Reply With Quote
Will LMA boycott when he needs to switch? Stage a one-person sit-down strike? Call TD a "scab" for taking on the center?
Yes but he will be so much more efficient than those guys, he was just an all star last year. I agree his numbers will go down on the O end and he can play a different role now but I never doubt Tim and am never shocked when he comes out and has a great year when you expect him to fall off some. Those guys were strictly role players by the end of their careers on limited mins, Tim can still play at a high level on any night.
Will LMA boycott when he needs to switch? Stage a one-person sit-down strike? Call TD a "scab" for taking on the center?
It is a good article presenting facts and an opinion from different angles. The Spurs are changing, but they had to. Pop has adapted and adjusted the system and the roles before, and over the years, to emphasize the strengths of the team. In retrospect, it kind of has been his most noteworthy achievement aside from the championships. In the past Spurs made small tweaks and changes in personnel to supplement and add to what the big 3 did or to hide their weaknesses, because that was all that was needed. That was no longer going to cut it. They had planned for years the agents they could go after and had decided to go forward with Kawhi as a centerpiece, but they would need a quality big man to play the style they wanted to play. They were in fact very proactive going after someone they liked and had a realistic chance to sign, instead of waiting for Timmy and Manu to finally fall off a cliff and retire to move ahead. Kawhi was not going to carry the team on his own. To be a true contender you need more than one star and unless the spurs headed to the draft or a trade, a free agent was the only way.
The focus has been on Lamarcus this off-season because he is the new guy, but had he not been signed the issue would have been Kawhi's max contract, his featured role, and his all-star and MVP ambitions. The point is the Spurs were changing regardless. Father time was knocking on the door at times last year and he's gotten a reprieve, but eventually he will get what is owed to him. It feels odd to say it, by the Spurs may very well go as far as Lamarcus and Kawhi take them. This year they have the old big 3 to help them get the final prize, but there will be new guys on the team that need to gel. The old big 3 will be rested for games and this is their time. Lamarcus has already been a star and can ease the transition into the Spurs future. When Kawhi comes into his own apex as a player, Timmy and Manu will likely have retired, but Lamarcus will be around so hopefully it is a good start for both guys together.
By the way I believe the criticism coming out of Portland is meant to prop up Lillard, the star they did retain. Lamarcus had already given 9 years to Portland and had been through 2 rebuilds there. Heading into this season was another possible rebuild, since the tweaks they made did not raise the team's ceiling much particularly after the Wes Matthews injury. In my mind, Lamarcus simply reached the point in his career where if he is going to compete for a championship, it needs to be now and that was not going to happen in Portland, but of course, the Portland press was not going to report things that way. By the way Lillard's whining and complaining for being left out of the all-star game last year lowered his status in my eyes. He was ultimately chosen for the very last spot to replace someone, but he came accross as whiny and pedantic.
I don't understand why spursfans are so offended at the idea that Aldridge would be the featured big not TD..
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions