Marc Stein: Spurs are #1 on LaMarcus Aldridge's list

[Jeremy]

Basically. Tell LMA to shop around, enjoy the frenzy, see what teams will throw at him. Those desperate enough to try will nuke their rosters for cap space, Pop still walks with LMA's signature and a few decimated rivals.

Suns only got better this week with their roster changes, and aren't waiting on anyone else. This doesn't hurt us at all. It only helps our reputation for future FA.

[Beaverfuzz]

Hopefully LMA knows I'm going to be 100 miles from civilization tomorrow, tbh. Announce today or Sunday, please.

Dallas is calling your name?

[jhfenton]

Hey, keep the good fight, man! At 35, I hope I can last 10 more years to where you are! Good stuff!

It's easier to run PR's in your 40's when you don't start running until you're 34.

[benstanfield]

There is a massive difference.
It makes me wonder if people that write these kinds of things have spent any significant time outside SA (area).
SA is a massive city, both population and area wise, but that's because the metro does not have many incorporated cities. Most major metros in the US (and the world) have legally seperated cities/townships making up a huge % of the pop/area. DFW and LA are 2 of the best examples. The greater houston area is bigger than many states and damn near the size of Massachusetts (Katy to pasadena, woodlands to pearland). The list goes on. SA has castle hills, alamo heights and a handful of tiny others. As it grows north that's changing, but that's the reason SA in a "top 10 city" the vast bulk of the metro is city of SA, whole being an insignificant media market.

Further, SA has almost no diversity. The city is 65% Hispanic and growing (fast), and less than 7% black and falling. Asians, Indians, Indo-pacifics-- good luck finding them or any semblance of their cultures. This lack of diversity (and industry) mean lacking of cultural attractions. To compare SA to Dallas or Houston is pretty ludicrous when it comes to that. SA has very little in the way of the arts outside of Mexican and Native focus. That may or may not b important but it's undeniable.

Also most of these other cities are international, SA is decidedly not binational at best. And there's comparitively little money in SA. Check ghe per capita incomes, SA is lagging way behind.

And restaurants??! Are you insane? SA has great mexican food and bbq (everywhere in TX does though) and some of the chains and that's it. SA has very few prime and gourmet restaurants compared to every other large city with a bball team. Houston has more prime/gourmet restaurants in upoer kirby or westheimer area than the whole SA metro. Not ing close.

The best thing SA has going for it is Atx is close by and has great diversity, restaurants, culture/arts, money, etc.

SA certainly has its positives like that fact it's super super low cost of living but that's also a downside, esp if youve got millions in the bank. And HEB is the best grocery chain ive seen and the people are generally very nice.

That said, I don't even consider it a major city, it's much closer to a huge town. It's certainly has it's charms esp if you like Live Oaks and limestone, but it couldn't be more different than any other major city in the US. That's not to mention the horrid 6 month summer (not that Hou or Phx are better) with the heat index perpetually near or above 100 and the omnipresent state of severe drought.

Just needed to get that out there cause apparently many in SA are unaware or delusional about what SA is and is not.

tldr

no fine dining in SA K
literally none of what you said matters to millionaires

[marinoman]

Go rub one out and come back to us later.

just make sure to clean up afterwards

[Silver&Black]

Yes, looks like LMA is going to go play in Europe.

[Roger Freemason Jr.]

tldr

no fine dining in SA K
literally none of what you said matters to millionaires

You read all that ?

[RD2191]

tldr

no fine dining in SA K
literally none of what you said matters to millionaires

Tbh. Besides they have the money to travel during the off season.

[benstanfield]

You read all that ?

skimmed about 25% of it

yeah millionaires care about the city's population diversity

[Arguendo]

Another factor often not brought up is Texas lack of a state tax. Not to say that there was ever really a chance that he would be a Laker, however there is a big difference in taxes between here and there. Not to mention even Arizona has a 5% state tax. Thats a extra million dollars on a $20mil contract between SA and Phoenix. Even moreso of a difference between Dallas and LA for DeAndre.

not quite. People always forgot or just don't realize that u pay taxes where the income is earned. Games played in tx, FL no player pays state taxes on. When knicks go to FL melo gets to avoid those awful NY taxes, etc
When spurs play in cali or wherever the player owes whatever taxes r due for income earned for those games.
so for texas teams the players earned about 60% of their salary in non-income tax states.

The much bigger diff is cost of living in all of TX. A million in SA can buy you a palace on acreage in a good area or a McMansion in any nice suburb in the state. A million in LA, NY, MIA is more like a decent condo or a bungalow surrounded by high rises.

There is a positive difference in taxes but it's usually overstated.

[Silver&Black]

Tbh. Besides they have the money to travel during the off season.

What up mi negro? How the crops doing today?

[Roger Freemason Jr.]

skimmed about 25% of it

yeah millionaires care about the city's population diversity

They just want good ass. Plenty of that here in SA.

[SpurPadre]

It's easier to run PR's in your 40's when you don't start running until you're 34.

Haha, yeah, that's one of the beauties of running, though. Once you get a routine and you get your breathing right, and you gradually build your pace and keep your legs fresh, you can't stop and you get better.

[Spurs9]

Tbh. Besides they have the money to travel during the off season.

Exactly they are traveling most of the year for games, and eating in fancy places. I used to travel every few months to San Francisco and eat in the best restaurants, that actually gets old after a while. SA may not be the best compared to some other cities but after being away even staying in fancy hotels and eating steak every day it was always good to come back. Every city you may live in for a while you will get used to after a while. Overall SA is pretty laid back, and there are plenty of nice areas if you have the money.

[heyheymymy]

Basically. Tell LMA to shop around, enjoy the frenzy, see what teams will throw at him. Those desperate enough to try will nuke their rosters for cap space, Pop still walks with LMA's signature and a few decimated rivals.

Solid theory. CIA Pop move for sure.

[Marcus Bryant]

NBA players spend half the season on the road, half at home and then most of the offseason wherever they please.

Unless you're Mo Cheeks, living in SA does not seem to be much of a problem for NBA players.

[benstanfield]

They just want good ass. Plenty of that here in SA.

If you play for the Spurs there definitely is. Again, aside from LA/NYC anywhere you go is going to have nice food (relatively, guy who wrote an entire paragraph about how bad SA is), nice houses, and that's about it. HOU has nightlife going for it, but an NBA player is going to spend 95% of their time chilling in a mansion, on the road, or at the practice facility. If there is enough difference in those things between cities for it to really matter to LMA, he's an idiot.

[Marcus Bryant]

not quite. People always forgot or just don't realize that u pay taxes where the income is earned. Games played in tx, FL no player pays state taxes on. When knicks go to FL melo gets to avoid those awful NY taxes, etc
When spurs play in cali or wherever the player owes whatever taxes r due for income earned for those games.
so for texas teams the players earned about 60% of their salary in non-income tax states.

The much bigger diff is cost of living in all of TX. A million in SA can buy you a palace on acreage in a good area or a McMansion in any nice suburb in the state. A million in LA, NY, MIA is more like a decent condo or a bungalow surrounded by high rises.

There is a positive difference in taxes but it's usually overstated.

Yeah, half the ing season at home in a state with no income tax. That's what people are referring to.

[Marcus Bryant]

NYC has some of the best restaurants on Earth.

Next topic.

[RD2191]

What up mi negro? How the crops doing today?

Idk. I'm a pretty terrible farmer. Maybe they died.

[heyheymymy]

Hey, keep the good fight, man! At 35, I hope I can last 10 more years to where you are! Good stuff!

That's elite as man. 2:50 is impressive.

[heyheymymy]

Haha, yeah, that's one of the beauties of running, though. Once you get a routine and you get your breathing right, and you gradually build your pace and keep your legs fresh, you can't stop and you get better.

Life pro tips on keeping legs, ankles and knees fresh while working out? I'd love to run longer than I do, but I worry about my knees sometimes.

[SpurPadre]

That's elite as man. 2:50 is impressive.

Thanks. Yeah, the goal of any serious marathon runner is to finish under 3 hours. That's elite status and I was lucky enough to finish under 3 hours twice. Not sure I can pull it off again, though, as the wear and tear on my body has its rough days and I'm past my prime. Still love running, though.

[RD2191]

Exactly they are traveling most of the year for games, and eating in fancy places. I used to travel every few months to San Francisco and eat in the best restaurants, that actually gets old after a while. SA may not be the best compared to some other cities but after being away even staying in fancy hotels and eating steak every day it was always good to come back. Every city you may live in for a while you will get used to after a while. Overall SA is pretty laid back, and there are plenty of nice areas if you have the money.

Yeah, I don't get what the big deal is about big cities. Pretty much all the same imo. Restaurants, malls, shopping, clubs. Blah blah blah. People act as if most cities don't all have the same to do.

[cjw]

The much bigger diff is cost of living in all of TX. A million in SA can buy you a palace on acreage in a good area or a McMansion in any nice suburb in the state. A million in LA, NY, MIA is more like a decent condo or a bungalow surrounded by high rises.

There is a positive difference in taxes but it's usually overstated.

$1mm barely buys you 700 sq ft and 1 BR here in NYC. But so much to do a stone's throw away at all hours.