What ever happened to Sanikidze? Has that ship sailed?
This draft is bad in terms of superstar talent IMO.
Late picks like the Spurs pick have pretty much the same amount of talent if you compare them with drafts in the past. The Magic got Daniel Orton with the 29th pick last year. He is a not a better prospect than Johnson, Nogueira or Vucevic.
When was the last time a BIG man (read that as PF or C) was drafted beyond the 20th pick that ended up scoring more than 15 pts and grabbing more the 8 boards a game? Carlos Boozer was actually a 35th overall and is an exception. If you think Mehmet Okur is good, then he might be included (38th pick).
TD was a 1st overall pick. So was Dwight Howard, Andrew Bogut, Shaq, Chris Weber, Larry Johnson, Danny Manning, Pervis Ellison, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elton Brand, Derrick Coleman, Kenyon Martin and Yao Ming. About 95% of all the centers and power forwards that ended up being halfway decent were all drafted w/in the 1st 15 picks. Guards (both point and shooting) drafted later have a far higher probability of success than big men drafted later.
Good big men are just harder to fine. The Spurs lucked up w/ Blair but even as good as he is, his length (or lack thereof) prevents him from seeing the floor during the playoffs in Popovich's scheme.
If the Spurs are serious about drafting a quality big man, their best course of action is to either wait til next year (when the draft will hopefully be stronger) or trade up into the lottery area. The possibility exists (I think) to trade w/ the Cavs to their 4th pick or even w/ Minnesota for their 2nd. Perhaps we can trade TP and Blair and/or Splitter to Toronto @ 5, Milwaukee @ 10 (rumored to want to get rid of Jennings) or Houston @ 14.
Personally, I think that if TP is traded, then the Spurs are officially rebuilding and every attempt to get the BEST BIG MAN they can right now is imperative. Why now? Couple of reasons: getting someone skilled now while Tim Duncan is still playing is best opportunity for him to teach the rookie (who know what Tim will want to do after retiring); having a marquee PF or C will help attract other players that will be free agents next year (such as CP3, Dwight Howard, etc.); most important, the current structure of the West necessitates it - between Portland, LA, Memphis and Dallas, the Spurs need an athletic, shot-blocking, rebouding force to answer the likes of Aldridge, Gasol, Randolph and Dirk.
Last edited by Tyrone Jenkins; 06-02-2011 at 08:08 PM.
That's a lot to trade for a draft pick.
The draft pick would come accompany players...we'd probably swap our 29th pick for theirs.
Next year. I wouldn't trade Tony Parker for anyone in this draft. But if we are the same flawed team at the deadline next year and we can trade for a lottery ticket in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, then you trade. Davis can change a franchise. Even a #3 pick next year can get you McAdoo or Perry Jones or Harrison Barnes all of which are at least comparable to the talent level of this year's #1
Detroit needs a SG and PF. I would trade Neal or Anderson and Blair for Chris Wilcox and the #8 pick. With that, I'd take Chris Singleton.
Trade Hill and Blair and get two additional picks and get these kids:
Malcom Thomas SF/PF San Diego - 6'9, 225 pds, 11 Pts, FG. 53%, Rebounds 8.1, Blocks 2.0 (A tough kid who can rebound/block shots and will be able to guard SF he has very good lateral quickness - the opposite of Bonner, Blair and RJ)
Keith Benson PF/C Oakland - 6'11 223 pds, 17.9 Pts, FG. 54%, Rebounds 10.0, Blocks 3.6 (Great rebounder/blocks shots just needs to juice up for about six months to add bulk)
Lucas Nogureria C - 7'0 225 pds, NA STATS (D Leauge just one year and hire a great weight coach for him)
Darrius Morris PG Michigan - 6'5, 190 pds - 15.0 Pts, Assist. 6.7, Rebounds 4.0 (Will easily be our second best pg and could replace Tony if traded in 2012)
Good PG, Good PF, Good or Great Center........
Last edited by BackHome; 06-04-2011 at 01:11 AM.
The only way we get to trade Tony for top three spots in next year draft is if we trade him this year for next years unprocted pick and we get lucky in that team getting a top three pick. That is almost as much chance as us get Kobe from the Lakers..lol
Same way Deron Williams or Carmelo Anthony were traded at the deadline for multiple top picks and a boatload of other assets. Parker isn't valued as highly but I don't think it's too much to ask basically half that compensation in return.
Luck will play a big part in whether the draft pick we'd get in return is top 5 or top 10 or whatever, but the Spurs have been lucky when it comes to the lottery
I like Tony Parker. I really do. But, I'll be honest . . . he's replaceable. And doing so won't be to difficult.
Tim Duncan is irreplaceable. Arguably the best PF to play the game. I doubt any team (including the Spurs) will ever draft someone that good at the PF or C position ever again.
But TP, he was a late round pick. So was Manu. So are a # of other point and shooting guards. There's more of them. People are just shorter - 6'10' and taller guys w/ that kind of abilty to score, rebound and defend come along every so often. There are probably 2-3 Tony Parker like PGs in THIS draft. Are there any Duncans?
My opinion - keep TP if trading him won't bring about Dwight Howard or someone of that caliber. If it won't, then the Spurs need to set themselves up for a top 5 draft pick NEXT year (hopefully there will be a halfway decent PF or C to replace Duncan).
Either that, or wallow around in mediocrity for the next 10-15 years....
An interesting commented mock draft:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...ug=ycn-8581953
I hope not we need a big more then anything & someone who can contribute right away.
There's nothing like that in this draft where the Spurs are picking. Heck...the whole bottom half of the first round is full of players that are either projects or very end of the bench role players.
With all the money they are locked in to, there is a very, very good chance the Spurs pick someone they don't have to pay next season. Bertrans is a decent option in that respect.
Been thinking the same thing. Short of a miracle draft steal, a healthy Anderson and Butler, a Duncan contract renegotiation, and a trade that's completely lopsided in our favor, we aren't going to contend next year.
I'm not advocating a tank job, but rather that we may as well accept the window is closed and start drafting developing, stashable talent so that once Tim and Manu come off the books after some lackluster seasons we can have a 2-3 drafts-worth of cheap, young players to choose from and some FA play money.
I think a trade involving Parker, Jefferson and Blair and a 1st round pick this year (know one is of any real value at 29) for LeMarcus Aldridge and Andre Miller and Portlands 1st pick (21st). Or, Marc Gasol and OJ Mayo. Perhaps the same for Nene and Raymond Felton. Maybe even Josh Smith and Kurt Heinrich. I kinda like Aaron Brooks, Mickael Pietrus, Channing Frye and the Suns 1st round pick (13th).
Either way, it really depends on who the Spurs see as a possible scoring BIG for their future. Can it be Aldridge. Josh Smith? I doubt Nene, Gasol or Frye are enough of a force to build a franchise around.
Regardless of what the Spurs do, the key is a franchise PF or C. PGs and SGs are a dime a dozen...
definitely looks as if Spurs at least plan to use their picks. some of the invited players are likely out of their draft range (Vucevuc, Shumpert), or even definitely out of their range (Morris, Kanter interview).
that might be an indication that they try to move up and/or acquire another 1st round pick. the #18,#19 and #20 pick are or might be on the market (#20 pick from the Wolves definitely is).
if Vucevic is their target, as many here guess, a pick in that range won't be good enough IMO. he is ranked around 20 in most mocks, but I'm pretty sure he will be picked around 10. he just is to talented and offers to much size to pass. and the success of players like Lopez and Monroe will encourage teams to invest a high pick in such a player. I can see him go to Bobcats at #9 for example.
my hope for a pick around #20 is, that Spurs get Tobias Harris. (no workout reported though).
Bertans is also going to Spurs on DraftXpress latest board - wouldn't suprise me as short of the unexpected falling into your lap or a trade there is probably not a NBA ready contributor at 29 - my only concern with him is having the athletic ability to at least be an average defender - but a pure shooter some have compared to a bigger Peja
I'm skeptical about rumors on Vucevic being Spurs choice. Spurs are one of the better team in the NBA at keeping it secret. While it's fully possible that Spurs are high on Vucevic, I doubt it would have been leaked to medias that soon before the draft.
Tobias Harris has spend some time in SA working on his game with Gervin. Even without a workout, they should have some input about him.
Saw this in an ESPN Insider article from Chad Ford...
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog?...aft&id=6622187USC big man Nikola Vucevic continues to impress NBA teams with some excellent workouts, including a standout session with the San Antonio Spurs. It sounds as if Vucevic is seriously in the picture as early at the 16th pick to Philadelphia, and he probably won't slide past the Spurs.
Vucevic will be long gone by the Spurs' draft.
I could see us trading Hill or Blair to the Pacers for their 15th draft pick...but then I realy don't know who would we be targeting at mid level?
I like Vucevic but do you all think he could be on the floor the same time with Splitter? Also if we do trade up I don't want to give up our 29th pick cause I love Darrius Morris who I think is someone who can really help us out on offense and also be a lock down defender.
Vucevic will not take Splitter's minutes, but could take Bonner's.
I cannot imagine the spurs moving up in this draft simply because the players are not worth it..There is very little seperation after the top 15 and you probably make an arguement after the top 10. I could possibly even see the spurs move back and get an early 2nd rd pick if none of there players are still on the board at #29..
you are right, but the speculation was that because of this facts, 1st round picks might be less costly than in other years. especially teams with multiple picks might be offering their additional picks (Wolves are), b/c they don't want to pick multiple players from a weak draft class.
#12 from the Jazz might be on the market. we could make a point that #12 this year isn't better than #20 in other drafts. but what if because of this the #12 could be had for a price usually payed for a #20 pick?
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