McDonald: Spurs at front of line for Maggette

[ChumpDumper]

Huh ? He got hurt, that's what limited his game.

Exactly.

[tmtcsc]

Ginobili deserved the starting spot over Finley, but that didn't matter to Pop or to Ginobili for that matter. Ginobili provided the spark off the bench and is willing to do whatever it takes to win. Why would his outlook change if we added Maggette? Maggette is a definite upgrade over Finley, so I'm fairly certain that everyone knows (including Corey, Pop, and Manu) that Maggette would start if he signed with the Spurs.

Every year, Manu is part of the starting line-up to begin the season. Then, he is regulated to the bench because our bench falls short (Finley, Hedo, Barry) offensively. If Maggette is the player he is supposed to be, then he will get his points either starting or coming off the bench.

that. If we tell Manu he isn't starting it better be because CM can't hack it playing off the bench. I know Manu would do whatever he had to do to win but that doesn't mean it doesn't bother him a little. Starting Maggette for the sake of just getting him to sign here is weak.

[tmtcsc]

Exactly.

He jammed his ankle. What does that have to do with his minutes ? Tim Duncan has had ankle injuries and knee problems. Should we send him to the bench and start Mahinmi in his place too ?

[T Park]

You sarcastically inferred " and Maggette wouldn't be the 4 th option on a team WITH Paul, West and Peja ?".

If Maggette joined the Hornets do you still think Peja's your third option ?

Scott loves Peja

[tmtcsc]

Scott loves Peja

Bowen loves Peja. Sticks to him like glue.

[ChumpDumper]

He jammed his ankle. What does that have to do with his minutes ?

More PT = more injuries. Manu has proven over the years not to be able to handle extended playing time. Duncan can handle it.

[tmtcsc]

More PT = more injuries. Manu has proven over the years not to be able to handle extended playing time. Duncan can handle it.

Manu isn't worn down, he got hurt. You think he feels too worn out to play in the Olympics ?
More times than not, Manu has more energy on the floor than anyone else. It would be great to lessen EVERYONE's minutes if possible. He can play starters minutes just fine. He played starters minutes coming off the bench and this past year was the first time he got hurt.

[ChumpDumper]

Manu isn't worn down, he got hurt. You think he feels too worn out to play in the Olympics ?
More times than not, Manu has more energy on the floor than anyone else.

Great, he'll play in the Olympics with an inflamed ankle and hobble through next season for the Spurs -- again.

As good as he is, dude is injury prone and the more he plays, the more he gets injured.

[2centsworth]

Great, he'll play in the Olympics with an inflamed ankle and hobble through next season for the Spurs -- again.

As good as he is, dude is injury prone and the more he plays, the more he gets injured.

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs are behind the Hornets because of Chris Paul. That dude will propel Maggette's numbers big time. He'd have a great chance of reaching the finals and would still be able to opt out for Free Agency in 2010.

And the Hornets would have no cap flexibility to re-sign him or to give him a much larger contract via a sign and trade with another club. So he'd have to sign outright with another club and take lower annual raises.

If he comes to the Spurs he will have a great chance to succeed on a winning team but he would be third or 4th fiddle in the scoring department. Duncan, Parker, Ginobili...Maggette.

He'd face the same situation in NO.

That's how he would see it. His agent is probably making sure that he puts the stats of recent FA's in front of his face..Brent Barry, Michael Finley, Nick Van Excel, etc. In your first year with the Spurs, your legs will burn from playing D and you will be uttering "it takes time to understand the offense and the defense".

In New Orleans it would be "Just be ready Dog".

Just be ready "Dog" to not get more than the MLE for the rest of your career.

[timvp]

Manu isn't worn down, he got hurt. You think he feels too worn out to play in the Olympics ?
More times than not, Manu has more energy on the floor than anyone else.

That was the case until around early March when all those 40+ minute games came back to zap Manu of all his energy and athleticism. Manu is a very good player but his minutes must be monitored. He not only gets worn out but he becomes more injury prone with extended minutes.

His performance was already on a downward trajectory before the ankle injury. Keeping his minutes south of 30 and not making him carry the scoring burden is vital if you want Manu to have any gas left in the playoffs.

[SPURSGOAT]

Dang there are just too many teams involved now... getting Maggette still seems like a pipedream...but I still have my fingers crossed...

[exstatic]

Dang there are just too many teams involved now... getting Maggette still seems like a pipedream...but I still have my fingers crossed...

Uncross them, put on some shorts and a t-shirt, and go out and enjoy your 4th of July weekend. You're going to go insane if you try to analyze ever rumor in the next two weeks, which will probably be how long it will take for this to sort itself out.

The teams with the cap room seem to be enamored of the restricted FAs, and few other players will sign anywhere until that big cap money is gone. Once it gets down to MLE teams, we'll be close to the front of the line. Signings can begin July 9th, and teams have 7 days to match, which they normally take all of, match or not, just to with the offering team. If Philly gets stiffed on Josh Smith, they may go after Josh Childress, and that's another 7 day waiting period.

Here's a kind of a guide:

Never listen to player quotes. They love every team and every city. They want to play for a winner. Until some crap team like Philly throws an offer starting at $10M, that is. Then they love Philly.

Never listen to rumors of what team is interested in what player(s). Pretty early on, writers figure out which teams have cap room, and which appear willing to spend the MLE. Those teams become the destination of any FA you've ever heard of.

[Tully365]

The debate about who would start & Minutes & injuries is very interesting. I'll throw in my 2 cents: Maggette has a greater history of injuries than Ginobili, so the argument about limiting minutes to consequently limit injury potential works as much for Maggette (though he is slightly younger) as it does for Manu. Some of Manu's excess minutes early last season were due to Duncan's & Parker's injuries coupled with a lack of back-up point guard depth. Hopefully those problems are solved now.
One last theory: if Ginobili, considering his productivity, had played just a tiny bit more, the result might've been 2 extra wins, which would've meant home-court advantage against the Lakers...

[Tully365]

Uncross them, put on some shorts and a t-shirt, and go out and enjoy your 4th of July weekend. You're going to go insane if you try to analyze ever rumor in the next two weeks, which will probably be how long it will take for this to sort itself out.

The teams with the cap room seem to be enamored of the restricted FAs, and few other players will sign anywhere until that big cap money is gone. Once it gets down to MLE teams, we'll be close to the front of the line. Signings can begin July 9th, and teams have 7 days to match, which they normally take all of, match or not, just to with the offering team. If Philly gets stiffed on Josh Smith, they may go after Josh Childress, and that's another 7 day waiting period.

Here's a kind of a guide:

Never listen to player quotes. They love every team and every city. They want to play for a winner. Until some crap team like Philly throws an offer starting at $10M, that is. Then they love Philly.

Never listen to rumors of what team is interested in what player(s). Pretty early on, writers figure out which teams have cap room, and which appear willing to spend the MLE. Those teams become the destination of any FA you've ever heard of.

That is very good advice. I think I will avoid the insanity and stop thinking about this for a while. Happy 4th to everyone!

[SPURSGOAT]

Uncross them, put on some shorts and a t-shirt, and go out and enjoy your 4th of July weekend. You're going to go insane if you try to analyze ever rumor in the next two weeks, which will probably be how long it will take for this to sort itself out.

The teams with the cap room seem to be enamored of the restricted FAs, and few other players will sign anywhere until that big cap money is gone. Once it gets down to MLE teams, we'll be close to the front of the line. Signings can begin July 9th, and teams have 7 days to match, which they normally take all of, match or not, just to with the offering team. If Philly gets stiffed on Josh Smith, they may go after Josh Childress, and that's another 7 day waiting period.

Here's a kind of a guide:

Never listen to player quotes. They love every team and every city. They want to play for a winner. Until some crap team like Philly throws an offer starting at $10M, that is. Then they love Philly.

Never listen to rumors of what team is interested in what player(s). Pretty early on, writers figure out which teams have cap room, and which appear willing to spend the MLE. Those teams become the destination of any FA you've ever heard of.

yea I think I will stop reading this forum for a bit and get outside and enjoy the sunshine... I spend too much time on this forum as it is... ST is like an addiction. LOL! Get too caught up in alll this hype and junk... bbl...

[T Park]

So what if you get your hopes up.

Its sports, that stuff is always there.

[Budkin]

Duhon was just signed by the Knicks which means the Magic will be going hard after Magette again.

[Bruno]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8...ole-motivation

Money not always players' sole motivation

Updated: July 4, 2008, 2:59 PM EST
by Mike Kahn

[...]

As for Maggette, the story going around on Thursday had him also leaning toward taking the mid-level exception of approximately $5.8 million per season in a multi-year pact from the San Antonio Spurs. The 6-6, 225-pound swingman is firmly established as one of the more explosive athletic players in the West who has worked hard to become a good long-range shooter. But it sounds like he'll accept the multi-year, mid-level pact for the second consecutive contract just for the opportunity to win with the Spurs. Put him on the floor with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, and nobody will doubt the Spurs have got a shot at winning their fourth le in seven years.

Then again, the Warriors have all that money now available with Davis' departure, so Maggette would get big money with a team that plays at break-neck speed — a nice combination, if not as formidable as the Spurs.

[...]

[benefactor]

Duhon to sign with the Knicks.

Dammit...as if we don't have enough hands in the pot already.

[Ocotillo]

Any chance after some of this has shaken out that a team with cap room such as Philly or Memphis might take Bonner for future considerations creating a roster spot for us? Doesn't Philly need some three point shooting?

[tmtcsc]

I'm not sure Maggette is ready to sacrifice minutes to the likes of Hedo Turkolu or Rashard Lewis.

[spurman20]

Duhon was just signed by the Knicks which means the Magic will be going hard after Magette again.

Not likely, the magic need a point guard or a back up ptg and a 4 or 5. They will likely look to keep dooling from leaving....and may look at some second tier guys to add depth...they have no bench right now.

[tmtcsc]

Great, he'll play in the Olympics with an inflamed ankle and hobble through next season for the Spurs -- again.

As good as he is, dude is injury prone and the more he plays, the more he gets injured.

Injury prone ? What did I miss ? He hurt his ankle and hip flexor muscle. He played through a finger injury that could have happened to anyone. What other injuries has he had that have limited his play ?

He only missed a few games this season. His minutes are fine. Yeah, he played extended minutes for a stretch of 5 games or so, but he also sat out about that many games before the playoffs started.

[tmtcsc]

Not likely, the magic need a point guard or a back up ptg and a 4 or 5. They will likely look to keep dooling from leaving....and may look at some second tier guys to add depth...they have no bench right now.

They'll make a move for Kurt Hinrich probably. He would be a nice addition to back up Nelson. Heck, go get Tinsley for that matter. Getting Maggette would be over-kill for them. They need a big PF.