Going into the off season we needed a backup PG and a SF...

[Bruno]

plus as it stands right now kawhi will get most of those minutes anyways. if a team has a big physical SF then in comes diaw or bonner again. if it is a smaller guy then green or ginobli can play a couple minutes there too. if it is durrant or james it doesn't matter who you have as your back up.

would I like to see a true SF there? sure. but we still have options especially if deshaun thomas ends up coming in. he seems like a kid that wants to work hard an make a difference this year. so I would count him out completely.

Bonner or Diaw can't really play SF. As it stands, 99% of the non-garbage time backup SF minutes will be played by Green, Belinelli or Ginobili.

3 guards lineups should work most of the time but not always and having only Leonard as Sf will hurt Spurs small ball possibilities.

Now, I will wait a little before really ing about that because if Spurs get a player like Ariza in a Blair S&T, it will solve everything.

[palangi]

Bonner or Diaw can't really play SF. As it stands, 99% of the non-garbage time backup SF minutes will be played by Green, Belinelli or Ginobili.

3 guards lineups should work most of the time but not always and having only Leonard as Sf will hurt Spurs small ball possibilities.

Now, I will wait a little before really ing about that because if Spurs get a player like Ariza in a Blair S&T, it will solve everything.

I agree that neither can do it. but both did do it a little last year in spots. and that is all i think they would show again. i do believe diaw could be a little more valuable there if he got into shape and lost 50 lbs. I still don't think he could make a living there but he becomes valuable if we play a team with a big physical type 3. like when miami uses lebron there.

I do hope also that they can get a ariza type. a true SF. but if not I don't think it is the end of the world either like some here think. I am not arguing with you bruno. i was actually kind of piggy backing off what you were saying with a little more of my own thought added.

[T Park]

Not consistently competent, no. Corey Joseph is still wet behind the ears to be a true backup to TP.

Awesome you tell me who was the FA stud PF they were supposed to get? Oh and back up PG...

[xmas1997]

To those that keep arguing that the offseason isn't over as a defensive mechanism for the ty job that the FO has done so far, what will happen if the Spurs lose out on Greg Oden?

What will happen if the Spurs fail on their trade attempts and end up staying pat come regular season time? What will your defense mechanism be then? "Oh we still got till the trade deadline. We were only 28 seconds away from winning it all. I'm sure the FO will make a move before the trade deadline."

What will you'll be saying if the FO has failed trade attempts after the trade deadline? I wonder what the new defensive mechanism will be. My guess is the 28 seconds excuse. "Oh I'll never question Pop and the FO. We have the best FO in the world. I have faith in them."

and it becomes more and more obvious with each new post you make. I told you you would end up hanging yourself and you are doing a great job of it so far. What I haven't figured out yet is which team you're masquerading as a Spurs fan from, Mavs, Lakers, or Heat.

[palangi]

I don't get the hate for cojo. the guy is only 21 years old. and probably came out a year before he should have. he has progressed very nicely and will continue to as well. especially now that he is playing for canada.

is he a finished product? no. he still has room to develop and the ceiling is still high enough to develop more.

[DesignatedT]

Going into the off season we needed a backup PG and a SF...

Apparently the Spurs don't agree with your assessment of the roster.

[Vic Petro]

I don't get the hate for cojo. the guy is only 21 years old. and probably came out a year before he should have. he has progressed very nicely and will continue to as well. especially now that he is playing for canada.

is he a finished product? no. he still has room to develop and the ceiling is still high enough to develop more.

I don't hate Cojo at all, and have high hopes for him. However, do I want him learning on the job when this team has a 2 year window for a le? Saying you aren't confident with the ball in Cojo's hands in the NBA Finals (realistic destination for Spurs) doesn't mean you are a Cojo hater. Just means it would be nice to have some veteran insurance there in case he falls apart under the pressure, as many young players have on such a big stage.

[Baam]

I don't hate Cojo at all, and have high hopes for him. However, do I want him learning on the job when this team has a 2 year window for a le? Saying you aren't confident with the ball in Cojo's hands in the NBA Finals (realistic destination for Spurs) doesn't mean you are a Cojo hater. Just means it would be nice to have some veteran insurance there in case he falls apart under the pressure, as many young players have on such a big stage.

Exactly.

Cojo showed me nothing in the playoffs and nothing in the summer league where he mostly ran into people trying to play like TP.

There's a lot of wishful thinking going on with that guy, the bottom line is would you be confident with him creating his own shot in the PO? No, he's there because he's a safe defensive option and we don't have anything better but with Manu getting worse and worse that won't cut it...

And he's not even that good defensively either...

[benefactor]

Why are any of you responding to Baam? My Boston Terrier has better basketball takes than he does.

[mudyez]

Lets put anyone on the position it suits him best only:

TP/CoJo/Nando/Patty
Green/Manu/Beli
Kawhi
Diaw/Bonner/Pendergraph
Tim/Tiago

IMHO it doesn't look as bad (Beli/Manu/Diaw will backup the SF in the playoffs anyway) but I'd like to have someone like T-Mac on the roster just to tutor Kawhi and beeing able to fit in if Kawhi needs a break when we play Miami at the tail end of FOFI.

[slick'81]

I think its clear spurs r goin with cj or nando at pg with mills as insurance .let's just hope one of the young guards improve at take the job.a baCk up 3/4 well that's another story

[dbestpro]

Cory Joseph will be a good backup PG next season. When you look at what he has done late in the season at his age and with so little experience, that's very promising for next season. His summer with Canada NT should also help him.

For the backup SF spot, I will wait to see what happens with Blair before definitively commenting.

Yeah, but will CoJo ever learn to run the pick and roll?

[Hoops Czar]

Awesome you tell me who was the FA stud PF they were supposed to get? Oh and back up PG...

They're aren't PF's in the Spur's price range but you know that or you wouldn't be asking. Not sure what your point is since you completely whiffed on my post. As it stands now, Diaw will probably spend as much time at SF as PF. Mo Williams as a veteran backup PG is a more stable solution than a developmental prospect.

[palangi]

I don't hate Cojo at all, and have high hopes for him. However, do I want him learning on the job when this team has a 2 year window for a le? Saying you aren't confident with the ball in Cojo's hands in the NBA Finals (realistic destination for Spurs) doesn't mean you are a Cojo hater. Just means it would be nice to have some veteran insurance there in case he falls apart under the pressure, as many young players have on such a big stage.

he is learning in practice, the summer league, and now for canada national team.

you make it sound like he can't even dribble a ball. and last years experience will be huge for him.

[dallasmaverickslose]

CoJo is going to surprise a lot of you this upcoming season.

[Vic Petro]

he is learning in practice, the summer league, and now for canada national team.

you make it sound like he can't even dribble a ball. and last years experience will be huge for him.

Sure he'll be better. But this team desperately needed another guard who can reliably create shots for himself and teammates out of the pick and roll, since Ginobili became anything but reliable. Can Cory Joseph be this player? Sure he can. But it's a huge gamble to have no other alternatives. Especially for a team with a 2 year window. I'm sure he'll be fine in the regular season. But I'm scared to death of him running pick and rolls in big playoffs spots. This is not hating on Cory. It's just given the Spurs position, I don't agree with trusting such a young player in such a key role with no safety net.

[Bruno]

Yeah, but will CoJo ever learn to run the pick and roll?

Joseph not doing a lot offensively last season was partly because he was thrown at the backup PG slot in March. Give him that spot at the first day of the training camp and I'm quite sure he will be able to do more especially on the P&R.

To me, there are little reasons not to think Joseph won't be able to be a good backup PG next season. And if he fails, Spurs can still go with Mills or De Colo. Both can play. Spurs are just fine at the backup PG slot.

[T Park]

They're aren't PF's in the Spur's price range but you know that or you wouldn't be asking. Not sure what your point is since you completely whiffed on my post. As it stands now, Diaw will probably spend as much time at SF as PF. Mo Williams as a veteran backup PG is a more stable solution than a developmental prospect.

So you're ing about not acquiring a PF yet acknowledge there were nine available.

Typical messageboarder thought speak.

[elemento]

I've always defended Cojo in ST and I really wanna see him succeeding in SA.

But I don't see how our PG situation is fine. It may be fine in the the regular season, but in the playoffs, I can't see it.

It's the same way it was last season. Tony Parker is the only reliable guard we have taking care of the ball against elite defense. Manu's case as a backup PG should be over after the Finals. Mills is a bench warmer (a 6'0 SG tbh) and he is only here because he had a PO. Nando is a TO machine and we're still trying to figure out if he is a 1 or a 2.

As a serious contender, SA needs a guy that they can trust the ball other than Parker. And as a much as a love Cojo's potential, can we really trust him against elite defensive teams? Is he really ready considering that he logged only 9min/game in the last playoffs ?

I wish Cojo really explodes next season because if the FO is still fine with Manu as a backup PG, the bad memories will be back sooner that we thought.

I did not like what the FO did in the off-season and the only thing I can do is hope for the best.

[Vic Petro]

I've always defended Cojo in ST and I really wanna see him succeeding in SA.

But I don't see how our PG situation is fine. It may be fine in the the regular season, but in the playoffs, I can't see it.

It's the same way it was last season. Tony Parker is the only reliable guard we have taking care of the ball against elite defense. Manu's case as a backup PG should be over after the Finals. Mills is a bench warmer (a 6'0 SG tbh) and he is only here because he had a PO. Nando is a TO machine and we're still trying to figure out if he is a 1 or a 2.

As a serious contender, SA needs a guy that they can trust the ball other than Parker. And as a much as a love Cojo's potential, can we really trust him against elite defensive teams? Is he really ready considering that he logged only 9min/game in the last playoffs ?

I wish Cojo really explodes next season because if the FO is still fine with Manu as a backup PG, the bad memories will be back sooner that we thought.

I did not like what the FO did in the off-season and the only thing I can do is hope for the best.

[Blizzardwizard]

not really....

This season, yes, Belinelli will be better than Neal was.

Better shot selection, better defense (everyone has better D than Neal).

[Texas_Ranger]

This season, yes, Belinelli will be better than Neal was.

Better shot selection, better defense (everyone has better D than Neal).

I really hope you're right.

[palangi]

I've always defended Cojo in ST and I really wanna see him succeeding in SA.

But I don't see how our PG situation is fine. It may be fine in the the regular season, but in the playoffs, I can't see it.

It's the same way it was last season. Tony Parker is the only reliable guard we have taking care of the ball against elite defense. Manu's case as a backup PG should be over after the Finals. Mills is a bench warmer (a 6'0 SG tbh) and he is only here because he had a PO. Nando is a TO machine and we're still trying to figure out if he is a 1 or a 2.

As a serious contender, SA needs a guy that they can trust the ball other than Parker. And as a much as a love Cojo's potential, can we really trust him against elite defensive teams? Is he really ready considering that he logged only 9min/game in the last playoffs ?

I wish Cojo really explodes next season because if the FO is still fine with Manu as a backup PG, the bad memories will be back sooner that we thought.

I did not like what the FO did in the off-season and the only thing I can do is hope for the best.

so basically we should have an allstar backing up tony?

who is the thunder back up PG?

cojo is every bit as good as cole or chalmers.

who does houston have behind lin?

some of you are just finding something to bit<h about. I can see the SF gripe more than the PG gripe.

[Texas_Ranger]

so basically we should have an allstar backing up tony?

who is the thunder back up PG?

cojo is every bit as good as cole or chalmers.

who does houston have behind lin?

some of you are just finding something to bit<h about. I can see the SF gripe more than the PG gripe.

Oklahoma's got Reggie Jackson that is just as good or even better than Joseph, Houston's got Patrick Beverley who could become a starter and no Joseph is not better than Chalmers or Cole. I know a lot of guys think Cole sucks, but at least he showed up in the playoffs.
Also, Miami and the Thunder don't even need a good backup PG cause Westbrook can play 40+ minutes a game and so can LeBron for Miami.

[elemento]

so basically we should have an allstar backing up tony?

who is the thunder back up PG?

cojo is every bit as good as cole or chalmers.

who does houston have behind lin?

some of you are just finding something to bit<h about. I can see the SF gripe more than the PG gripe.

No we don't need an all-star. We need someone that we can trust the ball. Someone that doesn't turn the ball over 8 times in a decisive game.

OKC's backup is Reggie Jackson and don't be surprised if he fights for the 6th man of the year next season.

Houston's backup PG is Patrick Beverley and also don't be surprised if he actually takes Jeremy's starting spot. They also have Harden

I don't think we need to actually find anything to about after what we saw last season concerning the backup PG spot . It's what It is it. Tony is the only reliable guard we have to take care of the ball in the playoffs. For the info, I am way more comfortable with Manu, Marco or Green playing the 3, than with Mills, Nando, Cojo or Manu playing the 1.