Ludden: Spurs still eyeing a center

[timvp]

Am I reading it right when I say that Przybilla will make his decision today?

Yep.

The major domino fell. No expect all the other main free agents to sign in the next week.

[kris]

I can see where picnroll is coming from. Yeah the Spurs were one play away from making it to the Finals. But that Mavs team was young and a year from now, they'll be even better than they were this year. The Spurs have done nothing to fix the s in the armor that the Mavs exposed.

The Spurs must get a player that can matchup with Dirk (and Diaw/Marion). If the Spurs don't get that player, I just can't see them winning it all next season. Michael Finley at power forward will not getting it done. Przybilla at center with Duncan at power forward could have worked, though.

I'll be patient but this free agent group is shallow and shrinking everyday. A week from now it could be gone.

Signing Javtokas isn't the answer. The Spurs need a center or power forward who can stay on the floor against the Mavs and Suns. We all knew that was the number one need coming into the offseason. So far, we haven't seen any signs that the Spurs are trying to solve this need.

Hopefully something pops up soon but it's shaping up to be a summer where the Spurs sign Nazr, Javtokas, a scrub wing and a scrub PG. If that's the case, the season would be over before it began.

Honestly.

Believe.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

You need to google Tim Duncan and Loren Woods and then see why it'd never happen.

What's the story?

[clubalien]

Isn't he getting near max money? He's not going anywhere...though they are shopping him.

Zach Randolph

$12,000,000

$13,333,333

$14,666,666

$16,000,000

$17,333,333

that is what hoopshype says

[Leetonidas]

You need to google Tim Duncan and Loren Woods and then see why it'd never happen.

All I see is that they played together for one year in college.

[shaggy17]

How much did we offer him? Was it years,$$ or both???

[T Park]

doomed i tell you.

[shaggy17]

doomed i tell you.

You might cause the other fans to buy into that and cause a riot

[clubalien]

according to the news article I think it was just we didn;t offer 5 years but we have no other sources to back that up

are their any free agents that have a chris kaman like game?

[Despot]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/you...hatreel_woods/

From Faiyaz Ahmed in Houston: Loren, what did you learn playing next to Tim Duncan during your freshman year?

Loren Woods: He's a good player, but I learned mostly everything I know from Cardinal Ritter High School in St. Louis and the University of Arizona

I kinda get that he did not like being compared to Tim.

[Quadzilla99]

I'd take Mohammed back. However barring some new rule interpretation that permits applying Lester Hayes amounts of stickum to Mohammed's prone to Ball dropping hands I'm bound to be frustrated with him by week 2. At least he can rebound and is a good free throw shooter now (knock on wood).

[Hoy]

I think its far from stupid to not to jump all over Pryzbilla just because its a bad FA year. There's no need to go marry the ugly girl just because you can't get a date to the prom. I think he would be a decent fit, but all in all he really is just Rasho with a bit more game. I think after the way Rasho turned out, they are hesitant to give a big white guy a large contract and I frankly can't blame them.

Our real need isn't going to be met with Pryzbilla either way. We need a long athlete, and if we can't get him that doesn't mean we should nessecarily go after prybilla. Really, using some of that money on Arizza or Jefferies sounds like a much better option at this point. I am actually glad they aren't creaming their shorts over this guy just yet.

I absolutely agree with you.
Remember Rasho was the best available choice in that season. And we could not wait to get rid of him after second year.

Sometimes, taking the best of apparent choice solves no problem; Worse, lock you into that limbo of perpetual dissatisfaction. Best choice turns out to be not only an illusion but a trap like Malik - we had to use two number one draft choices choices to escape.

Joel does not solve our problem in the changing NBAscape. We know Nazr does not.
Let's not be desperate for the solution that is no solution. Save the MLE and wait for the situation that will solve our dilemma.
The most needy position for Spurs is not center position, in anycase. Tim can play there better than he can play power forward position.
We need long, athlethic 3/4 for defense and rebound. The playoff exposed us that shortcomming.
Remember, Bruce is a year older and he would be less effective against Bonzi, Carmelo and Dirks of the NBA than last year.
He won't make the NAB defensive first nor second team this year, I predict.

[Leetonidas]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/you...hatreel_woods/


I kinda get that he did not like being compared to Tim.

Probably because he sucks.

[clubalien]

still possible if we sign and trade with portland nazr for joel we can give higher then MLE for shorter years(plus 10 raise insted of 8)

that lets joel go for a bigger contract later

[Quadzilla99]

I absolutely agree with you.
Remember Rasho was the best available choice in that season. And we could not wait to get rid of him after second year.

Rasho was not the best choice we were turned down by PJ Brown, Magloire, and Jermaine O'neal before signing Rasho if I remember correctly.

[timvp]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/you...hatreel_woods/


I kinda get that he did not like being compared to Tim.

Yeah the story is Woods and Duncan didn't get along at Wake. Woods thought it was too much pressure to try to be the next Tim Duncan, so he transfered to Arizona.

Duncan has since made it a point to punish him whenever they meet.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Hopefully something pops up soon but it's shaping up to be a summer where the Spurs sign Nazr, Javtokas, a scrub wing and a scrub PG. If that's the case, the season would be over before it began.

Honestly.

Can't agree with you there. Both Tim and Manu had off seasons by their measure last year and Finley was learning our system... it always felt like a down year to me, even with all the winning. We never actually looked very good last season.

I hope we don't bring Nazr back, but there are plenty of decent backup PGs going cheap... it's the wing that has me concerned, but we certainly have enough with Barry and Scola's rights to obtain someone like Rasual Butler or Jumaine Jones, and the MLE on top of that.

So if we added Cato, Jones, and take your pick of backup PGs, which is quite feasible given our assets, you would be unhappy? I'd give that a try.

[SA210]

What the heck is the Spurs office doing?

Sign Pryz! Make a darn phone call and sign him. Offer him the 5 years,

Someone email small ball Pop.

[Mr. Body]

I wonder how attractive it is going without Nazr and not making an offer to Prz or losing out to Detroit on him.

I'm a little leery of tying up 5.5M or so a year just for a serviceable center who may not be giving much more than Oberto/Javtokas could. That kills a good deal of cap flexibility to be used in better FA years.

[Tek_XX]

Does Pryzi want to go to Detroit that bad or is his agent looking to get the spurs to pay more?

I seriously hope the Spurs don't overpay Nazty.

[Mr. Body]

Przybilla has more of a role to play in Detroit. In San Antonio he has to compete with Duncan, the new Javtokas, and even Oberto for minutes and importance. Detroit has no centers at all.

Objectively, the Pistons would be the best choice.

[timvp]

Przybilla has more of a role to play in Detroit. In San Antonio he has to compete with Duncan, the new Javtokas, and even Oberto for minutes and importance. Detroit has no centers at all.

Objectively, the Pistons would be the best choice.

Yep.

I'd go to Detroit if I were JP.

[Tek_XX]

Oberto is a scrub and should not see too many minutes in this league

[Quadzilla99]

Most they can pay Nazr is the MLE that's $5 million or so. For a starting center in this ridiculous market that's practically a bargain.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

What the heck is the Spurs office doing?

Sign Pryz! Make a darn phone call and sign him. Offer him the 5 years,

Someone email small ball Pop.

Yeah, coz we know more than Pop does and that email sure would set him straight!