General Free Agent Signings/Trades

[Frankie23]

stop underrating blairs defense he gets his hands on so many passes that lead to steals ...

Remember Allen Iverson? Leader in steals several years.
Put him defending a PF.. Is he a good defender? Well, for sure he will get his hands or make steals, but one on one he will be raped.

The same happens with Blair. Chuck Hayes, with the same height is a much better one on one defender.

Also, his defensive rebounds are Bargnani style..

[TD 21]

Mexican center Gustavo Ayon is close to signing with an NBA team. The Hornets are the front-runners for the services of Fuenlabrada's player. Solobasket

I guess he was too big of a name to end up with the Spurs, who have apparently become the least desirable free agent destination in the league. This is beyond perplexing, beyond astonishing, it's flat out insane that they're not even rumored to be interested in any bigs (other than Kaman, which the vast majority of us knew wasn't happening). All this talk about improving defensively and this is how they respond? They thought if they pretended to be more serious about it this time (like they claim every season) and that it wasn't a personnel issue, they'd magically improve? That's the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

If they're seriously planning to go with what they have, then they deserve for Duncan or Splitter to go down for an extended period of time, just for being so ignorant. I place part of the blame on the big three, Duncan in particular. They shouldn't have allowed this to happen. They should have demanded that a starting PF be brought in. And yes, they have the assets to acquire it. Blair, McDyess and a 1st is a good enough package to acquire a starter.

[SenorSpur]

Mexican center Gustavo Ayon is close to signing with an NBA team. The Hornets are the front-runners for the services of Fuenlabrada's player. Solobasket

I guess he was too big of a name to end up with the Spurs, who have apparently become the least desirable free agent destination in the league. This is beyond perplexing, beyond astonishing, it's flat out insane that they're not even rumored to be interested in any bigs (other than Kaman, which the vast majority of us knew wasn't happening). All this talk about improving defensively and this is how they respond? They thought if they pretended to be more serious about it this time (like they claim every season) and that it wasn't a personnel issue, they'd magically improve? That's the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

If they're seriously planning to go with what they have, then they deserve for Duncan or Splitter to go down for an extended period of time, just for being so ignorant. I place part of the blame on the big three, Duncan in particular. They shouldn't have allowed this to happen. They should have demanded that a starting PF be brought in. And yes, they have the assets to acquire it. Blair, McDyess and a 1st is a good enough package to acquire a starter.

Wow!

for this post.

[Ditty]

The Spurs are trying to clear alot of cap room for next summer I heard, so there not trying to offer any long term contracts, which seems to turn alot of players away from signing with them. So don't believe the whole no one wants to sign with us bs, but Holt sure has got a bad reputation now of being a douchbag. Spurs will probably make a strong run for Kenyon Martin when he is released from his contract, but don't expect getting anything big out of Mcdyess.

[Big P]

A strong run at KMart with what money? The mini mle?

[Ditty]

A strong run at KMart with what money? The mini mle?

Yeah. Spurs will defintley not go with this rotation into the postseason, if worse comes to worse, they will do all they can to let Dice play one more season.

[ace3g]

Spurs will be patient I guess when looking for a PF/C: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ody-at-center/

[Mr. Body]

Yeah. Spurs will defintley not go with this rotation into the postseason...

...because they are not going into the postseason.

[Ditty]

...because they are not going into the postseason.

yeah...I don't know if they're 8 teams that are better then us in the conference.

[ElNono]

Spurs will be patient I guess when looking for a PF/C: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ody-at-center/

[DPG21920]

That type of apathy from the Spurs is shocking and they allowed themselves to dig this hole. Hopefully they can find someone sooner than later because this is a compressed season and there isn't a lot of time to integrate a new player.

[ace3g]

plus it would be nice to have another PF/C just for depth sake, with a shorten season, players will get tired, going to need bodies. Preferably a good PF/C though...

[Ditty]

Spurs will be patient I guess when looking for a PF/C: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ody-at-center/

I would take Fesenko over Ajincia, if Ajincia had a decent basketball IQ he probably could be starting somewhere.

[Duncan2177]

I can see the spurs going after Martin if he is let go.

[Mr. Body]

yeah...I don't know if they're 8 teams that are better then us in the conference.

ty conference, then.

[DesignatedT]

That's worlds better than Popovich not even addressing the issue. Making a trade is the only way this team is going to be able to contend for a championship. Signing some scrub bigman isn't going to do it, even though they should if they can't work a trade out.

[Nathan89]

Spurs will be patient I guess when looking for a PF/C: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ody-at-center/

So the deadline to do something with Dice is tonight? I thought it was in a couple of days.

[Dex]

So the deadline to do something with Dice is tonight? I thought it was in a couple of days.

Tomorrow, the 19th, IIRC. Not sure what time.

[timtonymanu]

I hope they make a decision instead of requesting a deadline extension again.

[underdawg]

I would take Fesenko over Ajincia, if Ajincia had a decent basketball IQ he probably could be starting somewhere.

I really don't think the Spurs have the luxury of being picky at this point. Besides, Bonner has decent basketball IQ, but his basketball IQ doesn't help him when he's getting dunked on.

The funny thing about that blog is the quote that the Spurs don't want just anybody - isn't that what they've basically been doing for the past few years in regards to their front line? That's like saying, "when it comes to driving cars, I don't want to drive just any car - take my Dodge Neon here for example."

[Ice009]

I don't like that article, it sounds like they got ABSOLUTELY nothing in the works. I thought they must have been working on something with McDyess' expiring contract for some sort of trade, but it sounds like they got nothing and have struck out.

[SenorSpur]

The low sense of urgency has always surprised me - and I don't necessarily mean this year. I'm talking an overall low sense of urgency on the part of Pop and RC to prepare for the inevitable.

It happened before when Bowen was on the decline. The Spurs delayed targeting a suitable defensive-minded SF for several seasons, while Pop became heavily invested in the over-the-hill Finley's of the world. Another SF-in-waiting should've been identified, targeted and serving an apprenticeship, so that he'd be ready to step in. It took about 3 seasons, but thank goodness the FO wised up and targeted Kawai Leonard.

Fast forward to today and it's happened again. It's his 15th season and Tim is now is major decline and there is absolutely no fallback plan for him. There's not even a good compliment of collective skills with the remaining bigs on this roster to help offset that decline.

Splitter may be a good start and an eventual good complimentary big, but at this point he is largely unproven. Bonner and Blair are nice players and each has a specialized function. However, it's not enough. The fact remains that both of them are so very physically flawed that they do not belong on the same team - much less on the same court. You can probably get by with one, but not both.

The bottom line is the Spurs again waited too long to address a position where a declining major player was involved. As I've said time and time again before, the time to buy car insurance is not when you've already had a traffic mishap. And looking at the collective deficiencies of this frontline, and one could say it resembles one big ol' car wreck.

[spurs10]

Pop sounds pretty nonchalant about a situation that is actually quite urgent at this point. Something needs to happen today......and everyone knows it. I keep thinking they have a plan, but I'm not so sure after that read. Regarding some comments, made out of frustration I'm sure, that we deserve for Tim or Tiago get injured to get the attention of our coaches and FO, I think their chances of being worn out at least are imminent. It is indeed "insane" thinking we can start the season with this frontline.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

The low sense of urgency has always surprised me - and I don't necessarily mean this year. I'm talking an overall low sense of urgency on the part of Pop and RC to prepare for the inevitable.

It happened before when Bowen was on the decline. The Spurs delayed targeting a suitable defensive-minded SF for several seasons, while Pop became heavily invested in the over-the-hill Finley's of the world. Another SF-in-waiting should've been identified, targeted and serving an apprenticeship, so that he'd be ready to step in. It took about 3 seasons, but thank goodness the FO wised up and targeted Kawai Leonard.

Fast forward to today and it's happened again. It's his 15th season and Tim is now is major decline and there is absolutely no fallback plan for him. There's not even a good compliment of collective skills with the remaining bigs on this roster to help offset that decline.

Splitter may be a good start and an eventual good complimentary big, but at this point he is largely unproven. Bonner and Blair are nice players and each has a specialized function. However, it's not enough. The fact remains that both of them are so very physically flawed that they do not belong on the same team - much less on the same court. You can probably get by with one, but not both.

The bottom line is the Spurs again waited too long to address a position where a declining major player was involved. As I've said time and time again before, the time to buy car insurance is not when you've already had a traffic mishap. And looking at the collective deficiencies of this frontline, and one could say it resembles one big ol' car wreck.

While agree with everything mentioned, the Spurs weren't really in a position to make any major moves due to salaries being paid to the current players.

The Spurs "model" has ALWAYS been to draft really, really well; find a way to keep the elite drafted players from leaving via free agency and surround that nuclues of drafted talent w/ inexpensive and defensive minded 3 pt scoring vets. Robinson, Parker, Ginobili, etc. The Spurs got away from that model w/ RJ.

San Antonio is a great city but it's not NY or LA or Miami. You don't here CPIII or Dwight Howard or even someone like Josh Howard citing the Spurs as their #1 desired franchise to play for. The Spurs often make a few FAs short lists, but rarely are they the exclusive pick.

I actually think it's wasteful thinking to expect som major FA signing. Anyone who is signed, if that actually does happen, will be of little consequence.

So, next year will be the 1st time the FO will have a real opportunity to try and find "ligtning in a bottle" once again. Not sure who they might be able to acquire in the draft w/ a later (non-lottery) pick so it actually may take 2-3 years before that elite player makes his way to the team. We've all been spoiled with having one of the best if not THE best PF to ever play the game on the roster for all these years and he was the #1 overall pick. I doubt seriously the Spurs will every be bad enough to have a majority of lottery balls in the hopper come draft order day...

So, regardless the Spurs are able to obtain between now and 2014, it will mean a complete OVERHAUL of the team. Next year (not to mention 2-3 years from now), RJ, MG and TD will all be gone and TP will be too old to be a major contributor.

The real question is, who on the team RIGHT NOW, can develop into a major contributor for the next 3-5 years. Anderson? Leonard? Splitter? I sure hope so.

[Ice009]

Pop sounds pretty nonchalant about a situation that is actually quite urgent at this point. Something needs to happen today......and everyone knows it. I keep thinking they have a plan, but I'm not so sure after that read. Regarding some comments, made out of frustration I'm sure, that we deserve for Tim or Tiago get injured to get the attention of our coaches and FO, I think their chances of being worn out at least are imminent. It is indeed "insane" thinking we can start the season with this frontline.

I guess what Bruno said in the other thread is the way they are playing it. The Spurs can't show anyone if they are desperate for a big man otherwise it weakens their chances on trading for one or signing one.