I'll ask again: Zo Mourning, if healthy, 1 yr for the LLE?
Patrick O'Bryant can't play in the D-League and will take a full year to learn the system. There is no way he gets playing time with our roster of bigs. Pop is not going to play two rookies (Mahinmi is functionally a rookie). Mourning is a better option, to my mind.
He's the best scorer available for the Spurs in free agency given their cap situation. 22 years old, athletic. If the Spurs want to win another championship they need to be able to rest Manu during the regular season, as this post-season has borne out.
He retired.
He's been quoted several times in recent weeks saying that he wants to play one more year.
And he never retired. It was just assumed given the injury and his age.
i dont think that Zo can contribute anymore based on his age and his injuries problems
And that's fair. As I said, my post was about the word 'reclaimed' - not an end-all-be-all opinion of buying low on POB.
Our problems against the Lakers were not defense or rebounding.
Right. This is a good thing to remember. I think our team defense could be better, but the reason we lost in the playoffs was because the offense sputtered. I'm okay using the LLE to shore up our shot blocking, but our draft picks and MLE money ought to go to a 4th scorer and wing.
If you really think Alonzo Mourning's broken down old ass is the answer, you should stop posting.
It's amazing how certain people are that O'Bryant can't play when I'd venture the majority of his critics are going by reading box scores and have never seen the guy play.
It's rather humorous seeing someone bag on a kid for not fitting in with Nellieball. You could say the same about Bynum, it took him having Kareem work with him every day in practice for two years for him to show some semblance of getting it.
That's the thing about most young big men though, the majority never get much coaching unless they actually stay in college a couple of years and do it at a school with some good big men coaching.
Otherwise, all this kid has known and be coached on his entire life is 'you're tall, go stand by the rim, dunk it when we throw it to you inside or off the alley oop, and get the rebounds when you can.'
The Spurs big men suck. They cheat all the time. They will probably sign Kwame and suck even more. And in the draft they wil pick someone no one has ever heard of like every year. he will be from like yugoslavia or somethin like that
Who gives a what he wants, he's older than Horry with worse knees and ankles. Are you going to ask LA, New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, and Utah to hold up at half court so Zo can make it down to play defense? Earth to tav1, feel free to join us at any time.
What about Desagana Diop?
When the Fakers add Bynum to their roster next season - it will be.
When Bynum was scoring, he was the Lakers main option down low.
While they will certainly be a better team with Bynum than without him (assuming that he recovers from this injury - NOT a given), don't be surprised if Gasol's presence eats into his offense significantly.
Bynam is a beast
I'd agree that defense wasn't really the issue, but the Spurs have (for a couple of years now, I think) needed a big body who can effectively rebound the basketball when Duncan is off the floor (and sometimes when Duncan is on the floor -- see 2008 WCF, Game 4).
Frankly, I would have no quarrel with Kurt Thomas coming back for another year to be one of those big bodies (particularly if he can be had for money closer to what the Spurs have been paying to Horry or Oberto), but I think it would certainly behoove the Spurs to find a young big who can rebound, even if he can't score.
I'd be all for offering the MLE to a guy like Diop and then using other assets, including a draft pick, to find players who can add some athleticism and a little scoring punch to the roster.
I don't think we can look at this as a "we were pretty close to LA in 2008" sort of thing; LA gets Bynum back next year and I think you have to assume in building a roster that he's going to come back and be an effective player. With Bynum and Gasol on that roster, the onus is on teams that think they're contenders to come up with bigs who can play. I would put the priority there.
First, I watched O'Bryant play in the D-League this year. He's ok, and we could do worse, but what's the point? He won't play and we can't send him to Austin. If Zo Mourning is physically able to play, I'd rather use the LLE on him. He probably won't play either, but I trust his shot-blocking and rebounding--and more importantly, his ability to body other bigs--more than some kid who might be mediocre.
The West is not run and gun anymore. It's slow. It's Gasol and Bynum, it's Oden, it's Shaq. At 8 to 12 minutes a game, if that, Zo, can get up and down the court. We're talking about a 5th big for the LLE. Why is this such a stretch?
In terms of adding players to this roster, I wouldn't touch Alonzo Mourning with a 10 foot pole.
Isn't he playing golf now?
No, he's been rehabbing his knee in hopes of playing one more season. He's not retired.
I'm getting lynched here for suggesting we consider Zo as a 5th big for the LLE if he is physically able to play. We're talking about a roster spot that might dress in a suit and pass Gatorade all season. I can't see how Zo is any better or worse than Patrick O'Bryant as a suggestion for a guy that might not play.
false statement
Ok we didn't lose because of the rebounding but we were outrebounding all the games against the lakers except game 1 with 42 rebounds for us and 41 for the lakers
The lakers average 43 rbs per game and the spurs 38.6 rbs per game ( 17,4 for the only DUNCAN)
Rebound was one of our weaknesses in this series and wit have to adjust it
While I have extreme doubts about his health and age, in my opinion Mourning is a far better as a one-year pick-up than Patrick O'Bryant, who is on an extremely long timeline for becoming an NBA player. The fervent support for POB around here is surprising.
He would be an option if healthy, I suppose. The difference is there is at least the perception of upside with O'Bryant if he works out. I'm fixated on picking up younger players, and the way to get one cheap is when his stock is low.
He was just brought up as an IR project. He's pretty much in the same boat as any big man we could draft as far as NBA potential. If there is a similar swingman available this summer, I'm open to that as well.
Buy low.
I think that Players like Bonner and Mahinmi can be productive but you need to give them consistent playing time during the season. It isn't possible if you stockpile vets in front of them.
If as expected, Splitter stay in Spain. Re-sign Thomas for about $3M per year and a prospect (O'Bryant or a player picked with the 45th pick).
You end up with :
PF: Oberto/Bonner/Mahinmi
C : Duncan/Thomas
IL : Prospect
Of course, things aren't set in stone and if the prospect is good enough, he can get some playing time and another big can be put on the IL.
If Splitter decides to sign with Spurs, re-sign Horry for the min.
PF : Oberto/Bonner/Mahinmi
C : Duncan/Splitter
IL : Horry
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