Whoever the next Spurs FA or draftee is...

[Fabbs]

Could we please have a clearly defined objective for said players role.

Beno Undies: He's the backup to TP. No wait, he isn't. It's
NVE: Thus Beno is benched. No wait, Beno is back. No he isn't, its
Jacque Vaugn. Okay at 900K this has been one the Spurs got the price right.

Fabs Oberto. He will be the 10-15 minute a game sub who will be primarily a very PT Center who can swing over to PF to spell Tim. No, he will be a starting center in spite of being unable to jump over a piece of paper. Yeah that will get us a le. No he will be a benchee. No, he will be back to starting center. Also, lets sign him for one year so we can work on Scola. No instead lets make it 3 years since Fabs can uh.....

Jackie Butler?? Millionaire NBA players who are signed in the summer should get one year plus to get in shape and learn the system. Yet we are battling Dallas etc for our playoff lives. Butler will help, right?


White: Don't even ask. Shuffle back n forth from NBDL league so he can watch Fins Horry and Bonner combine to go 1-22 in a blowout from the bench.
Yeah yeah yeah "He isn't ready". Sure, it would really hurt him to play a bit when the others were in contstant stink it up mode. Once again, his role is??

I'm not looking for 500 comments on who does or does not suck and why.
My point is clearly defined objective vs sandcastle then wave.

[Mr. Body]

None of those players is terribly good. That's the problem. Butler has only shown capabilities with a lousy Knicks team and White hasn't shown he belongs on an NBA court at all. Oberto has the mind for basketball, but the body of a garden gnome, as the saying goes, and in the case of Udrih, Pop was trying to jar him into being a competent player, which didn't really stick.

The rook coming in next year probably won't have a defined role, especially since there will be a backlog in swingman positions.

[Fabbs]

None of those players is terribly good. That's the problem. Butler has only shown capabilities with a lousy Knicks team and White hasn't shown he belongs on an NBA court at all. Oberto has the mind for basketball, but the body of a garden gnome, as the saying goes, and in the case of Udrih, Pop was trying to jar him into being a competent player, which didn't really stick.

The rook coming in next year probably won't have a defined role, especially since there will be a backlog in swingman positions.

So why did we pursue these players? And with Fabs and Fins, why the 3 year contracts? Beno, why extended?
It appears the Spurs have totally lost the touch that brought in beauties Parker and GNob. Altho motorcycle accident Euro Tall Guy, who knows what he might have been.

No more goofball experiments for the price and contract length.
Eric Williams comes in and does ball with effort and he gets benched and traded.

[Mr. Body]

We pursued them because sometimes they pan out. And maybe one will, maybe Butler will pan out, maybe White will. They're low-level risks that don't cost much. Oberto and Finley were established veterans who probably couldn't have been signed without offering three-year contracts. The Oberto move was the only questionable one here, because that money should have gone to Scola.

Eric Williams was awful. His career is done.

[Big P]

Its the players that are inconsistent. If they are not going to play well for extended periods of time, then Pop is going to shuffle them as needed. It is up to the players to clearly define their role, not management. The FO can tell a player, "your going to be the backup PG" or your going to be the primary bigman off the bench" , but it's not that easy, players have to earn their role.

[Kori Ellis]

Could we please have a clearly defined objective for said players role.

[/B]

Unless they trade for a starter quality player or a sixth man type, then that won't happen. Late bench players don't get handed a role, they have to do something to warrant it.

[Extra Stout]

Could we please have a clearly defined objective for said players role.

Beno Undies: He's the backup to TP. No wait, he isn't. It's
NVE: Thus Beno is benched. No wait, Beno is back. No he isn't, its
Jacque Vaugn. Okay at 900K this has been one the Spurs got the price right.

Fabs Oberto. He will be the 10-15 minute a game sub who will be primarily a very PT Center who can swing over to PF to spell Tim. No, he will be a starting center in spite of being unable to jump over a piece of paper. Yeah that will get us a le. No he will be a benchee. No, he will be back to starting center. Also, lets sign him for one year so we can work on Scola. No instead lets make it 3 years since Fabs can uh.....

Jackie Butler?? Millionaire NBA players who are signed in the summer should get one year plus to get in shape and learn the system. Yet we are battling Dallas etc for our playoff lives. Butler will help, right?


White: Don't even ask. Shuffle back n forth from NBDL league so he can watch Fins Horry and Bonner combine to go 1-22 in a blowout from the bench.
Yeah yeah yeah "He isn't ready". Sure, it would really hurt him to play a bit when the others were in contstant stink it up mode. Once again, his role is??

I'm not looking for 500 comments on who does or does not suck and why.
My point is clearly defined objective vs sandcastle then wave.

So you would rather the Spurs keep playing guys even while they suck, even if somebody else outplays them, just so they can have a "clearly defined objective?"

Pop sucks. My mind is made up, I'll worry about the reasons later.

[Fabbs]

Unless they trade for a starter quality player or a sixth man type, then that won't happen. Late bench players don't get handed a role, they have to do something to warrant it.

Finley did what to warrant the 1st half of the seasons minutes? He certainly was "handed" it. Fabs became and stayed the starting center by what, reason of default? To try to play the undersized Fabs big minutes at Center is a recipie for playoff failure. Whatever the mystery Scola buyout is, could it be that much more then we paid for Fabs?
Reggie Evans could have easily been signed by combining these twos salary and had plenty left over.

ExtraStout So you would rather the Spurs keep playing guys even while they suck, even if somebody else outplays them, just so they can have a "clearly defined objective?"

Twisty, its the exact opposite of what i have wanted and want.

[Mr. Body]

Fabbs - I'm in total agreement about Oberto. That was a minor screwup by the Spurs - made minor by the surprise that Oberto can and has actually contributed this season. That money should have been earmarked for Scola. Whatever - Scola will never be a Spur at this point, no big deal.

[T Park]

the moey oberto got, is less than what scola got, and he had a 14 million dollar buyout.

how the exactly should that money have been "earmarked"

[Mr. Body]

Scola is worth more than Oberto, but spending the Oberto cash made it much less possible to give Scola what he's asking for.

[T Park]

scola should get a 2 year, manu type deal.

he hasn't done anything to prove otherwise hes worth more money than what Ginobili was in 02.

[Mr. Body]

I should macro these things.

... then don't expect him in a Spurs uniform.

etc.

[ChumpDumper]

Let's get Marcus Haislip into summer league.

[T Park]

Haislip > Duncan according to Body more than likely.

[ChumpDumper]

Nah, Haislip is American.

[T Park]

ah my bad

then Javtokas >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everyone else more than likely

[AFBlue]

White was added in the hope that he could develop into a defensive stopper...a la Bruce Bowen. He is an off-the-charts athlete, with the ability to shut down opposing 2/3.

Butler was a 21yr old F/C with nice post moves and an aggressive streak. His role right now is to get in playing shape and develop his skills under the basket. His role in the future is to be the second low-post option on this team.

As far as Udrih is concerned, Pop and crew have given him opportunities to secure the backup job and he has failed to follow through. If he lived up to his potential, his role would be as the primary backup to TP.


Bottom Line: These players are young and the Spurs have to concentrate on winning a championship, not cultivating for the future. That's what the off-season is for. The future of Butler and White will be decided during the summer leagues and depend on who leaves/is brought in this off-season.

[mardigan]

Dudley or Thornton, either would be great pick ups

[Mr. Body]

Dudley is too slow to really help. He's quite smart, but we need somebody with athletic ability. I think he'll drop to the 2nd round.

[mardigan]

Dudley is too slow to really help. He's quite smart, but we need somebody with athletic ability. I think he'll drop to the 2nd round.

The mocks I have seen have him in the late 20s, but he could slip. He is just such a smart player. I also saw in some mocks that the Spurs would end up with Fazekas, or have a shot at Brendan Rush. What do you think of those players, I really like Fazekas, and I think Rush could be our future 3

[Mr. Body]

It kills me to see smart players like Dudley look like they lack the physical characteristics of a very good NBA player. A guy that smart + athleticism = potential multi All-Star.

I'd be very happy to see Brandon Rush drop to our pick. Not sure he'd stay in the draft if he'd drop that far; maybe so. He's talented and athletic and still has room to grow. He could be a nice jolt off the bench; not sure he's a long-term SF prospect, though.

Fazekas I'm not so enamored of. He is skilled but doesn't fit a need for the Spurs, who need athletic perimeter players. Finding decently talented big men to play next to Duncan isn't a big problem, but for some reason finding that Bowen replacement is.

[mardigan]

I also think Morris Almond from Rice could be a good fit, he isnt the most athletic guy in the world, but can score from anywhere, and he is 6-6, 6-7 ish. I also like the 6-9 kid from Fresno State McGuire. 6-9 with good ballhandling skills and he can block shots and play defense. His shot is pretty inconsitent, but I think the Spurs shooting coach could fix that. I think he will probably fall into the second, but then again, he might stay in school his senior year to try and raise his stock

[Mr. Body]

McGuire I think stays.

Almond is interesting, as is Nick Young. I think those guys project as SGs, but that's a position we'll need.

[AFBlue]

It kills me to see smart players like Dudley look like they lack the physical characteristics of a very good NBA player. A guy that smart + athleticism = potential multi All-Star.

I'd be very happy to see Brandon Rush drop to our pick. Not sure he'd stay in the draft if he'd drop that far; maybe so. He's talented and athletic and still has room to grow. He could be a nice jolt off the bench; not sure he's a long-term SF prospect, though.

Fazekas I'm not so enamored of. He is skilled but doesn't fit a need for the Spurs, who need athletic perimeter players. Finding decently talented big men to play next to Duncan isn't a big problem, but for some reason finding that Bowen replacement is.

James White = Potential Bowen Replacement

And I don't get your statement about Fazekas. If the Spurs have found a decently talented big man to play next to Duncan where is he? You think Oberto, Elson, or Bonner are "that guy"?

Fazekas is a better rebounder than Bonner and has the ability to play inside as well as outside. I think you are right in that there are a number of talented PF prospects in this draft, but I just like Fazekas' game...