Spurs withdraw qualifying offer to Neal

[Chinook]

So if they don't revoke the QO, they still have the S&T option though, correct? They don't have to pull it. It's only that they have to pull it now if they want to in order to keep Bird Rights. If you arent concerned about him accepting, just keep the option there and keep the S&T alive that way.

Correct.

[timvp]

I don't see anything gained from it unless your mindset is:

1) You under no cir stance really want him to sign that QO
2) It's a good will gesture

Nothing else makes sense IMO

Agreed, tbh.

Unless there's something about Neal that makes the Spurs not want him back at any cost (and that something would have to be outside of basketball), goodwill is the only other logical conclusion.

Neal on a one-year, $1 million contract would be a steal. To take away that possibility for no apparent reason makes little sense other than the Spurs just doing him a favor.

The convo could have been like this:

Neal's Rep: "We have a contract on the table for X years and X dollars. Are you guys going to match?"

RC: "No."

Rep: "Okay, well the team is hesitating in pulling the trigger because they fear you will match."

RC: "Are they interested in a sign-and-trade?"

Rep: "No."

RC: "Well, tell you what I'll do. I'll go ahead and pull the QO. Tell Gary thanks for everything."

[Ditty]

Spurs must be really confident in signing Greg Oden imo

[coyotes_geek]

If they didn't pull it, they would still have the S&T and the option of him signing for 1M. I don't see anything gained from it unless your mindset is:

1) You under no cir stance really want him to sign that QO
2) It's a good will gesture

Nothing else makes sense IMO

Making Neal unrestricted now creates value for Neal and the more value Neal has, the more potential value he has as an S&T asset. Keep Neal restricted and that just diminishes his value and probably results in him getting pissed off and signing and offer sheet which would kill the S&T possibility.

Following timvp's hypothetical conversation example to better illustrate the point:

Spurs pull the QO:

RC: So, unrestricted FA Gary, I see some team offered you $X. Any interest in an S&T?
GN: Sure.

Spurs don't pull the QO:

RC: So, restricted FA Gary, I see some team offered you something less than $X. Any interest in an S&T?
GN: you. I'm signing the offer sheet.

[cd98]

Spurs must be really confident in signing Greg Oden imo

doubt it. The last roster spot will be for a big (only Oden) or a small forward. We don't need another guard.

[hater]

Nash and Kobe were worse by a country mile this season. Calderon and Brandon Knight were probably the worst defensive guard duo by the end of the regular season.

is that really something to be proud of?

[Kindergarten Cop]

Spurs must be really confident in signing Greg Oden imo

doubt it. The last roster spot will be for a big (only Oden) or a small forward. We don't need another guard.

[spurraider21]

is that really something to be proud of?

hater, you gna stick with the Neal avatar? you've had that same one for quite some time

[KaiRMD1]

I feel as though this may not be a good thing but what do I know, I'm just a billionaire

[anakha]

is that really something to be proud of?

Did I say anything like that at all?

Just pointing out that your assertion that Parker and Ginobili were the worst defensive guard duo in the league was wrong.

[Dverde]

Neal had his warts especially on defense, but he could hit a big shot. Wish him well.

[Sean Cagney]

Neal had his warts especially on defense, but he could hit a big shot. Wish him well.

I hated the way POP used him as the backup PG, that part there was not his fault obviously but he is a spot up shooter and he was misused as a backup PG. He will be a very good spot up shooter for a team, hopefully not one we meet in the playoffs and he lights us up lol. I just hope if we play against him we exploit his horrible D, that would be a advantage the Spurs know about first hand and how to attack him.

[Libri]

Strange. As Bruno stated, RC appears to have been trying to bluff his way into a sign-and-trade. Once that didn't pan out, the Spurs were more interested in the open roster spot than bringing back a now redundant player (the only way he wasn't redundant is if the Spurs had simultaneously given up on Joseph, De Colo and Mills).

I'm still hopeful that the offseason isn't over yet but it has been an odd month.

From the outside, it looked like Neal's reps tried to bluff the Spurs with a big contract offer. The Spurs, instead of meeting the demands, simply went ahead and signed Belinelli for less than Neal was asking. Then Buford returned the favor and bluffed the NBA regarding Neal -- but nobody bit......

Now it'll be fascinating to see if he'll get more than Belinelli. I'm guessing not since most of the money around the league has been used up.






P.S.

This could have also been a going away present for Neal. By withdrawing the QO, that raised his value because now teams don't have to worry about the Spurs matching.

Thanks.

[DrunkTXLabrat]

truth nuke

spursfan expects neal to be lock down ignoring the fact that TP and Manu are the worst defensive guard duo in the NBA

and tenbeersbold

truth nuke my ass...

i'm not expecting neal to be a lockdown defender. i'm expecting his replacement, beli, will be an upgrade. maybe not as a shooter. but def as a ball handler and defender.

i'm not pullin up the stats... but i watched the games. i'm confident enough to say bonner had his best year defense and rebounding-wise. and still, i called for bonners head too. so the spurs could make way for pittman or oden. or any other big who can actually defend like a big. without years of patience.

and manu and tp. gimme a break. manu's problem is turnovers and health. he's a total post man pick pocket and passing lane hawk. tp? yeah, okay, maybe. but i don't think of defensive pg, on spurs, as a defensive position anyway. all he's gotta do... don't get blown by. and traffic signal the opposition towards off hand and/or into timmy.

[TheGreatYacht]

I hated the way POP used him as the backup PG, that part there was not his fault obviously but he is a spot up shooter and he was misused as a backup PG. He will be a very good spot up shooter for a team, hopefully not one we meet in the playoffs and he lights us up lol. I just hope if we play against him we exploit his horrible D, that would be a advantage the Spurs know about first hand and how to attack him.

More than likely the one matching up with Neat would be Danny Green and Manu or Belli off the bench. We all know that Danny can't exploit matchups because he can't play on the block. Looks like the task would be up to Manu off the bench unless Gary's new team decides to play his as a PG as well which I doubt. Add to the fact that Pop is not the type of coach that likes to exploit matchups since he's won't deviate from his system for one bit.

and tenbeersbold

truth nuke my ass...

i'm not expecting neal to be a lockdown defender. i'm expecting his replacement, beli, will be an upgrade. maybe not as a shooter. but def as a ball handler and defender.

i'm not pullin up the stats... but i watched the games. i'm confident enough to say bonner had his best year defense and rebounding-wise. and still, i called for bonners head too. so the spurs could make way for pittman or oden. or any other big who can actually defend like a big. without years of patience.

I agree. I've been a little high on Dexter Pittman. He looked like a solid rebounder and rim protector at the SL. Greg Oden is a no-brainer for the minimum contract.

and manu and tp. gimme a break. manu's problem is turnovers and health. he's a total post man pick pocket and passing lane hawk.

He used to be, when he was in his prime. Not anymore. His help defense was terrible all year long because he fouled a lot trying to swap the ball away.

tp? yeah, okay, maybe. but i don't think of defensive pg, on spurs, as a defensive position anyway. all he's gotta do... don't get blown by. and traffic signal the opposition towards off hand and/or into timmy.

I agree. Danny Green is our specialist in defending PG's.

[DrunkTXLabrat]

Agreed, tbh.

Unless there's something about Neal that makes the Spurs not want him back at any cost (and that something would have to be outside of basketball), goodwill is the only other logical conclusion.

Neal on a one-year, $1 million contract would be a steal. To take away that possibility for no apparent reason makes little sense other than the Spurs just doing him a favor.

The convo could have been like this:

Neal's Rep: "We have a contract on the table for X years and X dollars. Are you guys going to match?"

RC: "No."

Rep: "Okay, well the team is hesitating in pulling the trigger because they fear you will match."

RC: "Are they interested in a sign-and-trade?"

Rep: "No."

RC: "Well, tell you what I'll do. I'll go ahead and pull the QO. Tell Gary thanks for everything."

this!

[heyheymymy]

damn this makes me think bailing on neal is gonna come back to haunt us. he can hit a huge shot and just our luck it'll be against us when it counts.

im gonna miss him, loved his huge 3's. clippers game, grizz game, and of course the finals game when he and green went off. it was just plain fun watching him go off. frustrating when he went cold. but great when he was hitting.

[Sean Cagney]

damn this makes me think bailing on neal is gonna come back to haunt us. he can hit a huge shot and just our luck it'll be against us when it counts.

im gonna miss him, loved his huge 3's. clippers game, grizz game, and of course the finals game when he and green went off. it was just plain fun watching him go off. frustrating when he went cold. but great when he was hitting.

Do not forget as well he will take the ill advised rushed shot after he hits one and it fuels a run to the other basket, that can be a huge advantage as well! He can hit some shots as you mentioned yes, but he is a bad defender and his long threes out of the flow of the game can spark the other team.

[spurraider21]

neal for 1 million is a bargain man

[HI-FI]

will miss Choo Choo, but hopefully things work out great for him and Spurs. That Dude Bellinelli will be a good, if not better, replacement imo.

[spurraider21]

Houston should pick and Neal and claim Mike Miller tbh

[Obstructed_View]

Good luck to Gary. He was far better than I ever thought he'd be.

[Strategic]

Pop did the best he could trying to organize helter skelter. Wish him only the best.

[jag]

[jag]

It's too bad the Spurs couldn't keep him, but the writing was on the wall as soon as Belinelli was signed. Despite his flaws on the defensive end, a healthy Neal is still one of the best shooters in the NBA. And his underrated ability to shoot off the dribble separates him from a lot of "specialist" spot-up shooters around the league. For three years of service he was paid a total of $2.14MM. Dude was a of a find.