Is there really any point in trying to reload this summer?

[Johnny RIngo]

They already tried reloading on the fly. It didn't work. The FO simply made the wrong choices in players. If they wanted to reload again, they should've done so at the tread deadline, when they could've burned Bonner, Mason and Finley's contracts for the likes of Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons. Some fresh productive blood that would've helped them through the stretch run and improved the overall talent level of the roster heading into the postseason and next year.

I don't think the FO would be stupid enough NOT to make that move. The Bulls either didn't like our pieces or Holt didn't want to take on anymore salary.

[benefactor]

For nothing?

Of course the best case scenario in this is a sign and trade for a decent player/decent picks, but I don't see that happening. I think he will either re-sign or walk.

RJ is a straight expiring. RJ should be traded to a team desperate for capspace who would be willing to give up good picks or promising young players.

My fingers and brain weren't really working together when I said that.

Honestly, I don't see the Spurs being able to move him. I'd like to see him dumped for whatever they could get, but I think the only chance they have is to take back another less financially crippling deal in return that might be a little longer...and there are very few of these going into the 2010 offseason. If GS wanted to get out from under Biedrins' deal that could be an option(RJ for Biedrins/VladRad?).

If Tim hadn't played so hard the first half of this season, can you imagine what our record would look like. We wouldn't make the 8th seed, that's for sure. Bogans and Dice played horrible tonight. I was pretty optimistic after the win last night...how quickly things can change.

It was nice to get those wins, but I feel like wins like that are fools gold at this point when gauging whether or not this team can be a contender. Duncan's numbers in March are the elephant in the room right now.

Why on earth would you get rid of parker though? He's literally a one man wrecking crew for the spurs, he doesn't NEED anybody else on the team to function properly in his scoring in the paint/scoring in fast break-role.

He's not going to want to re-sign if the Spurs are in rebuild mode. IIRC, he has already voiced his opinion about this. I certainly don't think they trade him for nothing, but if they can get a solid rotation player and a high first round pick then I'd be for moving him.

[Muser]

I wouldn't be against rebuilding from scratch, but I highly doubt the Spurs blow it all up.

[Bruno]

Duncan's problem is that his knees can't hold for a whole season. Duncan was great this year before the ASG.

This year, he takes more rest during the summer and Pop did a very good job at limiting his minutes but it seems that it wasn't enough.
Next year, Spurs should do all they can to have a fresh Duncan for the playoffs. He should play 20mpg with no back to back during the regular season.

The key to limit that much Duncan's minutes is to have a very solid roster at PF/C. If Spurs can do that, Duncan could still make some noise during a playoffs run.

[smeagol]

Would you be writing this had the spurs won tonight?

This place overreacts with every win and loss.

This is the first time I agree with you in over 6 years of posting at ST

[Whisky Dog]

Resign Manu, make a run for Splitter, and try to improve this summer. Put Duncan on the Roger Clemens plan from a couple years ago and basically only play him very spot minutes until after the all star break. If you can't make it compe ively in a position to make a push by then unload Manu at deadline along with whatever else you can get for guys like Parker.

[da_suns_fan]

No, they owe it to Duncan to try one last time next season. The man gave back significant money so that they would do that and he's won them four championships. After that, with the lockout likely to come, it'll probably eat up part of, if not all of, his final season on his contract, then he'll likely retire and the Spurs will be forced into re-building. So it's not like they have to hold out for another three years.

Geezus..they owe Duncan NOTHING. THey are paying him freaking million and millions of dollars to play basketball. He should be willing to do whatever they want.

[dbestpro]

Pop should be forced to wear a brown paper bag over his face for the way he has handled Timmy this year. The were so worried about Parker and Manu yet they have thrown the franchise to the wolves. It is apparent that the lack of help from Dice and Pops small ball has almost turned the greatest PF in the history of the NBA into an on court invalid. To not provide support and in fact remove big support at the trade deadline is an epic failure far worse than the Scola trade or anything else that has happened. Yes, it is true Timmy is nearing the end and it did not have to come this soon.

[Dex]

[Johnny RIngo]

Pop should be forced to wear a brown paper bag over his face for the way he has handled Timmy this year. The were so worried about Parker and Manu yet they have thrown the franchise to the wolves. It is apparent that the lack of help from Dice and Pops small ball has almost turned the greatest PF in the history of the NBA into an on court invalid. To not provide support and in fact remove big support at the trade deadline is an epic failure far worse than the Scola trade or anything else that has happened. Yes, it is true Timmy is nearing the end and it did not have to come this soon.

Holt's fault. He was pinching pennies with Scola and, more than likely, told the team to shed salary when they dumped Ratliff on the Bobcats.

[raspsa]

Rebuilding the team is going to happen sooner or later. The only reason why Holt wouldn't rebuild is if he was selling the team. Otherwise, the team will add/remove players to try and remain compe ive, same as all the rest. Timmy will eventually be gone, just a question of when. But the Spurs will still be around long after he's gone.

[elbamba]

I don't get it. This team is finally playing well. We dropped a game to the Nets, big deal. We were down two players. Are the Spurs going to win the championship, probably not. But we have pieces that could really come together next year. R.J. is finally playing well and taking the ball to the basket. If he had played like he does not 2 weeks into the season, the Spurs would have 5-6 more wins. If Manu had played like he is playing now in the first half, the Spurs would have 10 more wins.

The point is that if all our key players rest this summer, this team will be dangerous. We will have 6 solid proven players in Duncan, Manu (if resigned), Tony, Hill, Blair, R.J. We will have Harriston to help build, we could have Splitter and another 1st round draft pick. This team will be a contender next year, if they stay healthy. Remember that the Spurs have not really been healthy or conditioned together all year long.

[Whisky Dog]

I don't get it. This team is finally playing well. We dropped a game to the Nets, big deal. We were down two players. Are the Spurs going to win the championship, probably not. But we have pieces that could really come together next year. R.J. is finally playing well and taking the ball to the basket. If he had played like he does not 2 weeks into the season, the Spurs would have 5-6 more wins. If Manu had played like he is playing now in the first half, the Spurs would have 10 more wins.

The point is that if all our key players rest this summer, this team will be dangerous. We will have 6 solid proven players in Duncan, Manu (if resigned), Tony, Hill, Blair, R.J. We will have Harriston to help build, we could have Splitter and another 1st round draft pick. This team will be a contender next year, if they stay healthy. Remember that the Spurs have not really been healthy or conditioned together all year long.

Dangerous in December. In April when it matters TD will be broken. Gotta sit him til ASB and only play him a 40 game season.

[Cane]

Duncan's tired as . This has probably been the busiest and craziest schedule the Spurs have had in years and he's on a team where no on else averages a shotblock a game other than him.

He's just tired and in a bad funk offensively and opposing teams still throw a lot of defenders at him. He still has a defensive presence, alters shots, rebounds, passes, etc on a high level lately though despite having to carry the frontcourt.

[VBM]

Define "reload." You still have Parker who (hopefully) will rest up this summer. You have Hill (who has these expectations of carrying the team when in reality he's a second-year player...cut him some slack). Blair will improve, RJ will know the system. If Manu comes back, you still have a top 5 backcourt in the NBA with Parker and Ginobili (if both are healthy) and a solid wing in Jefferson.

Duncan isn't the best player on this team anymore. Like every other big man before him, he's slowing down. To pretend like it wasn't ever going to happen is stupid. That said, he still commands double-teams, he still spaces the floor with the attention he garners. If people like Mason and Bogans could knock down the wide-open shots that Duncan's presence gets them, it wouldn't be a big issue.

Keep Parker, sign Ginobili if he is willing to do a reasonable deal, and either increase Jefferson's role or turn his contract into something good. The team isn't done...but Tim Duncan as #1 option, well, that's been dunzo for awhile

[elbamba]

Dangerous in December. In April when it matters TD will be broken. Gotta sit him til ASB and only play him a 40 game season.

If we have a healthy team, I have no doubt that next year, we will lean less on Tim. If Manu and Tony had not sucked the first half, things would be different. If they decide to rest this summer instead of playing for their countries, the Spurs will have a great chance next year.

[mingus]

this is just such a stupid, pessimistic thread. probably the most bafflingly stupid i've read on ST in recent memory.

i can't get over why anyone would want to give up on a team that has three top-5 players at their respective positions, much less right after a loss to NJ, in which they could've won if Manu played.

Manu is playing like the second best SG in the league, and TP was considered top-3 last year, and an MVP candidate. they both score at an amazingly goof rate - probably the best for their position.
and Duncan is still a top-5 pf.

this team just beat the best team in the league, a great team in Boston, when toe-to-toe with Atlanta on their court, and were in it against LA for much of the 4th - ALL WITHOUT A PLAYER MANY CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST ON THIS TEAM IN TP.

Christ's sake.

[benefactor]

Rebuilding the team is going to happen sooner or later. The only reason why Holt wouldn't rebuild is if he was selling the team. Otherwise, the team will add/remove players to try and remain compe ive, same as all the rest. Timmy will eventually be gone, just a question of when. But the Spurs will still be around long after he's gone.

And what is all this about Duncan being tired? Bruno said it best...Pop limited his minutes more than ever and he is still looking like he's played 40 minutes a night since the beginning of the year.

It's not about Duncan being tired. He can't play a whole season of basketball anymore...period. He's done, not tired. It is what it is and anything else is just denial. I don't see the Spurs dropping his minutes to 20 a game and I certainly don't see them shutting him down for big chunks of the season to try to squeeze another playoff run out of him.

Seriously folks...it's been great, but it's time to let go.

[SenorSpur]

Whatever type of justification Pop and RC gave to Holt as the reason they needed to aggressive upgrade the roster this summer, has now vanished. We've already seen evidence that they're now back to the penny-pinching strategy of fiscal responsibility. If that is the case, they have no choice but to rebuild.

[Hooks]

Geezus..they owe Duncan NOTHING. THey are paying him freaking million and millions of dollars to play basketball. He should be willing to do whatever they want.

W/out Duncan the Spurs prolly wouldn't even be in San Antonio anymore, there are no championships w/out him, he even took a pay cut so that the Spurs could get someone good. They owe him A LOT.

[kaji157]

Whatever type of justification Pop and RC gave to Holt as the reason they needed to aggressive upgrade the roster this summer, has now vanished. We've already seen evidence that they're now back to the penny-pinching strategy of fiscal responsibility. If that is the case, they have no choice but to rebuild.

Well if they sign n trade Manu, and Trade Tony, Duncan and Jefferson now, they might have quite a few pick to be compe ive after the next 3 years. I would try to trade them to lower market teams and not all picks for this year´s draft as most likely this draft won´t be very deep.

But there you got, 4 picks for your 4 stars. Maybe another for a good role player. Keep Hill, keep Blair, change your coach, Keep Mahinmi, Hairston and Gee. And with 2 bad years of bad basketball that´s 2 other lotery picks.
6 good first round pick´s in exchange for all your hopes seems unfair, but could guarantee you another good decade.

[jjktkk]

Whatever type of justification Pop and RC gave to Holt as the reason they needed to aggressive upgrade the roster this summer, has now vanished. We've already seen evidence that they're now back to the penny-pinching strategy of fiscal responsibility. If that is the case, they have no choice but to rebuild.

The Spurs won't rebuild because in order to do that they would have to trade Duncan, or force him to retire. Won't happen. In the off season, I see the Spurs resigining Ginoboli and signing Splitter. I am interested to see if Gist can make the team next year. Gist's skill set, being a combo pf/sf, is something the Spurs could use. Depending on who they pick up in the draft, I see the Spurs trying to upgrade the sf position, or C position.

[NFGIII]

let's see how he does come playoffs. historically Duncan has stepped up to a whole other level in the playoffs. they'll need him, that's for sure. if he can't score at a 50% clip in the playoffs, then we can honestly say he's done.

i don' thiink he's playing for seeds right now. he's aware of the fact that no matter what seed they get right they're going to have to play LA. he might just be trying to rest his body.

i'm not going to give up on the guy, though, no matter what. not before the playoffs. i think people are jumping the gun. last year, against Dallas, it was pretty much the same story, then he exploded in that series. so i'm going to stick with history and hope it sticks.

Hopefully you're right about this. TD does go to another level come playoff time so right now I'll be optimistic about TD.

And getting to the Finals means going through LA - that's pretty much seems to be the case IHMO. And I really don't see them getting upset so I expect them to be in the WCF. And if anyone thinks that the Spurs might make the WCF and face them then why not in the 1st round? With the way the NBA schedules the 1st round the Spurs and TD will get more rest than they would in the WCF. I believe that there are several days off between games in the 1st round but only one day come WCF IIRC. That would at least make it more compe ive and give the Spurs a better chance of beating them.

Whatever type of justification Pop and RC gave to Holt as the reason they needed to aggressive upgrade the roster this summer, has now vanished. We've already seen evidence that they're now back to the penny-pinching strategy of fiscal responsibility. If that is the case, they have no choice but to rebuild.

that's sad since as you stated earlier they could have at least made a run at Thomas/Salmons but didn't or there was no evidence that they did.
But Holt is a businessman and that may have kicked in and the old saying came home - Screw me once and its your fault but screw me twice...

Holt may have felt that the RJ gamble wasn't going to pay off so might as well cut his losses and not put up any more .

The Spurs won't rebuild because in order to do that they would have to trade Duncan, or force him to retire. Won't happen. In the off season, I see the Spurs resigining Ginoboli and signing Splitter. I am interested to see if Gist can make the team next year. Gist's skill set, being a combo pf/sf, is something the Spurs could use. Depending on who they pick up in the draft, I see the Spurs trying to upgrade the sf position, or C position.

Really don't know what is going to happen. If the Spurs totally melt down in the 1st round and get embarassed then anything could happen. I think they would try to re-sign Manu but with the lockout looming Splitter may decide to wait until that blows over to sign with the Spurs. If that happens then TD is once more in a position of having to play more minutes without a quality 5 making him a 5 and taking a beating.

Whether Gist can be productive remains to be seen. I really haven't kept up with him overseas so if someone has please jump in with an update as to if he or can't cut it. But if he could then maybe Bonner could be packaged with RJ and others for a nice addition or something to that effect.

[TD 21]

Geezus..they owe Duncan NOTHING. THey are paying him freaking million and millions of dollars to play basketball. He should be willing to do whatever they want.

At the time Duncan signed his extension, he was still widely regarded by many publications entering that season as the best player in the league, so if the Spurs didn't pay him "millions or dollars", I know 29 other teams that would have. The reality is he could have been making significantly more ($5.5 million a season more for his final 2 years) if he wanted to. He didn't not take that money so that the organization could pocket it, he did it so that they could get him more help as he entered the twilight of his career.

And by more help, I have a hard time believing that consisted of a 6-9 old man who can't run, jump or help him protect the rim or a 6-6 rookie, who also can't help him protect the rim (not that he wasn't a steal). The organization has failed him and because of this and the fact that he had to carry the entire team for half a season, he's predictably breaking down again. They have one final chance to get him legit help this summer (it starts with signing Splitter) and yes, they owe it to him to do so. For all he's done for this organization, they at least owe it to him to keep their word and not do a 180 and re-build, just because he's no longer all world.

[kaji157]

At the time Duncan signed his extension, he was still widely regarded by many publications entering that season as the best player in the league, so if the Spurs didn't pay him "millions or dollars", I know 29 other teams that would have. The reality is he could have been making significantly more ($5.5 million a season more for his final 2 years) if he wanted to. He didn't not take that money so that the organization could pocket it, he did it so that they could get him more help as he entered the twilight of his career.

And by more help, I have a hard time believing that consisted of a 6-9 old man who can't run, jump or help him protect the rim or a 6-6 rookie, who also can't help him protect the rim (not that he wasn't a steal). The organization has failed him and because of this and the fact that he had to carry the entire team for half a season, he's predictably breaking down again. They have one final chance to get him legit help this summer (it starts with signing Splitter) and yes, they owe it to him to do so. For all he's done for this organization, they at least owe it to him to keep their word and not do a 180 and re-build, just because he's no longer all world.

Quite arguably, as Duncan contract could be negotiated as we speak, the Spurs rushed a lot to resign him, for whatever reason, if the started negotiations right now they could have signed him for cheaper price, risky, but probable.