Ludden: Parker, Spurs end contract talks

[Brodels]

Take it too the bank - somebody will sign Parker if the Spurs don't wise up.

Tony will be a Spur this season and next season at the very least if the Spurs want him to be. The Spurs can decide Tony's future unless he's willing to sign a low-dollar one-year contract next summer so he can become unrestricted.

Somebody may overpay Parker and the Spurs might not match. But for a non-all star, 14 ppg player who gets shut down when other teams want to shut him down, that other team may not be getting the best deal.

He's been in the league a few years. Teams paid Keith Van Horn and Allan Houston on potential, too. And those teams severely reduced their chances of succeeding because they overpaid.

Answer this: If the Spurs are already willing to make Parker the third-highest point guard in the game even if he isn't the third best player, why should they pay him even more than that?

"Because I think he'll be good" simply isn't a good enough answer for me.

[Brodels]

spurs have messed up in past with contracts
they went after kidd did they not

You can't possibly say that Kidd was a mistake because he didn't end up in San Antonio. It's entirely possible that he wouldn't have gotten hurt last season and the Spurs would have won the le with him on the team. Nobody knows.

they also overpaid other players

Exactly. I hope they learn from their mistakes.

they traded for hedo

Hedo was a playoff disaster, but he was a good deal last year.

let jackson go

And no other team though enough of him to even offer what the Spurs offered him.

they got mercer

They got Mercer in a trade, and they gave up absolutely nothing to get him.

[Brodels]

The price is set by supply and demand. For Tony, it's quite obvious the Spurs can't even find a point guard within 2000 miles of this country.. It's quite easy. Maximize.

So let me get this straight: you want to pay Parker based on supply and demand even though it's impossible to know what he would get on the open market?

What has supply and demand determined the price to be? You have no idea. Neither do I. He hasn't received one offer from another team because he's under contract.

[SequSpur]

Parker can walk and wait til his contract his over.

[ducks]

parker can not walk without spurs being able to match next year now he coudl sign a one year deal but he will not

[SequSpur]

The player holds all the cards Ducks. Without Parker, the Spurs would be forced to start Beno.

Ummm, I would say Parker has control.

[ducks]

if they let parker go they could sign and trade him to the pacers for tinsely and oneal

[toosmallshoes]

So what if the Spurs offer $66 million and Parker demands $72? That's 'only' six million dollars. Do you pay that? And what happens if he then asks for $76?

What team has cap room to offer him the max? What team can put an attractive enough package together to lure Tony away? And don't say the Mavs. They would need to do some serious trading to make it happen.

His stats and efficiency ratings don't show that he's a max player, so what criteria are you using? Don't assume that teams are going to line up to offer him the max. There aren't even that many teams that will even have that capability.

The Spurs still hold all the cards.

Seems a little y to assume the spurs hold all he cards. They don't hold all of the cards until he's signed.

the thing is you're using a slippery sloap argument when you say that if you offer him 66 million he'll wind up asking for 76. he's already said he'd take 66 and that seems reasonable compared to the 64 million they're offering.

and despite all of your efficiency ratings, it was obvious in the last quarter of last season that he was really improving in all areas of his game-- especially with his assists and leadership. he didn't officially improve much between 03 and 04, but between February and May he improved a great deal. And while consistency is still an issue, he showed improvement in that area as well before the Lakers collapse.

don't forget that Tim Duncan was also shut down by the Lakers defense and couldn't adjust. And Parker may have fared better if the coaching staff had made any adjustments. the whole team lost that series, not just tony.

P.S. I would never be surprised by any move the Mavs make. That team has A.D.D.

[TwoHandJam]

What's the alternative? I mean yeah, it would be great if he was better in some areas but he's pretty damn solid right now. And yes, he does have the potential to become something much more. I just don't see a clear alternative to letting him walk.

I know, it's a tough call and we as fans are working with a lot less than perfect information. I'm not Holt and it's not my money so as a fan, I'm tempted to say just give him the extra couple of million he wants and lets hope for the best but I'm sure it's more complicated than that when you actually own the team. The $64M figure may have been arrived at with much deliberation and is based on information to which we're not privy. I think the offer is fair and I hope Tony sees it that way too before Sunday. Tony's language in the press still seems to suggest he wants the deal done. I really hope some kind of compromise can be reached.

[IceColdBrewski]

Dammit....are the Spurs really considering pissing off this extremely young point guard with all his upside both on and off the court?

Off the court??? Oh. You mean when he created that media sh!tstorm during the Jason Kidd offseason?

[IceColdBrewski]

I don't give a what Arenas or anyone else got, 64 Million is a fair deal. Parker has a lot of upside but he hasn't proved that he's worth more than 64 Million after three years in the league yet and the management can't assume blindly that he will. Fiscal mismanagement like that is how bad teams are born.

Bingo. And if he pulls yet another disappearing act in this years playoffs, don't be suprised if they let him walk.

[Marcus Bryant]

Let him walk for what? That's ing stupid.

[IceColdBrewski]

Let him walk for what?

Because he always disappears when it matters most. And his passion for the game sucks. I can't remember how many times I've seen him smile with this "oh well" look on his face when he has made a mistake. Thats not the kind of passion I'm looking for in our floor leader.

I've been tellin y'all for a year now that you were overrating him. Maybe now you'll listen.

[Kori Ellis]

And his passion for the game sucks

I don't see at all how you can see that in him. He has more passion for the game than most.

[Marcus Bryant]

Did he disappear in games 1 and 2 of the LA series? No. What happened? LA ing changed up their entire defensive scheme to stop him.

But of course you knew that.

Dammit I hate Spurs fans.

[IceColdBrewski]

I don't see at all how you can see that in him. He has more passion for the game than most.

Please tell him to wipe that stupid eating grin off his face every time he makes a big mistake and then I'll start to believe you.

[Kori Ellis]

Sorry, but you are just a hater if you actually believe Tony doesn't give a damn about the game, winning, or improving.

[IceColdBrewski]

Did he disappear in games 1 and 2 of the LA series? No. What happened? LA ing changed up their entire defensive scheme to stop him.

Uh huh. And whats the excuse for the season before when Kerr and Claxton had to bail him out?

[Marcus Bryant]

Who the played before then? 21 years old. Who exactly do you suggest the Spurs replace him with that they can get when they are capped out? What free agent are they going to magically sign? Get some perspective already.