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Not sure there is a GM out there as dumb I. Thomas.
But it would be nice to ship blair and/or jefferson out.
Heading into 04-05, the Spurs, for the only time in their illustrious history, were deemed the favorites to win the championship. This current incarnation doesn't even garner any questions about whether they're still contenders -- though you can bet that if they continue to look like one of the three or four best teams in the league, those questions are coming.
Despite being the favorites in '05, the Spurs pulled off the biggest in season trade of the Duncan era, when they shipped longtime Spur, Rose, to the Knicks, along with two 1st rounds picks (which turned out to be Lee and Collins) for Mohammed and Brewer. Whether they'd have won the championship had they not made the trade, is open to debate. What's not is that the front office didn't seem to think so. Yes, there were multiple reasons for the trade, but ultimately, if they thought it would have made them worse, they wouldn't have done it. Not when they were a prime contender for the championship.
Fast forward to this season. The West is as wide open as it's been in recent memory and the Spurs would appear to have as good a chance as any to emerge. The question is this: If all the front office can do is acquire someone who may not necessarily be a whole lot better than Blair -- but has the potential be a better fit -- should they pull the trigger, even if it significantly eats into their off season cap space? Or should they value the chemistry/corporate knowledge of this team, not make that type of a trade and hope they can sign a decent big who get's bought out post trade deadline? And what do you think they will do?
To me, it's a no brainer. They've got to go all out to pull off a trade that fixes the myriad issues with the big rotation (Blair) and clears out the logjam on the wings (Jefferson) and if it takes including their 1st or a future 1st that goes on to become a lottery pick, so be it. In '05, one of the 1sts ended up being Lee, but no one cares because they won the championship. They'd be foolish to let this opportunity slip through their fingers and naive to think these glaring issues won't come back to bite them at some point. Maybe they can survive the West without making a move, but if they're not interested in settling for being the first loser, it's more than likely going to take a bold move.
Not sure there is a GM out there as dumb I. Thomas.
But it would be nice to ship blair and/or jefferson out.
Playing a 6'6'' bigman is the biggest weakness of this team. It should be taken care of.
This. I really hope this F.O. lets the mistakes of the past go (inaction, non-action, whatever you call it) and recognizes this is the end of the window. They need to go out and get one or two solid bigs to give this team some more length and defense, and then we'll be good to go.
In '05 they traded a skilled undersized power forward for a defensive minded center. If they can replace Bonner/Blair for a defensive big man I think they should do it.
That they went after Kenyon Martin was a good sign that the Spurs know they should try to bring in another big. Plus, there's no way they can go the rest of the way with four bigs on the roster, which again points to the Spurs trying to do something.
I'd gladly support a trade that made the Spurs better now even if it took away potential salary cap space in the future. Unfortunately, the Spurs really don't have many assets. Blair is difficult to trade because of his injury concerns. RJ is untradeable. JA has no trade value. A future first rounder could be decent bait but few teams are itching to let go of a capable bigman for a future draft choice.
This sounds good, but who are these defensive centers who are going to come and save the day that you have in mind? What centers are available who would make the Spurs better?
Kawhi, Neal, Green, Blair, first round picks. Have to hope something out of that can net a big man.
Even if they trade for a big, do any of you have confidence that Pop will figure out that the odd man out from the big man rotation should be Blair? There's just as good a chance, IMO, that he'd use the trade as an excuse to sit Splitter.
I took a look at the bottom teams of the East (since I'd assume teams in the West are less likely to make trades with us...not sure if that's a good assumption or not). Either way, here is what I came up with without looking at salaries. These are all guys that I think would crack Pop's rotation and contribute in rebounds/defense/blocked shots.
Possible PF/C acquisitions:
New Jersey Nets (8-21)
13 Mehmet Okur C 6-11 260 05/26/1979 Yalova, Turkey 9
43 Kris Humphries F 6-9 235 02/06/1985 Minnesota 7
27 Johan Petro C 7-0 247 01/27/1986 Paris, France 6
33 Shelden Williams F-C 6-9 250 10/21/1983 Duke 5
11 Brook Lopez C 7-0 265 04/01/1988 Stanford 3
Detroit Pistons (8-21)
33 Jonas Jerebko F 6-10 231 03/02/1987 Kinna, Sweden 1
54 Jason Maxiell F 6-7 260 02/18/1983 Cincinnati 6
31 Charlie Villanueva F 6-11 232 08/24/1984 Connecticut 6
Charlotte Bobcats (3-24)
7 DeSagana Diop C 7-0 280 01/30/1982 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) 10
12 Tyrus Thomas F 6-10 225 08/17/1986 Louisiana State 5
32 Boris Diaw C-F 6-8 235 04/16/1982 Cormeille-en-Parisis, France 8
Washington Wizards (6-22)
21 Ronny Turiaf C 6-10 245 01/13/1983 Gonzaga 6
7 Andray Blatche F 6-11 260 08/22/1986 South Kent Prep (CT) 6
Toronto Raptors (9-20)
34 Aaron Gray C 7-0 270 12/07/1984 Pittsburgh 4
15 Amir Johnson C-F 6-9 210 05/01/1987 Westchester HS (Los Angeles) 6
21 Jamaal Magloire C 6-11 265 05/21/1978 Kentucky 11
Cleveland Cavaliers (10-16)
4 Antawn Jamison F 6-9 235 06/12/1976 North Carolina 13
17 Anderson Varejao C 6-11 260 09/28/1982 Santa Teresa, Brazil 7
i just dont see it happening weve been trying get a big for years and failed...
The more I think about it, the more I think Amir Johnson would not only be a good fit (as others have said as well), but a good target. With Jonas Valanciunas coming over likely next year, I can see him being the odd man out and I think/hope the Spurs make some sort of run at him.
i think the emergence of defensive hounds Leonard and Green as legit perimiter defenders has helped our prospects tremendously. before the start of the season there were 2 deficiencies: perimiter d and lack of quality bigs. half the problem has been solved. if the latter gets shored up before the end of the season, a "big" question, I think we have as good a shot as any one.
but the way Duncan and Tp have looked (and Manu before the injury) it looks like we will ahve a viable team for next year as well. next year is it. seem to say that every year, but there is not saying it again after next year.
So you'd trade any of those guys for a big man?
Personally, I would not trade Kawhi or Neal.
Probably gotta give up a first round pick in the upcoming draft, which given the talent pool could be someone useful. Pretty much have to decide if this team is good enough to win now with one more piece and commit.
Varejao is hurt.
Kaman (NOH) seems to be on the trading block, I wish we could just swap him straight up for RJ.
There's exactly the same chance Miami would send LeBron for RJ as NOH trading Kaman for him.
Green only has filler value.
Blair's injury concerns mean you'd have to trade him below his actual production value.
Neal might be the one that makes the most sense. But he's another guy who probably has more value to the Spurs than he could net in a deal. You'd have to get back a pretty stout player because moving Neal could single handedly convert the bench from a strength to a weakness.
Kawhi does have value - but can't move him unless it's part of a blockbuster deal (and he doesn't have THAT much value). If you trade him for a big, you've solved one issue by creating a larger one elsewhere (versatile perimeter defender).
Diagree on most accounts.
DPG, care to explain why? Green and Leonard are rookies and of little value (either because their salary is only a filler in a deal, or because teams would rather draft this year than get rookies). Neal is, outside of the big 3, the only shooter and the only offensive contributor during the playoffs (until Splitter plays more than garbage minutes, at least). And Blair, well, actual production value, below actual production value, it's all the same: he is worth nothing right now.
That's the issue of drafting too well: all the players tend to be more useful to the Spurs than what the Spurs could get in return in a trade...
Well, you definitely have a point there...
Other than Neal, I'm not really sure how those points are even really debatable.
Green's been better than we expected this year, but nobody is giving up much for a 7 ppg/3 rpg, 39%/36%/77% wing who plays decent, but not spectacular defense. You can get those guys for free if you look hard enough...we know that because we just did with Green.
Blair's value is still hampered by the same thing that caused him to drop like a stone draft night. With each passing year, teams are going to be even more concerned that he is nearing the end point.
Kawhi does have some large value...but to us as much as anybody else. He is already our best perimeter defender since Bowen. Trade him for a big, and suddenly we have a need for a long perimeter defender even more than our current need for a big is. We know that this is hard to find because we've been trying to do it for 3 years with virtually no success. We had to trade our best young scorer for a semi-raw rookie in order to obtain that.
Do explain.
I find it funny when people in here say stuff like "do explain". I'm on my phone did not want to type out a long response. Will when I get home.
If only Dice wouldn't have retired.
I'm supposed to know you're on your phone & what mood you're in as to how much to type?
Probably easier to just save your whole response, including the initial disagreement, until you have time to back it.
Any deal for a big man of material value would have to involve Jefferson and or Blair. It's plain and simple. All of the rest are either worthless except as cap space/filler or are untradeable (big 3, Splitter, Leonard).
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