Everything you said is correct, especially the word "if". Some players have a hard time letting go of their status on a team even if their skills aren't quite there any more. Some players like Kerr accept a reduced role, but others think they're still stars until the day their last contract ends. It will be interesting to see how the team and Paul handle this one.
If bringing back Paul means not starting both Fox and Castle then NO THANKS. Then we have that issue of possibly starting Paul/Fox together which is another NO THANK YOU.
As of now I like what Keldon Johnson is usually able to do off the bench. Adding Paul to the bench unit could be viable.
CP3 said he feels good about his experience here in the Spurs
"The grass is greener where you water it."
As a backup PG and mentor, yes. No starter minutes and no minutes during defensive stand. Stephon needs more fine tuning under his wing. And definitely Wesley can learn a lot on making better decisions. Wesley intrigues me a lot with his speed on top of his defense.
No, it will end badly when Spurs play to win. Paul still wants to be starting, he wants to close games. Spurs need other players to take those roles.
It's really hard to tell yet not knowing where the Spurs will be drafting, but assuming they're at 8 and 16 and picking role players I'd probably like to have CP3 back if he's willing to play a bench role as he's still good defensively and is a good outside shooter. And of course a guy I want all our guards learning from in practice. Don't think Aldama (restricted), Grimes (restricted), nor John Collins are realistic MLE targets and Naz certainly isn't one. But Bobby Portis might be gettable with an MLE offer. Or maybe Caris Levert. Can't get one of them maybe you try to split the MLE between CP3 and Yabusele or something.
Portis has been garbage this year according to Bucks fans.
Levert only if we get rid of Keldon.
I value Collins a lot, I'd create space for him and offer him a 80/4 contract if he opts out of his final year.
As for CP3, I'd bring him back if he agrees to play only when Fox sits, having both of them out there doesn't make any sense.
Portis still shoots the three at 37% and is 38% career. Not bad for a PF who will be available in the MLE price range. And he's not the traffic cone Yabusele is defensively. Collins is probably only gettable if the Jazz want Keldon or Vassell. IDK maybe Keldon could be a veteran mentor for all those young guys, don't see what the they'd want Vassell for though. Definitely don't see Detroit absorbing Keldon's salary with their glut of talented forward prospects and I imagine they'd rather have Schroeder back than absorb Vassell's money, especially when Jaden Ivey is better and younger. Can't see the fit either in Chicago. So that leaves having to throw firsts at Brooklyn to salary dump one of Johnson or Vassell.
If he can't get on with a contending team, definitely. I'd rather start him than Fox anyway. I don't think Fox is the answer for anything. Happy to be wrong about that. Realistically Paul would need to come off the bench.
But Paul still has a lot to teach this team if he's willing. If you add a Knueppel and another piece, this is a playoff or play-in team, staying healthy.
So what do you want to do with Fox if you started CP3? Bench him, or are you just saying you don't want Fox on the team at all?
He's got a $26.5M player option for the next season. Noone is offering him that money, but I'd say he can get more long term money this than the next summer because another year on a tanking team and being a year older won't do him any favors.
Generating some extra cap space we'd need to offer him around 80/4 wouldn't be an issue.
I haven't seen enough of the Bucks this season, but apparently the issue is that shooting is all he does right now.Portis still shoots the three at 37% and is 38% career. Not bad for a PF who will be available in the MLE price range. And he's not the traffic cone Yabusele is defensively.
His defense and effort level dropped off this season.
Idk, he'd be a solid consolation prize, I guess.
If we're looking into a traditional backup big, I'd be interested in Kornet.
Celtics fans love him, he's got high IQ and uses his body well. Great passer out of short rolls.
Would be just what we need when Wemby sits if we're looking at traditional bigs and not small lineups.
Why do you want to add a backup 2 guard in Knueppel? That guy is so over rated. Spurs don't need a backup sg who plays below the rim and they don't need to try to fit him at SF as an undersized SF.
Fox is the starter. Spurs didn't trade for him to have him as a backup to a 40 year old.
Think CP3 priority next season will be a surefire contenting situation that's closer to home and family (he said he's going to talk to his wife), which makes the Lakers as perhaps an ideal team he would be ok signing for for the Vet minimum. That, or supplanting Westbrook in Denver and hope to ride Jokic coattails for that elusive ring..
IF opts to return to Spurs it is because they offer more money and maybe a ladder for future coaching career. (if you are going to do some assistant grunt work, it might as well be on the bench of the team that has the next face of the league with all the perks of visibility and credit points)
christ, let it go
Fox cost him Zollins, it's gonna take some time for that wound to heal.
And he was having such an objectively good season.
Yes.
He'd need to accept as a 41y/o he's a 15mpg backup who can't play next to Fox, but yes.
Still good to elite creator (11th Ast% overall, top 5-6 before Wemby went down), good shooter/2nd best rotation 3pt% guy, played all 82, coach on the floor which we need with Pop or Mitch, boards at PG, Vet presence and mentor.
And he's a recruiting tool. So far, Paul, Barnes, and Fox have either choosen us for gave up money (or both) to play here, in one off-season with Wemby. Paul is a draw as an all-time great and as a guy that choose us who we did right by.
West POs are open next yr, Dal/Phx/Sac falling fast. GS/Mem/and maybe Min are iffy to be as good next yr. Lac got 79 games from Harden and Den got maybe the best season ever from Jokic and still only got to 50 wins. If Wemby plays 70 next yr, we are sure fire Play-in, fighting for a top 6+. We are an attractive destination on the court and don't pay income taxes off the court. Paul's a non-zero attraction, and fills several holes at a reasonable price.
If we get a new coach, then C3P0 is likely gone. The front office probably won't interfere with a new coach making him play a 40 year old over a younger all star.
We can then spend our money on someone not so close to permanently going fishing. If Mitch/Pop are back I think CP30 stays 1 more year then retires. Hopefully the spurs make the right decision.
He did a great job but time to let our young guys play those minutes. I wish him well.
Vet's minimum backup let's do it
Seems like who we get in the draft could factor in whether it leaves Paul in the rotation and if not he’s more end of bench which probably doesn’t work for him.
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