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been that way for a while tbh
Talk to Pop for any length of time about the basketball team he coaches and he's sure to utter his favorite buzz-phrase: corporate knowledge. Why are the Spurs often able to do more with less? Corporate knowledge. What allows for continued excellence? Corporate knowledge. Why is Acquisition X struggling? Corporate knowledge, or lack thereof, he'll tell you.
Heading into what promises to be a hectic regular season preceded by a hurried free agency period, corporate knowledge will be as valuable as ever. Asking a group of players to conjure up championship-level cohesion without a full training camp and without many in-season practice opportunities is requesting the impossible.
So, the Spurs should sit tight and give it another go with the same crew, right? Being conservative, and thus being able to milk the team's corporate knowledge, is the correct move, right?
No.
Corporate knowledge has undoubtedly aided the Spurs over the years. However, there comes a point when corporate knowledge leads to corporate decay.
Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have reached the mountain top multiple times; they know what is required to undertake such a journey. And each day at training camp, the Big Three will look around and know in their heart of hearts that the team, as currently constructed, has no realistic hope. Corporate knowledge, in this case, unveils the unfortunate truth.
The Big Three knows they were two years younger, armed with a similar supporting cast and swept away by the Phoenix Suns. The Big Three knows they have a worse supporting cast on paper than last year's squad that was manhandled in the first round by an eighth seed.
Being the good soldiers they are, Duncan, Ginobili and Parker have smiled into the cameras and professed their belief. Do you think the Spurs can win it all? "Of course," they answer, "we think that every year."
But they know. You can hear it in their voices. You can see it in their body language. Off the record, they'll admit the grim truth.
"We will always have a good team," Parker told a French newspaper in a report he thought would never make its way to South Texas, "but we can no longer say that we’re playing for a championship."
Typically, a player on a contender waiving a white flag would be cause for concern -- if not a trade -- but there's one problem: Parker is just speaking the truth.
If the Spurs come back with the same team, they will be forced to utilize last season's formula. The offense will be a guard-heavy attack relying on three-pointers, while the defense will use ball pressure and quick rotations in hopes of remaining average.
Last year, that formula was successful for a couple of months … before the team ran out of gas. In a condensed season, fuel will burn even faster. The flaws of the formula will be exposed even quicker.
The answer isn't to change the formula. As the roster is assembled, the Spurs have no choice but to use a gimmicky approach to win games. It's easy to suggest that San Antonio needs to revert to a defense-first, inside-out philosophy, however the necessary pieces simply aren't on the roster.
The Big Three has done their part. They've brought championships. Even today, in the face of the unfortunate truth brought upon by corporate knowledge, they will go the extra mile to give hope to Spurs fans. Now it's time for the front office and ownership to do their part and add reinforcements. Add true hope.
A complete overhaul isn't necessary. In fact, there are many avenues to hope. Add an ace perimeter defender to ease the defensive burden on the Big Three and give hope that the defense-first approach can be reborn. Or skin the same cat by adding a shotblocker to the interior. Another alternative would be adding a low-post presence in hopes of rekindling the inside-out magic of past championship runs.
Do something. Give the Big Three a fighting chance. They've more than earned it over the years.
Do nothing and Ginobili and Parker will play this season with one eye on the 2012 Olympic Games. Do nothing and Duncan may very well consider greener, more proactive pastures at the end of the season. Do nothing and the Spurs might as well blow things up and rebuild.
That's the corporate reality and there's no unlearning that knowledge.
been that way for a while tbh
"In fact, there are many avenues to hope. Add an ace perimeter defender to ease the defensive burden on the Big Three and give hope that the defense-first approach can be reborn. Or skin the same cat by adding a shotblocker to the interior. Another alternative would be adding a low-post presence in hopes of rekindling the inside-out magic of past championship runs."
Could you expand upon this part please?
I agree with the rest but it's so negative
i also worry some if after this season will duncan chase one last ring?!?
Good, thoughtful post, but the writing is on the wall. This team can't arrest its inexorable decline.
Wow, you're coming around to my side LJ?
I fully agree; either do something major for the defense or blow it up right now. There can be no middle ground.
All you wrote is true, the question is: Is there really hope with a core of 32+ age?
I mean in order to become compe ive the spurs must bring quality big man, all I can think of is Kaman. And a another strong SF, yet smart: all I can think of is Nocioni/Bell.
Feels like they don't care. Standing pat. If anything, we are even weaker without McDyess.
Might as well blow up the team. Trade Duncan, Ginobli and/or Parker.
Going into this season without addressing the glaring holes in the roster is foolish. If that is the approach the front office is going to take, then might as well start the rebuilding process now. They are going to waste this year.
Seems like every le team required a Jaren Jackson or a Manu Ginobili or a Speedy Claxton or someone who wasn't exactly a corporate knowledge guy to step up.
There's another Pop buzz phrase that's been missing the last few years: Appropriate fear.
Why? I'd sure as rather watch Timmy and Manu not win a ring, than watch a bunch of people I don't care about not win a ring.
Last edited by Anonymous Cowherd; 12-11-2011 at 04:12 PM.
Nice thought
Did you intentionally not talk about Kawhi and Tiago?
Gary Neal s all over the "corporate knowledge" schtick.
Watch? sure.
I'd like for them to be able to compete as well. Right now they are sending them out there with an unloaded gun.
If we are forced to stick with RJ, thats ok.
But they can't continue to go with current group of bigs that we have. We were demolished last year. We've been weak up front for a few years now. It only gets worse as Timmy continues to slow down.
Spurs are just going to have to luck into another Timmy or DRob. Why? Its simple. No one wants to play in SA. Its like having to play in Milwaukee or Minnesota.
Can't believe we are standing pat.
It hurts my soul.
Can we not get something for Parker?
Coming back with the same team makes no sense any way you look at it.
The OP is way too pessimistic. No mention of Neal being a player who assimilated nicely. Yes, they need to improve inside but there is no need to blow this team up. They should, however, be open to moving their best asset in Parker. I'm not sure that counts as blowing up the team.
I also expect Tiago to be improved. RJ sucked less last year than the year before so maybe he can play a little better this year and just suck. Who am I kidding, he needs to go.
They had that in Neal. What they didn't have which was way more crucial and on all le teams was
(1) An MVP-level Tim Duncan
(2) An all-time great defensive player (DRob, Bowen).
Great composition (but I tend to disagree to some extent).
I'm not so sure. I think Leonard has a chance to be that defensive revelation we all crave (though due his lack of "corporate knowledge" that that may be thwarted).
Splitter's lack of corporate knowldge cost him time that could have readied him (and the Spurs) for Memphis' interior onslaught. Others on the roster had more corporate knowledge (and redder hair) but less ability to positively affect outcomes when it was all on the line.
Perhaps Splitter and Leonard will be unleashed this year. And maybe this Anderson kid can play and stay healthy. If so, the roster improves just by Pop playing his more talented contributors.
I don't think that the Spurs striking out on high profile FAs is a big problem. They generally can't play D.
I do think that Pop needs to go back to a D first approach and I think he is very close to having the roster to do it.
Your piece seems to make two points. 1) That the corporate knowledge mantra may actually impede the Spurs and 2) that the Spurs don't have the roster to compete.
I agree with 1 but not 2.
They are just a competent big away if Pop will make a prudent move or two and then let his athletes perform.
(But then again I'm basically a homer.)
Explosion or a radioactive RJ-fueled slow implosion.
If they can't get rid of RJ and the season starts to spiral downward, then I think at the trade deadline they should consider blowing it up. And by blowing it up, you would have to trade Duncan and the other 2. I don't see how you can do it another way.
How can you trade Tony and Manu and then expect Tim to stand around while the team goes for the lottery? I think it's all or none, and that may be why the FO is taking their time/drinking away their sorrows.
My proposal: given that great team defense will probably not be possible, Pop really needs to commit to a style and go with it. Focusing on D makes sense on paper but in reality, as Timvp states, they don't have the people or the talent to be a great defensive team. So, I agree that they should stick with their guard/jump shooting approach.
In fact, they should do everything they did last year starting out...except this time actually stick to it. Pop, ever the underconfident overthinker, blinked and tried to mix defense with our running offense and we ended up with mud.
This team he needs to push offense all the way. Why not? At least make it fun for fans. Get the most out of RJ if he's still on the team. Let Tony get out on the break. Let Manu play loose. Let Blair play loose. Let Leonard make mistakes.
And after the fans have been thrilled and bamboozled a bit, when the trade deadline comes around, THEN strongly consider trading the Big 3. Teams will be licking their chops to try and steal a championship and could possibly be eager to trade.
I'm not saying it will happen, but there could be a great opportunity to get young talent and draft picks. And then next year amnesty RJ and move on.
Trading the Big 3 seems horrible, but I'd actually rather see them try to win a le somewhere else then watch the Spurs implode.
Fantastic post!
It crystallizes the concerns of many on this board, who, like me, shudder at the thought of rolling out virtually the same squad as last year. A squad that is rife with holes at the PF/C position, and, to a lesser extent, at the SF position - especially so long as RJ is on the roster and starting in front of Leonard.
Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Anyone who has watched this team get absolutely man-handled, in the playoffs, the past couple of years is in serious denial if they believe this team can simply "saddle up" the same squad and make another run.
Corporate knowledge is an overused and sometimes overrated term in this organization. It is an extraordinarily tangible benefit to a team that has championship-level components, cohesive team play and one that executes like a well-oiled machine. However, corporate knowledge without tangible talent, on a roster full of holes, is just an empty tenet of a once-proud organization.
So should they trade Tony, Manu or both?Fantastic post!
It crystallizes the concerns of many on this board, who, like me, shudder at the thought of rolling out virtually the same squad as last year. A squad that is rife with holes at the PF/C position, and, to a lesser extent, at the SF position - especially so long as RJ is on the roster and starting in front of Leonard.
Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Anyone who has watched this team get absolutely man-handled, in the playoffs, the past couple of years is in serious denial if they believe this team can simply "saddle up" the same squad and make another run.
Corporate knowledge is an overused and sometimes overrated term in this organization. It is an extraordinarily tangible benefit to a team that has championship-level components, cohesive team play and one that executes like a well-oiled machine. However, corporate knowledge without tangible talent, on a roster full of holes, is just an empty tenet of a once-proud organization.
Basically, I don't think there is any one specific hole the Spurs have to fill to give themselves a shot. The Spurs could add a defensive swingman, a shotblocking bigman or a scoring bigman and that will change things enough to allow the possibility of a championship run. Staying the same doesn't even give the team a chance, which is a shame.
I actually was relatively upbeat after last season because I thought that with a few alterations, the Big Three looked capable of possibly giving it another go. But that was assuming that the Spurs would do something more than sign the corpse of TJ Ford.I agree with the rest but it's so negative
Hopefully I'm mistaking patience for passiveness, but I guess we'll see.
I sincerely doubt they could get much for Manu. Parker clearly has the best trade value. I'm not suggesting that they pull the trigger on that trade now. However, an immediate upgrade at the PF/C position is desparately needed. If the FO cannot upgrade this position prior to the start of the season, with the limited assets they have, then I believe you have to look at perhaps moving TP by the trade deadline. Otherwise, a mediocre season awaits, along with a long an eminent rebuilding process at season's end. Trading TP in March will only help jumpstart such a rebuilding effort.
get a legit big to defend and play next to timmy-splitter check
young long sf who can defend and play a little four-cowhigh leonard check
exp vet to play pg and spell tp9 a few minutes game- tj ford check
maybe were not that far off (gotta be optimistic sometime)
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