Tony Parker in 5-6 more years?

[CosmicCowboy]

They're not washed up and I never said they were either. The older they get the more smarter they get and the better the decision makers get. They simply play the best defense in the NBA, and can switch over to any offense they're facing..half court, and run and gun. Tim Duncan IS the anchor to all that, but it's not JUST him. Put him with the Lakers pathetic players and Tim Duncan doesn't win anymore.

LOL you are right.

Man, it must suck to be a Laker fan now.

Have you considered switching to the Clippers?

[michaelwcho]

RE Duncan:
of course the Lakers would be a better team with Duncan than with Kobe. Kobe is a point-scoring machine, but his skills and at ude do not mesh well with team play. In Jordan's 1st 6 years, he would pass only when triple teamed, and got frustrated when his teammates missed the shot. He learned later that the teammates have to be involved and shooting the whole game for them to hit a shot in crunch time. Kobe is still in the process of coming to terms with that reality.

Duncan affects every play on D, unlike Kobe, who merely affects his own man. Duncan's offensive game is also more versatile: he has worked on a championship level with another star center (Robinson), with a shoot-first point guard (Parker), and with two crazy SGs (Ginobili and Jackson).

Kobe has only succeeded as the closer on Shaq's team. Period.

RE Tony:
I worry a little about Tony's future, because he has a LOT of miles on his tires. He has probably played the equivalent of 8 seasons in the L already because of his early start, extensive playoff wear, and international commitments.

His current game is not sustainable because the blazing speed will taper off and just become good quickness. Eventually being hit on every play will take its toll and he'll stop going to the basket every time he gets it. Also, with age, his atheticism will prevent him from finishing so successfully. He'll need to score more with skill and guile than overwhelming talent (like Nash does).

He needs to get a better BBall IQ, learn how to pass for assists, and keep developing his outside shooting until it's his best option. I see his upside being a very valuable player, but not a franchise player.

[Infamous]

Cosmiccowboy-Nah, Lakers are my team for life.

michaelwho-It wasn't just Shaq, like the Spurs they also had proven veterans and all the roleplayers needed to win a championship. Had Shaq left only and Lakers stayed with all their role players from the championship years, they would arguably be a tad bit better than right now. Instead they had to work with Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant..they trade the future All-Star Butler for a scrub like Kwame..Brian Grant is a garbage anyway so they let him go, and they still have Lamar Odom. Oh, and Jordan Farmar since he turned into the draft pick they aquired. The Lakers management is pathetic, that's what it is.

And Kobe proved so many times he can step up and play better even when Shaq was out..as long as he still had the same players around him when Shaq is in the game. See the 2000 NBA Finals, Game 4. Leading them to victory in OT when Shaq fouled out.

[MajorMike]

Oh, and I thought this thread was going to have one of those digitally aged photos of what TP will look like in 5 after being married and with more rings.

[L.I.T]

They're not washed up and I never said they were either. The older they get the more smarter they get and the better the decision makers get. They simply play the best defense in the NBA, and can switch over to any offense they're facing..half court, and run and gun. Tim Duncan IS the anchor to all that, but it's not JUST him. Put him with the Lakers pathetic players and Tim Duncan doesn't win anymore.

Oh, in that case Antoine Walker needs to start teaching a basketball camp.

Let me see, the Lakers are crammed full of spot-up three-point shooters and decent passers. Damn straight they wouldn't benefit from having a low-post threat. Their wing players are also pretty aggressive on the defensive side, playing passing lanes and all, but you know, having a legitimate shot-blocker behind them would only limit them defensively. Their bigs are more finesse players who wouldn't be aided at all by having a big guy down low to take some of the pressure off of them.

Yah, that is one poorly constructed team, let me tell you. No talent at all.

[L.I.T]

Cosmiccowboy-Nah, Lakers are my team for life.

michaelwho-It wasn't just Shaq, like the Spurs they also had proven veterans and all the roleplayers needed to win a championship. Had Shaq left only and Lakers stayed with all their role players from the championship years, they would arguably be a tad bit better than right now. Instead they had to work with Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant..they trade the future All-Star Butler for a scrub like Kwame..Brian Grant is a garbage anyway so they let him go, and they still have Lamar Odom. Oh, and Jordan Farmar since he turned into the draft pick they aquired. The Lakers management is pathetic, that's what it is.

But I will agree with you, the Lakers front-office blows. They have stockpiled some talent, just not talent that will mesh well with Kobe.

[Infamous]

Oh, in that case Antoine Walker needs to start teaching a basketball camp.

Let me see, the Lakers are crammed full of spot-up three-point shooters and decent passers. Damn straight they wouldn't benefit from having a low-post threat. Their wing players are also pretty aggressive on the defensive side, playing passing lanes and all, but you know, having a legitimate shot-blocker behind them would only limit them defensively. Their bigs are more finesse players who wouldn't be aided at all by having a big guy down low to take some of the pressure off of them.

Yah, that is one poorly constructed team, let me tell you. No talent at all.

It wouldn't work with just Duncan by himself though. The team would still be a better team if they just traded for a big. Duncan has help, Kobe doesn't. That's the fact.

[spursfan09]

He will be an excellent point guard as he is right now. Not a superstar or anything, but a borderline to solid all star caliber player. Much like he is right now.

I think Tony Parker is already considered a superstar.

[spursfan09]

Put him with the Lakers pathetic players and Tim Duncan doesn't win anymore.

Put Kobe on the Spurs in place of Duncan and the Spurs aren't winning anymore either.

[Infamous]

Put Kobe on the Spurs in place of Duncan and the Spurs aren't winning anymore either.

Yeah I've gotta agree with that.

[tmtcsc]

Obviously he'll be a greater player..but I've heard him mention numerous times "WE NEED THE REST WE GOT A LOT OF OLD GUYS" "YEA WE GOT A LOOOOOOOT OF OLD GUYS ON THIS TEAM" Well what happens when suppsebly all those old guys yet proven veterans who can help out any team, retire? What happens to Tony Parker then? Is he exposed as his reign with a championship team is over and Duncan's near retirement, Horry's gone, Oberto's near retirement, Ginobili is older, Elson's near retirement, maybe Finley too. Several Spurs players will be around age 37 or so..so will Tony Parker still be the same player he is now?

Elson won't be here in 5 or 6 years...maybe not 2 years from now. He's weak.

[SAGambler]

I think Tony Parker is already considered a superstar.

If Tony gets the 3 pointer to falling, continues to drive the hoop like he does now, and adds about 3 or 4 more assists a game, he will be considered 1 of the top 3 in the league.

I just hope when the right time comes, the Spurs put people around him that will allow him to continue to elevate his game a little bit more every year.

Another thing to be considered. Tony has learned to be a team player. Win as a team, lose as a team. He has indeed been fortunate to have been in this environment and learned from it.

Deron Williams, who no doubt has a bright future at PG, has already learned to blame his teammates.

Can you even begin to imagine Tony calling out the team after a loss?

I certainly can"t....

[bigfish22]

you mean,what happened already to kobe in L.A?
It can happen though,you can´t win without veterans.

No way you can compare Kuchek to RC.

That's like saying Harold Miner was better than Jordan!

[michaelwcho]

michaelwho-It wasn't just Shaq, like the Spurs they also had proven veterans and all the roleplayers needed to win a championship. Had Shaq left only and Lakers stayed with all their role players from the championship years, they would arguably be a tad bit better than right now.

The Lakers management is pathetic, that's what it is.

And Kobe proved so many times he can step up and play better even when Shaq was out..as long as he still had the same players around him when Shaq is in the game. See the 2000 NBA Finals, Game 4. Leading them to victory in OT when Shaq fouled out.

1. agreed...Horry, Fish, Fox. Good solid role players. What they have now is some trash along with some possibly decent pieces that aren't being properly utilized. They did not play as well as they could (with injuries being a major factor). That being said, I don't think Kobe has the ability to work with these guys, but a good big man who can score and pass could. It's not easy to work with a superstar shoot-first guard. Very difficult to build a team around.

2. The Laker's management is pathetic, no doubt. I don't blame them for trading Shaq. He appeared to being declining fast and his mouth was growing almost as fast as his waistline. He was acting like an aging, spoiled brat. But the moves they have made since... Bayloresque.

3. I never suggested Kobe couldn't win a game by himself, he can do that more than anyone in the league--just amazing. But he has never proven he can do it for a season, let alone a series. That's the trick.

[bigfish22]

Kobe proved he was the best player in the league the last couple of seasons however. Until yesterday, now it's probably all up in the air.

FLAWED!

How you figure he has proven to be the best player in the last couple of seasons?

Are you counting his MVP trophys? Because that resume is blank

Are you counting his scoring les? Reward him for what, being a great player on a terrible team? Of course he's gonna score, nobody else is. And when he finds them right under the basket wide open from a double team, more times than not, they hit the bottom of the rim, instead of the bottom of the net.

Are you counting his Championship rings? Because those really don't belong to him, those are Shaq's rings with a side of Kobe.

Are you counting NBA All Defensive teams? Because Duncan has him by 2.

The only real statistical category he leads the league in is SNITCHING!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Kobe fan (still hate the Fakers, but game recognizes game), but I just disagree with your argument that he has been the best player in the last few years. And by the way I live in LA, so I hear all the arguments for and against Kobe. And true Laker fans are always trying to defend his off the court behavior as nothing to do with his basketball skills. If that is the case, then how did he (in your book) just get bumped off the best player tag when he didn't even have a game yesterday (or the past few weeks for that matter). That's like getting fired on your day off. Explain to me that.


I appologize to the tread, didn't mean to hi-jack it about the Kobe argument but I just felt like I had to rip this guy.

As for Tony, I'm not worried about his status in 5 years. Our big 3 will be in tact until at least 2010, and the smartest front office in the business will no doubt go the opposite route of the Fakers, and make sure that we compete every year.

[spurs1990]

Duncan is 31 this year. Realistically, what age do you think he'll retire at? I can't him as a type who'll go along for the ride w/o being at least the best player on his team, like Hakeem or David did in their twighlight years.

I predict it will be 3 more seasons and then in 2010-2011 TD will hang 'em up. The Spurs will be officially hammer ed with Parker being the franchise player...that's scary to think about.

[TDMVPDPOY]

even if the fakers trade for JO, and if it doesnt turn out, kobe can just decline his player option and opt out, leaving the lakers back to JOs contract....which i expect will expire the year after....

[aaronstampler]

I think there is a very small chance Tony will re-sign with the Spurs once his deal is up. He'll move on to shinier, glitzier pastures. As far as playing goes, he's already doing many things like driving to the basket, playing defense, and shooting his teardrop as well as he's ever going to do them.

The only things left for him to improve is A) be more consistent from the line, B) three pointers and C) most of all, his playmaking. That's the area where he can really take it up a couple of notches.

[Kevin Blackistone]

It all depends on where the franchise is when TP's contract is up. Who knows what happens by then...

I think TD has more than 2 excellent years left. His play isn't based on athletic ability and is more grounded in fundamental execution and timing. Luckily, those things don't go as fast as athletic ability with age, and as long as he stays healthy he should be able to make an impact on both ends. Luckily he only averages 30 some odd minutes a game during the regular season and doesn't get run into the ground. If the Spurs FO can surround TD, TP, and to a lesser extent Manu with good talent over the next 4 or 5 years this could still be a contender. Other than those three, this roster should look completely different in 2 years.