We're in pretty poor shape if we haven't the money or the roster space to bring over a good rookie like Morris Almond. If our true concern is to pick and stash, then Belinelli would be fine, but I hope that's not the case.
I would honestly go in the other direction. Both have their strengths/weaknesses and while I'd be inclined to agree with you on Almond being the better all-around player, there is more to consider....
1. The cap sitution
2. The roster situation
3. The team "needs"
We're in pretty poor shape if we haven't the money or the roster space to bring over a good rookie like Morris Almond. If our true concern is to pick and stash, then Belinelli would be fine, but I hope that's not the case.
If we were to draft and stash a wing player it would be a one year situation. Frankly, Bowen is slowing and Finley is probably out the door within the next 12 months (if not way sooner). We need help very soon. I can wait a year, but no longer.
If the Spurs went international with either or both of their first two picks, I guarantee the intent would be to bring them over NLT summer '08. And I can live with that...but that's just me.
I'm just saying that we're getting hard ons about Belinelli because we're comparing him to Ginobili, but it's likely the next effective star or role player in our system doesn't fit quite the same mold as before.
why dont we just trade these picks for next years picks....
DraftExpress and NBADraft.net now both have Koponen as the Spurs pick in the first round which about clinches it. Koponen won't be picked by the Spurs.
Make it 3 for 3....
Chad Ford of ESPN just debuted his latest mock, and it has Koponen as the Spurs' pick.
draftexpress also has Beno as his best case comparison.![]()
that's harsh
The more I read, the more I like Morris Almond.
Dude sounds like the next coming of Michael Finley IMO,
Almond is emotionally mature as well as physically. He may not be the best defender at the moment, but has the head to play good team defense, even if he'll never be a stopper. He's a great shooter and gets to the line at a high clip, where he makes almost everything, and is a pretty good rebounder for the position. He has the size and strength to contribute right away.
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Last edited by AFBlue; 06-19-2007 at 12:41 PM.
Some other interesting Ford notes...
Clippers and Suns are working on a trade that would send Maggette and the #14 pick to the Suns for Boris Diaw, #24, #29, and Suns 1st rounder in 2008. It's unclear who the Suns would pick at #14 as well as who the Clips would pick at #24.
Another rumor quoted is the Sixers trying to trade up using the first two of their three picks (#12 and #21) to grab a player like Horford or Brendan Wright.
If neither of those deals flesh out, both the Sixers and Suns would likely look to deal out of one or two of their picks...
Picks he lists as possibly for sale:
Boston @ #5
Heat @ #20
Sixers @ #21
Bobcats @ #22
Suns @ #24
Suns @ #29
Sixers @ #30
It looks like there's ample opportunity for the Spurs to trade up if they're enamored with a player that's likely to be gone by #28....but I'm not sure they've identified a player in that range.
Almond sounds alot like Maggette...without all the head problems.
....and that's a compliment.
I certainly wouldn't mind seeing him in a Spurs Uni.
Physically, Almond is like Maggette, and has the stellar free throw percentage to match... Maggette might be the better rebounder, but Almond is probably by far the better shooter.
Yeah, IMO, Almond is the man to get.
He sounds like the missing piece.
How tall is he?
If hes 6'8. Then, hes the man.
He's 6'6, but has a 6'10 wingspan. Actually, I think he could become a pretty decent defender if he just applied himself.
Bruno,
Is this post, plus what is on page 1 the latest on Spurs workouts?
After all, we seem to be speculating on alot of players (Fernandez, Belinelli, Koponen, Almond, Byars, Dudley) that the Spurs haven't brought in for a workout.
So far, the only players we've mentioned as being interested in seeing that the Spurs have also worked out are Pruitt and Dowdell.
Does anyone know if any of the other players we've mentioned are scheduled for workouts?
BTW, ESPNs Chad Ford is reporting a rumor regarding Wilson Chandler...
The skinny: The Knicks are rumored to have made a promise to the DePaul forward. That may explain why Chandler has been dropping workout after workout. If it's not the Knicks, it sure sounds like someone in the first round has gotten ahold of him. (Spurs?)
Chandler is an interesting player -- he's one of the best athletes in the draft and can play a little 3 and 4. However, he doesn't quite have the motor that Isiah Thomas usually prizes in a prospect, and he doesn't fit the need at shooting guard they've been searching for.
I don't read too much into that. Spurs' scouts can sit in on combined workouts or feel like they saw enough of a guy at one camp or another to draw a conclusion.After all, we seem to be speculating on alot of players (Fernandez, Belinelli, Koponen, Almond, Byars, Dudley) that the Spurs haven't brought in for a workout.He's young enough and has enough perceived upside to be taken in the first round -- especially by Zeke.BTW, ESPNs Chad Ford is reporting a rumor regarding Wilson Chandler...
by george its the long three.He's 6'6, but has a 6'10 wingspan. Actually, I think he could become a pretty decent defender if he just applied himself.
Draft him I say.
I do some google news search every couple days when I see that Spurs have worked out a player, I report it in this thread.
It's likely that Spurs have worked out other players : Spurs don't say who they have worked out (unlike some teams).
I understand that individual workouts aren't the only method for scouts to review players (with combined workouts and game tapes readily available), but it would indicate that the Spurs focused a little more on one player over the other and can make a confident decision.
There's the long 3/small ball 4 that the Spurs would like to see...
Okay...thanks for clearing that up. Again, I don't think it's a big deal, but it would give me some comfort to know that I'm not just pulling for the Spurs to draft a guy and it being in vain.
Which is why the Spurs don't give out that information themselves.
We live in hope.There's the long 3/small ball 4 that the Spurs would like to see...
At 33 would you rather have McGuire or Chandler. I haven't seen either of them so am just going off written reports. They seem to have the same attributes of athleticism and size.
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