The Spurs Will Be Back

[JudynTX]

Thank you Spurs, enjoy your summer vacations.

Looking forward to next season!

[Bosell]

The Spurs will be back.

Apparently. I have not heard anything about them being excluded from the NBA.

[bigfan]

Excellent post TIMVP. I want to say thanks for the excellent game analysis over the season and look forward to next year. Yes, the Mavs were the better team this season, no bones about it. Good luck to them in the playoffs. As for our Spurs, I concur with your assessment and they will be back. If Bowen comes back next season I hope Pop promotes him to a player/coach. I think the team is better off with Mason starting as SG and Manu coming in off the bench and Hill backing up Tony. All this experimenting with Mason as a PG has to stop. Re Pop, it was a tough year but in my book he's still the best coach in the NBA by a mile and Im glad he's around. Look forward to the upcoming trade season!

[1Parker1]

As long as I don't see Matt Bonner starting next to Tim Duncan and Michael Finley playing more than 15 minutes per game, I will consider next season a step in the right direction for these Spurs.

Seriously, this was a very dramatic and up an down season for the Spurs. Gotta appreciate the heart and effort TD, TP, BB, and GH showed. As for the rest of the team...Finley, Mason, Bonner, Thomas, Gooden, Udoka, I hope they learned a thing or two by watching those players lay it all out for the team. And I hope the FO saw exactly what the rest of the world saw...that those bench players are basically worthless.

I'm excited to see a healthy Big 3 play next season. In the meantime, Go Cavs!

[ZB 512]

If the Mavs have so much talent, then why were they the 6 seed and the Spurs the 3 seed?

Josh Howard missed 30 games. Jason Terry missed 3 weeks. Stackhouse missed the entire season

injuries are the main reason. If Howard doesnt miss so many games, the Mavs surely would have had a better record and a better seed...but injuries are a part of the NBA. A lot of teams have them.

The role players that absolutely failed to show up in 4 of the last 5 games must have done something right during the season. The Spurs had two of the top three point shooters in the league this season. How'd they do in the playoffs? The Spurs were one of the better rebounding teams in the league this year. How'd that work out once the playoffs started? The Mavs won with guys like Brandon Bass, JJ Barea and even Antoine Wright and Ryan Hollins showing up and contributing. How's the lack of talent excuse valid for San Antonio but not for anyone on the Mavs?

The one advantage of having injuries throughout the season, was that other players got a lot of time on the court to improve and step up.

The Mavs are the healthiest they have been all season (although Howard is playing on a bad ankle)...combine that with the improvement from the "role players" because of extra minutes during the season and you get a dangerous Dallas team.

[KenziE]

seriously though there a lot of comments and suggestions here that makes a ton of sense but really is anybody from the spurs FO or organization reading this? i mean man all those proposed line up for next season really is making sense but then again NOBODY in the spurs organization is listening for sure.. it sucks bigtime

[rascal]

You posted something similar at the end of last year. Its just a positive spin post.

The spurs need to make some moves this offseason to bring in a borderline star or a couple of very good difference makers on this team or else its another early playoff exit next year.

And I don't mean bring in some low end of career role players like what they usually do. They need to break the mold of over the hill acquisistions this summer.

Until that happens the spurs are not close to being contenders.

[Avitus1]

They will return, they will conquer.

[raspsa]

A lot will depend on the moves the FO makes in the offseason but I am confident that with a healthy Big 3, the Spurs will remain a top-tier team. But the Big 3 must be ready to do battle. Any changes to the lineup are simply complements to Timmy, manu and Tony.. still, this season was one of the most difficult the team had to go thru in terms of injuries and breaking in new players.. no wonder they never really gelled.. lots of reasons but no excuses - the Spurs simply couldn't get it done this time around and I look forward to next season with great anticipation.

[Mav-elous Man]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!! Of course the Mavs had more talent than the Spurs. Playoff seeding has nothing to do with it. Especially since the conference was as closely contested as it was all year. But the proof that the Mavs had more talent IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE!!! In a HEAD-TO-HEAD BEST OF 7 SERIES(which only went 5 games), the MAVS ROLE PLAYERS CONSISTENTLY OUTPLAYED THE SPURS ROLE PLAYERS. 4 of the 5 games to be exact. The Mavs had more talented depth. Plus if the Spurs have so much "talent" then why are they eliminated? Why do all of your fans want to damn near get rid of everyone on your team except for TD, TP, and MG? That doesn't sound too talented to me. I'm not saying the Mavs are the most talented team in the league. They are simply deeper than the Spurs as the teams currently stand. The Spurs nucleus is still in tact so as long as their Big 3 are there, they are threats to win it all. They just need some fresh role players. But with that said, with the players that were able to suit up, the Mavs were the better and deeper team.

[Thomas82]

Very true. The painful part is knowing we have to wait until late October for more Spurs basketball. Hopefully some magic happens this offseason.

+1

Since we have 3 second round picks, hopefully we can hit it big on 1 or 2 of them.

[Silver&Black Warrior]

I've advocated a plan that I'll reiterate on this thread.

This is the 2009-2010 Minimum Scrub Plan.

The plan is very realistic and perfectly within the means of the Spurs and their finances and doesn't depend on other teams making trades with them or doing them any favors. It is the objective approach to a Spurs re-build.

Every one of the following should be jettisoned, and bought out if necessary: Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley, Ime Udoka, Drew Gooden, Jacque Vaughn, Fabricio Oberto.

These three should be available in trades, but if they stick around to fulfill their one-year deals, so be it: Bruce Bowen, Matt Bonner and Roger Mason, Jr.

Who to replace them all on the roster? Well, besides whoever is signed with possible MLE money (Rasheed, McDyess, some other old has-been, maybe even Javtokas, even pipe dreams like Ariza or Odom) . . . the roster is to be filled with minimum salary players the Spurs already hold the rights to. This includes Mahinmi's modest 1 million dollar deal. That means signing Viktor Sanikidze and James Gist and re-signing Malik Hairston. That means signing at least 2 of the 3 second round picks from this coming draft.

Why?

The current supporting cast has proven they aren't good enough to win with. That was obvious to anyone with a clue before the season started, but should be plainly clear now. Even with a healthy Ginobili, this team wasn't good enough.

Why lose with broken down players that Pop will keep playing beyond their use at the expense of any young players? That coaching bit from Pop is unlikely to change. His favorite toys have to be taken away from him (ie Finley) before he accepts the possibilty of a new toy. Pop must be forced into playing the youth.

Remeber the 03 dvd where Pop early in the season talks about the team having "young type mistakes" and how hopefully they would overcome that? That needs to happen again, and Pop needs to have plenty of youth to have mistakes with.

AND this benefits the 2010 plan greatly.

Because all the cap flexibility of 2010 means is this: If the Spurs do land a premiere free agent, that one player takes up everything as far as capspace. So the Spurs will have to fill up the rest of the roster with minimum salary players anyway. Might as well get a one year headstart to figure out if any of them can play before having to enter 2010 free agency.

Furthermore, you never know, one of these guys might actually . . . develop into something good! I've long been a fan of meth-jesus, aka Viktor Sanikidze, ever since seeing him actually play in the summer league years back. Maybe Gist can play. Maybe they draft Pendergraph or De Colo and they can play.

, with youth running up and down the court, maybe the Spurs actually get better!

Besides, what's the worse that can happen? The Spurs lose in the first round with everybody playing horrendous, disgusting basketball except for Parker, Duncan, Ginobili and Hill? Well guess what, that's guaranteed to happen anyway. Can minimum salary scrubs do worse than the role players did in game 4? no. But they can do it cheaper and make for more interesting television.

, if the Minimum Scrubs are bad enough maybe the Spurs get a lotto pick in what is purported to be a loaded draft class in 2010.

The 2009-2010 Minimum Scrub Plan is the way to go.

Post of the year

[Thomas82]

I still believe the Spurs have one more deep run left in the playoffs.

They have more than one left.

[dbreiden83080]

Yeah, it's not over yet. Bruce Bowen is done. Don't want to see him. Ginobili has been on the decline for the last 3 years. It's time to move on. Also Popovich. His decision making is/was terrible this season.

Duncan and Parker is all that's left of this team.

I can't support a team that starts Matt Bonner in place of a 100 year old lady that can't walk.

You've been ready to jump ship for like a decade, so just do it already will ya??

[NFGIII]

The other thing is that it should be perfectly clear to the FO that a healthy Manu is not necessarily the complete answer. If the 2010 plan is not to wait but rather to use the cap flexibility now, we may see more turnover than we expect.

I sure hope so. We don't have the lock down D that we've become accustomed to in the past and our role/siupport palyers were almost nonexistent for 4 out of 5 games this post season. Game 5 - Bonner with 2 pts and 3 boards - Mason with 1 pt - KT with 6 pts and 5 boards - Udoka with 7 pts (not bad) and 2 boards. We got outrebounded again and that was one of the key stats deciding this series.

But I have a question: How much wheeling and dealing will the FO be able to do if Holt continually puts monetary restraints on them? We don't have Scola due to his wanting to salary dump Butler's contract IMO. I'm not saying that being fiscally responsible shouldn't be a factor because it should have a role in the decision making process but if it substantially gets in the way of putting together a championship caliber team then it should take a back seat to the pursuit of the LB trophy. And I'm not advocating stupid trades/contracts just for the sake of getting new players that might do it - ie... the Jerome James contract with the Knicks - now that was a really dump contract. And the luxary tax notwithstanding. Ultimately sports is about winning les. I understand that at times this isn't possible and you have to wait for better opportunities. Hopefully their wait will be over and the FO can get some complimentary players in the next 2 years before TD's window is closed.

Just saying

I'm pretty sure Bowen will have some agreement to be released and re-sign for the minimum. He'll be used next year for spot minutes and to mentor the young guys.

I want him back since I believe he has more left. Not like in the past but he can still contribute but most likely in a limited role. In fact he was our best perimeter defender this year IMO. And he can have a positive effect on the younger players by teaching them his tricks. I'm sure the other teams in the league would look forward to him passing on his pearls of wisdom to a new generation of Spurs.

A lot will depend on the moves the FO makes in the offseason but I am confident that with a healthy Big 3, the Spurs will remain a top-tier team. But the Big 3 must be ready to do battle. Any changes to the lineup are simply complements to Timmy, manu and Tony.. still, this season was one of the most difficult the team had to go thru in terms of injuries and breaking in new players.. no wonder they never really gelled.. lots of reasons but no excuses - the Spurs simply couldn't get it done this time around and I look forward to next season with great anticipation.

Obviously this season was one of ups and downs/trials and tribulations so to say. But the Big 3 wont get it done if they don't have the complimentary players around them that can contribute. Our role players, outside of game 2 and a few individual efforts hers and there, completley disappeared this post season. Not a good sign if you want to stick around under Pop. I also look forward to next season with great anticipation since I believe that we will have an infusion of younger players trying to make the team - Ian,Gist,Hairston, Williams, along with a much more developed Hill. So the future looks good but the FO will need to do more work. Who they bring in - Sheed/Dice/Dahtay Jones/Ariza/Odom...etc is open for debate.

[smeagol]

You posted something similar at the end of last year. Its just a positive spin post.

The spurs need to make some moves this offseason to bring in a borderline star or a couple of very good difference makers on this team or else its another early playoff exit next year.

And I don't mean bring in some low end of career role players like what they usually do. They need to break the mold of over the hill acquisistions this summer.

Until that happens the spurs are not close to being contenders.

You forgot to say Manu has to go . . .

[SA210]

If Matt Bonner is one of the worst players in the NBA, then why is he starting? And who's decision is that? If Udoka is one of the worst players in the NBA, then how's he getting minutes over Bowen in the playoffs? If Vaughn is one of the worst players in the NBA, then why is he still on the team, and how did he end up above Hill in the rotation? If Hill and Bowen played so well, then why were their minutes limited? At some point all these decisions rest at one person's feet, and I don't understand how some of you ing nimrods keep missing that.

[Thomas82]

I'm pretty sure Bowen will have some agreement to be released and re-sign for the minimum. He'll be used next year for spot minutes and to mentor the young guys.

That sounds good to me. I really didn't want to lose Bruce.

[spurtech09]

No doubt about it the spurs will be back......manu just needs to stay home and relax for the summer

[Brazil]

Thanks timvp for this excellent post !

We will be fine, I like the 2009-2010 Minimum Scrub Plan.

[Whisky Dog]

As hard is that was to watch, I'm just glad I don't have to watch another game of that horrible brand of basketball. I don't know if this is the end of the line or if the Spurs can pull some magic out in the offseason to significantly improve, but even if it is 1990 through 2009 is one of a run for this franchise. 1990 is when I started watching the Spurs during Robinson's rookie year, and since then I just don't know what it's like to watch a losing Spurs team with no shot. Been truly priviledged to watch one of the greatest and longest winning runs in any franchise history in any sport.

[Thomas82]

lets have a strong offseason.

We definately need it.

[DPG21920]

Yeah, it's realistic and probably what the Spurs will do.

Step 1 in the offseason is to figure a way to get Finley off the team. Step 2 is to get Bonner out of the starting lineup. And then between now and the summer of 2010, the Spurs need to find a way to get another good player on this team outside of the Big Three and hopefully Hill.

So I take it you do not agree with my proposal? Mine was contingent on being able to do trade and there were a lot of stipulations, but I feel going for the homerun via trade this year is better than waiting for 2010.

As much as the Spurs cannot control any trades, they cannot control FA, which has never been a strong suit for the Spurs with regards to drawing big time players.

[kobyz]

maybe an idea for the next season:
sign Rasheed Wallace for one year with the MLE
sign Grant Hill for one year with the LLE
try to get rid of Thomas and Oberto contracts
Bring Gist from Italy, sign Hairston and use a second rounder to draft a third PG
give the young guys Hill and Mahinmi significant roles and also give Hairston and Gist some minutes.
than you can have very good team:
Parker/George Hill/draft pick
Manu/Finley/Mason
Grant Hill/Bowen/Hairston
Duncan/Bonner/Gist
Rasheed/Mahinmi

[Red Hawk #21]

You guys have great Management, you will definetely be back.