Ford: Spurs may have wrapped up Batum

[Marcus Bryant]

Too bad we have nothing to offer

Well, they could deal it as part of a larger deal to a team that doesn't like Batum there.

[Russ]

Hard to believe Batum's agent would agree to NOT distribute the physical so the Spurs can guarantee drafting him. What if a team drafting saying at #15 wanted to draft him if they knew he had a clean med record?

On the other hand, what if the medical results are bad and the Spurs and Batum are working together to try to get him taken early -- Batum for obvious reasons and the Spurs to cause their guy to slip (and to further curry favor with the French basketball world).

In other words, why assume that the results are good just because just they aren't being released -- might not the opposite be true? (And why wouldn't that be our first assumption).

(Although honestly I would guess that the tests are relatively good.)

[Marcus Bryant]

I thought we had an indication that he had a clean bill of health?

[stéphane]

Well, they could deal it as part of a larger deal to a team that doesn't like Batum there.

I understand...
But what do we have apart from our draft picks and our exceptions that could somewhat balance a great prospect like him? I would not deal Tiago's rights for Batum, I'm sure of that.

[Marcus Bryant]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/show...&postcount=337

[bigdog]

yeah, there were reports the past couple of days that the heart condition was just a false alarm, and that he would be fine.

[wildbill2u]

According to Pop, they are looking for a guy that can play in the NBA "someday". If that's true, look for another draft-n-stash, although it could be a huge smokescreen.

God, I hope that Pop has seen that the draft and stash doesn't work anymore. When and If the guy is good enough to play in the NBA, the Euros will simply offer him more money than the NBA rookie scale for an extended contract.

Once extended, at higher money, who really thinks a player is going to come to the Spurs for less money than he's been making for years. Do you personally know anyone who's taken a lot less money to go to work for a 'prestige' corporation?

[2centsworth]

I'm convinced with all the excitement about Batum and Hendrix the Spurs will select Ryan Anderson.

[AA2120]

I'm convinced with all the excitement about Batum and Hendrix the Spurs will select Ryan Anderson.

i would not be suprised at all if some stupid like that happens

[loveforthegame]

I'm convinced with all the excitement about Batum and Hendrix the Spurs will select Ryan Anderson.

I'm expecting Marcus Williams type picks tonight.

[Don Quixote]

Sounds like much ado about nothing ...

What's a mock draft worth anyway?

If we play a mock NBA Finals, do we get to keep the trophy?

[bigdog]

with the Spurs, it could either go the way we all want it to happen, or it could be the exact opposite, and they will take Anderson.

I'm thinking they go with Anderson, due to their recent failure in the draft, but my hope is that they've learned their lesson and they make the right decision.

[Big P]

If the Spurs are able to land another 1st round pick, they may be able to pull Batum and Hendrix in the first round. To do that I think they would have to at least get into the late teens. The Wiz at #18 might be willing to move their pick. Perhaps the Spurs have something worked out with the Cavs at #19. A real threat to take Batum would be the Raptors at #17, but they are apparently dealing that pick as part of the rumored JO'Neal trade.

Take it for what its worth.
From hoopsworld.com

Draft day is going to be crazy, and if the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards have anything to say about it, it will be just a little bit crazier.

The rumor circulating this morning is that the Wizards are interested in an instant impact player who can help Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas win immediately. The Rockets have that type of player in Luther Head, who was labeled as "no longer untouchable" by the Rockets at the end of the season.

As for Houston, they had Courtney Lee in for a long session with everyone - and I mean everyone - in the front office so the team could get a good feel for who he is as a person. And Lee did not disappoint.

Assuming all goes as planned, and with so many picks in play to so many different places that's not a given, the Rockets will send their #25 and Head to the Wizards for the #18 pick. The thinking is that 18 will be high enough to get Lee, who is a lock to go to Orlando if he's still there at 22. The Wizards would then simply draft best available with the 25th.

It's a good move all around. We've been reporting for weeks that Lee is Houston's favorite in the draft.

Head gets a chance to prove himself with an organization that really needs a dead-eye three-point shooter to go with their Big Three. The Rockets get a player with tremendous upside who can score from anywhere on the court, and hope that he can be the player they envisioned Head would evolve into.

[tav1]

The Ryan Anderson thing was a smoke screen for the Batum thing.

[The Truth #6]

This Batum thing must be a smokescreen. He was probably going to be drafted before us anyway. I would think the conditions for him to fall to us if everyone thought he had a bad physical. Keeping it a secret and making people think he had a good physical and we're going to try and steal him should only improve his draft status.

I'm not sure what our angle is yet. We may never know. I guess if someone else who needs a wing grabs Batum before us this could keep CDR available, but he was probably going to be gone as well.

We'll see... no one has any idea what's going on.

What is interesting is how players are used as smokescreens to trick other teams.

[OleMissMike]

is this guy under contract, i cant find any details?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

is this guy under contract, i cant find any details?

He's under contract for another year but has a simple buyout.

[Spurtacus]

ah why not Batum. I guess I can settle with him on the Toros for a year.

[timvp]

-Nicolas Batum will almost certainly get drafted by San Antonio if he’s there, as we reported last night. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Spurs are still the only teams that have his physical, and the two are reportedly in cahoots with each other to help keep it away from the rest of the league. The top of Cleveland’s front office is made up of two former Spurs execs—Danny Ferry and Lance Blanks, so the connection here is pretty obvious.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...-PM-EST--2950/

More from DX that this may actually be real.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

That sounds funny.
The Spurs don't wanna share the physical results.

[Marcus Bryant]

What could the Spurs offer the Cavs for #19? A quick perusal of their payroll doesn't show much of a possibility in the way of cap/lux tax relief.

[Spurtacus]

What could the Spurs offer the Cavs for #19? A quick perusal of their payroll doesn't show much of a possibility in the way of cap/lux tax relief.

Bonner.

[Bartleby]

funny thing is I think Bonner would actually be a good fit in Cleveland.

[Buddy Holly]

Bonner and a future pick plus cash for the 19. Then do like LJ said and swap the 26 with Minny and get their two seconds.

Picks

19
31
34
45
57

[Mr. Body]

How can a team keep a physical away from other teams? That's crazy.