Y!: Kenyon Martin is upset he can't get an NBA job

[jermaine]

IM SO ING SICK OF EVERYONE WANTING TO COAT TAIL WITH THE HEAT. THESES S IS S THESE DAYS

[Clipper Nation]

Since the coach in question is Del Negro, that should endear him to Pop.

Popovich is no stranger to what the Clippers are trying to do. Del Negro routinely calls his former coach to pick his brain in the offseason and has ever since he retired as a player. But now Del Negro is doing it with an eye to emulate and possibly overtake his mentor.

"You have to have the desire to do it, it has to be in your blood, and Vinny had that," Popovich said. "He always had suggestions and he always wanted to talk about basketball. He watched film and understood what won or lost. He's one of the best pick-and-roll players I've ever had. He understands what it meant and how to put it together."

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/...el-for-success

[Obstructed_View]

Frankly, can't remember what I was thinking when I typed that. Might have been the way Del Negro left the team, but I think that was for financial reasons. It was a joke that was clearly based on misremembered facts.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

In a heart beat. Get this man in a Spurs uni.

He has a high basketball IQ. He's a team player. He's tough. He can hit the mid range jumper.

[dunkman]

As the Spurs keep winning RS games, they won't add anyone. However, as the Lakers and OKC improve later in the season they may need someone like K-Mart. Specially in the post season. But if one of the big market teams or the Heat want to sign him, I dont see him signing with the Spurs, tbh.

Its true Manu didn't play well vs the Lakers, but its still worrying that the Spurs need a game winning shot vs the Lakers that are currently sub .500 and with new coach in his first game. Once they start playing well, they may be difficult to beat.

[coco1983]

Now's the time to get him with Kawhi's injury. DO IT front office!

[AussieFanKurt]

bump

[Ice009]

you can't force the er to sign.

[exstatic]

The Spurs are at 15 on the NBA roster, and RIGHT up against the tax, which they have gone on record as NOT being willing to pay this year. Even if you cut Anderson, I'm not sure if that frees up enough for a league-subsidized vet minimum contract. Anderson is the ONLY non-guaranteed contract that will actually reduce the cap/tax burden, and is a non-essential player. I believe Neal locks into guaranteed mode in January, but he's not really cuttable. If they cut Blair, they're still on the hook for his whole cap/tax figure for the year.

The math just doesn't work, unless we pull a trade that both reduces the tax burden and sends out more players than we take in.

[Mel_13]

The Spurs are at 15 on the NBA roster, and RIGHT up against the tax, which they have gone on record as NOT being willing to pay this year. Even if you cut Anderson, I'm not sure if that frees up enough for a league-subsidized vet minimum contract. Anderson is the ONLY non-guaranteed contract that will actually reduce the cap/tax burden, and is a non-essential player. I believe Neal locks into guaranteed mode in January, but he's not really cuttable. If they cut Blair, they're still on the hook for his whole cap/tax figure for the year.

The math just doesn't work, unless we pull a trade that both reduces the tax burden and sends out more players than we take in.

All that and there is still no reason to believe that he would sign a minimum contract with the Spurs. The simple fact that he remains a free agent six weeks after this thread started is absolute proof that the comments attributed to him at that time were total BS.

[ace3g]

The Knicks have done some additional fact-finding on Martin in recent days, sources said.

Martin has been open-minded about the possibility of accepting a 10-day contract to get the opportunity to prove his value to the Knicks, sources said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--kn...225439625.html

[Capt Bringdown]

Abdul-Jabbar relates to Howard's situation because both asked to be traded.

Although Abdul-Jabbar had won a championship with Milwaukee, he believed that Oscar Robertson's retirement in 1974 significantly hurt the team's chances of winning another le. So he asked the front office to trade him to either the New York Knicks or the Lakers.

Jabbar was born and raised in NYC I believe, and of course went on to have a fantastic term at UCLA. I reckon there's more to it than merely front-running in his case. He isn't LeBron.

[Seventyniner]

I know some posters on here have semi-inside access, or at least a more informed viewpoint than us gnsfs. I would like to ask them, then, which of the following (if any) are reasons that we haven't heard any news about K-Mart and the Spurs:

1) The FO thinks he's done
2) Martin has already turned the Spurs down (i.e. recently; Martin has obviously had a change of heart since his no-minimum stance)
3) The FO thinks he isn't any better than Bonner or Blair
4) The FO has interest and is playing their cards so close to the vest that no rumors have leaked out
5) Luxury tax concerns (the league pays everything above the rookie minimum for veteran minimum contracts, but does the whole contract count towards the tax? That would push the Spurs over)
6) Roster flexibility
7) Chemistry concerns

[Mel_13]

I know some posters on here have semi-inside access, or at least a more informed viewpoint than us gnsfs. I would like to ask them, then, which of the following (if any) are reasons that we haven't heard any news about K-Mart and the Spurs:

1) The FO thinks he's done
2) Martin has already turned the Spurs down (i.e. recently; Martin has obviously had a change of heart since his no-minimum stance)
3) The FO thinks he isn't any better than Bonner or Blair
4) The FO has interest and is playing their cards so close to the vest that no rumors have leaked out
5) Luxury tax concerns (the league pays everything above the rookie minimum for veteran minimum contracts, but does the whole contract count towards the tax? That would push the Spurs over)
6) Roster flexibility
7) Chemistry concerns

I don't have any inside and I doubt I'm more informed than you. I believe that you've got it covered with points 1,2,5,6,and 7.

There were reports that the Spurs were interested last year when he came back from China and he chose to sign with the Clips. I still believe that he's holding out for an offer to play for one of the five teams in NY, LA, and Miami.

[Seventyniner]

I don't have any inside and I doubt I'm more informed than you. I believe that you've got it covered with points 1,2,5,6,and 7.

There were reports that the Spurs were interested last year when he came back from China and he chose to sign with the Clips. I still believe that he's holding out for an offer to play for one of the five teams in NY, LA, and Miami.

Good point about picking his destination. He's likely trolling for a ring, though it's ironic that he could potentially put the Spurs over the top, given that he probably isn't considering San Antonio.

Also, any two of those reasons (heck, even one if Pop and RC are nitty enough) are enough for the Spurs to close that door. Five is a death knell.

[dunkman]

I don't have any inside and I doubt I'm more informed than you. I believe that you've got it covered with points 1,2,5,6,and 7.

There were reports that the Spurs were interested last year when he came back from China and he chose to sign with the Clips. I still believe that he's holding out for an offer to play for one of the five teams in NY, LA, and Miami.

I have the impression the FO policy is to move on for good, once a player turns down the Spurs. The only exception to that rule, could have been Jack - and his case was special, as the primary objective of the trade was to unload RJ and Jack was lobbying long time to get traded to the Spurs.

[td4mvp2k]

I have the impression the FO policy is to move on for good, once a player turns down the Spurs. The only exception to that rule, could have been Jack - and his case was special, as the primary objective of the trade was to unload RJ and Jack was lobbying long time to get traded to the Spurs.

Yes and KMart dont want to be in S.A. so let it go and get a player who will.

[Ice009]

I have the impression the FO policy is to move on for good, once a player turns down the Spurs. The only exception to that rule, could have been Jack - and his case was special, as the primary objective of the trade was to unload RJ and Jack was lobbying long time to get traded to the Spurs.

So you think that the Spurs did want him and he turned them down? You might be right though, it seems that the Spurs don't go around chasing players if they don't want to play here. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing. Sometimes you might be able to sign the player if you go the extra mile.

[Seventyniner]

I know some posters on here have semi-inside access, or at least a more informed viewpoint than us gnsfs. I would like to ask them, then, which of the following (if any) are reasons that we haven't heard any news about K-Mart and the Spurs:

1) The FO thinks he's done
2) Martin has already turned the Spurs down (i.e. recently; Martin has obviously had a change of heart since his no-minimum stance)
3) The FO thinks he isn't any better than Bonner or Blair
4) The FO has interest and is playing their cards so close to the vest that no rumors have leaked out
5) Luxury tax concerns (the league pays everything above the rookie minimum for veteran minimum contracts, but does the whole contract count towards the tax? That would push the Spurs over)
6) Roster flexibility
7) Chemistry concerns

And the winner is...
8) The FO had someone else in mind (Baynes)

[Mel_13]

And the winner is...
8) The FO had someone else in mind (Baynes)

6 and 7 still fit, tbh.

[dunkman]

So you think that the Spurs did want him and he turned them down? You might be right though, it seems that the Spurs don't go around chasing players if they don't want to play here. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing. Sometimes you might be able to sign the player if you go the extra mile.

It's difficult to say, but as Dirk says you don't want to build a team based on hope. Apparently, the FO feels comfortable with Duncan, Splitter and Diaw for the playoffs plus some small ball in the mix.

The Lakers have better bigman rotation in theory, but they are struggling. The Grizzlies want to get under the tax and may ship Z-Bo or Gay. But there is also OKC, hopefully with Duncan playing at all-star level and Splitter playing better, the Spurs will be able to win 4 out of 7 without improving the presence in the paint - which honestly seems difficult. Ibaka - Collison - Perkins is a very good rotation, and Durant with 6'10" and his speed and skill creates all types of miss-matches. However, not sure if K-Mart signed mid-season could help there (after missing the pre-season, which Pop considers very important for a bigman).

[bigfan]

Frankly, the reason he is unemployed is because nobody wants to put up with his gangsta antics. The guy is lockerroom poison.