http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.389a498.html
Spurs left to ponder new plan
Jeff McDonald
LOS ANGELES — Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant met at midcourt Thursday night, and it was difficult not to search for symbolism.
It was tempting to portray that moment, in the aftermath of the Los Angeles Lakers' five-game victory over the Spurs in the Western Conference finals, as an example of two franchises passing in the night.
Here was one old champion handing the torch to another, a fading dynasty giving way to a newer generation; the last throes for Duncan's Spurs, the beginning of a second gilded age for Kobe's new-look Lakers.
There was only one flaw in this tableau, if you asked the man charged with overseeing the Spurs' decade of dominance: It wasn't entirely accurate.
Asked if the Spurs are in for a tough-love kind of offseason, one for rebuilding and rebirth, coach Gregg Popovich smirked.
“So when you lose, you've got to make changes, right?” he asked. “And if we had won, we wouldn't have to do a damn thing? I think that's too superficial an analysis of any team at the end of the season.”
The Lakers have moved on to the NBA Finals, recreating what for them once seemed an annual occurrence. The Spurs, meanwhile, are left to contemplate their place in this new Western Conference world order.
There is an old guard clinging to relevancy, and there is a new, young crop of up-and-comers — the Lakers, New Orleans, and Portland — threatening to remake the top of the conference in their image for years to come.
“All those three or four les we won? OK, we have them,” Manu Ginobili said after the Spurs' Game 5 ouster. “But we can't be happy because of that. We want to win it every year, because we have an opportunity to win it every year.”
One way or another, it will be an offseason sure to impact the Spurs' transition into this new era.
With the window for a fifth le closing a little more every day Duncan gets older, the Spurs could opt to revamp and rebuild, to bet on today. It isn't a bad wager, given the aging state of the roster.
Of the players who played significant roles in this year's playoff run, only one — 26-year-old point guard Tony Parker — is younger than 30.
Duncan is 32. Ginobili, whose postseason was marred with nagging injuries, will be 31 by the time the team reconvenes for training camp.
The Spurs have that “Big Three” core under contract for the next two seasons, as well as Bruce Bowen, their 36-year-old defensive ace. That should keep them compe ive for the time being.
Still, the Spurs could still use a young scorer on the wing, as well as added beef at power forward. The Spurs own three picks in this year's draft, plus a mid-level exception worth about $5 million to spend on free-agent shopping.
“Obviously, we'll have to add some pieces to our team, a couple of tweaks here and there,” Duncan said. “Love what we had this year. I thought our team played hard. We just weren't good enough through stretches.”
Change will come to San Antonio this offseason. The Spurs will get younger, if only due to the natural cycle of life.
Five members of the team's 15-man roster are poised to become free agents. There will be decisions to make regarding guard Michael Finley and forward Kurt Thomas, a pair of 35-year-olds who played part-time starting roles this season.
Thomas' return takes on an even higher priority now that it appears Tiago Splitter, the Spurs' first-round pick last year, might remain in Spain for more money.
Robert Horry, the 38-year-old veteran with more playoff experience than anyone in NBA history, is expected to retire, though he has yet to make that decision official. Damon Stoudamire, inactive for much of the playoffs, is unlikely to return. DerMarr Johnson, who was little more than a practice player, may or may not be back.
Any decision made this offseason must be weighed against the summer of 2010, which is shaping up to be a banner year for free agents. Only Duncan and Parker are under contract for the 2010-11 season, affording the Spurs money and cap space with which to lure new blood.
Money spent now, however, could cut into their nest egg for 2010.
“It is no different than any other year,” Popovich said. “Whether we've won championships or not, we've made changes to our team that we thought were appropriate. That's what we'll do the next month before the draft, come together and see what we want to do.”
Between now and then, Popovich will resist the urge for cheap symbolism.
Duncan and Bryant met at midcourt at the end of the Western Conference finals. Popovich sees no reason to believe they can't meet there again one day.
This kills me. Hopefully he has more of a clue than this. He's been saying the same damn thing for three years at least and hasn't done a damn thing.“So when you lose, you've got to make changes, right?” he asked. “And if we had won, we wouldn't have to do a damn thing? I think that's too superficial an analysis of any team at the end of the season.”
Uh RC Buford already said they needed to get younger.
Way to pay attention
Thomas' return takes on an even higher priority now that it appears Tiago Splitter, the Spurs' first-round pick last year, might remain in Spain for more money.
He still hasn't even for sure decided that yet..
They're idiots if they think they can go down this road again. They'll just end up like before - with nothing to show for all their cap room. Free agency cap room to lure players to SA is fool's gold.Any decision made this offseason must be weighed against the summer of 2010, which is shaping up to be a banner year for free agents. Only Duncan and Parker are under contract for the 2010-11 season, affording the Spurs money and cap space with which to lure new blood.
Money spent now, however, could cut into their nest egg for 2010.
well the MLE doesn't affect 2010.
I think McDonald doesn't know the cap specifics.
The Spurs are capped out until 2010 regardless of the FAs this year.
Pop's comments are not as encouraging as Buford's about needing some changes and finding a way to get younger though I'm sure he knows what needs to be done.
Well other than post the league's best record in '06, win a championship in '07, and have the team right there again this year.
I get what you're saying, but the status quo did make sense for the past 3 years. If you're at a championship level, I'm all for using every roster spot on a guy who fills a role for that team.
However, we're now at the point where some of the 'roles' need to be younger and quicker. I don't believe that the status quo + 1 year is good enough to have any reasonable shot at the le (really only Parker & Udoka can be expected to improve from this past season, and there are plenty of guys who can expect a drop).
Basically, I guess what I'm saying is that status quo made sense in the past (so I don't blame the FO), but it doesn't now (so I won't about it until they do nothing). We don't need wholesale changes. Just somewhere between 2-4 (with the quan y depending on the quality) guys with some quickness and hops.
Otherwise, we'll go the way of the late 90s Jazz.
The status quo when we had the oldest team in the league last summer didn't make much sense then either, it sure as doesn't this year.
The Spurs got lucky last year in not really seeing a team that could take advantage of their age the way teams like a NO and LA can. Everyone saw it and called it last summer, but Holt was too busy counting his championship millions to give a damn.
McDonalds sucks. Ludden article on yahoo is much better
Except they still got past that NO team. And nobody could have expected LA to add a guy like Gasol for their spare parts.
Coming in, everybody thought the major compe ors for this season would be Dallas, PHX, Detroit, Utah, and maybe Boston.
Now that we have seen the future is here ahead of schedule, there is no excuse for not retooling on the fly.
I think he's pointing out that if a contract is signed this off-season for longer than two years, it WILL cut into the Spurs' available pot in 2010.
I think that's why he said "money spent now could cut into the 2010 nest egg".
Well, if anything should teach the Spurs the lesson about "staying put" is the fact that anything and everything can happen in the offseason or during the season that can dramatically change the postseason scene.
On the one end, We saw 2 major le contenders at the start of the season, mortgage everything they had and fall far short of their expectations in Dallas and Pheonix.
On the other hand, We saw 2 non-contenders last year and teams who haven't made it out of the first round in 3-4 years, make it all the way to the NBA Finals this season because of major trades and aquisitions.
Pop is partially right in that, sure, the Spurs obviously did have a good enough team this past year if they managed to get past the Suns, win a Game 7 against the Hornets on the road, etc. But he hopefully he also realizes just how quickly things can change in the league and that matching up with the younger, athletic teams in the West is going to be a great challenge.
Do you think he'll have the job next season?
This comment is an indication as to Pop's defensive nature and his sarcastic arrogance. This statement will tell you how he thinks. Based upon his limited offseason moves this past summer, it's clear he allowed hs sentiments for some players to override his judgement.
As executive VP, he's obligated to look at how his team stacks up against the rest of the conference and look at ways to improve the team each and every year. He owes as much to Duncan and Ginobili, after they gave the Spurs the ol' hometown discount so the team would have the financial flexibility needed to be in a position to contend for years to come.
Sure, he and R.C. have had their hits and their misses. However it was the Nick Van Exel acquisition that I started losing faith in both of them. Anyone who watched basketball could see that he was washed up, yet Pop signed him anyway. This year, it was Damon Stoudamire. Decisions like this do not inspire confidence.
saving capspace for 2010. In 03 we were coming off a le, had a ridiculously young core, and huge amounts of capspace and what happened? Kidd and O'Neal said to off, Jackson walked, Claxton walked, and the Spurs signed Nesterovic to one of the worst contracts in the history of the franchise. The only positive to come out of the summer of 2003 was that they signed Rob.
FF to '10-'11. Tim Duncan's close to retirement, Manu is 33 and has lost many steps, and now Dwayne Wade is coming to save the franchise? Bull .
All-in to win the next two championships after this season, and then back to the lottery when Tim retires. The only way to get a true franchise player (without being the Lakers or Knicks) is to draft him.
....and he needs to set aside whatever personal biases he may have toward younger players and acquire players that can score, defend and that can match that level of athleticism. Obviously, it will take some time for some players to develop, but he needs to demostrate that he has the level of patience needed to coach them too.
Stoudamire was a desperation signing that worked out pretty well I thought. He was brought in solely to be a warm body while Tony was injured in February, and he played well enough to keep the Spurs in the playoffs at that time. He didn't start sucking until Pop told him to shoot more.
They were able to use the money saved to lock up the big 3 long term without going deep into the luxury tax (which - like it or not - is always a consideration with this squad).
While we didn't get Kidd or O'Neal, it's unfair to say that saving that money was a complete failure.
ftw. 2010 is cap space fool's gold. Win now.
I still don't understand the ones here that keep saying Manu has lost a step or two. Guy just came off a career year...after what? Losing a step? ing ridiculous statement. He was banged up and yes he also ran out of steam trying to offensively carry a team without a legit 3rd option. He needs to play a few less minutes next year and the team needs addition 2-3 help but the guy has far from lost a step, age is one thing but he's still highly effective when used properly. A guy like Manu has no business playing 36 plus minutes a night, that doesn't fit his style at all.
Spurs are freeing up cap space in 2010 as Parker is a free agent in 2011. This team will be Tony's team before long and the Spurs are going to build it around him.
I think part of the thinking is that Manu had to step up his scoring while Parker was out which wore him down and he essentially peaked before March. He's supposed to play this summer, which means you have to extremely limit his minutes during the season if you are going to make another run. The problem is the Spurs need his scoring during the season. So, even if you want to trade him you will never get anything back at fair value for him. Therefore, it's a ludicrous statement to say they will move him. Not that it's ridiculous in thought, just ridiculous in ever expecting to get something back that is an upgrade or equivalent.
I have to agree with this, and go so far as to add, to with going into lux tax territory to do it.
Do what is needed to get it done now while TD and Manu are still good to go so their monetary sacrifices don't go down the drain!
They are at least deserved that. They made their sacrifice, now Holt needs to bite the bullet and pony up the money to get as good a player or players as can be gotten within the rules regardless of lux tax territory this coming year.
Granted it's not my money, but in a certain respect, it is TD's and Manu's, or rather what they could have demanded from other less fiscally responsible teams.
Then they can worry about 2010 in 2010, as they match up with the L.A.s, Portlands, Utahs, Bostons, and New Orleans of the league, and as they carry home a few more trophies.
Pop has never been much of a status quo guy, he revamped the team after thier le in 03 and basically did the same thing after 05. So last season was somewhat of a shock to me, since I firmly believe that a championship team should be kept together to defend, although I do agree that improvements can always be made, but not like the wholesale changes that the Spurs went through in 03, 04, and 05.
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