http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...s.1299bec.html
Mike Monroe: Spurs, like top threats, won't be making a big move
Web Posted: 07/15/2006 09:29 PM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
The midpoint of the summer has come and gone, and the Spurs' search for a starting center amounts to hoping the Nuggets and/or Knicks decide $2.5 million a year — give or take a few hundred thou — cons utes overpaying Francisco Elson and Jackie Butler.
The Spurs also have replaced Nick Van Exel with Jacque Vaughn, a hard-working 31-year-old with a perimeter shot reminiscent of Avery Johnson's. That means it is anything but reliable, but slightly less frightening than Van Exel's heaves were by the time the playoffs ended.
These moves are anything but overwhelming for a team most believed needed to get both younger and more athletic to keep pace in the Western Conference.
But is it time to worry?
Better to recall what Gregg Popovich said the day after the crushing disappointment of the Spurs' overtime loss to the Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, a series they played, by and large, without using Rasho Nesterovic or Nazr Mohammed, and with Van Exel's role minimized.
"I listen to how athletic Dallas was and how we couldn't handle it, and it just makes me smile," Popovich, the Spurs' coach and executive vice-president of basketball operations, said then, "because if you win, there's all kinds of things you did well. If you lose, there's got to be reasons why you lost. So if they're more athletic, I need to figure out how much more to win by a point. How much more athletic is that?"
It is also worth scanning the moves made by the Spurs' primary compe ors for supremacy in the West before concluding the Spurs are taking a step backwards if they go to training camp with Elson and Butler, just one of the two, or a mystery big man who would have to be added if neither winds up in silver and black.
Start with the Mavericks, who would have won the championship in June had they not imploded, done in by self-pity and panic. The most significant offseason occurrence for the Mavericks thus far was failing to talk free-agent guard Mike James into joining their quest for a le. Despite a personal appeal by Johnson, James is headed for Minnesota.
The Mavericks needed only to tweak their lineup to remain a power, though, and they added another solid defender when they brought back Greg Buckner. But nothing they have done thus far has made them significantly better. They were this close to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, though, and would have been the team to beat in the West had they done nothing this offseason.
Then consider the Suns, who lost a valuable contributor when Tim Thomas bolted and who lost a bid to sign John Salmons when the man who built their roster, Bryan Colangelo, talked Salmons into heading to Toronto.
The Suns have made back-to-back trips to the Western Conference finals, but unless Amare Stoudemire truly is recovered from surgery enough to be, well, Amare Stoudemire, they won't be as good as they were in 2005-06.
The Clippers, a team on the upswing, won't miss Vladimir Radmanovic if Thomas plays as well as he did for Phoenix. Getting Sam Cassell to re-up was mandatory, and they did that.
The Kings were one of the four best teams in the West by the time the regular season ended. Their biggest offseason move was hiring Eric Musselman to replace Rick Adelman, which means they will put much more emphasis on defense. That should keep Ron Artest happy, though Mike Bibby may have some awkward moments with his new coach. If free agent Bonzi Wells gets away, the Kings won't be as good as they were in their playoff run against the Spurs.
No Western team changed its core more than the Hornets, but not enough to jump from outside the playoffs to the top of the conference. Teams like the Nuggets, Lakers, Jazz, T-Wolves and Rockets should worry a bit about them, but not the Spurs, Mavs, Suns and Clippers.
In sum, the Spurs aren't going to make the sort of splashy offseason move that last summer's unique luxury tax amnesty ruling afforded them when Michael Finley became available, for a pittance.
Neither, though, are the teams they have to beat to make a return to the NBA Finals.
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The problem is over an 82 game season, you have to out rebound some opponents especially on back 2 backs which the Spurs always seem to lose.
The Spurs need to pace the regular season to get some type of HCA. ty centers and a weak ass backup point ain't going to cut it.
The back to back losses were attributed mainly with Duncan's health and the belief that they couldn't win them.
I am glad someone else sees the issue of the regular season. No matter what is said about Rasho and Nazr, they started between the two of them every regular season game but 1 and averaged a combined 36 minutes per game in a season with 63 victories. Look back sometime and see the victories they DID contribute significantly to. I think it remains to be seen whether the guys they have targeted could contribute on a night in and night out basis to those plodding, regular season victores that set it all up in the play-offs. You don't play Dallas every night. You have to play against everyone.
Too early to write this article. There's a lot of time left for significant trades.
I do think the loss of a quality center (Rasho and Nazr combine to be one) will hurt. Butler and Elson (If the Spurs get them) are unproven with NBA minutes.
It wont hurt vs the Mavs/Suns, but will as far as wins in the regular season (and HCA)
If one of these guys can set a pick, we're fine.
That "belief" came from them actually not winning them...so it was mental somewhat for the last few back-to-backs but the "belief" doesn't explain the first few we lost.
...and not just Duncan's health, Manu's was a big question too.
I think it's safe to say the Spurs summer didn't work out the way they planned
Disappointing article. That quote Popovich gave right after the Mavs series was from over two months ago. Not exactly the breaking news or inside info I was hoping for.
Getting rid of Rasho and Nazr was the Spurs best offseason move.
Typical home town bull PR article. I'm sure the majority of Spurs fans will lap it up though.
We'd make a big move if we could.
Yes lets be depressed.
DOOMED I TELL YOU!!!
Right, what was I thinking.
This is the bestest Spurs off-season ever [/Tpark]
Got a link to where I said that?
Or are you as usual talking out of your ass.
That's just a nothing article.
Far too much time to start predicting stuff.
Absolute puff piece.
Snore.
Very True- it's timing is meant to console disappoined fans and give them hope that the off-season has not been as disappointing as it has been- so far.
I haven't seen anyone come up with the "BIG MOVE" that could actually be consummated due to trade restrictions, cap restrictions or whatever.
1. Where was a major trade possible to pick up an All-star or even a second tier player?
2.Who was available that wouldn't have crippled the team's ability to trade or continue with the Big Three that we have?
3. Who was available in the draft at 59 that would have been a guaranteed great pick.
4.And finally, who can say that signing Javtokas or Scola would have been guaranteed to make the difference next year?
5.Almost everyone wanted to ship out Rasho and NAZR because of their level of play and relative salaries and that was accomplished.
I'm not thrilled with where we are--but I don't see where a lot of improvement could have been made this year.
It's called sarcasm. You'd think a carney would know what that sounds like.
No one will convince me that a summer in which was added Vaughn, Bonner, and Elson is a good summer. In case someone forgot, the Spurs did not even get to the WCF- yet alone the NBA Finals- or a championship. The goal is to improve. And if one more person says we were one Manu foul away from a championship, I will scream! The Spurs got their asses handed to them in the first half of Dallas Game 7 AT HOME in an elimination game. They never looked like a championship team last season- ever.
Be careful what you wish for...
tpark stop being a blockhead
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