Why isn’t San Antonio a popular FA destination? What can the city do to change that?

[Millennial_Messiah]

There is nothing that San Antonio, as a whole, can do. We are never gonna hold a candle to Los Angeles, New York, Miami, or Chicago. Even with the current effort to build up downtown and the Pearl district...S.A. is and always will be a sprawling family town. The best draw for younger generations is the fact that Austin is an hour up the road.

The best thing the Spurs have going for them from a free agent perspective is sustained success, cheap housing, no state income tax, and Spurs are the only game in town. But even when we had the Big 3 and were making deep playoff runs every year, that hardly seemed to matter.

Still, if ing Oklahoma City can draw free agents, we should be able to as well.

OKC has single, blonde babes who aren't fat latinas who have already had 3-5 kids by the time they first hit the club scene/dating market.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Pretty sure OKC has single, blonde, fit babes who aren't fat latinas who have already had 3-5 kids by the time they first hit the club scene/dating market...

[jbspurs]

No more Hall of Famers to even attract good players to join the team.

[Stabula]

Nothing can be done. You can't turn a 2 into a dime no matter how much makeup you put on her.

You haven't seen those viral videos of those Korean girls and their make up wizardry.

[Hoops Czar]

Yeah, therein lies the problem. If you're taking a family on a two week vacation to the San Antonio area for relaxation and fun, there's plenty of activities to fill the time. However, when you're trying to attract filthy rich NBA players, you're going to have to do a little better than lot's of good places to eat and drink.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

What big name free agents have the Lakers signed, Odom?

[TimDunkem]

Pretty sure OKC has single, blonde, fit babes who aren't fat latinas who have already had 3-5 kids by the time they first hit the club scene/dating market...

They don't. Trust me. Just as fat, but missing teeth too.

[TXstbobcat]

Pretty sure OKC has single, blonde, fit babes who aren't fat latinas who have already had 3-5 kids by the time they first hit the club scene/dating market...

oklahoma has the fat white trash gals that have popped out 3 to 5 pups

[Mirrornick]

San Antonio spurs are one of the, if not the most successful franchise in the past two decades. Spurs fans had the luxury of winning les and be a winning team for such a long period of time. Trust me. Y'all are lucky.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Legalizing gambling and pros ution would be a positive first step.

[gambit1990]

forgot to mention legalizing pros ution. do that. let people do what they want. stop worrying about being a fake christian/catholic.

[BlackAndWhite]

Probably add a couple more million people to the city

[spurs10]

I live in Austin, but grew up in SA. Still go to SA all the time. Austin is amazing for many reasons (mostly due to the outdoors and walkabilty/how active the city is) but SA has a lot of really cool spots.

Stop going to Chili’s and try some of the cooler more hip spots. There really are a lot of great places to eat/drink which is pretty much how most cities are defined in terms of fun.

I agree wholeheartedly. In fact having been based out of Austin for decades, I also loved SA where my wife was raised and I lived for awhile as a kid. As you say, Austin is better for outdoors stuff probably with Barton Springs right in the middle of town. SA has a lot of culture to it though. I was always perplexed by friends from SA being a bit defensive about the cool factor between the two cities. Mainly due to the music scene I suppose, but SA has a lot of great music too, if you know where to look. I love both places a lot and if it’s too small of a market for some players, so be it. As someone said, the Spurs were the most winning team in all sports for two decades and have nothing to prove to anyone.

[DJR210]

San Antonio is not known for the glitz and glamour that most of these young guys want to experience when they cash in and join the league.. we attract the older free agent who wants structure and winning culture.

[Trueblood]

PG was a FREE AGENT when he signed with the Thunder.

Yes. That's the staying after the fact part. Perhaps you missed it. The point being he didn't choose OKC from Indiana, they had to role the dice and bring him in on a trade before he decided to stay. He resigned as a free agent, he did not come there as one. There's a difference.

[Maddog]

You need several key ingredients to attract elite free agents. First, you need building blocks for the future (I'm not talking about role players that can put up numbers once evey 5 or 6 games). Second, you need cap space. Third, you need assets to make trades in order to free up cap space and/or build around your elite free agent. Fourth, you need a front office that gives a . The Spurs don't meet any of these criteria to attract free agents.

Toronto has been in salary cap the past four years but dumping DeRozan and Valencunias' contract freed up a ton of cap space so expect them to be a major player in free agency in the offseason. Chicago is rebuilding and New York has lousy ownership but expect them to sign both Durant and Irving in the offseason.

Toronto is on the Books for 131 Mil next year sans Danny and the Nephew at only 21. They have a lot of Cap room in 20/21 but will potentially pay Nephew, Siakim etc.

I'm not sure anybody consistently signs top tier free agents. I'm too lazy, but it would be interesting to look back 5 years at the top free agents and see where they went

[Strategic]

Not too sure Pop wants many of these guys. Adversely, some of these free agents might not want to put in the work to fit into Pops scheme. I found SA to be a great place to live.

[Frenchfred]

S.a is one of the most historic cities in the world with alot of history, unlike any other cookie cutter city... Its not all about night life and eating... Winter time you can rock shorts and a t... Cost of living is way cheaper then most n.b.a. cities.... You trolls need to come up with a new gimmick... Get out of moms basement...

One of the Most historic cities in the world?? You are joking right?

[benefactor]

insinuating OKC is any better than SA

[TDMVPDPOY]

what i always wonder with athletes that complain about no night life... why dont they invest in clubs/restaurants etc?? they the ones with capital, just need some brains behind it to manage it...

[said7]

Move to Austin.

[TimmyBuckets]

Nothing can be done. You can't turn a 2 into a dime no matter how much makeup you put on her.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

oklahoma has the fat white trash gals that have popped out 3 to 5 pups

They don't. Trust me. Just as fat, but missing teeth too.

At least they're not insulin shooting mexicans

[Budkin]

forgot to mention legalizing pros ution. do that. let people do what they want. stop worrying about being a fake christian/catholic.

Seriously.

[FkLA]

In the last 29 years they have only been a few superstars that have left their teams through FA.

1. Shaq in '96 leaving the Magic to go to LA.
2. Lebron going to Miami
3. Durant going to Golden State

Over 90 percent of organizations still build their teams the old fashion way which is through the draft and trades.

The thing is the NBA is shifting to be more player driven, and as a fan of a small-market team that doesn't benefit us at all. Players aren't as loyal to non-desirable cities like they used to. Cornerstone players that have bailed on the teams that drafted them, off the top of my head:

Vince
Bosh
Tmac (twice)
PG13 (Indiana)
CP3 (NO)
KD
Nephew
Anthony Davis
LeGOAT
Cousins
Irving
Hayward
Butler (Minny)