Hoppefully the other teams being agressive in the market,will make the Spurs react.No doubt that the western conference will be much stronger next season.Spurs need to move.
It worked last summer, minus one free throw or rebound.
But yeah, I agree that the Spurs need to use their salary cap flexibility to add another solid piece to the rotation.
Re-signing Ginobili and Neal to end the offseason would definitely be disappointing.
Then again, it all comes down to how little Manu is willing to take ........
Different situation. Pop still had the 'start Tiago' card to go to for improvement. That was a big deal.
There's no more cards like that in the deck. Leonard is starting. Tiago is starting. Green is entrenched as a starter. Even with Leonard getting more touches and being a bigger part in the offense, there is a serious lid on their ceiling with this roster as is.
You dont think Leonard will be any better than last season? Tiago has gotten better with each passing season, you do not think this continues? I will gladly take the "current lid" you speak of cause it should be able to get them deep into the playoffs next season but I still think this team can get better with current players ans a sprinkle of lesser FA's..
Especially while stashing their pick.
But it wouldn't be all bad. Depending on the nature of their deals, the Spurs could still have a bit of cap space next summer (even without retirements). The cap is expected to go up to $62 Million, and the team has another $11 Million in expiring deals.
Indeed there is: Winning the championship.
Because if Neal is getting some of the backup SG minutes, then that means Ginobili and Green will be splitting the backup SF minutes. Remember, Leonard's minutes are going to soar next season and Kirilenko is too good to play something like 20-25 mpg backing up both forward spots. What they could (and probably would) do is start him at PF and bring Splitter off the bench. Of course, he'd have to be on board with becoming primarily a PF.
But the only way they could even make a legitimate offer at at this point is if they amnesty Bonner. Presuming they re-sign Ginobili and Neal for $8-9M and Splitter's starting salary is $9M (which it may not be, but either way, it's not going to be drastically lower), they could offer him approximately $7.5-8.5M.
Hopefully somebody will throw an offer to Neal.
A lot of you guys are forgetting about OKC.
I think Leonard will be better, but less of a jump from year 2 to 3 compared with year 1 to 2. He also has injury issues which could keep him from making a jump. Tiago is who he is at his age. I like him, so I'm not knocking him. He was finally used right, he didn't actually improve. He would have been the same year 1 if given enough minutes.
I am of the mindset that last year was last year. If every other team keeps the same roster, then hey, the Spurs are as good a bet as any to come out of the west. But the rest of the teams are trying to get better to be better than the Spurs. Spurs have to adjust to. A 'sprinkle' of lesser free agents to get DNP-CDs as 11th and 12th men doesn't make the Spurs better. Only a rotation player can make that kind of impact. A new rotation player. Maybe Joseph or De Colo get so much better they become like a new player, but I doubt it.
A lid that should have won the championship, tbh. Plus, Leonard, Green, Splitter and CJ should all be better.
The Heat are in a similar boat and might even be worse off since it looks like Wade is about to fall off a cliff and they don't have any up-and-coming players.
But yes, I still think the Spurs need to add another quality rotation piece.
Dunno why we'd want to hope this. If he receives no offers we get him for $1.1m right? That's a no-brainer.
If he does get offers then I probably wouldn't keep them but I'd be happy with him going unfancied.
Nobody's seen what they can do in the playoffs at full strength since they lost Harden. They're definitely a good team, but I think it's way to soon to declare that we're doomed.
He wanted more years. My guess is that he's looking for at least 3 years/$21M, and probably more.
Has there been anything reported on the Kirilenko front since Stein's piece yesterday? Have any other teams been linked to him? With Buddinger re-upping with the Wolves, I imagine that door is shut. Who'se our compe ion rumored to be in the AK47 sweepstakes?
I agree with your financial reasoning, that to realistically get Kirilenko they need to either let Neal go or amnesty Bonner. I think there's an outside chance he'd take that 4 year/$22mil full MLE, but it's doubtful considering he'll likely have other suitors.
However, I still disagree with your rotation assessment. I think 25 mpg backing up both forward spots is exactly what they're offering Kirilenko.
Haven't heard too much. Here's a quote from him though: According to the translation at Hoopshype.com, Kirilenko said, "I don't want to confine myself in any way. But in general, do you want to go to a team where LeBron James is playing at your position? Or to Oklahoma with Kevin Durant? That almost certainly means quietly ending your career. I still feel I'm capable of making a real contribution."
Here's why I think AK47 is still in play: If you're the Spurs and Portland is reportedly offering Splitter a $36M over 4-year deal, why wouldn't you just call their bluff and then match if the Blazers actually follow through?
The most logically reason why the Spurs wouldn't wait out Splitter's possible offer from the Blazers is to avoid Portland frontloading the deal ... which could then hurt San Antonio's chances of squeezing in another big salary this summer.
The timing of Splitter's deal tells me the Spurs are going to do more than just stand pat. Otherwise, there'd be no reason to be in a rush.
Losers of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes (between Atlanta, Dallas, Houston) could make a desperation play for Splitter after striking out on Kemp. With this in mind, its possible the Spurs wanted to lock up Splitter before it got to that point. I do hope you're right though. AK would be a perfect fit here
I'm not saying we're doomed, but they're definitely not a pushover like some posters in here seem to think.
Wolves just re-signed Budinger for 16mill, might help Spurs cause in signing AK.
I really hope we get Kirilenko. Good defensive instincts + the interior defense might not go to if he's playing minutes when Tiago is the only big. And it looks like Kirilenko might not re-sign with the Wolves.
I don't want AK47.
I expect he will be on the Spurs next year.
I'll say this: If the Spurs can make an offer at least close to whatever the biggest offer he receives is, then as long as he's on board with playing a lot at PF, I think he'll sign with them.
I doubt it. It's not just the caliber of player he is, it's that the big rotation would work much better with him starting.
Though he'd struggle in a handful of match-ups, for the most part, I think they could get away with him starting at PF and if they got into a playoff series with a team where they felt they couldn't, then they could always start Splitter.
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