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Our weakness is our fans - they don't believe.
Toronto...
Our weakness is our fans - they don't believe.
Our weakness is one of our greatest strengths--Bowen.
With all his defensive talent he remains a terrible rebounder for a player on the front line and mostly a non-contributor on offense. Standing out at the 3 point line, waiting for the ball in the corner is a very limited contribution in a game that demands motion.
As good as he has been in Pops historical game-plan of that emphasized defense, Bowen may not fill the bill in the new offense-minded NBA.
He's aging well--see Team USA and his accolades last year--but he IS aging and will have to go sometime in the forseeable future. Meanwhile, we can't bring in that dreamed of long athletic SF unless we get some unknown Euro kid cheap.
No first rate player is going to want to come to the Spurs and sit behind Bowen. Meanwhile, he's going to be a log jam at the position for the next couple of years with the tide of NBA basketball running against his forte'--defense.
That's exactly why I think our 2/3 position is the one that needs more "new blood".
We made no draft choices (just, maybe, Sinikidze ? but he looks more a 4 than a three) in that position.
I still think that our best options could be Q. Woods (that - with Butler - supposedly had a god season with larry Brown) for the FA and Wells for trades.
At the moment, I don't see a lot of teams willing to spend too much for Bonzi... so it looks not that much of a pipe dream.
Denver said to be interested, but has proposed to the player a one year contract for little money waiting for testing the market next year.
Well, this is an offer really unfair to him (contrary to the excellent 7 millions a year for five years of Sancto : total 36 millions for five years).
Indiana could be an option in case of failure of the Harrington deal (but bw looks to me quite like steph jack...).
I see no more suitors, at least with the appeal to be a good team (Atlanta ? Charlotte ?)
I think that, at this point, BW could be really more than interested to a contract for two/three years (last one as team option) in a sign and trade.
The combination of Barry and E.Will. makes already for 9 and half millions a year... I think we could give him a three year contract worth 25 millions.
10 millions a year for the first two years and the third year at five million...
So, in case the experiment come good, we have his bird rights and, however, a third season with a decent contract in case trading is needed...
Well, in case, we just have to understand how sweet we have to make the deal for Sancto to accept... let's wait august 21!
no big deals made this offseason? is that possible?
There just doesn't seem to be much out there. You have the Josh Childresses and Mikael Pietruses of the world, but they are too valuable to be traded for scraps. You have a step up for the Nocionis, but they're even more unlikely. I fear a situation where we're scraping up another Chucky Brown.
IF the Spurs are even thinking about Bonzi, I can't see them spending that much for him, especially if the market is so lousy for him. Who is going to offer him that much? I could see the Spurs trying to pry him lose for Barry + something. Maybe plus Scola, but I think they'd rather see if Scola can get them moved up in next year's draft.
Next year's draft seems to be key, where they have assets to collect their SF of the future. Not sure who that player is -- this year's SFs, especially Ronnie Brewer, were more attractive.
I don't see Sacramento in any way taking on Eric Williams' contract. They don't need an expiring in exchange for a guy they're not even paying. Then, if the Spurs get him, the question is if Bonzi can come off the bench for a contender. It's big-time risky.
Added: Reviewing mock drafts for 2007, there are a number of very young SF prospects, including Kevin Durant and Thaddeus Young and others. Many will go very high, but with big men being the story of that draft, the Spurs might see someone drop; that's why it looks important to trade up into the near-lottery.
Mr. Body, Imho Wells in never gonna accept something less than what Sancto has offered to him...that means something in the level of a little more than 7 millions a year for five years.
I would give him that much just 'cause :
1) BW
would be happy.
we are one of the last possible solutions for him to get something camparable to what Sancto has offered.
That should push his old team to accept such an offer : 25 millions in three years is slightly better than 36 in five...when the contract ends, he will be 32, so still, eventually, in good shape for a new, last, decent contract.
And, after all, he's gonna play these years for a contender
2) S.A.
could resolve his problems just for the right time...two years.
This year Bruce will be more than 35 and coming from the world championship games, like Manu.
Barring injuries, they both will be tired and, expecially at the beginning of the season, they will need some rest.
Actually, like you said, BW is the only realible option and, for sure, if it wasn't for his behavior, one of the best possible ones for this team.
However, in 2008 the contract option would be exercised just if worth of it...(and the player won't be that old, at 31...)
3) Sancto
I think that could be convinced (and, more than all, pushed by his old player) to take an offer of Barry, E.Williams and some second choices to sweeten the deal...
Thay should consider (like has already made the Spurs F.O. in the Rasho trade) that having an expiring contract, in the actual market is, substantially, an asset valuable till february deadline, to make, in case of needing, some more market move with teams that, by that time, have almost no more play off chances... so, I don't think that have one such as the E.Will one is gonna scare Sancto.
In the worst of cases, it could be just something to pay in the current year (and, however, I think Sac is not at the salary tax level) and not a problem to carry on for years to come.
Barry, imho, is the best asset they can find in the market for what they need in the back court (veteran outside shooter...; reliable back up at point guard) in case BW is no more with them;more than all, Barry won't ask minutes away from the supposed young studs (Martin and Garcia) and could be an insurance in case Salmons (really overpaid, for what he has showed till now) doesn't work as well as they thought (and that is more than a possibility).
I will never give them Scola 'cause I think is too much of value, expecially in a potential combo with Manu next year (that, finally, should be his first one in a S.A. jersey) and 'cause of the risk of facing him with a vengeance anytime he plays against us...that means at least three/four times in the regular season
However, I don't think Sancto would be so high on him, having now both Thomas and SAR playing quite like the kind of game Scola does...
Who do you see offering him 7M/yr? There's no team on the market that will do this. Haven't you already marked how few teams there are that will be interested in him? Bonzi might not be very happy with that amount, but he overestimated how much money he can make. At this point, I'd think he'd be very happy to make around the MLE.
I believe the Barry contract would put Sacramento very close to the luxury tax, if not over. That means they would be paying double for Eric Williams, a player they in no way need. Even if they somehow traded him during the year, they would have to take on that same amount of salary. $8M+ in cost for nothing.
I wouldn't include Scola in this trade, either. If Sacramento wants Barry, Bonzi is worth a short-term risk, but IMO only at Barry's contract level $5M/yr for no more than 3 years. If Bonzi really thinks he can make a better contract in the next couple summers, more power to him and give him a 3yr with a player option on the last, or even each one.
In sum, the Spurs IMO don't risk spending $8M on a malcontent. No one anywhere is going to pay BW that, anyway. If he wants to play for the Spurs, it will need to be for short years.
Toronto...
See what our problem is--Bowen is so good at what he does, we're reluctant to trade him for a permanent solution. Maybe he's not as good as we think and wouldn't fit into another teams game plan as well as he does in the Sours system.
As a result, we try to cobble up all kinds of odds and ends to get someone to play behind him that we think could give him some rest or whatever. Bowen and Finley are a better than OK tandem at SF and one that most teams would love to have.
If we come up short against some teams in matchups--like the Mavs and Dirk-- then we just have to concede him his points, hope Bowen can slow him down some and rely on the other guys for the win.
Would have worked in the last finals too if Many hadn't blown it. But we have to realize these guys are compe ors and are going to make a mistake now and then.
I agree with a lot of the things you said, expecially with the short years (two, max three);I checked that Sancto money list and they are near the salary cap (already more than 60 millions without Q. Douby and some other minor players) : so the Barry contract, already, could put them probably over the lux tax area.
You say take him for three yaers at 5 millions a year....
That would be awesome...but difficult.
This offer is by far under of what Sac.to offered him and under what other teams still have the chance of offering : see, the mid level exception (more than 5 millions)...for five years.
And, at the end of the game, money (if significant one) rules.
That's why I still see the chance of the sign and trade I talked before.
Other reasons :
a) BW pride will be saved and, for that, he could and should be realy thankful to the F.O. and the team (sometimes this open a "window light" in a player's cloudy mind).
b) in case of a sign and trade for Barry and E. Will., thanks to the "houston's" rule, Sac.to could just choose to play only barry and cut the contract of E.Will (a la Finley) and not pay the lux tax but just the amount of that contract (thay could do it, imho, in case they like the sweets we could give them...like 1 or 2 second choices).
However, if he's, at least, not a totally crazy person, and if his market situation remains the same, he should be happy also at the perspective you made... another point is that, for this year, nothing chances in our pay roll (we should pay E. Will contract) so the "8 million" risk just start for the next one/two years....
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