Report: Rival execs believe the Spurs will chase Kevin Durant in offseason

[Mugen]

[SAGirl]

Well, we would be a completely different team. I think rival execs have realized that with Timmy and Manu likely retiring, unlike in the past, the Spurs are players in free agency.

It's doable if you waive Diaw and/or trade Danny, but he doesn't make sense for us. Wing players are kind of an area of strength, meanwhile we are weak in guards when our best guard would be 39 yr old Manu if he returns next season, probably on minutes restrictions, sitting B2B etc and frankly he may retire. And Tony is beyond the point of no return, at such a stage that we are starting to consider Patty Mills starting, closing games etc. Simply put, we need a young stud at the PG spot. Then you have Simmons. He's not looking so far like a rotation player in a good team. He has a lot to work on.

Then we probably need 1 defensive big man to play center next to LMA at least part of the game if Timmy doesn't return.

If we were to get him, you absolutely have to trade Danny bc moving him to the bench while paying him $10 doesn't make any sense. He's not going to be a 6th man and he would not get many minutes anyways playing behind both Kawhi and Durant. You can play him with this group if you have Durant at the 4 but that would only be a few minutes per game and you also have Anderson able to play the 2-4 in a very cheap contract and still improving his game so you don't need Danny in that scenario. I'd say Danny would need to be traded and maybe we get a ball handler for him.

Diaw could be waived to get cap space, specially if he doesn't show up this postseason.

So overall, really nit impossible, but it doesn't address our areas of need.

[sasaint]

Well, we would be a completely different team. I think rival execs have realized that with Timmy and Manu likely retiring, unlike in the past, the Spurs are players in free agency.

It's doable if you waive Diaw and/or trade Danny, but he doesn't make sense for us. Wing players are kind of an area of strength, meanwhile we are weak in guards when our best guard would be 39 yr old Manu if he returns next season, probably on minutes restrictions, sitting B2B etc and frankly he may retire. And Tony is beyond the point of no return, at such a stage that we are starting to consider Patty Mills starting, closing games etc. Simply put, we need a young stud at the PG spot. Then you have Simmons. He's not looking so far like a rotation player in a good team. He has a lot to work on.

Then we probably need 1 defensive big man to play center next to LMA at least part of the game if Timmy doesn't return.

If we were to get him, you absolutely have to trade Danny bc moving him to the bench while paying him $10 doesn't make any sense. He's not going to be a 6th man and he would not get many minutes anyways playing behind both Kawhi and Durant. You can play him with this group if you have Durant at the 4 but that would only be a few minutes per game and you also have Anderson able to play the 2-4 in a very cheap contract and still improving his game so you don't need Danny in that scenario. I'd say Danny would need to be traded and maybe we get a ball handler for him.

Diaw could be waived to get cap space, specially if he doesn't show up this postseason.

So overall, really nit impossible, but it doesn't address our areas of need.

Paying Danny $10MM to come off the bench makes more sense than paying Tony $14MM. Obviously neither is good, but I do not know what PATFO's thinking is or how likely we are to rid ourselves of Tony's bad contract. It seems more likely in March than it did in October.

[SAGirl]

Kawhi hates durant. Do people not see that in their matchup? Twice already this season kawhi has went hard on durant with a not so nice after shot attempt hard push.

Durant has sneakily tried pushing kawhi hard.

The dudes hate each other...watch their recent 2 game matchup..dudes literrly trying to hurt each other. Not going to happen. Too much tension between kawhi and Durant.

I feel like this is true. Although Kawhi loves the sport and will go hard at everybody, Durant's public tweets about Kawhi being a system player + Kawhi besting him and winnings the championship and FMVP during Durants MVP season have fueled the rivalry. I don't think Durant would like to play second fiddle to Kawhi quite honestly.

[T Park]

It doesn't make much sense. Just between Aldridge, Leonard, Parker, and Green they're at $62.6 million committed. With an $89 million cap Durant's going to be looking at $31 million starting, and the Spurs would already have a payroll $4.6 million too high between those four players to accomodate Durant. And they're not going to tell West to go himself after the huge paycut he took to come here, nor should they. Durant is really only doable if the Spurs salary dump Parker in the offseason, assuming Duncan and Ginobili both retire. It's one thing to salary dump Splitter for an Aldridge who looked like he was out of Portland for sure, but to dump Tony when Durant has always shown a lot of loyalty to OKC?

A. They wouldn't pursue him if they didn't already know he was leaving. IMO.

B. I'd say they'd salary dump Danny Green before Parker, also would be easier to move along with the cap "shooting" up next year, should be sufficient space, along with many retiring and Duncan if he came back, taking the minimum.

[barakz21]

Assuming the Spurs do get Durant.. Damn. A new big 3.. And killer small ball too.

[SAGirl]

Paying Danny $10MM to come off the bench makes more sense than paying Tony $14MM. Obviously neither is good, but I do not know what PATFO's thinking is or how likely we are to rid ourselves of Tony's bad contract. It seems more likely in March than it did in October.

It will probably be much easier to move Danny's contract than Tonys. I feel like Tonys would have to be dumped and we'd have to give up sweeteners. Meanwhile Danny can get us an asset and his talents would be wasted in the bench.

[sasaint]

It will probably be much easier to move Danny's contract than Tonys. I feel like Tonys would have to be dumped and we'd have to give up sweeteners. Meanwhile Danny can get us an asset and his talents would be wasted in the bench.

I totally agree. To me that means we should do both! Trade Danny for an upgrade at PG or for a good big AND move Tony's contract for the best possible deal. Perhaps we can double down with Bud!

[Mnky]

It's funny this came up. I honestly wanted to say it looked like Durant was trying out for the spurs last game. Dude was bei a point small forward, got plenty of assist and no TOs going into the 4th, and he was playing pretty good defense, compared to his normal play. He seemed to be doing all the little things he never did before against the spurs.. and then the comments he made about being excited for pop to coach the Olympic team..

[baseline bum]

A. They wouldn't pursue him if they didn't already know he was leaving. IMO.

B. I'd say they'd salary dump Danny Green before Parker, also would be easier to move along with the cap "shooting" up next year, should be sufficient space, along with many retiring and Duncan if he came back, taking the minimum.

With Durant being a 30% of the cap free agent it would be doable salary dumping Green and Mills, and cutting Diaw if West wants to play another year. I made that post under the assumption Durant would be a 35% cap free agent, but he is one year short of that. Though if I'm Durant I sign a one year deal and then sign a long term deal starting about $36 million a year in the summer of 2017.

[Raven]

lol, writer should be fired.

[wildbill2u]

I would. No doubt. But I don't know why she couldn't do all of that by herself. There's no need to sell. If she or Spurs Sports Entertainment group want to do it they can do it.

True, there is no need to sell. Peter Holt was the perfect owner, picking good people to run his franchise without interfering. If Holt was invisible, who knew he had a wife? There aren't many lady CEO's of sports teams who got there because of their love of the sport, mostly they inherit from husbands. And most sell out, sooner rather than later if they screw it up. As far as I know, there isn't another Holt in line to inherit the team, so that contingency doesn't exist.

According to Forbes, the operating profit is over 30 million per year, but the big number is the 1.15 BILLION valuation. This is #11 in the NBA because all the top 10 most valuable franchises are in large market cities. The purchase price by Holt was only 76 million. So, I'm just saying, this could be the peak time for the Holts to sell. And if they could package a really super team by adding Durant--or someone of that caliber--it would be a very sweet deal for some investor who wanted to move the team to another big market town and double his value overnight.

[PopTheGOAT]

If this possible deal involves moving any long term Spurs, it would not happen. The team is just too loyal. I feel like they could make it work, though. It will come down to whether or not KD wants to be a Spur and play in a system. I don't see him as the "system" type. I think it'd be great though

[DeRozan m8]

None of this makes sense...none of it

[Chillen]

He'd have to accept $12m on a 2 year deal to keep the core of Leonard, Aldridge, Green, Parker. If the Spurs could sign Durant, pretty sure Duncan would be back, not sure about Manu but I'd say yeah. Spurs are already this good without him, so if he bought into the system, Aldridge, Leonard, Durant would be a nightmare big 3 for any NBA team to deal with. Spurs need to pursue this if he wants to be a Spur.

[Dex]

I think it is likely that the Spurs will inquire about Durant.

Just like 29 other teams will.

[spurraider21]

Welp, lets get this on the road...

Would Durant be a better PG than Porker?
Should Leonard be taking more shots than Durant?
Was Durant worth it?
Can Durant play backup SF?

gold

[TheGreatYacht]

No matter how bad Parker's contract is, it won't be worse than 2013 Ginobili. Spurs paid that got 14M for 8 turnovers :

[lefty]

A beel tlead

[Vito Corleone]

I think a much more realistic target (and someone I'd love to have if Timmy retires) is Al Horford. Would be a perfect fit alongside LMA.

BINGO, we have a winner. Horford would be a major get for San Antonio and extremely realistic.

The only way SA gets Durant is if we trade Green and move the hand to SG. This would be a scary team with Aldridge Durant and Leonard.

[TheGreatYacht]

Al Horford would be a terrible fit next to LMA no rim protection, and he's about as bad at rebounding as Amare.

Dwight/Whiteside/Noah, those are the players you want replacing Duncan.

[Chillen]

BINGO, we have a winner. Horford would be a major get for San Antonio and extremely realistic.

The only way SA gets Durant is if we trade Green and move the hand to SG. This would be a scary team with Aldridge Durant and Leonard.

Well it's worth it, the Spurs need to make this happen! That big 3 would dominate the NBA for years to come.

[Chillen]

Al Horford would be a terrible fit next to LMA no rim protection, and he's about as bad as Amare at rebounding.

Dwight/Whiteside/Noah, those are the players you want replacing Duncan.

No to Noah, dude will breakdown.

[DPG21920]

Horford would be a fine fit with SA and LMA/Kawhi. I don't know if he's worth the money, but fit I think he would be excellent.

[TheGreatYacht]

Pop isn't going to try to outbid Coach Bud for Horford. Not gonna happen unless Atlanta brings Dwight back home.