Woj: Pau Gasol Agrees to 3-yr Deal w/ Spurs

[ffadicted]

Well this is by far the worst contract I've seen the Spurs hand out since I've watched them in like '04. Sad day.

[diego]

It is obvious with Pau's quick opt out and the Green trade rumors that team was planning to go for Chris Paul, But when the rockets thing went so fast, they got caught with their pants down. Could have been worse, Green could have been gone too (for nothing) to open up space.

The Spurs waited on Manu, then signed Pau to what they'd agreed to if Paul didn't sign. Spurs gambled and lost.

Still, the ST doomsayers always want Spurs to "go for it". Well, these things happen when you do and the stars don't align. That's why Spurs normal conservative, prudent off seasons usually are best in the long run even if they're boring.

The guys on here ing about Pau's new deal are also the one's who that the Spurs don't try to make waves in free agency. Hilarious.

The same that about Durant being a for going to gsw, want kawhi to leave for a sure thing else where. Bunch of crybabies

[TheGreatYacht]

Manu's article made me realize something. This is what Manu wrote in the article where he "announced" that he's coming back:



Current Spurs management, the team leaders, the culture, etc... have been around for over 20 years. In that time, they've won 5 championships, posted consistent 50+ win seasons, and several 60+ win seasons. They've been in the playoffs every one of those years, and gone deep in several. At a certain time, they have to start thinking that they've done everything that they're going to do, and the compe ive edge that got them that success inevitably starts to dull. That, in and of itself, is not a bad thing -- it's inevitable because they're human.

What does this mean, as applied to the roster? There's a greater priority on what's worked in the past - both in terms of emphasis on "culture" and the type of personnel cultivated: PATFO keeps awarding culture contracts (Patty) or bringing in Spurs-type players (Pau). I understand that thinking: go with what brought you your success. But the problem is it's a wrong approach - think of the old adage "victory can defeat someone."

The Spurs were once known as an organization that innovated - first with drafting foreign personnel, then with cultivating a culture of selflessness (Tim/Tony/Manu), then with developing the "beautiful game." What's so problematic about these contracts are not the contracts in and of themselves (although they're horrific); rather, it's that they signal that the organization is becoming stagnant.

They signal that the organization is content to "run it back" despite the personnel clearly being orders of magnitude below the one team that counts (GSW). They also signal that the organization is stopping/has stopped innovating -- they're just using the same approach over and over again now. And the problem is that approach won't work; they need to innovate again. And this is exactly what worries me the most -- after 20+ years of success, I don't see the motivation in Pop & Co. to innovate. I don't blame them per se -- they're human. But you can get the sense that they should have started incorporating new blood in the organization post 2014. But they didn't and became stagnant.

Victory defeated them.

Good post. I don't really agree that they lost the hunger, I believe they're finally being exposed as frauds now that Duncan is gone and Parker is old. Kawhi is the sole reason this team won 62 games last year. It wasn't Buford's amazing roster construction or Pop's ball movement system (lol), just Kawhi.

It's time to part ways with Buford and Popovich. They don't get paid to have a culture museum, they get paid to win. The draft picks, signings, and extensions over the last 4 years are that the Nolan Knicks would do

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Are the Spurs doing 3 and $48M for David Lee too?

He actually deserved as much as Gasol from a contribution standpoint, perhaps more.

[Ice009]

I mean, I've been very cool about this contract so far, but I think at some point I will explode.

Tim Duncan never got this much at the end of his career and he was ing superior at 39 to what Pau Gasol is now. In 2015, Tim was still a top 5 big man in the entire league, and to top that off, he played incredible against the Clippers in the playoffs against an insanely athletic combo of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, who at the time were both in great form those playoffs while playing some of the best ball of their lives until the collapse against Houston. Pau Gasol already looks washed up and he's younger, but the Spurs are going to pay him more than TD.

Where would you guys say Gasol ranks in the league currently against other big men? Top 20, or lower?

TD needs to have some Horry style interviews and start ripping the Spurs.

[rjv]

It's only bad for 2 years , and max money is still easy to come by. Worse comes to worse, they could waive and stretch. You're not finding a better player with what they had left this year or bargain next. Big names will dominate next year .

They also have half the team on rookie contracts. Theyre fine financially going forward, and it's a good look to show the front office can be trusted . Announced when it would make headlines.

Not nearly as bad as some make it out to be. Not necessarily good though

this is ST, where everything is based on eschatology.

[Killakobe81]

I said 3/24 from the beginning. Logic? He was due 16M for one year, that would get split over 2 then replicated for year 3 as more guaranteed money.

Looks like it could be less than that if the guarantee is small enough (maybe 4M)? I understand it. Pau will only play for 2 years - like I read, seems like the Duncan plan: Spread the money out over 3 years with the partial guarantee. Want to see the numbers for him and Manu though.

missed it by that much ...

[FkLA]

+1

Busters around here want to have their cake and eat it too.

The longer term deal was expected. Giving him the same annual salary was not. even Richard Jefferson didn't the Spurs over like this. He opted out of a similar one year annual salary to sign like a 4yr/ $40 mill contract IIRC. You're supposed to give up annual salary for more years especially when you're ing 36 years old.

I know you love the Spurs but it's ok to question PATFO's moves. You don't have to blindly agree with everything they do.

[TheDoctor]

I wish
TimDunkem & TheDoctor do though

Actually Im on a Yacht right now Will do it ASAIC homies

@apaliaoc_9 TheGreatYacht

[DPG21920]

missed it by that much ...

Ya - I was way freaking off on that one. I mean, I had the basics and logic right but the number was far beyond what I thought was imagineable

[JFK]

Manu's article made me realize something. This is what Manu wrote in the article where he "announced" that he's coming back:



Current Spurs management, the team leaders, the culture, etc... have been around for over 20 years. In that time, they've won 5 championships, posted consistent 50+ win seasons, and several 60+ win seasons. They've been in the playoffs every one of those years, and gone deep in several. At a certain time, they have to start thinking that they've done everything that they're going to do, and the compe ive edge that got them that success inevitably starts to dull. That, in and of itself, is not a bad thing -- it's inevitable because they're human.

What does this mean, as applied to the roster? There's a greater priority on what's worked in the past - both in terms of emphasis on "culture" and the type of personnel cultivated: PATFO keeps awarding culture contracts (Patty) or bringing in Spurs-type players (Pau). I understand that thinking: go with what brought you your success. But the problem is it's a wrong approach - think of the old adage "victory can defeat someone."

The Spurs were once known as an organization that innovated - first with drafting foreign personnel, then with cultivating a culture of selflessness (Tim/Tony/Manu), then with developing the "beautiful game." What's so problematic about these contracts are not the contracts in and of themselves (although they're horrific); rather, it's that they signal that the organization is becoming stagnant.

They signal that the organization is content to "run it back" despite the personnel clearly being orders of magnitude below the one team that counts (GSW). They also signal that the organization is stopping/has stopped innovating -- they're just using the same approach over and over again now. And the problem is that approach won't work; they need to innovate again. And this is exactly what worries me the most -- after 20+ years of success, I don't see the motivation in Pop & Co. to innovate. I don't blame them per se -- they're human. But you can get the sense that they should have started incorporating new blood in the organization post 2014. But they didn't and became stagnant.

Victory defeated them.

This is an excellent post.

I will add to it that the only thing in those decades that made it all work was TIM DUNCAN. They have yet to show that they can win anything WITHOUT Tim. We will see, and are seeing, exactly how much of a once in a lifetime player and person Tim was.

[Chinook]

The Spurs seem -bent on going small this year. They are not doing same old, same old, despite having a similar roster. You can argue that they are not innovating by sticking with their guys, but they wouldn't be doing so by adapting to the "modern NBA" either. Gasol got pay way too much. But signing him is not a sign that PATFO is content. It's a sign that they want to take another shot a GS with a healthy roster. Pop running the same ty offense another season in a row would be a different matter, though.

[vy65]

The Spurs seem -bent on going small this year. They are not doing same old, same old, despite having a similar roster. You can argue that they are not innovating by sticking with their guys, but they wouldn't be doing so by adapting to the "modern NBA" either. Gasol got pay way too much. But signing him is not a sign that PATFO is content. It's a sign that they want to take another shot a GS with a healthy roster. Pop running the same ty offense another season in a row would be a different matter, though.

This post makes no sense. They're going small but they want to take another shot with a healthy roster (which was premised on going big)? They're going small by giving that horrific contract to Pau? I know you don't defend Pau, so I'm not trying to pigeonhole you, but this post doesn't make much sense.

[Capt Bringdown]

This is an excellent post.

I will add to it that the only thing in those decades that made it all work was TIM DUNCAN. They have yet to show that they can win anything WITHOUT Tim. We will see, and are seeing, exactly how much of a once in a lifetime player and person Tim was.

David Robinson was also a once in a lifetime player, and the Spurs couldn't get over the hump. Vinny Del Negro? Sidney Green?
It's beginning to look like the Leonard era will go forward in similar fashion, due to similar personnel issues. Nice regular season records & playoff flameouts.
Spurs have become a profit center for stiffs and scrubs.

[SpursforSix]

They signal that the organization is content to "run it back" despite the personnel clearly being orders of magnitude below the one team that counts (GSW).

The thing is they weren't "orders of magnitude" below GSW. They were beating the out of the Warriors until Leonard went down. Would they have won the series? Maybe. GSW is obviously the better team. But not by much. One more good player or two could put the Spurs pretty even with GSW. Tying up all this money doesn't make sense.

[Hoops Czar]

It is obvious with Pau's quick opt out and the Green trade rumors that team was planning to go for Chris Paul, But when the rockets thing went so fast, they got caught with their pants down. Could have been worse, Green could have been gone too (for nothing) to open up space.

The Spurs waited on Manu, then signed Pau to what they'd agreed to if Paul didn't sign. Spurs gambled and lost.

Still, the ST doomsayers always want Spurs to "go for it". Well, these things happen when you do and the stars don't align. That's why Spurs normal conservative, prudent off seasons usually are best in the long run even if they're boring.

The guys on here ing about Pau's new deal are also the one's who that the Spurs don't try to make waves in free agency. Hilarious.

I can't tell if this is a PATFO apologist post or what. The fact that the Spurs FO put all their eggs in the CP3 basket was mind boggling in the first place. Most people knew and understood that Paul was just using the Spurs for leverage, trying to get LAC to pony up for a fifth year. The moment the Clips said no, he bolted for Houston. That trade was CP3's contingency plan assuming he didn't get the fifth year from the Clippers. It had been in the works for weeks, not hours or days.

Spurs fans were all giddy when Paul gave the Spurs a meeting because it gave them a false sense of reality that this could really happen. That potential dream scenario should have been shut down immediately the moment he gave a meeting to the Nuggets. He never intended on coming to the Spurs and this joke of a FO didn't have a back up plan.

As for losing Green for nothing, that was an impossibility. The Spurs were trying to find a suitable trade partner in the long shot that Paul chose the Spurs. No way would the Spurs pull the trigger unless they got a signature from Paul.

However, none of this could explain away Pau's contract of averaging $16M a year for next three years after opting out of a $16M contract. I would have had more sympathy if Pau took the Spurs money three years ago but he instead chose to take Chicago's money over winning championships with the Spurs. And now, He's taking the Spurs money as a washed up vet who's virtually unplayable against all the teams that actually matter. Deplorable!!!

[SpursforSix]

Bonner gave Pau the pics of my privates

[Raven]

wow that's a lot of coin... but worthy if it mean david lee is not coming back.

[coachmac87]

My 2 cents...

Spurs wanted CP3..the only way to do that was to get Pau to opt out or trade him. I believe they approached him about the idea adding CP3 and he agreed to opt out..He probably ok'd a structure or amount but with the exception things could change..

Then the LMA drama and CP3 going to Houston..I assume that threw things off a bit as the ENTIRE league was shocked by the Rockets/CP3 trade..

Them signing Gasol to this contract tells me LMA is GONE either before the season by trade or he opts out. Gasol is their starting Center for the next 2 years but IMO this contract only makes sense if LMA is out the door soon..

People need to stop getting emotional and being ignorant and put themselves in PATFO shoes and really think why they make the moves they do..I could be totally wrong but I don't think the PATFO are "frauds or out of touch" that's SpursTalk tbh

[Phenomanul]

Bonner gave Pau the pics of my privates

[baseline bum]

My 2 cents...

Spurs wanted CP3..the only way to do that was to get Pau to opt out or trade him. I believe they approached him about the idea adding CP3 and he agreed to opt out..He probably ok'd a structure or amount but with the exception things could change..

Then the LMA drama and CP3 going to Houston..I assume that threw things off a bit as the ENTIRE league was shocked by the Rockets/CP3 trade..

Them signing Gasol to this contract tells me LMA is GONE either before the season by trade or he opts out. Gasol is their starting Center for the next 2 years but IMO this contract only makes sense if LMA is out the door soon..

People need to stop getting emotional and being ignorant and put themselves in PATFO shoes and really think why they make the moves they do..I could be totally wrong but I don't think the PATFO are "frauds or out of touch" that's SpursTalk tbh

Why is it emotional to think the Spurs screwed the pooch giving big money to a declining Gasol whose baseline wasn't very high to begin with?

[BillMc]

The same that about Durant being a for going to gsw, want kawhi to leave for a sure thing else where. Bunch of crybabies

Truth

[TimDunkem]

Usual suspects BillMC and pussy Dex bending over, spreading their cheeks, and blindly agreeing with everything the front office does.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Why is it emotional to think the Spurs screwed the pooch giving big money to a declining Gasol whose baseline wasn't very high to begin with?

Because most Spurs fans are Popsucking / front office sucking idiots and can't deal with some cold water being thrown on their offseason circle jerk.

[coachmac87]

Why is it emotional to think the Spurs screwed the pooch giving big money to a declining Gasol whose baseline wasn't very high to begin with?

Because we don't know if this is the final move...

What if Gasol is the starting center and LMA is moved??

Let's not get worked up over something you don't really know all the details about..