Who guards the scoring wings?

[SAGirl]

I thought maybe he was being an overly sensitive parent, that he was referring to Gasol or Gay as the new guys ant that it wasn't fair to expect that same treatment since KA wasn't a regular contributor until last year. But I just checked the Spurs fanshop and the Spurs NBA store and guys like Costello, Paul, King Joffrey, Forbes, White, Metu have their jerseys up there. That is kinda messed up, tbh.

Exactly: I had even seen a tweet from a fan who got his jersey for Christmas and was crying (- young girl not me I swear). Her mother who recorded her opening the present on Christmas said that they had looked for the jersey everywhere and couldn’t find it in SA so she had to specially order it in the NBA store as one of those custom jerseys, “bc you couldn’t find them anywhere.”

Still that was the Dad and not Kyle himself. Kyle never made a comment sour on the Spurs except last preseason season when he gave an interview in New Jersey where he said the business aspect of the NBA is ruthless and you can’t really trust a smile or someone being friendly or professing that they like you a lot in their team. He didn’t mention anyone by name but I suspected back then that the Spurs were not going to pay to retain him and thought from that moment on he was going to be gone as a FA. I am happy for him he got himself a nice deal.

edit: maybe alter Kyle’s dad complained the Spurs fanshop learned their lesson and broadened the catalog of jerseys available...

[TD 21]

Think Cunningham starts at PF against James, Durant (DeRozan would guard Green), Antetokounmpo, etc. There's no other way to make sense of his inclusion on this roster. Just imagine playing the Lakers or Warriors in a series and a fringe rotation player averaging something like 20 mpg.

As far as Harden, I don't know. Murray is too slight and DeRozan is too slow laterally. Paul is the best suited, but he may not even be on the roster in 10 days. White is a bit slight too, but he might end up the primary option, in part because it wouldn't require rotational gymnastics.

It's not just the elite ones who'll be issues though. Even non stars, like Harris and Gallinari, DeRozan and Aldridge aren't suited to defending them.

Whatever hope their is of acquiring someone who can will vanish if Ginobili returns (and he's hinted at doing so multiple times), because there won't even be room in the rotation.

To give up Green, not get Anunoby and not have a backup plan to fill this hole (while trying to remain as compe ive as possible), is negligent.

[Seventyniner]

Could try to swing a trade for MKG and just completely give up on spacing.

"Pace and space? Pfft, we'll take neither."

[Mr. Body]

Exactly: I had even seen a tweet from a fan who got his jersey for Christmas and was crying (- young girl not me I swear). Her mother who recorded her opening the present on Christmas said that they had looked for the jersey everywhere and couldn’t find it in SA so she had to specially order it in the NBA store as one of those custom jerseys, “bc you couldn’t find them anywhere.”

Still that was the Dad and not Kyle himself. Kyle never made a comment sour on the Spurs except last preseason season when he gave an interview in New Jersey where he said the business aspect of the NBA is ruthless and you can’t really trust a smile or someone being friendly or professing that they like you a lot in their team. He didn’t mention anyone by name but I suspected back then that the Spurs were not going to pay to retain him and thought from that moment on he was going to be gone as a FA. I am happy for him he got himself a nice deal.

edit: maybe alter Kyle’s dad complained the Spurs fanshop learned their lesson and broadened the catalog of jerseys available...

What's with these y players and their y relatives?

[Gordonicci]

To give up Green, not get Anunoby and not have a backup plan to fill this hole (while trying to remain as compe ive as possible), is negligent.

Agreed. It's why I think another move HAS to be made, even if it costs us one of White or Walker.

[objective]

Think Cunningham starts at PF against James, Durant (DeRozan would guard Green), Antetokounmpo, etc. There's no other way to make sense of his inclusion on this roster. Just imagine playing the Lakers or Warriors in a series and a fringe rotation player averaging something like 20 mpg.

As far as Harden, I don't know. Murray is too slight and DeRozan is too slow laterally. Paul is the best suited, but he may not even be on the roster in 10 days. White is a bit slight too, but he might end up the primary option, in part because it wouldn't require rotational gymnastics.

It's not just the elite ones who'll be issues though. Even non stars, like Harris and Gallinari, DeRozan and Aldridge aren't suited to defending them.

Whatever hope their is of acquiring someone who can will vanish if Ginobili returns (and he's hinted at doing so multiple times), because there won't even be room in the rotation.

To give up Green, not get Anunoby and not have a backup plan to fill this hole (while trying to remain as compe ive as possible), is negligent.

Negligent is absolutely correct.

It's not just that there's no one to defend, that's no athletes to make athletic plays either.

I was watching some DeRozan highlights, and there was a DD drive with a nice pass to a cutting OG for an explosive dunk ... While I was happy at the playmaking, realizing that nobody at SF on the Spurs has a chance to make the other end of the play was depressing.

I've even convinced myself that they need to sign Blossomgame, at least to a two-way. He's a legit 6-7 and has vertical pop, he even made good athletic plays with several blocks in summer league. And I've never thought he was an NBA player.

But the roster is so lopsided I'm reaching just to hope.

[pad300]

Who the is gonna buy a fathead jersey besides his family?

SAGirl obviously...

[r0drig0lac]

Negligent is absolutely correct.

It's not just that there's no one to defend, that's no athletes to make athletic plays either.

I was watching some DeRozan highlights, and there was a DD drive with a nice pass to a cutting OG for an explosive dunk ... While I was happy at the playmaking, realizing that nobody at SF on the Spurs has a chance to make the other end of the play was depressing.

I've even convinced myself that they need to sign Blossomgame, at least to a two-way. He's a legit 6-7 and has vertical pop, he even made good athletic plays with several blocks in summer league. And I've never thought he was an NBA player.

But the roster is so lopsided I'm reaching just to hope.

they can still use the picks and try to trade Mills, Forbes, BP and Gasol for real basketball players

[Immortal Spur]

Dam it’s crazy... right when we get an elite defensive guard we lose our elite defensive wing... sux

After seeing what the staff did with Rudy in one year gives me hope or Kyle for that matter. Let’s go DeMar. if you can get your 3pt average to at least league average and defense to not net negative I’d be forever grateful.

[99 Problems]

Are we adding Ryan Broekhoff to do this? Its all gone silent but I think he’s going somewhere tbh..

[99 Problems]

Ok, damn, just heard Mavs signed him?

[Immortal Spur]

As it stands we are in the luxury tax. But that's with Milutinov's cap hold. Depending on whether Ginobili comes back or not or we drop Paul, we have one spot to work with and the BAE if I'm not mistaken.

I think they are waiting to see what Manu does before deciding on Paul. I think if Manu comes back we drop Paul and look for some wing help. I'd personally like Mbah if he's still available.

[Immortal Spur]

nvm... Mbah signed with the Clippers

[MaNu4Tres]

I want a Pau for DeMarre Carroll trade in January.

[SouthTexasRancher]

This team better score a of a lot of points because we ain't got no defense. Toronto has our defense.

[FireMicoHalili]

This is definitely a concern. No one to guard the LeBrons or Durants and small guys with long wingspans can only do so much. I doubt DeRozan fills in since defense isn’t his calling card.

Remaining SFs who can actually play defense: Corey Brewer
Remaining wings who can actually play defense: David Nwaba, Abdel Nader
Possible preseason shoo-ins: Jaron Blossomgame, Raphiael Putney
Overseas prospects: Will Clyburn, Ioannis Papapetrou, Kostas Papanikolau, Fernando San Emeterio, K.C. Rivers, Adam Hanga, Josh Childress

Spurs have no reported interest on any of these guys except for Nwaba, who’s being targeted by Cleveland. The Euroleague guys seem pretty set though Clyburn and Rivers would probably be willing to come back to the US. Watched highlights of Clyburn so I’m not sure what his weaknesses are and it would be foolish to conclude he’s a decent 3-and-D wing. Watched enough to know he’s similar to Putney, with some hops and decent height (6’7, 7’ wingspan, slow release on the triple). Childress probably won’t come back to the NBA since he’s been there to and from without much success. Nader was recently released by the Celtics; he’s a slightly intriguing prospect given his decent size and length (same as Clyburn) but it’s never a good sign when the fan base is happy about a player leaving, and replies to Shams’ tweet about his release was met with cheers from Boston stans.

Given what the Spurs can work with, Blossomgame is the most realistic addition as small forward and that hinges largely on his performance in the preseason apart from his success in Austin last year. I’m sure the Spurs at least do their homework checking up on their second rounders, though the trend as to the Spurs’ latest picks is discouraging for Blossomgame since none of them have actually made the team, save for Bertans who wasn’t even the Spurs’ own pick. Brewer and Putney are distant possibilities.

All things considered, looks like the Spurs have no one capable to cover the Durants and the LeBrons, at least not right now. The Spurs can consider trading Gasol or Mills along with that horribly protected Toronto pick to a team looking to shed salary for a wing, but the team has experienced a lot of changes and roster turnover this offseason, probably too much to Popovich’s liking. For example, PATFO can take advantage of Detroit’s awful cap situation by trading Gasol, Paul, and the Toronto pick for Leuer, Stanley Johnson, and Ish Smith, since Pau counts as an expiring after this season (http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yd8av47a).

This is probably moot, the Spurs will most likely keep Paul and ask Forbes/Belinelli/DeRozan/Ginobili to cover tall and ultra athletic small forwards, for which the defense will pay. By now fans should have gotten used to horrible roster construction and constant bargain bin hunting.

[Kawhitstorm]

Who has a superior inferiority complex?

Meth City or Antonio?

[DAF86]

Apparently, he couldn't find an Anderson jersey in the team's store and went on Twitter to about it.

The San Antonio Spurs fan store never carried his jersey. His dad tweeted that he was looking for a jersey to gift family members or someone visiting them and couldn’t find them, but he found jerseys of guys who were new or had been in the team for barely a year in the store. His Dad was upset about that enough to mention it in a tweet way back in the early part of the season.

Well, he kind of has a point there, if we are being honest.

[therealtruth]

This team better score a of a lot of points because we ain't got no defense. Toronto has our defense.

Still got Murray. They kind of got rid of the defensive potential of Murray-Green-Leonard lineups. That's 3 all-nba defenders. Not many teams even have 2.

We're going back to the pre-Kawhi days when we used to try to outscore teams and we saw how that turned out. The Spurs can will still do good in the regular season because Pop is an expert at winning regular season games but they will flame out in the playoffs.

[cutewizard]

[cutewizard]

Just a perfect situation for Durant to enter into next season lol

Imagine Durant in a Spurs uniform.....!!!

[ElNono]

Pretty much nobody in this league can guard the Lebrons and Durants, that's why these guys are in the Finals every year. The league has turned into a 3 point chucking contest, and ticky tacky fouls for everything. Harden is a great talent, but he's also a guy that adapted to the rules, knows every trick in the book and lives at the free throw line.

I'm not complaining about it, just pointing it out. The biggest leap the Warriors took was when they added a third player that guarantee to drop on average 20+ points per game. It wasn't some magical defensive scheme (not saying KD isn't a solid defender when he wants to be, just that his scoring on any given night is more than enough for them). Their defensive bastion is an undersized PF known more for his moving screens and whining than anything else. (We'll see this season with Boogie in the middle)

The Spurs' offense has been absolutely putrid for a minute now, and one thing I'm excited about this season is seeing what direction the coach takes with regards to that. I'm not going to reminisce about the beautiful game, but I do think having smart off the ball players like Marco do change the complexion of what you do, and as many things there's to criticize DD for, there's also a couple that this team needs badly: getting to the line, and an able and seasoned penetrator that commands attention and can open up the game for other guys.

Some people still won't admit it, but for all the defensive prowess that made nephew had, his offense was a ing black hole. Rudy Gay looks like Steve Nash next to him. We also got rid of a kid was scared to shoot for 20+ mins a night, and Danny, who I'm not going to hate, but the minute he tried to expand his game, everything else regressed.

Here's a few more tidbits from last season:

- The Spurs finished tied for #1 place in opponents points allowed the last regular season, Warriors ranked #18 and Cleveland #26.
- The Spurs finished #4 in Defensive Rating, Dubs #9, Cavs #28.

We just couldn't score. Spurs finished the season ranked #27 in scoring, with the Dubs #1 and Cavs #5.

[dbestpro]

Maybe this is the year they finally sign Vince Carter. He can do his Dominique Wilkins act.

[Kawhitstorm]

I’m the system, I can turn Bryn into Bowen as you witnessed in the postseason. #watchmework

[GrapplingYautja]

I’m the system, I can turn Bryn into Bowen as you witnessed in the postseason. #watchmework

I just got done banging a busty and this breathing queef has a picture of Pop?! WTF?! Get laid, bro. (And no, you shagging your sister doesn't count.)