Spurs notebook: Popovich affirms faith in team

[Kori Ellis]

Spurs notebook: Popovich affirms faith in team

Web Posted: 01/27/2007 12:27 AM CST

Johnny Ludden
Express-News

After telling the Spurs earlier this week they would carry their current roster into the playoffs, coach Gregg Popovich didn't back off his comments Friday.
"We're not going to make a trade," Popovich said. "We're making no trade. This is the team we're going to have come playoff time. I have that kind of confidence in them.

"We were a very good team last year and have the opportunity to do great things. We can be that same team or better if we do the things that are necessary. If we don't, then we won't get there."

Popovich, who typically doesn't address trade speculation publicly, admits he's never ruled out making a deal in previous seasons, let alone more than three weeks before the Feb. 22 trade deadline. He told the players after Wednesday's loss to Houston the team wasn't going to make any trades.

"I think it's a pretty bold move," Popovich said. "I made the statement. If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it."

Popovich's decision — if he holds to it — is surprising given that the team has actively looked for ways to add athleticism to its roster. The Spurs also have tried to make a deadline-day deal — two of which fell through at the last minute — in each of the previous three seasons.

Popovich did leave himself some wiggle room, but not much.

"We might throw a peripheral player for a (draft pick) or trade a peripheral player for a peripheral player, but we're not going to trade our top 10, 11, 12 guys," Popovich said. "Nothing of significance. In other words, the top six, seven, eight, nine players aren't going anywhere. That's what I mean by no trade."

Brent Barry naturally has reason to be skeptical. On the day of last season's deadline, Popovich told him he was being traded. When the deal with New Orleans fell through at the last minute, Popovich called him back to say he was still on the team.

Barry also has been prominently mentioned in trade talks this season.

"We'll see," Barry said. "I believe Pop when he's suggesting a good wine. I believe Pop when he's telling me a good political book to read.

"When it comes to something like this, I personally want to wait until the deadline passes. I say it tongue in cheek, and I think it's pretty fair."

Udrih steps up: Beno Udrih's future with the Spurs also has been in question, given his struggles this season. He responded Friday with one of his better performances of the season, contributing seven points and five assists.

All of Udrih's points and three of his assists came in the first half. He looked noticeably more confident, shooting when open and even driving hard to the rim for a three-point play.

Popovich, who benched Udrih on and off for much of the season, said he has backed off him of late in hopes he would improve.

"The backup point position is important because we need somebody to keep us steady," Popovich said. "He can either score a little bit or play some acious 'D' during the minutes he has out there.

"At this particular time, we're giving Beno the opportunity to show us he can be that guy. Whether he is that guy or not, at some point we'll start to increase Tony (Parker's) minutes a little bit because he's young enough to handle it and I want to have him in great shape come playoff time."

Parker still a Shooting Star: Tony Parker is going to the All-Star Game regardless of whether he plays in it.

Parker will defend the Shooting Stars le he won last season with former Spurs guard Steve Kerr and the Silver Stars' Kendra Wecker.

The compe ion is between three-person teams made up of a current player, a former franchise "legend" and a WNBA player. The teams must make shots from specific locations on the court.

[Kori Ellis]

"We might throw a peripheral player for a (draft pick) or trade a peripheral player for a peripheral player, but we're not going to trade our top 10, 11, 12 guys," Popovich said. "Nothing of significance. In other words, the top six, seven, eight, nine players aren't going anywhere. That's what I mean by no trade."

I thought this quote was funny. He says no trade in the beginning of this article. Then in this quote, he starts out with nobody in the top 12 and then by the end of the quote, he is down top six.

[angel_luv]

For the record, I don't believe Pop.

"We'll see," Barry said. "I believe Pop when he's suggesting a good wine. I believe Pop when he's telling me a good political book to read.

"When it comes to something like this, I personally want to wait until the deadline passes. I say it tongue in cheek, and I think it's pretty fair."

Exactly!

[milkyway21]

I can imagine Tim Duncan praying his team will HELP HIM carry them into the playoffs right now ...

[lefty]

June 07 coming up ; it's happening

[The Truth #6]

Pop affirming faith in the team and saying no trades happens right before he throws someone under the bus.

[SenorSpur]

Problem is he should have thought about addressing the team's lack of athleticism over the summer. It was soooo apparently obvious during the WCSF. Instead he deluded himself into believing that his team was "one bad foul" away from advancing and were well-equipped on the perimeter for this season. Same guy who thought NVE would make a suitable backup PG last season. HE DID NOTHING. Now, he's paying for it.

[T Park]

Instead he deluded himself into believing that his team was "one bad foul" away from advancing and were well-equipped on the perimeter for this season

Well they were.

Ginobili doesn't foul Dirk, who knows what happens...

[Mermaid Time2]

June 07 coming up ; it's happening

LOL

[MannyIsGod]

I think him leaving himself wiggle room was all about moving Williams.

[Bruno]

I think him leaving himself wiggle room was all about moving Williams.

Me too. Spurs will likely do a move to go under the tax and Williams is the guy that will be moved for this kind of trade.

Beno Udrih's future with the Spurs also has been in question, given his struggles this season. He responded Friday with one of his better performances of the season, contributing seven points and five assists.

Beno has always well reacted this year after Pop' critics but it was only for one or few games. Please Beno, be consistent.

[dg7md]

I don't know why people want Williams out so bad, he's tall and pretty athletic, versatile as well.

[Bruno]

I don't know why people want Williams out so bad, he's tall and pretty athletic, versatile as well.

Nobody want him out badly. Spurs will likely do a financial move to go under the tax and Williams should be traded in this move because he doesn't play and has a salary big enough to put Spurs under the luxury tax.

[WalterBenitez]

POP said no trade ... so a trade is coming!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Well they were.

Ginobili doesn't foul Dirk, who knows what happens...

What happens last year has no effect on the fact Dallas is streaking this year and has gotten stronger, while we've gotten older and slower. Not to mention Dallas knows they can beat us when it counts.

Holding on to the past means exactly jack for the playoffs this year. You're starting to sound like Marcus crying about not having the 1999 version of Malik Rose around to help.

[wildbill2u]

I take him at his word--no trades that will significantly alter the current players who are in the rotation.

The reason I take him at his word is because all the trade forums on this site have proven that we don't really have any good trade bait or possibilities that are worth having.

If you are Butler or Williams, you do not have a "get out of trade free" card. Maybe now Kori can lock up all the plethora of ridiculous trade forums.

[1Parker1]

Looking at this Spurs team, it's like they can go either way:

If Elson even learns to play halfway decent Defense and Finley, Beno, and Barry play like they did last night against Memphis and Duncan/Parker/Ginobili do their thing, I can see this team overcoming it's shortcomings at going to the Finals. It's not that they don't have the personell to do it. Pop's coaching/subs ution tactics, inconsistent bench play, and lack of defense have hurt the team. However, we've seen glimpses of how great they can be, like in that 3 minute span against Houston the other night.

Nonetheless, I can easily see this same team going the other way. I can see our Big Three doing all the work, Barry or Finley showing up to play (never both), and our lack of defense in the 3rd quarters hurting them in close playoff games.

[1Parker1]

BTW, I HATE that quote Pop keeps saying about how if it weren't for a dumb foul last year, no one would be talking about how old the Spurs are right now and how they'd still be a "championship contender" or whatever.

He fails to acknowledge that while that may be true...that was last year. In the meantime, Mavs got even stronger in the offseason as did the Suns and plenty of other teams in the West: Jazz, Lakers, Nuggets, etc.

[objective]

all the talk of being one Ginobili foul away from moving on reminds me of . . .

Blazer and Kings fans years ago after losing in 7 tough games to the Lakers.

"Next year will be different! We were one (bad ref call/lucky bounce/lucky shot/unfortunate nagging injury/missed free throw/bad foul/lack of X) away from beating the Lakers!"

And of course . . . they never came close again.

[td4mvp21]

Looking at this Spurs team, it's like they can go either way:

If Elson even learns to play halfway decent Defense and Finley, Beno, and Barry play like they did last night against Memphis and Duncan/Parker/Ginobili do their thing, I can see this team overcoming it's shortcomings at going to the Finals. It's not that they don't have the personell to do it. Pop's coaching/subs ution tactics, inconsistent bench play, and lack of defense have hurt the team. However, we've seen glimpses of how great they can be, like in that 3 minute span against Houston the other night.

Nonetheless, I can easily see this same team going the other way. I can see our Big Three doing all the work, Barry or Finley showing up to play (never both), and our lack of defense in the 3rd quarters hurting them in close playoff games.

That's exactly how I see it. This team can win a championship-if they work to function as one. Everything has to fall in place, so hopefully it will.

[phxspurfan]

I don't know why people want Williams out so bad, he's tall and pretty athletic, versatile as well.

all true, if this were 2002.

[objective]

Williams is average height-wise for small forwards. 6-8 is nothing special.

[rascal]

I don't know why Pop has to say we won't make a trade. If he does make a trade he looks like a liar and if he doesn't he looks like he doesn't want to explore possibilities to improve the team. Its a no win situation to reply there will not be a trade.

Just say nothing or say trades are allways a possiblity if they feel they will improve the team.

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs have weaknesses in the rotation and they're worried about avoiding the luxury tax and contracts with more than one year left.

GO SPURS GO!

[boutons_]

"The Spurs have weaknesses in the rotation and they're worried about avoiding the luxury tax and contracts with more than one year left."

did you mean:

The Spurs have weaknesses in the rotation BUT they're worried about avoiding the luxury tax and contracts with more than one year left.

???