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Now if we could only find another young 7 ft. swimmer from the Islands and convince him to start playing basketball, we'll be set for the next 20 years....
You've got to hand it to Buford and Co. You now have two 7 footers stashed away in Europe (Mahimi, Splitter) for one more season. After next year, you can bring 'em over to start learning alongside Duncan. Plus, you have 2 athletic wingmen (White, Williams) to start grooming as potential Bowen replacements.
They're doing the right thing----and if they can make additional deals/moves involving Udrih, Scola, Barry, etc.----it only strengthens the team.
Either way, solid job by the front office.
And special thanks to Presti for trading Whiney Ray-Ray to the (L)eastern conference, where we'll only have to hear him about Bowen twice a year.
Now if we could only find another young 7 ft. swimmer from the Islands and convince him to start playing basketball, we'll be set for the next 20 years....
I have no - zero - problem with the way the franchise is running things.
What have we seen from teams that win multiple les? When their run was done, how long did it take for that team to get compe ive again?
Each of those teams fell right off the map after age, injury, or departures hit their key players and replacing those players (obviously) proved to be difficult. I think the Spurs, using the stockpiling method, seem to be trying to work around those usual problems by finding places for those potential replacements to play while they wait for Tim, Manu, and Bruce to get old. The teams listed above all had young players wasting away at the end of their benches, unprepared for a new role with greater responsibilities. Perhaps this OJT in international ball and the D-League will help soften the blow when Bruce, Tim, and Manu get old and wear down.LA Lakers 1980-88 (5 les); lost NBA Finals appearances in 1989 and 1991, captured the #8 seed in 1992 and 1993, missed the playoffs in 1994. Won a first round series in 1995 as the #5, then lost in 1996 with the #4 in round one. Shaq signed before the 1997 season and Kobe Bryant was drafted that same year. Three-peat of 2000-2002 began in Shaq's 4th year with the team. Eight seasons passed between conference finals appearances (1991 and 1998).
Boston Celtics 1981-1986 (three les); Boston has yet to return to the Finals since 1987, lost in the conference finals in 1988, and didn't reach the conference finals again until 2002. After that 1988 conference finals appearance, the Celtics made the playoffs five out of the next six seasons but never advanced past the second round. Three of those eliminations were first round exits. After a 1995 first round exit, the Celtics missed the playoffs six straight seasons and eight out of the last twelve.
Detroit Pistons (1989, 1990); Lost in the 1991 conference finals and didn't get out of the first round again until 2002. In the ten seasons in between (1992 and 2001), the Pistons missed the playoffs five times. Aided somewhat by a weak conference, the Pistons have advanced to at least the conference finals in each of the last five seasons, winning the Finals in 2004 and the East in 2005.
Chicago Bulls 1991-98 (six les); missed the playoffs in each of the six seasons following the 1998 championship. The Bulls have made the playoffs three years running now, but haven't advanced past the second round in any of those seasons.
Houston Rockets (1994, 1995); Advanced to the conference finals once since the second le, in 1997. Since then, Houston has not advanced past the first round, and they missed the playoffs from 2000-2003 and again in 2006.
LA Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002); Lost in second round in 2003, lost the 2004 NBA Finals, then Shaq left. In the three seasons since, the Lakers missed the 2005 playoffs and lost in the first round in 2006 and 2007.
I'm not saying the Spurs' methods will definitely prevail after the current team stars are done; but you must admit, in concept it's at least better than riding them to the bitter end and sucking several years after that.
Duncan can play at high level if motivated at least 4 more years, the wildcard is Parker will the Eva situation make him want to move West in a few years? I bet he finishes career as Ugh a Laker!
Ummmmm...yeah, what he said.
Ian will amount to nothing more than a role player for the Toros if they even decide he's worth that roster spot. He's just too raw and ultimately not that good.
Scola was a risk and a worthy risk and it looks like the Spurs will end up with the risk end of things rather than the reward.
Splitter is an interesting pick and his buyout is reasonable. I think he'll be a slightly better more athletic Oberto but he's not going to be any kind of a stud. Sometimes I think you guys have way to high of an expectation for these draft and stash guys.
ha ha ha we have a 7 foot swimmer from the islands, and a 6'11" volleyball player from europe ha ha ha ha ha thats still too hilarious to meNow if we could only find another young 7 ft. swimmer from the Islands and convince him to start playing basketball, we'll be set for the next 20 years....
Amen to that Brother. Doing something is better than doing nothing. At least if you have a competetive team in a few years you will remain attractive to talented free agents. Not many marquis players want to join a crappy team.
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