[inasilentway68Participant]

This is not a prediction, but just my preference of how the San Antonio Spurs should proceed this offseason:

Trade Richard Jefferson and 2010 2nd-round pick (#49) to the Detroit Pistons for Tayshaun Prince and cash. Another option would be to trade Richard Jefferson for Andrei Kirilenko.

Sign Raja Bell to two-year $4.0 million/year contract.

Sign Tiaggo Splitter to deal.

Draft Gordon Hayward if he still available.

Thus, the 2010-2011 Spurs team would look like this:

PG – Tony Parker/George Hill
SG – Raja Bell/Manu Ginobili
SF – Tayshaun Prince/Gordon Hayward or Andrei Kirilenko/Gordon Hayward
PF – Tim Duncan/DeJuan Blair
C – Tiaggo Splitter/Antonio McDyess

Luxury tax is unavoidable if the Spurs’ want to keep competing for championship title. Even if this group fails there is still flexibility with Parker’s and Prince’s/Kirilenko’s expiring contracts. Thoughts? Criticisms?

[Appleby_15Participant]

The spurs only have the midlevel exception to use, and splitter is going to cost at least 3 million. I agree though that Bell would be a great addition if the spurs cant bring over splitter. In the scenario that the Spurs use the midlevel on splitter, Mcdyess is a very nice trade chip if we want to add another solid role player. If the Spurs get Splitter and resign Bonner, Mcdyess will be expendable and he has a non-guarenteed contract for 2011-2012.
As far as the trade with Detroit, there is no reason that detroit would do that. Prince is a better player than Jefferson and like RJ his contract expires after next year. I think the Spurs would have to at least throw in their 1st round pick to make this deal work. I think we could get Kirilenko, but I’m not sure that would be much of an upgrade. He is very injury prone and doesn’t shoot any better than RJ.
The Spurs will definitely draft a wing with their 20th pick. There are many options out there. I think the Spurs would pick Paul George if he’s available, but Gordon Hayward would be great as well.

As far as a Jefferson trade, I think Hedo Turkoglu would be easily attainable. He has publicly stated that he wants out of Toronto. He had a terrible year last year, but I think that was mostly a result of a bad fit. He is a great pick-and-roll player and can knock down the spot-up three. We all saw how many big-time shots he hit in the 2009 playoffs. I think he would be a pretty big upgrade over RJ and someone that the Spurs could easily trade for if they are willing to take on a little more money.

Here is my offseason plan, which I think is more realistic than ‘inasilentway68’s’ and would put the Spurs back in championship contention:
1. Trade Richard Jefferson and the #20 pick to Toronto for Hedo Turkoglu, Marcus Banks (expiring contract, would probably be released) and the #13 pick
2. Sign Splitter for about 3years/10million, which is around the same contract that luis scola got.
3. Draft one of these 4 players with the 13th pick, in order of preference
a. Paul George
b. Gordon Hayward
c. Xavier Henry
d. Luke Babbit
4. Trade Antonio Mcdyess to Sacramento for Francisco Garcia (does a lot of the things that Raja Bell does, but would actually be possible for the Spurs to aquire.
5. Resign Matt Bonner for 2years/5million

2010-11 Lineup
pg–Tony Parker, George Hill
sg–Francisco Garcia, Manu Ginobili
sf–Hedo Turkoglu, Paul George/Gordon Hayward
pf–Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner
c–Tiago Splitter, Dejuan Blair

[inasilentway68Participant]

However, I think Splitter will cost a little more than a 3year/10million contract. A lot of hope is being placed on his shoulders, and that’s going to cost some of the mid-level exception. So, I don’t think you’re saving any money by bringing over Splitter, trading for Turkoglu, trading for Garcia (whose contract costs greater than McDyess’), and resigning Bonner. Realistic for sure, but probably financially equivalent to Bell/Splitter signings. If not, Bell could always be signed for less, he’s not in a position to demand too much.

It would be a steal to trade Jefferson for Prince, but considering the Detroit Pistons picked Darko at #2, traded Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson, paid Ben Gordon $10million/year to play behind Rip Hamilton off the bench, do you really trust Joe Dumars to not fall for this trade? As for Kirilenko, his perimeter defense and shot-blocking are the reasons for a trade. Though injury-prone, he’s the type of player you can play small ball with him at the 4 or big with him at the 3.

However, I would stand by your trade for Turkoglu. His success at pick-and-roll offense easily fits the Spurs. It may be a reach to snatch Toronto’s #13 as well, but since Turk/Toronto management both publicily acknowledge their desire to get rid of each other, it’s not an unreasonable trade demand either, especially if Spurs send back the #20.

Of course, the fundamental question to these hypotheticals is: what if the Spurs are not able to sign Splitter? If they can’t get him, I think it changes everything, from whom they draft, and even to the point where I would predict they trade Parker and Splitter for a top-tier free agent in a sign-and-trade. In a seperate hypothetical I would trade Parker/Splitter for Bosh and sign Mike Miller to a 3year/18 million contract. Thus, the Spurs roster would look like this:

PG – George Hill / Curtis Jerrells
SG – Manu Ginobili / Malik Hairston
SF – Mike Miller / Richard Jefferson
PF – Chris Bosh / DeJuan Blair
C – Tim Duncan / Antonio McDyess

But this is not a very realistic roster for 2010-2011.

[Mark H WrightParticipant]

While there’s no certainty yet that Howard re-signs, assuming he does, the Lakers would need to find Bryant’s successor on the perimeter to pair with the still-young center.

[George BirdsallParticipant]

With training camps for the 2013 season set to officially open at the end of this month, here is a look at a few milestones we will likely witness once the regular season gets into full gear.

[viviwowoParticipant]

Instead, injuries and a lack of postseason success have defined McGrady’s career, and now at 33 years old he seems to have aged at a faster pace than his peers. Even as we talk about how Steve Nash, Jason Kidd and Grant Hill still have plenty left in the tank despite pushing 40, McGrady looks more like a former NBA player.

[Author]

Posts