Express-News: Spurs to take a look at forward Erazem Lorbek

[Solid D]

[Chinook]

Still younger than Thon Maker.

[Solid D]

Still younger than Thon Maker.

Lorbek is 32 but a creaky and rusty 32.

[loveforthegame]

Bizarre news. Spurs really are turning over every rock looking for help.

Not really what I had in mind for getting younger and more athletic.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Probably means the Spurs are planning on maxing someone out and will have no choice but to fill the roster up with veteran contracts and rookies. Don't see another reason why they're bringing all these stashes and trying them out.

I just hope the max player ain't Horford....

La Durantula...

[DJR210]

Cool Lloyd Christmas haircut

[tav1]

This is probably a courtesy to Lorbek, but if Spurs are in market for stretch bigs to round out rotation, I wouldn't be surprised if they flirt with Bourousis or LaLanne.

Imo, Spurs need a diver who is more fleet of foot than any of the aforementioned. I'd prefer Mulitinov, but perhaps there is roster space for 3 new bigs--LJC, a diver, and a stretch.

[tholdren]

This could just be a symptom of a couple things:

1. Cap is going up and it feels like many "role players" are going to get overpaid. If you feel there is a lot of compe ion for role players & you will have to overpay, it makes sense to look at cheaper options to find value/depth vs giving someone who doesn't really help, a lot of money.

2. Ties into one, but if you are planning on spending a lot of money on 1 player, you may have find bargain bin players as well.

1/61734 aint bad.

[TD 21]

For all of the obvious reasons, it's a no brainer to take a look at him, especially because he no longer has any leverage.

They're going to need a fifth big/fourth center option and if he's close to what he was a few years ago, he'd be a fine fit theoretically.

Should he eventually claim said spot and Duncan chooses to forego retirement, there's a good chance they don't sign a single external free agent.

[tmtcsc]

I wouldn't make too much of this. The Spurs are probably just preparing to clean house on all these guys. or get off the pot already with all the Euros.

[SAGirl]

Agree wit OP. It does seem like courtesy. A lot of players play in the summer league looking for a contract in Europe in fact. Since he hasn't played in two years, he probably needs to show he still has game even for an overseas contract.

[SAGirl]

This could just be a symptom of a couple things:

1. Cap is going up and it feels like many "role players" are going to get overpaid. If you feel there is a lot of compe ion for role players & you will have to overpay, it makes sense to look at cheaper options to find value/depth vs giving someone who doesn't really help, a lot of money.

2. Ties into one, but if you are planning on spending a lot of money on 1 player, you may have find bargain bin players as well.

This is true too.
Welcome back Bonner!

[TrainOfThought5]

BS.

Might as well go after Shaq.

Ironically... Shaq could probably still dominate the paint with these weak 5's in the league now.

[GSH]

He's been saying that he was going to rehab and take a shot at playing for the Spurs:

Raul Barrigon: Erazem Lorbek interview w/ GiGANTESbasket: “I’ll be back better than before. If it’s possible, with the Spurs” (2 years ago)

It’s the first time Erazem Lorbek talks since he left Spain and he says he’s working out in order to play with the San Antonio Spurs. (2 years ago – via Gigantes del Basket)


It's not likely, but nothing wrong with giving him a look. He was good enough before the injuries, and I remember Grant Hill coming back after multiple surgeries, and being out of basketball, and having some good seasons. If he's not up to it, the Spurs aren't going to sign him - so I don't see what all the grief is about.

[Mal]

Could be that vet min roster spot fill up.

[poeticism707]

[Chinook]

He's been saying that he was going to rehab and take a shot at playing for the Spurs:

Raul Barrigon: Erazem Lorbek interview w/ GiGANTESbasket: “I’ll be back better than before. If it’s possible, with the Spurs” (2 years ago)

It’s the first time Erazem Lorbek talks since he left Spain and he says he’s working out in order to play with the San Antonio Spurs. (2 years ago – via Gigantes del Basket)


It's not likely, but nothing wrong with giving him a look. He was good enough before the injuries, and I remember Grant Hill coming back after multiple surgeries, and being out of basketball, and having some good seasons. If he's not up to it, the Spurs aren't going to sign him - so I don't see what all the grief is about.

It's possible that being out the last couple of seasons could really extend his career. He got a lot of rest at a time where most players start breaking down. If he accepts a summer-league contract or even better a non-guaranteed minimum deal, that's a good thing. The team wasn't going to bring in 20 players better than Lorbek this off-season.

[Das Texan]

0 risk move for the spurs.

i like it. see what you might have. the trade that keeps on giving.

[TheGreatYacht]

Absolutely, agreed hopefully not Horford. It looks like they are preparing for that with the confirmed additions of Bertans, LJC, and Murray. Even the fact that Milutinov is on the SL team seems extremely odd considering he is skipping the Olympics for it. Gives me the impression that PATFO promised him a roster spot if he performed well in SL. The roster would be comprised of a veteran starting core and a rookie bench.

Agreed with everything To me there's only 3 players worth a max contract, and Horford ain't one of them.

1. Durant
2. Whiteside (highly unlikely, not a guy that's over himself)
3. Conley

[99 Problems]

BS.

Might as well go after Shaq.

I'm trying to get him on my cell now... " o Shaq, is that you..."

[wildbill2u]

The Spurs are a very player friendly organization. If a guy they drafted and stashed expressed a wish to come work out for them, I doubt they'd say no. This may be a courtesy workout. In any case, unless the coaches think he is better than someone else, they arent going to sign him. So relax. Not a big deal.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

This could just be a symptom of a couple things:

1. Cap is going up and it feels like many "role players" are going to get overpaid. If you feel there is a lot of compe ion for role players & you will have to overpay, it makes sense to look at cheaper options to find value/depth vs giving someone who doesn't really help, a lot of money.

2. Ties into one, but if you are planning on spending a lot of money on 1 player, you may have find bargain bin players as well.

Yes. Spurs are showing the elite FAs that they're serious about clearing capspace.

That was my read on Milutinov too, I heard he was in the middle of 3 year deal so I am not sure of whether that factors into him joining the Spurs now but he would make only $991,600 according to the slot he were drafted meaning that Anderson, Murray, Milutinov, Simmons, and probably Bertans and Livio would each be making less than the 10+ year Vet. min of $1.55 million. Having six young players with upside under contract for that cheap makes sense to me even if they don't have the experience that past bench cores did.

The top 9 rotation players will probably still have a boat load of experience and playoff experience to offset it. two of the less experience players with a chance to play off the bench is Anderson who is the 10th (depending on how you look at it) got plenty of playing time (almost 1400 minutes last year) Boban has international experience and logged about 620 minutes between the NBA and D-league last season (so I don't consider him to be a traditional sop re player.)

Manu, and Mills could still be apart of the bench with either( or neither) Diaw and/or West back. I would not be all that concerned with the final five roster spots, even if they are occupied by young players.

Good post.

[spurtech09]

Absolutely, agreed hopefully not Horford. It looks like they are preparing for that with the confirmed additions of Bertans, LJC, and Murray. Even the fact that Milutinov is on the SL team seems extremely odd considering he is skipping the Olympics for it. Gives me the impression that PATFO promised him a roster spot if he performed well in SL. The roster would be comprised of a veteran starting core and a rookie bench.

Horford on the Spurs would be awesome....

[SpurPadre]

He's 32, and he's a career 39-percent three-point shooter. Having a stretch-five on the bench who isn't Bonner seems like a good thing.

Bingo.

[99 Problems]

Sounds like RC is making a lot of room for a big F/A. Something is cooking. So much euro stash movement in 1 off season. It may or may not be KD but they see a solution and are aligning the cards for it.