Well, it depends how highly they rate Koponen. If the Spurs think he has huge potential, you make that trade even if his ceiling is only a backup job on the Spurs because in 2-4 years you could flip him for another more pressing need.
The Spurs are in the position where they just need to add talent. Yeah getting a Long Three would be optimal but they aren't really hurting anywhere. If Koponen is viewed as a Parker like steal, the Spurs should do what they can to get him.
I don't mean he's anywhere close to Kidd or even Williams and the Spurs will hopefully figure out if he has enough potential. It's just a big, strong good playmaking, decent outside shooting PG would fill a lot of holes and compliment the team. I think that's what they were shooting for in Beno, missed, but still would like to get.
I'm more under the impression that the "spy" is Dowdell himself. He probably told Thorpe that he sucked in the workout and that Kopo and Sessions tore him up. Then the comments probably trickled to Ford.
Usually I don't trust Ford but with such an obvious line to the truth, if Ford is ever going to be right, it'd be in this situation.
If that's the case, maybe it IS a move by CIA Pop to throw people off the scent.
Maybe they're highest on Dowdell?
I'm gonna laugh when they draft Pruitt after all this talk....
Damn, Pop leaked it to Ford.
Seriously. If Dowdell was the Deep Throat here, then very likely he was asked to leak that info.
Weird.
As for Pruitt, I'm starting to think that's a Phoenix pick. I don't know if they'll go him or Belinelli with the #24.
I'll say one thing, every PG that the Spurs have gone after recently during or just after the draft, Nelson, Jack, Beno, has come right in and played not sat overseas.
Just to add to the insanity in this thread, Kopponen at #14 -
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6947170
Pete Schrager predicts the Clips taking him as 2nd PG drafted, after Conley. I think the man is insane, but you never know...
First time anybody has called him lighting fast. Pretty soon he'll be ahead of Oden and Durant.
An oldie from June 17th just in case Spurs take him
Koponen wows in workout again
Jonathan Givony
Continuing a distinct trend that has followed him to every workout he’s attended so far, Petteri Koponen had himself another outstanding showing in front of multiple NBA teams, this time at a workout organized by his agent Marc Cornstein in New York City.
Eight Pinnacle Management clients worked out for at least ten NBA teams in separate workouts this past weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Teams that were in New York on Saturday/Sunday included Denver, Memphis, Boston (Danny Ainge), Houston, Utah, Portland (Kevin Pritchard), Toronto, Golden State, Seattle, Charlotte, Phoenix, Dallas, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Miami, the LA Lakers, and the New York Knicks.
According to an NBA executive that was present, the workout was well run and featured a good mix of shooting drills, and compe ive one on one or two on two matchups. The players that were in attendance for the first session were Stanko Barac, Vladimir Golobuvic, Marko Lekic, and Milovan Rakovic—a group of big “bangers” who did a good job beating up on each other and neutralizing each other for the most part—even if Milovan Rakovic did well to separate himself from the pack.
The second session—featuring Petteri Koponen, Casey Hughes (Yale), Zoran Erceg and Artem Zabelin—was reportedly more informative. Erceg did a terrific job shooting the ball, although his flaws (rebounding, shot-creating ability, athleticism) were evident. Zabelin looks to be “oozing with potential,” although he still has a “very long way to go” as his body looks years away from filling out.
According to two separate NBA people who were in the building, it was Koponen that stole the show once again, showing good ball-handling skills, an ability to change directions quickly on the fly, excellent leadership skills, great poise, a high intelligence level, terrific intangibles, and a real winning at ude that made him standout in everything he did. The same “plays like an American guard” compliment that we heard from a different scout who saw him in Orlando conducting another multi-team workout was again repeated here—meaning he doesn’t suffer from the same athletic short-comings that other international guards do. His shooting mechanics were critiqued, but apparently his jumper went in at a good rate, particularly on pick and pop plays.
Joe Murphy / USA Basketball
Koponen has a difficult decision ahead of him as the deadline approaches on Monday. Does he settle for being drafted in the late first or early second round of this year’s draft, or does he instead decide to go back to Europe, join a good team in a high-level league where he can get plenty of playing time, and attempt to boost his stock into next year’s lottery? That’s a tough call indeed.
If the Spurs throw that combo of picks and Scola to Jersey for th 17th, there is no way in they should take PK....If the Spurs really love Koponen, they can trade up to perhaps 17 by offering something like 28, 58 and Scola to New Jersey. Or perhaps 28, 33 and a future second.
I hope the Spurs get their guy, even if he might turn out to be Beno Udrih part two
They should take Rudy Fernandez who will still probably be there, and a much better player.
OR
Thaddeus Young who is the long SF the Spurs have been looking for and has unbelievable potential.
Agreed, he even looks like a pansy in his profile pic.
Apparently he is not afraid to mix it up and lay a hit on some people.
Also, he take and give out trashtalking.
"The Spurs are notoriously difficult to read, but a spy in the gym caught what he claims was one of two big workouts for pick No. 28.
The participants were Virginia Tech's Zabian Dowdell, Nevada's Ramon Sessions and Finland's Petteri Koponen. From what I gathered, Koponen and Sessions shined.
The Spurs will have a couple of bigs -- Nick Fazekas and Aaron Gray in on Friday.
But it sounds like they are leaning toward point guard. At this point, my guess is Koponen."
No bigs please. Too many of those in the pipline already.
If the Spurs are going to trade up for a PG, do it for Law. Not someone from Finland.
Koponen measurements :
Height with shoes : 6'3.75
Wingspan : 6'5.5
Standing reach : 8'1
Weight : 194 lbs
Last edited by Bruno; 06-24-2007 at 01:19 PM. Reason: sp :)
He's not nearly the 6'5" reported in some areas.
He's Acie Law-sized minus an inch of arm.
dude is good
I have no idea if he's good.
Thanks, where'd you get that from though?
Puts him within an inch either side of Crittenton, Sessions and Law. Also of Utah's Williams, Hinrich and the same size as our very own Beno. If he has talent that's a decent size.
That actually makes him shorter than Pruitt with a shorter wingspan than Dowdell, the two other PGs that the Spurs are reportedly considering...
Having said that, I don't think his measurables mean much. Koponen would get drafted for his pass-first mentality, work ethic, and potential as the youngest of the prospective PGs.
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