Silly Season Questions:

[MajorMike]

1) PG. We keep poor Beno around and he gets his share during reg season but never hits the floor during playoffs. Yeah, we tried to deal him to the 76ers, but by signing a backup PG 2 years in a row, does he know the writing is on the wall? He has a team-option for 1,747,095 next year, and no way in that's going to be picked up. The however to that statement is that Vaughn was only inked for 1-year. Are we going to pass on Beno, have Vaughn take a FA just like Speedy and Hart did and be left without a backup PG?

2) Barry... what's it got to be like to hear your name involved in EVERY trade rumor regarding the Spurs? Barry is guaranteed 5 Mil this year and 5.5 next.

3) What really happens if neither Denv or NY matches our offers? Do we get a choice or are we contractually bound to keep both?

4) Fab... he has a player-option for 2.5 Mil next year. Can the Spurs decline that or is it truely 'if Fab wants it he gets it'?

5) Bruce... any way the team passes on his 4+ Mil team-option next year? Can a player renegotiate his team-option?

6) Bonner is cheap at 2 Mil this year only. If he is playing well in the system do we try to sign him to an extension during year? Otherwise he is likely gone for more money at end of season.

[Mr. Body]

1) PG. We keep poor Beno around and he gets his share during reg season but never hits the floor during playoffs. Yeah, we tried to deal him to the 76ers, but by signing a backup PG 2 years in a row, does he know the writing is on the wall? He has a team-option for 1,747,095 next year, and no way in that's going to be picked up. The however to that statement is that Vaughn was only inked for 1-year. Are we going to pass on Beno, have Vaughn take a FA just like Speedy and Hart did and be left without a backup PG?

2) Barry... what's it got to be like to hear your name involved in EVERY trade rumor regarding the Spurs? Barry is guaranteed 5 Mil this year and 5.5 next.

3) What really happens if neither Denv or NY matches our offers? Do we get a choice or are we contractually bound to keep both?

4) Fab... he has a player-option for 2.5 Mil next year. Can the Spurs decline that or is it truely 'if Fab wants it he gets it'?

5) Bruce... any way the team passes on his 4+ Mil team-option next year? Can a player renegotiate his team-option?

6) Bonner is cheap at 2 Mil this year only. If he is playing well in the system do we try to sign him to an extension during year? Otherwise he is likely gone for more money at end of season.

1) I think the Spurs pick up Udrih's option. I don't think you're suggesting they let a good young talent go for nothing. If anything, they trade him. A late first round rookie contract is very cheap.

2) I'm sure Barry's on the beach somewhere forgetting about basketball for a while. He'll be traded this season or the next.

3) If neither Denver nor NY matches, we're the proud owners of both Elson and Butler.

4) Oberto gets his last year. It's player option.

5) There's been some suggestion Bowen renegotiates his last year for a longer term contract. So, yes.

6) It's conceivable Bonner gets an extension of some kind. I personally don't see him doing well enough for the Spurs to bother keeping him.

[Bruno]

1) Beno is fine and Spurs will likely pick up his option. BTW, Spurs must pick Beno's option this summer.

2) barry plays better after he was almost trade.

3) We had to keep both.

4) Only Oberto will decide if he pick up the option.

5) For Bruce : either they keep him for $4M or they don't keep him and they must give him $2M.

6) Bonner can't be extented during the season but he will be a restricted free agent next summer.

[strangeweather]

1) PG. We keep poor Beno around and he gets his share during reg season but never hits the floor during playoffs. Yeah, we tried to deal him to the 76ers, but by signing a backup PG 2 years in a row, does he know the writing is on the wall? He has a team-option for 1,747,095 next year, and no way in that's going to be picked up. The however to that statement is that Vaughn was only inked for 1-year. Are we going to pass on Beno, have Vaughn take a FA just like Speedy and Hart did and be left without a backup PG?

Let's worry about next year next year. We might keep both. We might keep neither and go sign someone else. How each of them plays this year will be a major factor.

2) Barry... what's it got to be like to hear your name involved in EVERY trade rumor regarding the Spurs? Barry is guaranteed 5 Mil this year and 5.5 next.

That's the price of underperforming your contract.

3) What really happens if neither Denv or NY matches our offers? Do we get a choice or are we contractually bound to keep both?

We have agreed to sign each of them to a contract unless it is matched. If we get them both, we take them both.

4) Fab... he has a player-option for 2.5 Mil next year. Can the Spurs decline that or is it truely 'if Fab wants it he gets it'?

A player option means its up to him, not us.

5) Bruce... any way the team passes on his 4+ Mil team-option next year? Can a player renegotiate his team-option?

Yes, a new deal can be negotiated. Then the team declines the option and signs the player to the new deal.

6) Bonner is cheap at 2 Mil this year only. If he is playing well in the system do we try to sign him to an extension during year? Otherwise he is likely gone for more money at end of season.

My guess is that we worry about next summer next summer, after all the returns are in.

[strangeweather]

BTW, Spurs must pick Beno's option this summer.

I forgot about that -- like with Speedy.

[ChumpDumper]

1) PG. We keep poor Beno around and he gets his share during reg season but never hits the floor during playoffs. Yeah, we tried to deal him to the 76ers, but by signing a backup PG 2 years in a row, does he know the writing is on the wall? He has a team-option for 1,747,095 next year, and no way in that's going to be picked up. The however to that statement is that Vaughn was only inked for 1-year. Are we going to pass on Beno, have Vaughn take a FA just like Speedy and Hart did and be left without a backup PG?

No reason not to pick up Beno's option at this point. Unless he runs into Chuck Hayes in the preseason, he'll begin the season as the #2 point guard.

2) Barry... what's it got to be like to hear your name involved in EVERY trade rumor regarding the Spurs? Barry is guaranteed 5 Mil this year and 5.5 next.

What's it like to have $10.5 million coming to you no matter what?

3) What really happens if neither Denv or NY matches our offers? Do we get a choice or are we contractually bound to keep both?

Bound.

4) Fab... he has a player-option for 2.5 Mil next year. Can the Spurs decline that or is it truely 'if Fab wants it he gets it'?

That would make it a team option.

5) Bruce... any way the team passes on his 4+ Mil team-option next year? Can a player renegotiate his team-option?

Yes and no.

6) Bonner is cheap at 2 Mil this year only. If he is playing well in the system do we try to sign him to an extension during year? Otherwise he is likely gone for more money at end of season.

Not eligible for an extension.

[MajorMike]

Can you explain the situation with Bonner? Why is it that we can't renego and what makes him restricted?

[ChumpDumper]

I pretty sure Bonner has already been a restricted FA so I don't think he can be again.

His contract is too short to be extended.

[Obstructed_View]

What's it like to have $10.5 million coming to you no matter what?

I always laugh when someone feels sorry for the job related stress of someone who gets paid ten million bucks no matter what they do.

[Bruno]

I pretty sure Bonner has already been a restricted FA so I don't think he can be again.

Bonner has been a restricted free agent last summer but as far I know there is nothing in the CBa that forbid to be a RFA twice.

what makes him restricted?

Undrafted (or second round pick) players with 3 or less years in the league are restricted.

[strangeweather]

I always laugh when someone feels sorry for the job related stress of someone who gets paid ten million bucks no matter what they do.

Real job related stress is doing things like sweeping for improvised explosive devices.

[Beer is Good]

Real job related stress is doing things like sweeping for improvised explosive devices.

Do they have to be improvised?

[furry_spurry]

I always laugh when someone feels sorry for the job related stress of someone who gets paid ten million bucks no matter what they do.

Money doesn't fix everything. Imagine having a job with a company who has 30 offices in the US and Canada and sitting around for a year waiting for that time when they are going to force you to relocate to one of those other offices because they would rather have someone else than you. You don't know when or where and you have no choice when it does happen. You are like a commodity to be traded, and you have a spouse and children whose lives will be uprooted. Maybe they like it where they are and you feel like you let them down. I am not asking for violin music but simply pointing out that people are people. Being told by your employer that they can't wait to get rid of you and having it hanging over you until it happens is not pleasureable. You do the best you can and are professional, but it still impacts you if you are a human beng.

[ChumpDumper]

Cry me a river. You give me $20 million to play a children's game seven months out of the year, you can call me whatever you want as long as your checks don't bounce.

[T Park]

You give me $20 million to play a children's game seven months out of the year, you can call me whatever you want as long as your checks don't bounce

Amen.

[Obstructed_View]

Money doesn't fix everything. Imagine having a job with a company who has 30 offices in the US and Canada and sitting around for a year waiting for that time when they are going to force you to relocate to one of those other offices because they would rather have someone else than you. You don't know when or where and you have no choice when it does happen. You are like a commodity to be traded, and you have a spouse and children whose lives will be uprooted. Maybe they like it where they are and you feel like you let them down. I am not asking for violin music but simply pointing out that people are people. Being told by your employer that they can't wait to get rid of you and having it hanging over you until it happens is not pleasureable. You do the best you can and are professional, but it still impacts you if you are a human beng.

I understand that to a certain extent. The only problem is your first sentence. 10.5 million dollars fixes almost everything. You could move your family, your extended family and all your friends, you could buy an airplane to visit people, you could install video conferencing in everyone's house so they could keep in touch, blah blah blah.

If you sign a contract, you ARE a commodity to be traded. The player's union could negotiate to lower salaries and to limit free agency, but they didn't, don't and never will.