Is LaMarcus the odd man out?

[ZeusWillJudge]

He's slightly more dynamic. I don't think the Spurs miss Morris too much on offense. It's the fact that his defense isn't around that hampers the team's upside. For sure, if the Spurs could draft a guy who could provide Morris-like impact, especially right away, it'd be a win. But without the perimeter guys taking bigger-than-can-be-expect steps, it's not enough to just be a super role-player. At least it's not enough if the Spurs want to get into the top have of the Western bracket any time soon.

I think that's pretty much dead on. Offensively, Morris shot something like 42% from 2P, but still put up around 20 ppg (with the Knicks). A low-percentage, high volume shooter is sort of a mixed blessing. But he did shoot over 40% from 3P. And he got to the line a LOT more than Lyles ever has. That's a guy who's forcing the action and bending the defense at least a bit. If the Spurs had him instead of Lyles, they make the playoffs but not much more.


Lyles and his contract are one of the least of the problems on this roster. If they had the other pieces, I'd be content to have him here as-is. I still think he has upside offensively on this team. He showed that he could play within a system and not be selfish. A few more minutes and a little more aggressiveness and he's right there with Morris, IMO.

[Dingle Barry]

LMA absolutely needs to go.

[lefty]

If Derozan was out and Aldridge was playing, we'd be asking "Is Derozan the odd man out?" (Indeed, that has already happened before )

Having either one of them is fine

But having them together in today's NBA is not ideal, not enough spacing, although LMA allows for more spacing than Jakob

[Ocotillo]

Chopper is right, you shop Derozan or LaMarcus to see what they can get in return. They seem to play better without each other on the floor. I have been impressed with bubble Derozan. If that is what we would always have going forward with him on the team he would be a valuable asset. I like the idea of a strong vet to be with these young guys who knows when he is needed to take over and when to let the horses run.

On the other hand the bubble Spurs have been extremely thin at the 4 and 5 with Aldridge and Lyles out so if Aldridge is shipped out, Jakob and Eubanks are not enough alone.

The improvement or at least the improved excitement in watching the team now is the result of the young guys playing and only a bit of Mills and Marco and no Forbes. Mills is a chemistry guy I don't see going anywhere and will be helpful during the season with a better cast around him. Marco and Forbes need to move on to their next chapter.

So I see one of either DeMar or LaMarcus having to go and fetching some asset in the best interest of the team.

[Rummpd]

Trade LA for a decent big and Spurs in 21 in playoffs - albeit if their HOF but seemingly over the hill coach does not mess it up

[Ocotillo]

One other thing I neglected to mention; while the bubble has been a joy to watch, we have been going up against depleted teams and some load management so we can't get too carried away with how much improved the team is. On the other hand, the playing time is good for the young guys.

[Arcadian]

Having either one of them is fine

But having them together in today's NBA is not ideal, not enough spacing, although LMA allows for more spacing than Jakob

Yeah I agree. It's just funny how when one of them is injured, everyone turns on them and thinks "He's the problem all along!" When really neither one is the problem alone, but rather the synergy between them.

[jermaine]

Yeah I agree. It's just funny how when one of them is injured, everyone turns on them and thinks "He's the problem all along!" When really neither one is the problem alone, but rather the synergy between them.

I haven't turnt on LMA.. Its just its Always seemed he's not a Spur. I think with the league tryna get faster pace, DDR at the 4 looks better than LMAXat the 4. An we all know, 1 has to go. DDR can mentor the young guards we have, so i thought we should keep him.

[TD 21]

I haven't turnt on LMA.. Its just its Always seemed he's not a Spur. I think with the league tryna get faster pace, DDR at the 4 looks better than LMAXat the 4. An we all know, 1 has to go. DDR can mentor the young guards we have, so i thought we should keep him.

DeRozan can't play the 4 full time and the only time Aldridge has in the past 3 years was for the first 6 minutes of each half post All-Star break last season in a futile effort to stabilize the porous defense. He's a clear 5 in today's game.

He's also a better theoretical fit with the young guards and since he'd be in a contract season, he'd likely be motivated. He could vacillate between floor spacer and go-to scorer. Only problem is, they'd lose him for nothing after that.

[Chinook]

I actually think Aldridge would agree to another extension and finish his career in SA if the two sides could figure out the money. While I think LMA has some dream of going back to Portland and finishing out his career, I think he's also settled into SA and to the elder-statesman role the team allows. At his age and with the Lillard stuff to look back on, I think LMA's at a point where he'd embrace the guards' progress in a way he wasn't ready to a half-decade ago. If LMA plays another three years at a high level, he's probably going to be sixth or seventh all time in the team's history, will get his jersey retired and probably make the Hall of Fame. That's better than going to Portland, having to win fan support again, backing up Nurkic and fading into obscurity on a team that isn't going to win a le no matter how much he sacrifices.

The question in my mind is if the Spurs should want to keep LMA for that long. To me, he's way better than Poeltl at most things and is better than anyone the team is likely going to get in the next few seasons. But if they draft a guy like Wiseman or somehow luck into a real impact center, it wouldn't make sense for LMA to still start. Would he be tradeable? Maybe if the contract is team-friendly enough.

I think the Spurs should be looking for a center of the future and that that center is probably not Poeltl. But unless someone is willing to offer something good for LMA, I'm at least talking to him about an extension. That's not really the case with DeRozan where the team should move on both for theirs and DeRozan's sakes.