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hmm, perhaps Drew Gooden
hmm, perhaps Drew Gooden
Didn't you watch that Chicago game? He's a ing TURNSTILE on defense. We need a big who can defend and defensive rebound, not some store dummy. We don't need scoring. We have like 6 guys on the roster who can drop 20.
coming to SA does a lot for one's defensive ability, even Finley became a respectable defender. and only one of our 20 point scorers resides in the post, 4 of them are guards, what happens when a team shuts down our guard play and makes us beat them in the post?
RASHEED WALLACE is worth the investment, a solid man defender and post help defender. Can hit the 15 footer as well as the 25 footer (Horry) is 6-11. He won't command a big contract but probably more than what the Spurs can or will offer so getting him is a long shot but I don't think he'll be back with the Pistons after this season.
RON ARTEST not sure what the market value is for him but I do know it will be out of the Spurs reach financially. Well, I'm not really sure about that but only a few teams can handle a Ron Artest and I think the Spurs are one of the few.
Marcus Camby (2010) Very ideal big for the Spurs. He can hit the 15 footer shot, defend the paint and rebound like a mad man. Solid addition if acquired but history of injuries is a big risk to take and at his age not a big contract guy. If the Spurs can work some kind of deal out he is worth a look.
I can live with these aged guys on the interior but more importantly I want to see youth on the perimeter. This would be a last run with Tim type of deal that could be beneficial if atleast one of these guys is acquired. Looking at the changes to the roster by 2010 the team will look pretty different with Finley, Vaughn, Bonner, Bowen etc probably being gone.
Imagine
Tim Duncan
Rasheed Wallace
Ron Artest
Manu Ginobili
Tony Parker
Roger Mason
Ian Mahinmi
George Hill
Marcus Camby
Depending on what we do with the expiring deals, we don't have room to add any free agents of note next year.
Hey while everyone else is clearing cap for 2010 the Spurs could rip off everyone by finding a way to sign Artest and Wallace over the summer. That would be genius because that lineup would cause havok for the entire league including the beloved LAKERS
As far as 2009 goes, it's hard to imagine much roster movement without a trade. They'll likely let Vaughn walk (though I suppose they could resign him for one year to be the 3rd string point guard). The only major change would potentially be at the SF position. By the end of this year, they need to decide whether they view Udoka as a key SF component in the future. If so, they'll likely sign him to a 2-4 year deal. If not, I think they will try to fill the void with a young player, either via the 2009 draft (one of their 2nd rounders), or trying to plug the hole with tweeners like Mason or Gist.
I don't see Udoka sticking around but money will play apart in that. In this I mean who can they sign for such and such price. Artest is making $7 million this season and Wallace is making $13 million, I don't think Wallace will command more than $10 from a team with his history and age coming into play. Neither can just go anywhere so they have to have strong coaches and strong vets established to suuround them and be contenders and I don't see many fits for them. Money will be paramount and how much are the Spurs willing to shed and how much will be available. I think they can make a run at one guy this summer, Finley, Vaughn and Udoka will likely all be off the books after this season freeing up a bit of cash, but Wallace would be at the top of my list of FA they should look at this summer if they can afford him.
Coming to SA did virtually nothing for Finley's defense, and good luck with shutting down all of TP, Manu, GH3, Mason, and Finley for an entire game. If you double Tim, one of them won't even be covered.
We need a big who can defend, defensive rebound, and hit a 15 foot jumper. That's it.
I can deal with 2009 because it's much less convoluted and complicated...
The reason is that no one of real consequence will be a possibility to leave the team. Udoka and Vaughn are fine veterans, but as for talent they could be replaced by a couple second rounders (Gist, Hairston?).
Even if Finley doesn't pick up his player option (I think he will), the Spurs still have ~$66 million in salaries for 2009-10. With the cap not likely to exceed $62 million, the only way we can add anyone we don't have rights to is by using our mid-level or bi-annual exception (all of this assumes we don't make any trades). The mid-level exception will likely be between $5.5 and $6.0 million.
udoka is gone, hes just not worth 3+ million and thats going to be the amount hes going to be asking for.
very, very well put.
well if they can coerce one Wallace or Artest for a 1 year 5.5 to 6 million deal then afterwards they will have more money the following year and a nice team. If Gist is an assest then Udoka is gone and with all the hoopla about Hairston he could be brought in as well, the only glaring need is a big next to Tim and Wallace and Camby both answer that need perfectly, IMO.
Hopefully that can be worked out
I believe the backcourt is set for atleast 3 years but the front court needs more than patch work going forward. Discounted Bigs have gotten by because Tim is so good but Tim is entering the decline years and he needs help up front sf and center or power spots. I think Tim needs to move to the 5 and we need to actively look for the 3 and 4 spot now. Tim should be able to hold down the 5 against the majority of 5's in the league.
I still say the Spurs should've kept Melvin Ely and given him another look. He's a serviceable power forward who seems to be producing as much or more than KT and Oberto, at this point. Plus he's younger.
Spurs want smart Bigs and I believe they feel KT and Oberto are smarter than Ely, now as far as age and ability go I'll let you figure that out. They do however know they made a big mistake sending Scola to Houston. Spurs looking for smart player period so it makes them choose certain guys and look in certtain places
That's the first I've heard of that. Besides, the guy was only here for 1/2 season. Obviously, I would think the coaching staff would know best. However, I just don't know how any coach could've so quickly rushed to judgement about Ely without him having had any significant court time and practice time spent in the Spurs system.
Besides, Ely was young, low-cost option, who had better post-up ability of anyone on the roster, not named Duncan. Having a guy like him would've softened the impact from the atrocious blunder made by the Scola mistake.
A smart player who gets routinely beaten and outskilled by opponents is just as detrimental as having a guy on the team who has a low BBIQ. Having smart players is one thing. Having smart players with ability and skill is totally something else.
Ely was dumb as a post. The Spurs only got him because the positive trade offset with Eric Williams saved them some money, even though both contracts ended that same summer. I think, with tax implications, they saved between $1.5-2M on that trade.
Understood. I saw the guy getting significant court time with the Hornets and wondered how or if he could've helped here.
with the Spurs having what is known to be a complicated offense to learn they may have made their decision based on that too. I thought he was an asset too though based on what I heard because I know much to nothing about him.
I think that if SA thought he could help, they would have retained him. I don't think he got much from NO, and the Spurs have shown they are not averse to throwing a few million a year at a seviceable big. See: Bonner, Matt; Oberto, Fabricio; Thomas, Kurt.
i saw that mehmet okur is a unrestricted FA. ive always hated that guy but i think he could be a nice and reasonable pickup to complement timmy.
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