Kings waive Gooden; Spurs next?

[EricB]

It will be interesting to have a 90 on the team thats for sure.

[Joe Schmoogins]

I don't get why so many are against signing this guy...

No, he's not known for being a solid defender, he certainly has flaws as all players do.

However, the bottom line is that he is highly talented, crashes boards with the best of them, a skilled offensive player, still young, has experience, and is an upgrade to any current big not named Duncan.

In the past week two of the best defensive performances came against the Mavs and Blazers when Duncan was out. This highlights the fact that Spurs defense is about trusting the system and not individual personnel. If Bonner can learn to defend then certainly Gooden can.

Sure, there is not much time left in the season to integrate him, but I'd say the positives of this experiment certainly outweigh the negatives.

[ace3g]

luckily he is clean cut now

[Joe Schmoogins]

Now you understand me being against it

why are you against it? Just curious... (I'm too lazy to read all 18 pages.)

[EricB]

why are you against it? Just curious... (I'm too lazy to read all 18 pages.)

I'm too lazy to repost what i've posted already about 15 times.

[Spurs9]

I really want to see him become a spurs, I hope these rumors are true.

[Mugen]

Gooden has asked the media to refer to him as, "The Big Drizzle."

haha, ok now i kinda like him.

[Spursmania]

I don't get why so many are against signing this guy...

No, he's not known for being a solid defender, he certainly has flaws as all players do.

However, the bottom line is that he is highly talented, crashes boards with the best of them, a skilled offensive player, still young, has experience, and is an upgrade to any current big not named Duncan.

In the past week two of the best defensive performances came against the Mavs and Blazers when Duncan was out. This highlights the fact that Spurs defense is about trusting the system and not individual personnel. If Bonner can learn to defend then certainly Gooden can.

Sure, there is not much time left in the season to integrate him, but I'd say the positives of this experiment certainly outweigh the negatives.

You're right-this is just a positive move for us. Can't wait until he is signed. Not because I think he's perfect but he's the best we're going to get now. And, the Spurs NEED some help right now.

[Spursmania]

Gooden has asked the media to refer to him as, "The Big Drizzle."

haha, ok now i kinda like him.

What's the "big drizzle" mean?

[Mr. Body]

What's the "big drizzle" mean?

It's a drizzle. But a lot of it.

[Mugen]

What's the "big drizzle" mean?

Drew-izzle.

or when gooden starts drizzzzzzling them 18ft jumpers for the spurs!

[Joe Schmoogins]

I'm too lazy to repost what i've posted already about 15 times.

fair enough...

[Spursmania]

Oh, I see. Yeah, I kind like that name. Welcome, "big drizzle"

[m33p0]

you're right-this is just a positive move for us. Can't wait until he is signed. Not because i think he's perfect but he's the best we're going to get now. And, the spurs need some help right now.

qfft

[Joe Schmoogins]

If he does join, he will definitely make things interesting.

I think the Manu-Gooden pick and roll could be quite effective. Also, it will be nice having a legit post scorer in the second unit. For those who are still hurting over the loss of the nameless Rocket, Gooden plays a comparable game. Maybe he doesn't have as high of an iq, but he is more athletic, and a better post scorer.

[m33p0]

luckily he is clean cut now

thank goodness he got rid of that stupid beard and wacky ducktail.

[Manufan909]

If only he played solid d, but then, the spurs wouldn't have gotten him. At least he looks presentable now.

[HarlemHeat37]

another thing that people are ignoring about Gooden..as I pointed out earlier, he gets to the line at a much better rate than anybody outside of the big 3..that's going to be very helpful..

[rayray2k8]

Well there's not much that can be said right now about the spurs acquisition of Gooden
till Wednesday when he clears waivers..
So for now, we play the waiting game...

[024]

gooden will come at no cost to the spurs. spurs aren't giving up a future piece like mason, hill, mahinmi, or even rights to gist or splitter. they aren't even giving up a second round pick. they aren't disrupting team chemistry by shipping another player out. usually acquiring a starter like gooden would mean taking in a large contract or trading away players with future potential. but none of that will happen. i don't think the spurs will even reach the luxury tax threshold by signing gooden.

where is the risk? at the worst, popovich will bury gooden on the bench during the playoffs. there are no other plausible PFs or Cs available. swift is going to the suns, smith is heading to the cavs, and the trade deadline has passed.

[Toni61]

+1

I think it`s not risk.

Let him bring on to the Spurs !!!

[Manufan909]

another thing that people are ignoring about Gooden..as I pointed out earlier, he gets to the line at a much better rate than anybody outside of the big 3..that's going to be very helpful..

So he's big on low post scoring?

[mystargtr34]

I havent read much of the first 15 pages. But are people still saying they would prefer to keep Pops Mensah Bonsu over signing Gooden ?

[spurspokesman]

Just reading some of the posts about gooden this week( Some funny ones) makes me think. I'm gonna step out and support him if he's signed. I dont give A damn what nobody thinks. He has defensive issues(Pop timmy and kurt can help him with that) but I think a lot of people forget the fact that he does very well what we need him for. REBOUNDING. And he gets more of those in A game than our supporting frontcourt(excluding Tim) gets in A week(Exaggerating LOL) and he also does something well that we havent seen . SCORE POINTS IN THE POST. IF they sign em I"M wit it. He's superior to any other big outside of duncan. And his previous teams were not as good as SA. Maybe this breathes life into his weaknesses . Who knows.

[objective]

I havent read much of the first 15 pages. But are people still saying they would prefer to keep Pops Mensah Bonsu over signing Gooden ?

I don't know about other posters, but I brought up PMB in comparison that Gooden's defense wouldn't be much better if at all. Based of course on how poor a defender he seemed to be naturally/low iq and the lack of a training camp and the lack of practices during a season.

For some reason stating how horrible PMB's defense is and Gooden's in comparison to that might have been read by people as some sort of support for PMB, a bizarre bit of forum logic if that conclusion was reached.

I'm fine with the Spurs cutting PMB and not even signing Gooden, PMB won't play anyway and is just a shorter, non-glass subs ute for Mahinmi (who also won't play when his 8 weeks is up).

I would simply argue that the idea that Gooden is some saviour or even greatly improves the Spurs chances seems dubious to me.

1. The bad defense. Compounded with joining a new team with less than 30% of the season remaining and very few practices for a player who isn't well regarded for his b-ball iq, unlike Kurt Thomas.

2. The deceptive rebounding numbers. His rebounding isn't really any better than KT was averaging when he wasn't next to Duncan in his time in Seattle or in PHX. The reasoning for him upgrading the Spurs rebounding is flawed.

The numbers aren't there. The talk of Gooden getting 13 boards in 26 minutes in his Sac game? Well, KT got 15 rebounds without Duncan next to him against Dallas. KT averaged 10.3 rpg in a little under 28 minutes a game in the 3 game stretch of starts in place of TD against playoff teams.

3. His offensive game isn't that much different than KT either. Some more dunks, but not as much as people might think. He's a jump shooter also.

So other than fatigue, why would he play over KT under Pop? Rebounding isn't better. Defense sure isn't better. Jumpshot? Maybe, maybe not. Knoweledge of the system on defense and offense isn't better. Rapport with teammates isn't better.

Is there any downside to adding him? Not really, other than possible luxury tax issues. Are there great reasons to think he puts them in a decidedly better position against the Lakers/Celtics/Cavs? Not really, other than KT maybe getting fatigued or in foul trouble.