Big Man Needed: The Alternative Draft and Offseason View

[tav1]

He was just brought up as an IR project. He's pretty much in the same boat as any big man we could draft as far as NBA potential. If there is a similar swingman available this summer, I'm open to that as well.

Buy low.

Chump, I can see you're thinking here. I think it's a high priority to get younger too. But I want to see a balance between getting younger and competing for a championship. I really do not like our limited ability to develop Bryant. If we're going to draft/sign a big--I don't think that we should, but assuming--I'd rather it be someone we can develop overseas or in Austin.

I mentioned Zo as a 5th big shot blocking safety net. I wouldn't expect anything special from him.

[tav1]

I think that Players like Bonner and Mahinmi can be productive but you need to give them consistent playing time during the season. It isn't possible if you stockpile vets in front of them.

If as expected, Splitter stay in Spain. Re-sign Thomas for about $3M per year and a prospect (O'Bryant or a player picked with the 45th pick).
You end up with :
PF: Oberto/Bonner/Mahinmi
C : Duncan/Thomas
IL : Prospect
Of course, things aren't set in stone and if the prospect is good enough, he can get some playing time and another big can be put on the IL.

If Splitter decides to sign with Spurs, re-sign Horry for the min.
PF : Oberto/Bonner/Mahinmi
C : Duncan/Splitter
IL : Horry

Bruno, I can't see Horry giving anything of value a year from now. I'd rather resign Thomas under either scenario. The West is bigger and more physical now. And Thomas still has gas in the tank.

[Bruno]

Bruno, I can't see Horry giving anything of value a year from now. I'd rather resign Thomas under either scenario. The West is bigger and more physical now. And Thomas still has gas in the tank.

I agree that Thomas > Horry but Horry will be something like $2M cheaper than Thomas.
I'm not a fan on spending a lot of money on the 6th bigman. I rather see Spurs spending this money on something else.

[Mulletino]

The Spurs big men suck. They cheat all the time. They will probably sign Kwame and suck even more. And in the draft they wil pick someone no one has ever heard of like every year. he will be from like yugoslavia or somethin like that

So you're saying Pau Gasol is better than Tim Duncan?
What a fool....It goes to show how much you know about basketball.
Pau Gasol ain't nothing without Kobe.
And Bynum is a broken ass that ain't nothing now. He's a waste of money. (try next year)

[wildbill2u]

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?

This draft is full of big men, both PFs and Cs. Not a lot of talent at guard/SF at our draft position.

With all the uncertainty about Ian and Splitter's new contract with Tau, I think we have to take the best player available in the draft and that is likely to be a big.

[tav1]

I agree that Thomas > Horry but Horry will be something like $2M cheaper than Thomas.
I'm not a fan on spending a lot of money on the 6th bigman. I rather see Spurs spending this money on something else.

LOL. I keep saying 5th bigman because I'm so dubious on Bonner.

Okay, Bruno, but not Horry. He has nothing left in the tank. The writing was on the wall all season and then, in big games, he wouldn't put a shot up. I'd rather have O'Bryant than Horry.

But will that 2 million between Thomas and Horry even matter? The Spurs are not going to be near the tax threshhold, but they are over cap. I don't know that the 2 mil will make an impact either way.

[tav1]

This draft is full of big men, both PFs and Cs. Not a lot of talent at guard/SF at our draft position.

With all the uncertainty about Ian and Splitter's new contract with Tau, I think we have to take the best player available in the draft and that is likely to be a big.

I don't agree with this. There are handful of decent swings within reach that could help. I think Lee-Walker-Rush-CDR could be there at #26 and would all be good picks. Batum could slide. In the second round players like Forbes and Casspi might be available for Austin. I'm not sure if this draft is so big rich/swing poor.

[SpursChampsIII]

All of this will depend on the cap, and how much money Holt-Cat is willing to spend. Does anybody know how much cap space we have if Finley, Horry, and Thomas go? Also, I believe you have to be over the cap to use the MLE...is that true?

If the numbers fit, I would like to see the Spurs pick up Diop, and either Pietrus or Dooling. If no Pietrus, draft either Rush, CDR, or Walker.

[ChumpDumper]

All of this will depend on the cap, and how much money Holt-Cat is willing to spend. Does anybody know how much cap space we have if Finley, Horry, and Thomas go?

None.

Also, I believe you have to be over the cap to use the MLE...is that true?

True.

[The Truth #6]

I thought the Houston trade got us under the cap. Did we go back over in acquiring Thomas and Barry again?

[ChumpDumper]

I thought the Houston trade got us under the cap. Did we go back over in acquiring Thomas and Barry again?

The cap and the tax threshold are two different things.

[Bruno]

LOL. I keep saying 5th bigman because I'm so dubious on Bonner.

Okay, Bruno, but not Horry. He has nothing left in the tank. The writing was on the wall all season and then, in big games, he wouldn't put a shot up. I'd rather have O'Bryant than Horry.

It's all about player evaluation.
If you think that Bonner is crap, signing Thomas makes sense.
If you think that Horry is done, you think another cheap vet as 6th bigman.
I think that Bonner could be a useful role player and that Horry is a good solution as insurance for the vet min.
You disagree with that and I respect your opinion. Maybe you're right, maybe I'm right. Future will tell.

But will that 2 million between Thomas and Horry even matter? The Spurs are not going to be near the tax threshhold, but they are over cap. I don't know that the 2 mil will make an impact either way.

It's about smart management. Maybe these $2M won't have an impact in 2008-2009 but it could have the year after. These $2M saved could, as example allow Spurs to buy a pick in the 2009 draft.
And it isn't only about money. Having too good players on the IL could create some chemistry troubles. It's also far from sure that Thomas will agree to be an IL player.

[NewJerSpur]

He's the best scorer available for the Spurs in free agency given their cap situation. 22 years old, athletic. If the Spurs want to win another championship they need to be able to rest Manu during the regular season, as this post-season has borne out.

Agree with the last part of that statement wholeheartedly, but I'll definitely pass on J.R. Smith's "boom-or-bust" style of offense. Bring me Pargo and allow Tony to move to the 2 at times, and also bring me Matt Barnes...I think he could thrive in SA's system.

[NewJerSpur]

Oh, and re-sign KT and bring in an athletic big man who will eventually phase out Oberto. While Fab is a of a passer and great at positioning himself for easy baskets, he is too reluctant to shoot the ball which puts more pressure on his teammates. He also bats the ball around more than he grabs boards, even when he's much taller and stronger than the person boxing him out...his leaping problems or rather his problems with leaping when it comes to scoring are already WELL do ented. Not saying he has to go immediately, but I wouldn't be opposed to limiting his minutes to play Kurt more and an athletic big man....unless he suddenly becomes more aggressive.

[The Truth #6]

I think we need to put some hope/trust in Ian to be our athletic big man on the team. To spend the $ to find someone else with the same athleticism seems like a step back. We drafted Ian with high intentions, he's shown progress, and now it's time to play him and see what we have. I'd rather take my chances with him than Diop or someone else from the D-League.

JR Smith, Matt Barnes or Azub - I would be happy if we got one of those three in the off-season. They'll probably go for none of these and surprise us all.

But back to the big man - if we bring in someone new in addition to Ian, I just hope he has a different skill set so they're not competing for the same niche on the team. I'd stay with Kurt Thomas over Diop - he already has experience with The System and wouldn't get us stuck in free agency waiting for him to make an answer while we can instead focus on getting a young wing player. I imagine Kurt would let us know much more quickly if he plans to come back.

[NewJerSpur]

I think we need to put some hope/trust in Ian to be our athletic big man on the team. To spend the $ to find someone else with the same athleticism seems like a step back. We drafted Ian with high intentions, he's shown progress, and now it's time to play him and see what we have. I'd rather take my chances with him than Diop or someone else from the D-League.

JR Smith, Matt Barnes or Azub - I would be happy if we got one of those three in the off-season. They'll probably go for none of these and surprise us all.

But back to the big man - if we bring in someone new in addition to Ian, I just hope he has a different skill set so they're not competing for the same niche on the team. I'd stay with Kurt Thomas over Diop - he already has experience with The System and wouldn't get us stuck in free agency waiting for him to make an answer while we can instead focus on getting a young wing player. I imagine Kurt would let us know much more quickly if he plans to come back.

Also, for all of Diop's aggressiveness on the defensive end of the floor, he's a magnet to fouls (i.e. he plays aggressive but not always smart defense) and his offense won't really make up for him getting himself and the team into early foul trouble. Diop also doesn't have the range KT has offensively. I'm still pushing for Pargo, Barnes, and KT while bringing up Mahinmi to at least see what he can do.

[tav1]

It's all about player evaluation.
If you think that Bonner is crap, signing Thomas makes sense.
If you think that Horry is done, you think another cheap vet as 6th bigman.
I think that Bonner could be a useful role player and that Horry is a good solution as insurance for the vet min.
You disagree with that and I respect your opinion. Maybe you're right, maybe I'm right. Future will tell.



It's about smart management. Maybe these $2M won't have an impact in 2008-2009 but it could have the year after. These $2M saved could, as example allow Spurs to buy a pick in the 2009 draft.
And it isn't only about money. Having too good players on the IL could create some chemistry troubles. It's also far from sure that Thomas will agree to be an IL player.

You raise a good point about 2009 and the "downside" of too many good players. I hadn't thought about it from that angle.