If the largest salary they can offer is the LLE, that would be the best strategy.
All of these teams are rushing to get players and at this early stage overpaying. With a limit to what each team has to spend the balancing of these overpriced contacts will be quality players to be had at a value. The Spurs sitting back and letting the dust settle makes a lot of sense to me.
Larry Coon, the guru of the CBA (http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm) will be taking questions for the next two hours on ESPN's Daily Dime:
http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/p...aily-dime-live
Just like they did with Pargo in the summer of '08...
This isn't the glory days anymore, no credible veteran is coming to the Spurs for cheap unless it's a situation where they don't have a true SF under contract and have such an opening as far as minutes go that someone like, say for example Butler, signs a one-year deal for cheap just so he can play 30 mpg and inflate his value.
Let's hope Duncan is putting pressure on the front office. Just signing Splitter and then thinking they're going to luck into a Jackson '03 type performance from some bargain basket wing isn't going to be enough. We know they don't have the resources to acquire a major player and that's not really needed, but a bargain basket signing or two isn't going to be enough, either.
They're over the cap. They can't just spend money on players at will.
I swear I see some of you post on this forum but I wonder if you actually read it.
You mean they just can't spend magic money?
Our government can, why cant the spurs?
That wasn't my point. I don't view this offseason as being one piece away. There is nothing the Spurs can do in the offseason to elevate them to one of the teams as a favorite to win a le. My hope is they improve the team, the acquisition of Splitter and addition of Anderson will do that. That gives them a punchers chance at a le.
What I absolutely don't want is for the team in desperation to overpay for a player. My logic with waiting it out is there are limited dollars and a lot of players chasing those limited dollars. You are going to end up with some quality players that need a contract and will have to settle for less money than they may be worth because other players received more money than they are worth.
You act like I said "why haven't they signed James, Wade or Bosh?". All I'm saying is that this notion that they're going to out-smart everyone and get some quality veteran for cheap is probably not realistic.
If they're serious about winning the championship next season and not just being as cheap as possible while maintaining a sliver of hope at competing, then they should be aggressive and pushing to get something done. It might even take a hint of creativity and not just sitting around waiting, thinking "we're the Spurs, someone credible, who's flying under the radar will come to us later in the summer for cheap and we'll make out like bandits". Maybe they are being aggressive, I'm not ruling out the possibility. But with the amount of information flying around and them figuring so little into it, I'm inclined to believe they're not.
The Timberwolves sign Pekovic immediately and they're still messing around with Splitter, even though they should have been prepared well in advance to sign him the instant free agency opened. They knew it was probably going to take the full MLE, so just offer it and move on to the next order of business. They're more than likely not going to get him for around $4 million and they desperately need him if they have designs on winning the championship next season. There is no realistic alternative that makes that feasible. Why risk alienating him? He can make more staying in Europe and he might just stay if they don't give him what he wants and what he's worth.
This "we're smarter than everyone else and we're the Spurs, so they'll come to us and on our terms" nonsense has to go. That carried weight in Duncan's prime. Now, they're not some prime destination, they're just a team struggling to maintain relevancy.
alanhahn
I'm being told Amar'e believes he can help Knicks get LeBron (recall all-star wknd in feb.). He's also texting Tony Parker about teaming up.
Just curious, how do you know they are "messing around" with Splitter?
Also, you understand Splitter gets the whole MLE, and after that they won't have money, again, how the do you expect them to get players with no money?
Amar'e: Hey, Tony, you burned Steve plenty of times in the playoffs, I would like to team up with you in New York, you are a of a balla. Force a trade, dude.
Just curious, why do you feel the need to defend everything the front office does?
How do I know? I don't know for certain, it's called taking an educated guess. If they weren't messing around, a deal would already be done or at least imminent. We know he wants to come, we know what it's likely to take and they've known both of these things for a while, so what's the wait? We're not even hearing anything is imminent, just that negotiations are underway.
There's something called the LLE, there's minimum salaries, there's trades. They're going to have to get creative and be persuasive, no one said it would be easy, but it's doable. For the umpteenth time, I'm not expecting something major, but they can't seriously think that they'll have a legit shot to win a championship next season by hoping to sign the Butler's of the world later in the summer. That's not going to cut it.
Deng to Portland, but Spurs involved?
http://twitter.com/jgoff670
Can't the Spurs get a bailout in case we have to go into the tax?
No wait, the Knicks would get all the money...they're too big to fail.
The front office has a of record drafting players and they have no ridiculous contracts in addition to the 4 les in the trophy case. I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt. Other than signing Splitter today instead of later what specifically do you propose they do?
I don't get where the Spurs can fit in on that trade.
It's not my job to make something happen, it's theirs. I understand and accept the reality of their situation, so for the 500th time I'll say: I'm not expecting something major. But at the same time, they can't just settle, they've got to be aggressive and creative. If they are, that's great, but I don't get that sense based on all of the information flying around and how little they figure into it.
Spurs supposedly involved with Bulls and Trail Blazers? Why would Trail Blazers want Deng, when they're (rightfully so) high on Batum?
The only thing I can think of is they're making a play to acquire Batum. Something like Blair and a 1st. Can't see it happening, just throwing something out there. Then they'd re-sign Bonner, because you know they have to find a way for him to be in the rotation. Can't possibly have him on the outs.
Maybe Chicago ends up as a sign-and-trade destination for RJ to get the Spurs a trade exception? Once Deng is traded, they'd have a lot more cap space, but would need a SF if LeBron doesn't sign there (example, they get Wade and Bosh but not LeBron).
Quite a stretch, though. I don't get it either.
Uh, he'd better not be. Tampering, mfer.
You realize the only reason this team isn't in the luxury tax is because of Richard Jefferson's suprise opt out and you're calling them cheap? They're pretty much handcuffed at the moment and being cheap isn't something the Spurs have been in the past couple of years.
I think your characterization of the front office is piss poor. I'm fairly certain that they haven't gotten to where they are by simply thinking they are smarter than everyone else and waiting for someone to drop in and say "SIGN ME" so I'm not sure why you're even acting like thats the case.
I get it, you want them to bring in championship pieces but when people like Darko and Amir ing Johnson are getting deals that they are getting how the do you propose they do something?
And if all you're going to say is "its not my job" then maybe you shouldn't say the things you do? Its fine if you want to have unrealistic expectations but don't be disappointed when they go unmet.
thats what im saying dude's got a year left why the is amare texting him maybe for next season i guess
Players are technically allowed to do that. It's not called tampering until an official from the team gets involved.
You're really going to dispute them being cheap? Really? Just because they've won and made shrewd moves over the years doesn't mean they're not cheap. You do know that prior to taking on Jefferson's contract they were rarely a tax paying team? The only reason they took on his contract is because they knew the big three needed more help and because they wanted to attempt to payback Duncan for giving up $11 million over 2 years on his last extension.
Well, you're en led to your opinion. I'm not saying the front office has always been that way, but they have been at times and I get the sense they're being that way right now. Maybe I'm wrong. I never said my opinion was fact.
I'm not getting paid millions to come up with something, they are. We know it's not going to be easy, I get it, I understand how restricted and limited they are, but if they're really serious about winning a championship this season, then they'll come up with something or at least try like to. I'm not hearing things like "Spurs working feverishly to acquire (fill in the blank)" or "Spurs are desperate to get something done or make a move". Nothing.
Isiah Thomas agrees with everything you have said.
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