The official "It's only December" thread.

[magui86770]

I am a firm believer that its still early in the season but at what point when it's not early anymore. Jan? Rodeo road trip?

[mexicanjunior]

Are we the new NBA Dallas cowboys?

They are at least over .500 and winning their division...they will probably go 0-4 for the rest of the year though.

[Spursmania]

It's only December

[Chieflion]

As usual, its only December. And the Spurs can't win against quality teams cause it is only December.

[admiralsnackbar]

This is the kind of people who like to wait until the trade deadline to do something. The best part is that these are the same people that like to talk about chemistry.

And this is the kind of people who think trading for another horse will magically solve issues which are team-wide, not player specific.

[Chieflion]

And this is the kind of people who think trading for another horse will magically solve issues which are team-wide, not player specific.

Oh really? You go for upgrades anytime possible and not wait like a sitting duck until the trade deadline. Get the upgrades first, then get the chemistry going. Go ahead and wait until the trade deadline, get one guy the Spurs need and up the chemistry built so well in the middle of the season.

[admiralsnackbar]

Oh really? You go for upgrades anytime possible and not wait like a sitting duck until the trade deadline. Get the upgrades first, then get the chemistry going. Go ahead and wait until the trade deadline, get one guy the Spurs need and up the chemistry built so well in the middle of the season.

I like how you frame the issue as though we have the slightest chance of influencing the FO

You're en led to your opinion and I'm en led to mine, but it doesn't amount to jack in the end, so there's little point in suc bing to apoplectics, brother.

I also have to ask again: what makes you think your trade targets would be available for our dross?

[Chieflion]

I like how you frame the issue as though we have the slightest chance of influencing the FO

You're en led to your opinion and I'm en led to mine, but it doesn't amount to jack in the end, so there's little point in suc bing to apoplectics, brother.

Oh really? Fans can influence the front office. See Allen Iverson's return to the 76ers. If that is not a move for Philly fans, I don't know what is.

[Chieflion]

Expirings are particularly valuable because of 2010 (LeBron James, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Kobe Bryant), and plenty of other star players that a mediocre team would like to acquire in the off season to make their teams better. The Spurs have plenty of small expirings to make a small deal here or there and have a big piece in Manu Ginobili to make a deal, as long as the Spurs are willing to take post 2010 contracts.

[admiralsnackbar]

Expirings are particularly valuable because of 2010 (LeBron James, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Kobe Bryant), and plenty of other star players that a mediocre team would like to acquire in the off season to make their teams better. The Spurs have plenty of small expirings to make a small deal here or there and have a big piece in Manu Ginobili to make a deal, as long as the Spurs are willing to take post 2010 contracts.

Right, but I already explained why you have less to work with than you seem to think you do.

[Chieflion]

Right, but I already explained why you have less to work with than you seem to think you do.

Expirings the Spurs have: Matt Bonner, Roger Mason, Michael Finley, Ian Mahinmi, Malik Hairston, Manu Ginobili, Theo Ratliff, Keith Bogans.

Prospects and picks: DeJuan Blair, George Hill, 2010 1st round pick or 2011 1st round pick
Ya, sure the Spurs have little expirings to work with.

[admiralsnackbar]

Expirings the Spurs have: Matt Bonner, Roger Mason, Michael Finley, Ian Mahinmi, Malik Hairston, Manu Ginobili, Theo Ratliff, Keith Bogans.

Prospects and picks: DeJuan Blair, George Hill, 2010 1st round pick or 2011 1st round pick
Ya, sure the Spurs have little expirings to work with.

You neglect to mention that all the tradeable assets are signed to minuscule contracts (excepting Manu, who I addressed earlier), meaning we'd have to gut the roster to make a trade for the sort of higher-tier player you'd like to bring in work.

And don't kid yourself: Blair and Hill aren't going anywhere -- their price-to-performance ratio is entirely too high. Not to mention that both players handily address holes in the team.

[Chieflion]

You neglect to mention that all the tradeable assets are signed to minuscule contracts (excepting Manu, who I addressed earlier), meaning we'd have to gut the roster to make a trade for the sort of higher-tier player you'd like to bring in work.

And don't kid yourself: Blair and Hill aren't going anywhere -- their price-to-performance ratio is entirely too high. Not to mention that both players handily address holes in the team.

What? Since when did I say we are going to bring in a huge star? Yes, Bonner, Mason and Finley can get you a 10 million player.

Second bold: The same kind of mindset is why Vince Carter is on the Magic now.

[admiralsnackbar]

What? Since when did I say we are going to bring in a huge star?

No need for hyperbole: I said higher-tier player, like Pietrus, or others you've mentioned. They may not command franchise salaries, but they sure as make more than a bundle of vet min-, lowballed role-player-, and rookie-contracts.

[Chieflion]

No need for hyperbole: I said higher-tier player, like Pietrus, or others you've mentioned. They may not command franchise salaries, but they sure as make more than a bundle of vet min-, lowballed role-player-, and rookie-contracts.

Low balled role player? Bonner, Mason and Finley are low balled role players? The only reason we are losing now is because the stars are playing sub-standard basketball, but I digress. Go on. Amuse me. For your information, Pietrus is earning MLE type money and is not as good a player you think he is. To other teams, they are just expiring contracts whom they will gladly take to dump bad contracts.

One extra thing, there is still time to make changes, because it is only December.

[admiralsnackbar]

Low balled role player? Bonner, Mason and Finley are low balled role players? The only reason we are losing now is because the stars are playing sub-standard basketball, but I digress. Go on. Amuse me. For your information, Pietrus is earning MLE type money and is not as good a player you think he is. To other teams, they are just expiring contracts whom they will gladly take to dump bad contracts.

Amuse you? I didn't even bring up Pietrus as a trade target, wise-ass: you did.

Go on believing you can rally the FO to fix this team with your circular, illogical horse and astonishing fantasy basketball a en. I'll just watch and see how the season unfolds. Best of luck on the campaign, Chief.

[Chieflion]

Amuse you? I didn't even bring up Pietrus as a trade target, wise-ass: you did.

Go on believing you can rally the FO to fix this team with your circular, illogical horse and astonishing fantasy basketball a en. I'll just watch and see how the season unfolds. Best of luck on the campaign, Chief.

You are the one who brought up Pietrus again. Not me. He is just one of the players I think would be great for this team. Get it straight. Then again, it is only December, and we have plenty of time to argue about it.

Then again, I am going off topic here and I am just going to talk about December again. Thanks for directing me off-topic. It is only December, so you can't celebrate Christmas.

Better still, it is only December and circular, illogical horse ting is expected. I will get better in February.

It is only December, no wonder the economy is sucking. It will get better in February.

[SpurNation]

It's not what we think that's important. It's the at ude of the team. Right now after watching these last few games against some of the top teams and losing...I can see it in the players that they think it's important to win now. Their body language doesn't suggest anything different.

Hopefully they don't give way to doubt or disention and renew a faith in each other and themselves that they CAN and WILL.

[TheManFromAcme]

Still early. I would speculate that if the Spurs play solid from here on end AND come out of the Rodeo road trip with some real good solid wins, they'll be there. I am not saying the midnight hour is upon the Spurs but by February they'll need to get their act together. This gelling experiment can't go on forever guys. This can't wait unitl March or April. Jan and Feb is realistic.

Just my opinion.

[Chieflion]

It's not what we think that's important. It's the at ude of the team. Right now after watching these last few games against some of the top teams and losing...I can see it in the players that they think it's important to win now. Their body language doesn't suggest anything different.

Hopefully they don't give way to doubt or disention and renew a faith in each other and themselves that they CAN and WILL.

I can see they were frustrated with their mistakes, their body language shows that. But they have to keep in check of their emotions and not let the heat of the moment get to them. When mistakes arrive, you live with it and not live in the past and rack up more of the same mistakes. Basically, the more frustrated someone gets, the more mistakes they make, which was what I saw from Tony. Duncan kept his cool. Bonner showed he had some swagger. Parker and Ginobili are the two players I am worried about most right now.

[z0sa]

I can understand people saying the Spurs want to win now, so there's no real grounds behind saying "it's only December..."

Teams with a sudden influx of new faces/talent are never made in December. If this is working out the kinks, so be it. I'd rather face team adversity in 2009 than May 2010.

And, the 04 team was 9-9 at this point. Did you ers say the same back then? It's not like the Spurs had some incredible fusion of talent and we're the favorites by far. Lakers were then just the same as now, and the same talent questions were being raised.

[Chieflion]

I can understand people saying the Spurs want to win now, so there's no real grounds behind saying "it's only December..."

Teams with a sudden influx of new faces/talent are never made in December. If this is working out the kinks, so be it. I'd rather face team adversity in 2009 than May 2010.

And, the 04 team was 9-9 at this point. Did you ers say the same back then? It's not like the Spurs had some incredible fusion of talent and we're the favorites by far. Lakers were then just the same as now, and the same talent questions were being raised.

I just want to ask something, do you even see progress in anything at all? We seem to be playing worse and worse each game.

[z0sa]

I just want to ask something, do you even see progress in anything at all? We seem to be playing worse and worse each game.

It's hard - nigh impossible, even - to truly make an analysis of our weaknesses and progression when our main guys haven't been healthy for most of the season thus far. I attribute this to the no-shows of RJ; if you recall or look back at the boxes, his best games were when one of Tony or Manu (or both) were out. RJ must find his niche with the other guys healthy and active. That's why "It's only December."

Manu is still recovering from the offseason, besides his usual myriad tweaks, which all of us knew would increase as he aged due to his playing style. We need a good stretch of health for the big 4+Bonner/Dyess/Mason/Blair, at least 15 games or so, before one may predict this team's aspirations - le or otherwise (and if otherwise, the FO can then make a wise decision on trades - the day they trade Manu will be a big one in Spurs history books). While I'm not sure if it will yield the type of results we might want, I think we're at the start of just such a stretch of health, so fingers are crossed.

[Chieflion]

It's hard - nigh impossible, even - to truly make an analysis of our weaknesses and progression when our main guys haven't been healthy for most of the season thus far. I attribute this to the no-shows of RJ; if you recall or look back at the boxes, his best games were when one of Tony or Manu (or both) were out. RJ must find his niche with the other guys healthy and active. That's why "It's only December."

Manu is still recovering from the offseason, besides his usual myriad tweaks, which all of us knew would increase as he aged due to his playing style. We need a good stretch of health for the big 4+Bonner/Dyess/Mason/Blair, at least 15 games or so, before one may predict this team's aspirations - le or otherwise (and if otherwise, the FO can then make a wise decision on trades - the day they trade Manu will be a big one in Spurs history books). While I'm not sure if it will yield the type of results we might want, I think we're at the start of just such a stretch of health, so fingers are crossed.

Well, again, the no shows of RJ came from not getting the ball. When he got the ball in the 3rd quarter, you saw some good things happen. Players made nice cuts to the basket and Jefferson gets it there which means he is at least an average playmaker and not a black hole. My only complaint is that he never sees the ball in the 4th quarter, if that is the case, I rather have Finley bail us out on his three point attempts. Otherwise, he has been productive when he gets the ball. Dice is one of my concerns. He played like 15 minutes, yes I know Bonner was hot but Dice was not playing much. Mason has been a big joke this season and Finley is better than him at this point. I hope Manu is still just recovering because his injury concerns may be reaching T-Mac levels, it has been one injury after another and I hope he is ok. I know he is down with that but a onfident Ginobili will help us out in the long run. I am scratching my head with Tony's play. He still scores at a high clip but whenever he is on the court, it is him and Duncan and no one else, and his turnover issues and limited court vision (for a PG) gets very clear especially when the defense presses him.

[TJastal]

I got a chuckle out of the admiralsnackbar vs Chieflion debate.