Spurs acquire Thomas from Sonics for Barry, Elson

[ChumpDumper]

Why do we think the Spurs would pick David Lee when they passed him up for Ian? If they didn't see he was going to be that much better than Ian already how can we say they would be good at any making that low of a pick in a so-so draft in any year?

[whottt]

That's a lot of hostility for someone so cuddly with the coyote.

Hey...you guys that think first round picks don't mean anything were the ones that started throwing around the stupid label....I only followed suit.

Hey chief, there's a few commodities in every draft but the fact is many teams will swing and miss and have a guaranteed contract in the books.

I bet there's been a late first round or second round player in every draft since 2002 that could have come in and contributed to the Spurs immediately. Including many mentioned by people on this board...before it happened.

Carlos Boozer was a second round pick...

I'd rather the Spurs have a legitimate shot at the le this year than get one pull on the slot machine for a guy who they won't let contribute next year anyways.

Me too..which is why if they are going to give up first round picks I'd like them to do it for players that will actually contribute substantially...

I won't try to spin anything since your opinion is fact. PERIOD. I will ask you why the Spurs so often trade away their first round pick in these vast pools of talent you speak of?

Tim Duncan erases a lot of mistakes...


Spurs could have drafted Josh Howard, Barbosa, David Lee, Carlos Boozer...



I don't know why you want to make excuses for that...if we'd landed those guys we wouldn't be giving away 1st round picks for 35 year olds right now.


It also doesn't hurt my point that seasons immediately following those mistakes the Spurs failed to repeat each and every time.

[K-State Spur]

I don't want to catch the Hornets in the playoffs.

I'd definitely want HCA against LAL.

I'm not afraid of the Jazz. I think that series would go down much like last years WCF.

i'm not worried about the Hornets in the playoffs...this year.

a) they haven't been there.

b) over a 7 game series, i think the spurs depth (and the hornets' lack there of) would win out.

c) peja turns to mush when the games start to really matter.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=764485


decent discussion about the trade

[hsxvvd]

Now we can take care of the fat controller!

[objective]

The Scola trade was horrible. This trade at the very worst can't be as bad as the Scola trade.

I disagree strongly and feel this could be a worse trade than Scola, and for a reason that I haven’t seen on this entire thread.

And that is that the pick in the reports I've read is not protected.

There is a reason Presti wanted the pick in 09 and it’s probably not because of the 09 class or having multiple picks to bundle, it’s because he knows that in this season the Spurs are guaranteed locks to make the playoffs based on the amount of games remaining and them finishing the RRT strong without Parker (and Parker’s impending return).

Because in 2009 there is a realistic chance the Spurs are in the lottery. And it’s not a far-fetched gamble, it would be a reasonable long term wager that it happens.

Consider that next season no matter who they sign the Spurs will still be one of the oldest teams in the league, and will be even more vulnerable to age-related breakdowns. The injury risk becomes much higher when you factor in that Parker and Ginobili and Splitter will all be playing all summer with their national teams, and maybe Udoka and Mahinmi might spend time with Nigeria and France.

If any of the Spurs big 3 go down for say a third of the season, that’s a Spurs team that I think would be more likely to miss the playoffs than make.

Why?

Because the rest of the west is so stacked now. It’s not like before when you could guarantee a Duncan-team at least 50 wins and a playoff shot.
In the west right now, the Warriors are 9th and on pace to win 50 games. The Blazers are 10th and on pace to win 43, and that’s without adding in Oden and whoever else they bring in next year along with their youth improving. Every other western playoff team is not in any serious danger of falling off next year, , a bunch are poised to be even better.
The Spurs could win 50 games next year and miss the playoffs.

Again, notice that the first round pick has no lottery protection.

The trade is a disaster waiting to happen, all just to have an old Kurt Thomas for 3-4 months.

IF the Spurs win the le this year and only if it's thanks to Kurt Thomas having huge games or a huge series, then who cares, right?

But that is a big risk. Maybe too big.

[ChumpDumper]

If we miss the playoffs with a healthy big three, start trading the big three.

[z0sa]

the spurs miss the playoffs next year?

...

[hsxvvd]

I disagree strongly and feel this could be a worse trade than Scola, and for a reason that I haven’t seen on this entire thread.

And that is that the pick in the reports I've read is not protected.

There is a reason Presti wanted the pick in 09 and it’s probably not because of the 09 class or having multiple picks to bundle, it’s because he knows that in this season the Spurs are guaranteed locks to make the playoffs based on the amount of games remaining and them finishing the RRT strong without Parker (and Parker’s impending return).

Because in 2009 there is a realistic chance the Spurs are in the lottery. And it’s not a far-fetched gamble, it would be a reasonable long term wager that it happens.

Consider that next season no matter who they sign the Spurs will still be one of the oldest teams in the league, and will be even more vulnerable to age-related breakdowns. The injury risk becomes much higher when you factor in that Parker and Ginobili and Splitter will all be playing all summer with their national teams, and maybe Udoka and Mahinmi might spend time with Nigeria and France.

If any of the Spurs big 3 go down for say a third of the season, that’s a Spurs team that I think would be more likely to miss the playoffs than make.

Why?

Because the rest of the west is so stacked now. It’s not like before when you could guarantee a Duncan-team at least 50 wins and a playoff shot.
In the west right now, the Warriors are 9th and on pace to win 50 games. The Blazers are 10th and on pace to win 43, and that’s without adding in Oden and whoever else they bring in next year along with their youth improving. Every other western playoff team is not in any serious danger of falling off next year, , a bunch are poised to be even better.
The Spurs could win 50 games next year and miss the playoffs.

Again, notice that the first round pick has no lottery protection.

The trade is a disaster waiting to happen, all just to have an old Kurt Thomas for 3-4 months.

IF the Spurs win the le this year and only if it's thanks to Kurt Thomas having huge games or a huge series, then who cares, right?

But that is a big risk. Maybe too big.

That's a whole lotta "ifs" and you forget to mention, Phoenix and Dallas have also gotten a whole lot older with their trades.

Not to mention, we have Splitter coming across to be "Kurt" next year. Or he may even be another Vet min with the taste of a championship. KT's type can play till their dead.

[objective]

they needed a lotto protection.

Again, they could win 50 games and be in the lotto.

[ChumpDumper]

If a team is in the lottery after being champion, it sucks and should be broken up.

[objective]

Who's to say Splitter gets any opportunities ?

PHX and Dallas may have gotten older, but the wheels aren't falling off of any of the players involved except Shaq.

PHX can still win regular season games, they led the west in wins when they did the deal. Kidd is having one of his better seasons in years, he just had an off night of adjustment tonight.

[whottt]

objective...I have to say there's no way in the Spurs will be in the lottery in 09. And if they are losing in 09, as Chump mentioned....we have three players we could trade for a lottery pick.

I don't think the Spurs have protected a first round pick they've traded in any of their recent trades.



I'm actually glad the pick is an 09 pick because I like this years draft quite a bit and have a feeling the Spurs can get a steal. There's no clear #1 pick...but it is a deep draft IMO.


In fact I'm actually hoping the Spurs make the playoffs as an 8 seed and one of the lowest seeds in the playoffs...

It's good to see that the Spurs feel the same about this draft and now I actually feel a little better about this trade.



What makes you think it was the Sonics that demanded the pick be an 09 pick and not the Spurs?

[Bruno]

It's possible that there is a protection on the pick and we don't know it for the moment.

I would be surprised to see Spurs trading an unprotected pick. Only Isiah Thomas does that.

[whottt]

I would be surprised to see Spurs trading an unprotected pick. Only Isiah Thomas does that.

Did the Spurs protect the picks they traded to Isiah for Nazr? I don't think they did.

[objective]

It's possible that there is a protection on the pick and we don't know it for the moment.

I would be surprised to see Spurs trading an unprotected pick. Only Isiah Thomas does that.

actually, Isiah protects them, but with odd and ridiculous firewall points by year.

I hope very much there is an unreported protection, but going on what's official now, the pick is free and clear.

And if a champion one year wins 50 games the next through injuries caused by age and summer ball commitments and misses the playoffs, and in doing so that team 'sucks' and should be 'broken up' . . .

much better to break up with a lottery pick than without.

[Bruno]

Did the Spurs protect the picks they traded to Isiah for Nazr? I don't think they did.

They were protected.
one of the pick came from Phoenix and was heavily protected.
The other one (Spurs 2006 pick) was top 10 protected.

[z0sa]

You don't think the spurs FO thought of this?

The spurs missing the playoffs next year is absurd. ABSURD.

[whottt]

They were protected.
one of the pick came from Phoenix and was heavily protected.

Oh that's right...Phoenix protected it.

The other one (Spurs 2006 pick) was top 10 protected.

You sure? If so that's the first I've heard about that. In any case...it's not that uncommon for picks to not be protected...at least not completely. But you are right...it's usually Isiah doing it.

[ChumpDumper]

actually, Isiah protects them, but with odd and ridiculous firewall points by year.

I hope very much there is an unreported protection, but going on what's official now, the pick is free and clear.

And if a champion one year wins 50 games the next through injuries caused by age and summer ball commitments and misses the playoffs, and in doing so that team 'sucks' and should be 'broken up' . . .

much better to break up with a lottery pick than without.

So? It still sucks. If that's the doom and gloom prediction, they'll get a better lottery pick the next season because they will suck even worse without a #17 pick.

[Bruno]

actually, Isiah protects them, but with odd and ridiculous firewall points by year.

He traded the right to swap picks with Chicago in 2006 without any protection. Bulls got the 2nd pick from Knicks.

I hope very much there is an unreported protection, but going on what's official now, the pick is free and clear.

Protection aren't reported in official reports.
We don't know if the pick is protected or not.

I would be shocked if Spurs have traded an unprotected pick.

[objective]

re: Isiah, I'm talking about the 2010 pick he owes Utah.

[hsxvvd]

To me the pick seems to have been a bit rich, but maybe this has something to do with Barry coming home.

1st round unprotected pick & Elson for Thomas sounds fair for both sides.

[objective]

So? It still sucks. If that's the doom and gloom prediction, they'll get a better lottery pick the next season because they will suck even worse without a #17 pick.

It's not a doom and gloom prediction, but an evaluation.

First, of how it could be worse than the Scola trade.

Second, of how hard the west is now where 50 win teams miss the playoffs.

[ChumpDumper]

First, of how it could be worse than the Scola trade.

You liked Jackie Butler that much?

Second, of how hard the west is now where 50 win teams miss the playoffs.

So the Spurs are going to suck. Might as well tank now while we still have a first round pick this summer.