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The Spurs were going after Mourning? Where have I been?
Web Posted: 07/09/2006 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
The Spurs hope to finish their search for a new center within the next few days after making a hard, yet unsuccessful, push to lure Alonzo Mourning from Miami.
Aware that Mourning planned to re-sign with the Heat or retire, the Spurs knew they would have a difficult time convincing him to leave Florida, where his family has been settled for much of his 13-year career. But Spurs officials were initially encouraged this past week when Mourning showed interest in joining them.
The Spurs' optimism, however, had diminished by Saturday afternoon. Mourning is now expected to return to the Heat and help them defend their NBA le.
Spurs officials also have looked at the available big men in Europe, as well as trade options, but will probably sign someone from the small pool of NBA free-agent centers this week.
Utah's Jarron Collins and Memphis' Lorenzen Wright are the top remaining unrestricted free-agent centers. New York's Jackie Butler and Charlotte's Melvin Ely are young with potential, but each is a restricted free agent, which would force the Spurs to wait up to a week to see if their offer would be matched.
Indiana's Scot Pollard, Boston's Michael Olowokandi, Charlotte's Jake Voskuhl, Denver's Francisco Elson (restricted), Toronto's Loren Woods and Chicago's Luke Schenscher (restricted) are other options.
The Spurs tried unsuccessfully to sign Mourning a few seasons ago. He turns 37 in February and is three years removed from a kidney transplant, but that didn't deter the Spurs from again seeking his services.
Mourning averaged 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.66 blocks — the third-most in the NBA — in 65 games for the Heat last season. He remains one of the league's best interior defenders and would have been a good fit next to Tim Duncan.
Because Duncan also will play some center and Lithuanian big man Robertas Javtokas will help back up the position, the Spurs could have used Mourning at the start of each half and kept his minutes in check. Signing Mourning to a two-year contract with a healthy raise from the $1.1 million he made last season also would have fit well with the Spurs' financial plans: Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are the team's only players currently under contract after the 2007-08 season.
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The Spurs were going after Mourning? Where have I been?
C.I.A. Pop and RC
I like the attempt on Mourning but why go after someone you know isn't leaving their team?
And why are they confident they can sign one of the leftovers this week?
The Spurs have no clue. Mourning is old and ready to retire.
Spurs officials also have looked at the available big men in Europe, as well as trade options, but will probably sign someone from the small pool of NBA free-agent centers this week.
that is not good
I was hoping for the euro
but since it was in the paper it could be cia that is who they will sign the euro and hope to drive the other fa's prices up
Looks like Collins is more close to being a Spur.
I don't think anyone available at the moment can help the Spurs at the center position. Oh well, stay tuned.
Well, there was no one pressing, so why not take a shot at Zo? I don't mind that at all actually. So they'll sign someone within the next week. Hopefully it is Butler.
how many games did you actually see butler play?
I saw several Knick games last year, but even if I hadn't seen any he's the one with the biggest upside out of the group.
And the biggest backside.
Sorry you lobbed us a softball.
CIA Pop at work.
Nobody got wind of Zo to SA. I wouldn't have minded it but it sure would have been weird. Zo's badmouthing of DRob back in the day was pretty harsh. Plus it's tough to imagine Zo has much if anything left in the tank.
Well at least they were trying to do something in the last week instead of just sitting around like it seemed like they were doing.
There is hope.
If I had to pick the top 3 choices it would be Pollard, Wright, Collins.
It doesn't sound like they'll go after a RFA because of the waiting period. And I don't see the Spurs offering enough money to where the other team doesn't match in the end anyway.
The way I look at it. With the free agent centers or bigs available. We won't be gettin any better regardless of who it is. The only way I see us improving is if we make a trade for a center.
The fact that they went after Zo should get Spurs fans to sit back, shutup and wait.
No one here thought they would go after Mourning, so obviously they have some ideas that some of us don't as to what to do with the team.
Patience.
For all we know, they'll pull off a blockbuster trade by Monday
What a horrible offseason.
I offer my apologies to the front office. Although I wouldn't have loved Zo in a Spurs uniform, I can understand where the Spurs were coming from. He's the best shotblocker in the league and if they could have milked a couple more seasons out of his kidneys, he'd be a good 15-20 minute guy.
There's no need to publicize going after an RFA until the deal is made and the clock starts, and the Spurs really won't know what to offer until the amount of the MLE is known since these guys probably won't require all of it.
We need to go after Butler hard. Zeke just picked up the option on Ime Udoka, so they will be carrying 15 players under contract when he signs both his picks. It's going to be hard for him to match Butler in favor of one of his projects/picks and even harder to convince Dolan that matching and waiving another guaranteed deal (likely a smaller one) is a good idea.
I would have loved Zo for a year. The man plays like he has a pair down low. Unlike our last two centers.
looks like the spurs front office is tilling ludden to put out articles about players we aren't getting. I guess to keep fans from exploding from the wait tell the KG trade is pulled off?
I would like to see what cavs do with drew gooden.
Kori do you have any inside information about what ferry is going to do with drew?
It's obvious to me the Spurs want a shotblocking center. Going after Przybilla and Mourning, two of the best shotblockers in the league, wasn't an accident.
Of the remaining centers, Butler is the best shotblocker. Hopefully that is who they are after.
spurs refused to get ZO when KiDD wanted him
and that is why kidd is a net today
Ferry is letting Drew test the waters....no-one is biting.
Ferry's intention is to resign Drew according to reports once the LeBron deal was done, now that it is, Drew becomes priority.
If anything, Ferry would like to move Zydrunas.
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