- 3:49 P.M.

"For everything he's done in the NBA and what he brings to a team and what he brought to this team, I learned a lot being around him," Sonics guard Earl Watson said. "Especially on the court and off the court. Rarely do you get a big man who knows the game like a guard. I expect to see his numbers improve because of the type of guys around him.

"Out of respect to the game and his career, you respect the veterans and you do things like this for them. The way our season was going it, would be nice to see him end up on a playoff roster and nice to compete to a championship. So I'm excited for him and I'm excited to see him in the postseason."

Thomas' departure clears room on the roster to allow coach P.J. Carlesimo to play prospects Robert Swift and Johan Petro.
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.co...ex.html#022495

[ThomasGranger]

There are two reasons why the Spurs would make this trade:

1. Barry is really done for this season.
2. They are scared less of the Lakers new frontline.

Probably a little bit of both.

or

3. They really care what GhostWriter posts.

[DespЏrado]

Yeah, Fin's really been struggling from behind the arc lately, especially in the fourth quarters of games.

And Stoudamire fills that role as a three point shooter and ball handler.

Make no mistake Stoudamire is going to bring everything Speedy Claxton brought once he gets the system down. And when we need a three point shooter with more size and better defense we have Udoka.

That's why this deal makes sense.