http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...r.1375805.html
Spurs finish subtle changes: Team puts focus on saving money instead of taking drastic steps
Web Posted: 07/21/2006 10:35 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
When Spurs officials gathered in late May to analyze how to best adjust the team's roster for next season, they set one guideline for their discussions.
Don't overreact.
Having just lost one of the most tightly contested playoff series in NBA history — to their in-state rival, no less — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford didn't want frustration to dictate their decision-making process. They agreed changes needed to be made. They didn't think they needed to be made at any cost.
So, in the ensuing weeks, the Spurs traded Rasho Nesterovic and the $23.5 million remaining on his contract to Toronto for forwards Matt Bonner and Eric Williams. They dumped their second-round pick when they couldn't trade into the first to get an athletic swingman. When Nazr Mohammed received a more lucrative offer from Detroit, they bid him farewell.
Beno Udrih was told he would be given every opportunity to reclaim the backup point guard job. Veteran Jacque Vaughn was signed as insurance. After an unsuccessful attempt at luring Alonzo Mourning away from Miami, the Spurs gambled on a pair of lower-profile restricted free-agent centers: Francisco Elson and Jackie Butler.
The Spurs hadn't given a restricted free agent an offer sheet since failing to land Tyrone Nesby in 1999. The decision to bid on Elson and Butler came after assistant general manager Sam Presti structured the offers — Elson's was front-loaded; Butler's gave him a raise of almost four times what he made last season — to dissuade Denver and New York from matching.
After a nervous week of waiting, the Spurs officially signed Butler to a three-year, $7 million contract on Friday. They also will get Elson, who is expected to sign his two-year, $6 million deal when he returns from his home in Amsterdam next week.
"It's very difficult to walk away from guys like Nazr and Rasho when you've had a great deal of success during their time here in San Antonio," Buford said. "But I think one of Pop's strengths was looking at all areas of the franchise and figuring out not only what's best today, but what also provides the best opportunity for long-term success."
The Spurs hope Elson, Butler, Bonner and the rest of their additions will contribute enough to keep them contending for a championship the next two years. Then, the franchise will have significant room under the salary cap to remake the roster when only Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will be under contract.
If Elson and Butler succeed, the Spurs will be hailed, once again, for being fiscally prudent. If Elson and Butler flat-line and Mohammed thrives in Detroit?
"Prudent" could be construed as a synonym for "cheap."
At the least, the Spurs think their roster has become more versatile.
Bonner, a power forward who can space the floor with his 3-point shooting, can spell Robert Horry, whose tank looked empty at the end of the playoffs. While at least one Eastern Conference scout thinks Williams has little to offer, Buford hopes the veteran forward can "regain some of his defensive prowess" and maybe even provide an alternative to use against Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki.
"We didn't lose games in those playoffs because guys ran around us," Buford said. "We lost games because we couldn't get rebounds and we had a difficult matchup with Dirk."
Elson isn't as effective a rebounder as Mohammed, but he's 7-feet tall, athletic and can run the floor well enough to keep pace with the Mavericks and Phoenix Suns. Mohammed and Nesterovic both improved as shot-blockers while playing next to Duncan, and the Spurs hope Elson will do the same.
Butler, 21, has the most potential, provided his conditioning isn't a problem. At 6-foot-10, 260 pounds, he has the size and low-post game to provide the team another inside presence.
"Especially on a per-minute basis, Jackie's numbers (5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes last season) are off the charts," Buford said. "We'll see if he's able to take his production in a limited role and expand it."
The Spurs didn't think they needed an overhaul for two reasons — the free-agent market was one of the weakest in years and three of their losses to Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals were decided by a single possession.
The pessimistic view, of course, is that the Spurs also could have been swept by the Mavericks had Jerry Stackhouse not missed a 3-pointer at the end of Game 1.
The Spurs also still have a graying roster: Of the 14 players with guaranteed contracts, only five are under 30. By the end of next month, Horry, Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, Williams and Michael Finley will average almost 35 years.
Spurs officials were heartened by how Finley and, to a lesser extent, Barry performed in the playoffs, but admit the team will eventually need to add some younger legs. Next year, the Spurs could have as many as four draft picks (one in the first round and three in the second) in what figures to be a considerably deeper pool of talent.
"I think there will be a time and a place where there's an opportunity to address athleticism on the wing," Buford said. "To do it at the expense of other more significant needs would have been unwise. I think you have to evaluate the opportunities and take advantage of them when they're there.
"Just because you need athleticism, you don't want to sign a jackrabbit if he can't play."
Awesome, they haven't learned a ing thing. Typical Pop.The Spurs didn't think they needed an overhaul for two reasons — the free-agent market was one of the weakest in years and three of their losses to Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals were decided by a single possession.
Exactly."We didn't lose games in those playoffs because guys ran around us," Buford said. "We lost games because we couldn't get rebounds."
The problem I have is the Spurs really didn't do much to correct that. If anything, they've become an even worse rebounding team.
I guess we can hope that small ball won't be as small this season or something like that.
They couldn't rebound because they didn't have anyone taller than Tim in the game.
I'm not pessimistic, but it is dumb to aim for an improvement of 2pts.... and three of their losses to Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals were decided by a single possession.
The pessimistic view, of course, is that the Spurs also could have been swept by the Mavericks had Jerry Stackhouse not missed a 3-pointer at the end of Game 1.
The aim should be to step on the opponent's throat in crunch time and crush them by 10 like the twin towers used to do.
umm i wonder if tp can stop hogging the ball and play like nash pick n roll with butler, since butler is kind of amares build, needs work on his offensive game though.
4 draft picks? Spurs 1st and second plus one from Milwaukee, what is the fourth pick from?
Bonner and Elson suck ass.
good luck......
Am i going to miss Rasho? I hope not, but i fear i will.
Ahh, people once again - what were they supposed to do this offseason?? Resign Nazr for way more than he's worth? Keep Rasho's bloated contract that we know was bad? Who in the were they supposed to get? Everyone acts like there is some great move that wasn't made, but the truth is that there were no great moves to make. Clearing salaries and bad contracts during a weak free agent and draft year to make room to manuever during a much more lucrative free agent and draft year is the smart thing to do. So many of you just don't understand that for some reason.
this article is out
now I expect a cia trade
Absolutely Correct, I am of the same opinion, I by no means can see into the future, nor do I have any inside information but I will bet $ that the result of such a trade, if it happens, will be to bring in a BIG guard that is a SG by birth that POP can make into a PG, Like he tried to do with AD.
PS:: Call Beno and tell him to get with Eating Program, and to start kissing POP's Ass. Also learn to dribble, and say Yes Sir-No Matter What.
Next year, the Spurs could have as many as four draft picks (one in the first round and three in the second) in what figures to be a considerably deeper pool of talent.
"I think there will be a time and a place where there's an opportunity to address athleticism on the wing," Buford said. "To do it at the expense of other more significant needs would have been unwise. I think you have to evaluate the opportunities and take advantage of them when they're there.
"Just because you need athleticism, you don't want to sign a jackrabbit if he can't play."
spurs could have one more had scola been traded
When your primary concern is money and not winning, then yes you can be considered cheap."Prudent" could be construed as a synonym for "cheap."
So who did we get that is supposed to match up against Dirk or improve our rebounding?"We didn't lose games in those playoffs because guys ran around us," Buford said. "We lost games because we couldn't get rebounds and we had a difficult matchup with Dirk."
Oh yeah that is the right at ude! Lets not address our biggest issues: rebounding and the match-up against Dirk. Lets instead rely on the bounce of the ball for the win.The Spurs didn't think they needed an overhaul for two reasons — the free-agent market was one of the weakest in years and three of their losses to Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals were decided by a single possession.
Havent we been talking about getting an athletic long 3 for the last three summers? It bites us in the ass this year and Buffords line still doesnt change, "next year it will happen.""I think there will be a time and a place where there's an opportunity to address athleticism on the wing," Buford said.
More draft picks for Euros that we are not going to bring over for 3-5 years (if we even bring them over at all)? How exactly is that going to help Timmy? Even if we pick some US college players they wont be productive until after Tim is out of his prime.Next year, the Spurs could have as many as four draft picks (one in the first round and three in the second) in what figures to be a considerably deeper pool of talent.
Last edited by Sway; 07-22-2006 at 09:23 AM.
I'm suprised too. maybe it's a mistake or the pick Spurs get in the Rasho trade is a 2007 pick (I think it was Hornets' 2009 second round pick).
That's something Elson's haters will like, it make him more tradable.Elson's was front-loaded
Mhm... I am just confused by one thing: If the Spurs know that they need rebounding, why didn't they sign a good rebounder? I hope they will be able to land a long, good rebounding 3 during the summer...
If the rebounder isn't able to defend on Dirk or Howard, he will be useless against Dallas. (like Nazr)
Spurs weren't a bad rebounding team during the reagular season.
Easier to say than to get. There are few players like that.
Free agent fun for '08.
Unrestricted Free Agents
Baron Davis - pass
Cory Maggete - pass
Elton Brand - Spurs went after him once and nearly got a signature when he was restricted, things in Clip land have changed though
Gilbert Arenas - Another shot at my '03 favorite. Said he wants a team with a le shot. A 27 year olds Parker and Arenas in the backcourt
Jason Kidd - Pop couldn't make that mistake agan, could he?
Jermaine O'Neal - possible if he isn't broken down by then. But a long term exensive deal? Pass
Marion -
Richard Hamilton - Not for near max
And
Tim Duncan - :eek
Team Option to date
Al Jefferson
Iguodala
Biendrins
Dwight Howard - dreaming
Okafor
Jameer Nelson
Josh Childress
Josh Smith
Kevin Martin
Deng
Krstic
Quinton Ross
Telfair
Livingston
Bruce Bowen - who could help the Spurs with a renegotiated contract
Many lesser players, i.e.,
Tony Allen
Khryyapa
Last edited by picnroll; 07-22-2006 at 10:01 AM.
Wow- someone who made most of my comments for me. First, I don't see how they brought in the guys they did if they claim their problems were rebounding and defending Dirk. I also don't buy the notion that there were more significant needs than an athletic wing player. Pop himself talked about that as a priority, but the Spurs used the MLE on big men- a need they themselves created when they traded a starting center for a perimeter-shooting, bad defensive PF and a bad at ude, washed-up SF simply to save money. I also can't believe that people are buying into the notion that the team will be rejuvenated by a late first round pick and a bunch of second round picks- no matter how deep the draft may be. This isn't some bottom- dwelling, rebuilding team.
But this is the line I dislike the most:
I expect more from a team with Duncan, Manu, and Tony than hope than some scrubs will possibly do enough to call the Spurs a contender.The Spurs hope Elson, Butler, Bonner and the rest of their additions will contribute enough to keep them contending for a championship the next two years.
What long 3 was available they should have gotten?Havent we been talking about getting an athletic long 3 for the last three summers? It bites us in the ass this year and Buffords line still doesnt change, "next year it will happen."
Names please genius........
Name me one FA out there that would have.So who did we get that is supposed to match up against Dirk
Once again Furry Spurry
Who was a FA out there that they should've gotten.
All youve done is and never provide solutions
As per ing usual.
But this is the line I dislike the most:
Quote:
The Spurs hope Elson, Butler, Bonner and the rest of their additions will contribute enough to keep them contending for a championship the next two years.
I expect more from a team with Duncan, Manu, and Tony than hope than some scrubs will possibly do enough to call the Spurs a contender.
God your a miserable .
If the Spurs had said
"The Spurs KNOW getting these players will put them over the top"
You would;ve pulled out your re ed 'DERRRRR SPURS PR MACHINE AT WORK DERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"
It looks like both Nocioni and Varejao are UFAs after next season. With a little maneuvering, i.e., trading Barry for a one year contract player and not picking up Beno's offer they might squeeze under the cap enough in '07 to make a run at one of those two.
Id rather go after Nocioni.
rebounding 3.
Varejao? Doubtfull Cleveland lets him go.
Nocioni could be had due to Chicago pretty much selling the franchise to Ben Wallace.
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