Spurs' future draft picks

[Darkwaters]

I think we probably stay put though and draft a wingman and a point.

Agreed. We really need a backup point right now though while we can likely do without an extra wing for at least a year. It really depends on Finley. If Mike decides to come back for the last year of his deal I think we draft a guy like Belinelli with our first and Dowdell with our second. If he decides to opt out and leave then I think we draft an NBA ready SG like Afflalo as well as the domestic PG and cut our losses through the draft.

...of course, if a guy like Rudy Fernandez or Derrick Byars slips then its likely this is all moot and we snatch them up and rethink the plan on the fly.

[timvp]

Afflalo measuring 6-foot-6 in socks sounds like BS to me. He was listed at 6-foot-5 in college but looked more like 6-foot-4. Unless he hit a growth spurt in the last couple weeks, that might just be a rumor being floated around by his agent. He didn't get measured in the pre-draft camp, which further makes me su ious. If he were really 6-foot-6 in socks, he would have measured just to show off his height.

On top of that, he's a bit of a choker. He'd be decent at 33 for the Spurs but I wouldn't be doing any celebratory backflips or anything.

[timvp]

I'm hoping the Spurs didn't make a promise to someone like Stanko. That could blow up in their face if someone like Morris Almond drops into their laps but they are forced to pick Stanko.

[Darkwaters]

He'd be decent at 33 for the Spurs but I wouldn't be doing any celebratory backflips or anything.

Agreed, he would not be worthy of our first rounder. But I haven't even been advocating him at 33 before this. He looks like he might be a good guy to have if those numbers are correct. Otherwise, I'd rather roll the dice on somebody else.

[Darkwaters]

I'm hoping the Spurs didn't make a promise to someone like Stanko. That could blow up in their face if someone like Morris Almond drops into their laps but they are forced to pick Stanko.

Almond or Byars would be spectacular. I really have no interest in Stanko.

[timvp]

Agreed, he would not be worthy of our first rounder. But I haven't even been advocating him at 33 before this. He looks like he might be a good guy to have if those numbers are correct. Otherwise, I'd rather roll the dice on somebody else.

Yeah if Afflalo really is 6-foot-6 in socks, meaning 6-foot-7 NBA height, then yeah he's a good pick. But I doubt that's the case.

Who knows, though.

[timvp]

33 for a domestic point guard is looking quite nice. There's a decent chance that Dowdell or Pruitt will be on the board. And I know Tauren Green doesn't excite anybody but if Dowdell and Priutt are gone, he or maybe someone like Aaron Brooks wouldn't be horrible fall back options.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

What will happen to Beno?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

What will happen to Beno?

He will die!

[Marcus Bryant]

I think we are kidding ourselves that the Spurs will use their 1st rounder on a domestic player. The roster is stacked as it is.

[Bruno]

Does anyone know if Fesenko or Stanko have stopped working out? How about Belinelli or Fernandez?

Barac has worked out today for Mavs.
Fesenko worked out yesterday with Suns. He will work tomorrow with Hawks and the 25th with siwers.
Belinelli last known workout was two days ago with Wizards.
I have seen nothing about a workout with Fernandez. I don't even know if he is in the USA.

[wildbill2u]

NO MORE TWEENERS. They seldom work out.

We need a long 3 first of all to learn the system behind Bruce. Nothing less than 6'8" even if they have the wingspan of a 747.

We're fine right now at backup Sg. My God, we've got Finley/Gino or the reverse there.

[Bruno]

If you want to see a CIA move, Rudy Fernandez is the best candidate.

He has a 1.6M€ buyout and words in Spain is that he won't go in nba but that he will sign a three years cotnract with Barcelona.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I always hear that, but can someone explain to me what CIA means?

[Mr. Body]

Central Intelligence Agency



j/k. Pop was CIA for some time specializing in USSR and Second World countries, mostly Eastern Bloc.

The Spurs are known to be intensely secretive about their plans and desires, hence 'CIA' and 'CIA Pop'.

[coopdogg3]

NO MORE TWEENERS. They seldom work out.

We need a long 3 first of all to learn the system behind Bruce. Nothing less than 6'8" even if they have the wingspan of a 747.

We're fine right now at backup Sg. My God, we've got Finley/Gino or the reverse there.

We're fine right now, sure, but what about 2008-2009? Barry is getting old, and could be trade bait. Finley is probably with the Spurs one more year, and that's it.

It makes sense to draft a SG, slowly bring them in for a year. And then hopefully they'll be ready next year to get serious minutes. Sure we have other positions of need - back-up PG and a SF, but a SG makes sense too. With this deep draft, we should have some decent picks at 28 and 33. If just one of them works out, then that will help.

[Mr. Body]

You can't really make a promise to Rudy Fernandez at #28, since he's slotted to go much earlier than that (#19 or so). If a higher caliber player slides, you grab him, but when you make a promise, it's to a player slated just behind your pick or in the vicinity. So far none of the usual suspects have stopped work-outs. Obviously the red flag was raised for Anselmli or whatever the Brazilian dude's name is - it has the hallmark of the Mahinmi move all over it.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Central Intelligence Agency



j/k. Pop was CIA for some time specializing in USSR and Second World countries, mostly Eastern Bloc.

The Spurs are known to be intensely secretive about their plans and desires, hence 'CIA' and 'CIA Pop'.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh. Mkay thanks.

[Bruno]

A promise isn't the only CIA move available.

A scenario could be that Fernandez really want to play for Spurs and try to decrease his draft stock to be available at 28.

There are a spanish article that say that Ferandez is way closer to Barcelona than to a nba team and if isn't a lottery pick, he will sign a three years contract with a 900k€ salary per year with Barcelona. I don't know how legit it is but it will scare me if I were a nba GM. You can always imagine that it's BS and that Spurs are the only team to know it because Fernandez want to play for them.

[Marcus Bryant]

Likely the Spurs trade the pick, use #33 on a decent domestic player with the potential to be a bench player, and use #58 on someone destined to play in Europe for the next 3 to 5 seasons.

[Marcus Bryant]

A promise isn't the only CIA move available.

A scenario could be that Fernandez really want to play for Spurs and try to decrease his draft stock to be available at 28.

There are a spanish article that say that Ferandez is way closer to Barcelona than to a nba team and if isn't a lottery pick, he will sign a three years contract with a 900k€ salary per year with Barcelona. I don't know how legit it is but it will scare me if I were a nba GM. You can always imagine that it's BS and that Spurs are the only team to know it because Fernandez want to play for them.

Works for me.

[Gros Membres!]

Likely the Spurs trade the pick, use #33 on a decent domestic player with the potential to be a bench player, and use #58 on someone destined to play in Europe for the next 3 to 5 seasons.

I am with you here, Marcus. We are stuck with the team we have unless Beno gets traded for a future first. I think it would be smarter to send Beno to LA rather than Cleveland as that team could go into serious re-build by the end of the summer.

Also, as I scrolled through the months of draft talk, I saw starting about two months ago a real push for a backup-PG (Mr. Body, I'm calling you out). I really don't know what you guys want out of the backup PG position - a superstar backup PG? Really? I think in the Spurs system, you want a backup-PG to manage the game, play great D, and just not turn the ball over. Granted, Vaughn made his share of mistakes but I found his presence to be altogether positive and I think he showed some guts in the playoffs knocking down some big jumpers to seal the Phoenix series and hustling after some loose balls. You think some rookie is going to do that? I sure don't. We have a PG coming off an Finals MVP season and the current formula, call me crazy, seems to have worked.

The wings are what bother me more. Fernandez won't be there. Period. Afflalo won't either. I think we are stuck with Barry, Finley, Bowen at our 2 and 3 due to contracts, age, loyalty. I see this draft playing out as one last attempt at a stash in Europe before we have to start seriously re-tooling.

Also, just for my information - how many roster spots will we have open before the draft? I count 1.

[Mr. Body]

The Spurs should watch out if they're helping spread false information. That gets close to tampering.

That said, as a strategy it might not work anyway - perhaps Fernandez keeps sliding past teams like Phoenix, but it's not a given. All this is moot if the Spurs have a deal in place to leap forward in the draft.

[Marcus Bryant]

I'm not sure why so many believe the Spurs will take a domestic player at #28. Perhaps wishful thinking (which I am guilty of as well). But the Spurs have a roster that's rather stacked for next season, assuming they don't lose any rotational players in free agency. In addition they have guys like White and Butler who are de facto draft picks. Plus there are rumblings that they will bring Mahinmi in this summer and let him play in Austin next season. Beyond that, the Spurs' window to win championships is now through roughly 2010 or 2011. They are going to field the team that has the best shot at winning now with TD, not tomorrow.

Punting on #28 makes perfect sense for a team that has flirted with the luxury tax (no matter how much management and coaches want to kiss ass, the Spurs have clearly tried to avoid the lux tax over the last 5 years, likely due to Holt's wishes). The Spurs can get a similar talent at #33 at a far lesser price (using a 3 year, nonguaranteed deal with a minimal commitment ala Sato) than at #28. With Ely likely to leave and perhaps Beno and/or Barry leaving there will be a spot for one guy out of the draft and that will probably be whoever they pick up at #33. Of course, #58 will be used on someone who is destined to start (or continue) their career in Europe.

Anyways, no matter how much we wish the Spurs will use their picks on the here and now, the history of Spurs drafts speaks otherwise. They have indeed missed out on talent by not using their picks over the last 5 years, but they have also won 3 les during that time.

[Mr. Body]

All the talk of promises leads to another thought that might be generally accepted:

The Spurs are looking for their back-up point with the #33 pick and are ranking them at the moment, whereby they'll select the first of whomever is left.

[Marcus Bryant]

Sure, if a Fernandez or Belinelli is available they will take him at #28. They may also take an unknown younger player. But in any event that player is destined to play abroad for some time. Otherwise, I expect them to deal the pick.