Game Thread: Spurs vs. Kings — Mon. 3/29/2021 - 7:30pm CST

[SpursDynasty85]

And what makes it worse is if he walks in free agency, the Spurs face the prospect of losing both of their two biggest stars from the past three years for zero compensation, not so much as even a single draft pick in return. Pretty bad planning.

disagree. They basically got a washed-up Aldridge for $6M or whatever they saved plus Gorgui Dieng while giving us a lot of room in the offseason Good enough at this stage. DeMar is an expiring contract who has taken up the mentoring mantle and is driving them for a playoff spot in a super compe ive conference. If he leaves this offseason for nothing, that's fine, but he had a pretty positive tenure here and that should bode well for reputation and free agents looking to move here will have someone to ask for reference.

[SpursDynasty85]

As of right now, doesn't look like this team will even make the playoffs. If that is the case, it's going to be a completely wasted season for more reasons that one. Not playing the youth and not getting a higher draft pick. Just missing the playoffs would be the worst possible outcome to this season IMO. In order of worst to best 1. Not making the playoffs by a narrow margin 2. making the playoffs. 3. getting a higher draft pick 4. developing the youth and giving them more court time (this being the best move of what should have taken priority this season. When Luka showed flashes, he should have started to get more court time).

I don't know, it seems that the Spurs are going in the wrong direction. It started off as a promising season, but now it's looking like it might end up as the worst case scenario IMO (narrowly missing the playoffs while not fully investing in the development of the youth).

Disagree to an extent. We've seen many franchises "tank" but that would involve bringing a possible "toxic" environment into the locker room that could be hard to get out of. Younger player and vets will blow up, younger guys will hate it there and want to leave. At least at the Spurs it looks like all the young guys genuinely want to stay and win. We have a bunch of cap space to use in the offseason, Luka and Devin who should be slotted for more minutes, and a team with healthier habits of "knowing how to win and knowing what they need to work on". This is a pretty impressive rebuild but still a lot of work to do imo. Hopefully we get a good gem in the draft this year and Luka pans out next year then we can confidently have a young playoff team.

[R. DeMurre]

disagree. They basically got a washed-up Aldridge for $6M or whatever they saved plus Gorgui Dieng while giving us a lot of room in the offseason Good enough at this stage. DeMar is an expiring contract who has taken up the mentoring mantle and is driving them for a playoff spot in a super compe ive conference. If he leaves this offseason for nothing, that's fine, but he had a pretty positive tenure here and that should bode well for reputation and free agents looking to move here will have someone to ask for reference.

Right, but if they'd traded LMA a year ago for another expiring contract and draft considerations, they'd still have the cap space plus an extra shot at finding a player in the draft. I just think it's been clear for a while that LMA's age didn't line up with any serious future contending Spurs team, so I didn't see the point in keeping him. Other teams are landing multiple first round picks for borderline stars (Jrue Holiday, Aaron Gordon)-- I don't think it's unreasonable to expect something, anything, in return for the most high profile free agent signing in team history.

[SpursDynasty85]

Right, but if they'd traded LMA a year ago for another expiring contract and draft considerations, they'd still have the cap space plus an extra shot at finding a player in the draft. I just think it's been clear for a while that LMA's age didn't line up with any serious future contending Spurs team, so I didn't see the point in keeping him. Other teams are landing multiple first round picks for borderline stars (Jrue Holiday, Aaron Gordon)-- I don't think it's unreasonable to expect something, anything, in return for the most high profile free agent signing in team history.

With LMA it was more about the league's emphasis on the 3 ball and fast pace play. You literally cannot touch defenders while they are driving the lane now. LMA had no chance once all this occurred. Most NBA teams knew this and were not gonna give 1st rounders for him I believe. 1st rounders are hard to come by unless you have a talent with "said skills". At the time we signed LMA he was easily the most sought-after free agent so, really Spurs did not do much wrong here. Of course I don't know everything that happened behind closed doors but these are my guesses that there were very few teams willing to give up anything for him.

[R. DeMurre]

And sorry, I just don't see the "mentoring" angle from DeRozan. He has, by far, the worst body language of any player on the roster. I often see Dejounte or D White getting in between DeMar and refs to prevent trouble. What is he going to teach? How to rely on offensive usage rate over defense? Vassell is already a better defender and three point shooter at age 20. The last thing he should do is become more like DeRozan.

[RC_Drunkford]

Surs have now lost 5/6 games and need a cupcake on the schedule quick

this Spurs team is the cupcake

[Mugen]

Spurs had 3 "cupcakes" so far during this homestand: CHA w/o Ball, Clippers w/o Kawhi, and the Kings. They lost all 3

[Robz4000]

Spurs had 3 "cupcakes" so far during this homestand: CHA w/o Ball, Clippers w/o Kawhi, and the Kings. They lost all 3

even the Spurs of two years ago would've won those games

[TD 21]

Spurs had 3 "cupcakes" so far during this homestand: CHA w/o Ball, Clippers w/o Kawhi, and the Kings. They lost all 3

This team is 20th in net rating (really, only the Wizards, Cavaliers, Magic, Pistons, Thunder, Rockets and Timberwolves, are definitively worse), doesn't have a legit star or second option and regularly gets destroyed from 3. There are no "cupcakes".