Big Man Needed: The Alternative Draft and Offseason View

[JoshO501]

how about craig smith? he wont cost very much.

[E20]

Found the thread and NYTimes article about D'Antoni not wanting Lee. Take it for what it is worth.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...ike+d%27antoni

[NewJerSpur]

I still think D'Antoni would be wiser to stick with Lee who can help ignite fast breaks with his rebounding and finish them with his hustle down court. Funny that he traded for Kurt Thomas who is a more experienced, but less athletic version of Lee with a more consistent jumper yet Mike's confidant claims there's no place for David in the D'Antoni system. I think the main thing he has to do is get confidence in his jump shot...he has good form but short arms too many of his shots seemingly thinking he shouldn't even be involved in any offense outside of the paint.

[Spur-Addict]

Found the thread and NYTimes article about D'Antoni not wanting Lee. Take it for what it is worth.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...ike+d%27antoni

Thank you sir.

[Marcus Bryant]

JR Smith is obviously the Spurs' top free agent target.

[K-State Spur]

Good lord, we're talking about taking a cheap flier on him, not giving him the max.

It's stupid to judge him for not producing as a center in Nellieball.

I already mentioned that I was fine with buying low on him.

Just was saying that there was no previous success to be "reclaimed". Any prolonged success would really be his first at any level.

[timvp]

My only problem with Patrick O'Bryant is he can't play in D-League any longer. As a buy low, he's an awesome candidate for a bigman. In fact, DeSagana Diop was at one point in time a much worse looking prospect than O'Bryant. O'Bryant for the LLE is great value.

[K-State Spur]

I specifically remember reading on this board after D'Antoni became the HC for the Knicks is that David Lee did not fit the mold for the type of players he wanted playing for him. So hopefully/maybe D'Antoni would give him up under his market value. And David Lee's contract is, IIRC, 2 years around 4 million according to hoopshype. Plus this is NY we are talking about anything can happen with a combination of Thomas, D'Antoni, and Dolan (One of them cancels Donnie Walsh)

i believe that was just an espn writer's speculation - not any actual statements made by dantoni.

[Popo>Phil]

Sign Patrick O'Bryant and Kurt Thomas. Spurs should spend the MLE and their first round draft pick on perimeter players.

POB makes sense to me and he seems not to have a bright prospect in GSW:

Though he assumes that Baron Davis and the rest of the Warriors' core will be back, Nelson also admits that the new season will bring a new philosophy. Brandan Wright and Marco Belinelli, who rarely played during their rookie season, already have begun practicing in Oakland again, and Nelson insists they will be worked into the rotation.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...SP6D111S3G.DTL

but doesn't he has a 4y contract until 2010?

[E20]

POB makes sense to me and he seems not to have a bright prospect in GSW:

Though he assumes that Baron Davis and the rest of the Warriors' core will be back, Nelson also admits that the new season will bring a new philosophy. Brandan Wright and Marco Belinelli, who rarely played during their rookie season, already have begun practicing in Oakland again, and Nelson insists they will be worked into the rotation.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...SP6D111S3G.DTL

but doesn't he has a 4y contract until 2010?

As of now the only thing I've been hearing locally is Davis and his halted contract negotiations with Golden State. It's overshadowed Barnes, Pietrus, and Azubuike.

"After sitting down with the Warriors organization (Thursday) regarding Baron's future, I don't know what direction the Warriors are going," Ramasar said. "Baron is adamant about remaining a Warrior but based on my conversations with the team (Thursday), we have to consider all of his options."

A source close to Davis said it's also 50-50 that the Warriors' captain, coming off a season in which he averaged 21.8 points, 7.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds, will leave either this summer or after next season after various contract offers that were quite disappointing.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/warr...nclick_check=1
http://www.contracostatimes.com/warriors/ci_9246654

Although it sounds like Baron is trying to play hard ball and get his money's worth he has known to be a malcontent.

[NewJerSpur]

JR Smith is obviously the Spurs' top free agent target.

Some fans have him higher up on the priority list than he likely is in reality. Although, he would help SA get on Top Plays more often, lol.

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs traded for him. Some fans remember that.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

What about Ian?

I can't believe it took until post #20 for someone to mention Ian. The guy could develop into a very good weakside shot blocker with his speed and hops. I also agree with others that Diop would be a nice addition.

[NewJerSpur]

The Spurs traded for him. Some fans remember that.

The Spurs tried to acquire him from NO when he was an even younger up-start...before he showed he could be a troubled hot-head on and off the court. As far as his game goes, he's good for a highlight reel right about now, but SA is trying to add to the trophy case and I doubt they'll overpay him to help them do so. Just my opinion.

[Blackjack]

Much of the board's generated posts around Marcus Bryant's Draft Profiles have been around wing and SG prospects, with a PG thrown in (Chalmers). This is not remiss, there is no doubting the team badly needs scoring, youth, and athleticism to refresh its perimeter players. Rush, Lee, Batum, CDR are all good prospects...

But are we barking up the wrong tree? Since the beginning of the Duncan era, for more than a decade now, the prevailing team philosophy for defense required two shot-blockers on the floor at all times, or as much as possible. When Robinson retired we shifted to Rasho Nesterovic and then added Nazr Mohammed. When we got rid of those guys, we at least had Francisco Elson. But then, when we traded Elson off, suddenly we only have one guy of any real shot-blocking threat left: Duncan himself. (I discount Horry, who is (was) more an opportunistic shot-blocker.) One of the reasons for a gradual decline in defensive prowess team-wide could be a lack of another guy guarding the rim.

Now, with the loss of Splitter, himself not known as a shot-blocker but at least having the length and timing to have the potential (1 block/game is enough), where do we turn? The roster is littered with big men who are fairly immobile and do not help in this department. The team may consider themselves backed in to a corner here and required to select a big man with their first pick. I'm not so sure they'll pick a wing.

What are the possibilities?

Robertas Javtokas -- don't think there is any contact there any more.

Francisco Elson -- he is a free agent and for all his addled charm, serves in this regard, has the length to perhaps bother Odom or Gasol.

Drafting -- Koufos, Lopez, Ibaka, Ajinca, Hibbert

Any ideas here?

I'm not sure if it's so much of a need for a big man, as a need for what a good big man usually brings. What I mean is, we need another low-post presence but not neccessarily a big man. We need rebounding, shot-blocking, and someone who can draw a double team every once in a while, even if they're not a 7-footer. We need people who can get easy buckets and draw fouls(to take advantage of the penalty) regardless of position.

Good low-post big men are hard to come buy, so maybe finding a Bonzi-ish type player is a little more realistic. It really doesn't matter how tall the player is, as much as how effective they are. We just need someone other than Duncan to give us a post-threat.

A guy I really want to see the Spurs pick up (while not the post-threat we're looking for) is Dominic McGuire. When I watched him play at Fresno St. his feel for the game reminded me a little of J.Green and B.Diaw, with the way they'd play through him in the post/high-post. With his build though, and the way he rebounded and blocked shots, I couldn't help but see a little S.Marion/G.Wallace in him.

He's got the potential to be a real diamond in the rough. He could give us a real versatile defender who rebounds and blocks shots from the 3/4 position. His shot needs work ( o, Chip) but this is the type of guy the Spurs should be looking to develop. I think DeMarr was even nice enough to open a spot for him.

We're probably not going to find everything we need in one particular player. So maybe finding a couple players, with a unique skill-set, is the way to go. I think sometimes we all look at things a little too convetionally, and forget that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

And sometimes we find ourselves using cliches that would make B.Bowen proud.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I already mentioned that I was fine with buying low on him.

Just was saying that there was no previous success to be "reclaimed". Any prolonged success would really be his first at any level.

See Jackson, Stephen.

[SPURSGOAT]

Diop!!!! Him and Duncan would own the lane... just getting him would be an instant upgrade... would be like having the twin towers all over again....with Mahinmi and Kurt Thomas coming off the bench...

[SPURSGOAT]

JR Smith is obviously the Spurs' top free agent target.

I don't think we would be able to land Smith... would love it if we did... but I don't see it happening... I think we have a better shot at Diop than Smith.

[Blackjack]

Ahh.... Screw it!

Why don't they just sign Candace Parker already???

[kobyz]

Duncan, Splitter, Mahinmi, Thomas and Oberto could have be a great big man rotation, now we need to find replacement to Splitter that was supposed to be the second importent big after Duncan, it will be hard to find him replacement!

[angelbelow]

such a tough decision.. do we use our money on a Bigman, wing, or pg? as far as the draft is concerned, i say we draft the most NBA ready player and go from there. whether thats rush, CDR, lopez, whoever, and we should plan it out from there.

[Bruno]

but doesn't he has a 4y contract until 2010?

No he is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

[TDMVPDPOY]

alonzo mourning or pjbrown for the pension...

[wildchild]

Regarding DeSagana Diop, I find it tough to convince myself that he's worth the MLE. I really like his defense but he's such a horrible offensive player that he might negate much of his defensive work. The Spurs can't really afford to take a step back offensively, especially since it was their offense that let them down against the Lakers. I'll have to think about Diop some more but his offense really is pitiful and is the reason why the Mavs basically gave him away and the the reason why the Nets hardly played him. Perhaps he could work as long as the Spurs bring in that much talked about fourth scorer . . .

I don't know...Diop offense isn't great, and so?
KT's offensive isn't great too. His pick and rolls didn't work, his shot didn't effective (remember several KT games with 2-11 on %FT?), his offensive chemistry with Tim in the paint didn't work too...
C'mon I prefer Diop, at least he isn't 36 year old next season.
Agree. KT had a nice round against Suns and a good game against Lakers. One game in Los Angeles, against New Orleans he didn't so much.
He hasn't the Diop size, he doesn't move without the ball like Oberto or his pass and assts to Tim, he isn't athletic and young guy like Ian. Ian can run, block and score if Pop gives him the chance.
I say bring Diop with the money KT's contract.
Tim, Diop, Oberto and Ian is much better.
timvp in Pop offensive systems our fourth scorer never will be a bigmen with Tim in the paint, the Spurs need add a great and young perimeter scorer. This new guy'll be our fourth scorer.

[SenorSpur]

I don't know...Diop offense isn't great, and so?
KT's offensive isn't great too. His pick and rolls didn't work, his shot didn't effective (remember several KT games with 2-11 on %FT?), his offensive chemistry with Tim in the paint didn't work too...
C'mon I prefer Diop, at least he isn't 36 year old next season.
Agree. KT had a nice round against Suns and a good game against Lakers. One game in Los Angeles, against New Orleans he didn't so much.
He hasn't the Diop size, he doesn't move without the ball like Oberto or his pass and assts to Tim, he isn't athletic and young guy like Ian. Ian can run, block and score if Pop gives him the chance.
I say bring Diop with the money KT's contract.
Tim, Diop, Oberto and Ian is much better.
timvp in Pop offensive systems our fourth scorer never will be a bigmen with Tim in the paint, the Spurs need add a great and young perimeter scorer. This new guy'll be our fourth scorer.

Agree. As much as we need that 4th scorer (new perimeter swingman, we also need another big of size. Someone who can pair up with Tim to combat the suddenly taller frontlines of the Blazers and the Fakers. We cannot beat the Fakers with just Tim as our lone rim=protector, rebounder and post player. Ian maybe that guy in the next couple of years, but he's not going to hit the ground running because he so young.