Free Agency:

[benjirh]

I think you are on the high side. I come up with about 40mil in salary leaving us with about 20. I listed the following from most likely salary to least likely.

1. Parker, Duncan, Green, DeColo (Guar) = 28mil
2. Leonard (TO) = 1.9mil
3. Diaw, Mills (PO) = 5.8mil - I don't see either outplaying that contract.
4. Rookie Draft spot = 1mil [tops] - could be traded but if they are letting several guys go, seems like they would keep this pick
5. Splitter (QO) = 4.9mil - No way we don't offer this to him and unless he tanks this year or shows signs of never improving, I think he stays. The only way he gets dropped is if we get a guarantee from a FA and need to shed an extra 5mil. So at this point I count his salary.
6. Joseph (TO) = 1.1mil - Seems too early for the team to pass on him considering his potential to improve and the small contract with options the next 3 years.
7. Neal(QO) = 1.1mil - This number is low enough that I think we hang on unless we are just shedding cash. His shooting and experience are helpful and reasonable for that salary.

All of these add up to 44mil.
The first 4 add up to 37mil, but leaves us with only 8 guys, so technically another 4mil would be added to 'fill the roster'. (this is why we might as well keep Jo and Neal, since they don't cost that much more than a min sal player)

No matter what we are falling in the 40-45 million range, so assuming a 60mil cap, that only leaves us 15-20 to play with. Smith could be looking at the 16-18 range. So it could be tight to get both.

Always the option of a sign and trade to move a little of our guaranteed money with Green, De Colo, and draft pick. This is part of the reason why Duncan's 10mil (compared to an 8mil) hurts. It is also why Diaws deal is such a pain. That extra couple mil could have really altered things.

This is why I also wonder if we don't wait until '14, re-sign gino and just wait out the contracts.

[TRF929]

I think you are on the high side. I come up with about 40mil in salary leaving us with about 20. I listed the following from most likely salary to least likely.

1. Parker, Duncan, Green, DeColo (Guar) = 28mil
2. Leonard (TO) = 1.9mil
3. Diaw, Mills (PO) = 5.8mil - I don't see either outplaying that contract.
4. Rookie Draft spot = 1mil [tops] - could be traded but if they are letting several guys go, seems like they would keep this pick
5. Splitter (QO) = 4.9mil - No way we don't offer this to him and unless he tanks this year or shows signs of never improving, I think he stays. The only way he gets dropped is if we get a guarantee from a FA and need to shed an extra 5mil. So at this point I count his salary.
6. Joseph (TO) = 1.1mil - Seems too early for the team to pass on him considering his potential to improve and the small contract with options the next 3 years.
7. Neal(QO) = 1.1mil - This number is low enough that I think we hang on unless we are just shedding cash. His shooting and experience are helpful and reasonable for that salary.

All of these add up to 44mil.
The first 4 add up to 37mil, but leaves us with only 8 guys, so technically another 4mil would be added to 'fill the roster'. (this is why we might as well keep Jo and Neal, since they don't cost that much more than a min sal player)

No matter what we are falling in the 40-45 million range, so assuming a 60mil cap, that only leaves us 15-20 to play with. Smith could be looking at the 16-18 range. So it could be tight to get both.

Always the option of a sign and trade to move a little of our guaranteed money with Green, De Colo, and draft pick. This is part of the reason why Duncan's 10mil (compared to an 8mil) hurts. It is also why Diaws deal is such a pain. That extra couple mil could have really altered things.

This is why I also wonder if we don't wait until '14, re-sign gino and just wait out the contracts.

Your completely right, I was just looking at the money coming off the books and not the salary cap. But you never know, spurs can hopefully work wonders. Do you think if we had a verbal agreement with smith signing we'd let splitter go

[AlexTmz2]

•The Spurs have had interest in Kenyon Martin in the past, tweets Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, who wonders whether the team may have interest in signing him later this season. Martin continues to hold out for more than the veteran's minimum.

http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2012/10/s...nu-miller.html

[benjirh]

I might cry myself to sleep after every Houston game from now on. This is why I dreamt about Harden coming here. Can you imagine a Green, Harden, Leonard wing rotation. All the people who said Harden was nothing more than a third wheel need to take notice now. I know it is only two games, but a crazy to games it has been. And now, not only is he not a Spur but he will be creating havoc for us for the next 5 years.

[AlexTmz2]

Over the offseason, Donte Greene was on the verge of signing with the Brooklyn Nets when he suffered a broken ankle during a workout. Greene had to undergo surgery to repair his ankle and the Nets pulled their contract offer. Now, Greene has recovered and is receiving interest from several teams. On January 11, Greene will begin working out for teams, according to sources. The Brooklyn Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets have all expressed interest in Greene and discussed potential workout dates with the unrestricted free agent.

HoopsWorld

[AlexTmz2]

QUICK TAKE ON DONTE GREENE
Written by Trevor Zickgraf on Wednesday, 09 January 2013 15:30.

Note: This was written before news broke that the Spurs were close to signing Aron Baynes, maxing out the Spurs roster barring some sort of trade or other transaction.

Earlier this week, reports came out that the San Antonio Spurs may be bringing former Kings forward Donte Greene in for a work out. Consider this an endorsement of Greene despite the fact that he's been a disappointment his entire career.

To give you a little background, I've lived in Sacramento for the last two years and got to see the bulk of Greene's final two years with the Kings. The team is a mess, the arena is in shambles and yet, during Greene's time in California's capitol, he didn't let his inconsistent playing time affect his relationship with the city and the fans. He was the leader of the Kings' Good Squad, the group of bench players that would get the crowd hyped before the opening tip. He organized The Goon Squad Classic charity basketball game during the 2011 lockout. He even participated in an engagement video for a buddy of mine to his now wife. Greene embraced the city of Sacramento at a time when the organization he played for seemed to be doing everything it could to run away from it. You'd want this guy on your team.

What about on the court? Well that's much more of a mixed bag. An athletic 6'10" frame, Greene is more of a wing than a power forward and definitely has a reputation as more of a shooter than anything else. The truth is Greene can shoot but wasn't a good shooter last season or the season before. His best season came in 2009-2010 when he averaged 8.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg and close to a block a game in just over 20 minutes of action. He also shot 37 percent from three that year. That number dropped significantly to 29 and 24 percent the last two seasons.

Greene's struggles aren't completely his fault. Sacramento hasn't exactly been known for their ball movement the last few years, so he wasn't getting a ton of open looks when he was playing and wasn't playing enough minutes to find his rhythm anyways, especially last season. Two years ago, Greene shot 39 percent from the corner 3, a favorite shot of the Spurs system. He also is a terrific finisher at the rim, converting 67 and 64 percent of his finishes the last two years respectively. Shots at the rim also accounted for the highest percent of Greene's shots according to NBA Advanced Stats.

Indifferent is probably the best way to describe Greene's defense, but that's more for lack of effort and teaching more than ability. I think Greene can be a good defender, but he's probably not the shot blocker most fans are looking for, though his athleticism and length suggest he could be a good pick and roll defender.

I think there's room for Greene at the end of the Spurs' bench, especially as a stretch power forward. Sign him to a two year deal for low money and work him in to the system for the end of this season and next. Also, see below for a hint of Greene's athleticism and ability to finish around the rim.

http://www.projectspurs.com/2013-art...te-greene.html

[zappist]

Just a thought, I wouldnt pay Josh Smith 16-18mil a year, he doesnt deserve that, especially on our team. Hes a good defender and is athletic, but he doesnt play big, he's more of a combo forward than a C-PF, he dribbles the ball a lot like a PG, but he's dribbling and passing skills are not that good, he misses a lot of perimeter shots and heaves up a lot of 3. Just saying... I feel like we can be better with Al Jeff or someone who plays C-PF

[benjirh]

Just a thought, I wouldnt pay Josh Smith 16-18mil a year, he doesnt deserve that, especially on our team. Hes a good defender and is athletic, but he doesnt play big, he's more of a combo forward than a C-PF, he dribbles the ball a lot like a PG, but he's dribbling and passing skills are not that good, he misses a lot of perimeter shots and heaves up a lot of 3. Just saying... I feel like we can be better with Al Jeff or someone who plays C-PF

18 does sound a little steep. And I completely agree that his outside shooting leaves a little to be desired, however this year has gone fairly well. I would take him over Jefferson, because I feel that he has more passion and is a better defender. I will say that I don't want to Jefferson for 18 million either. I would take both at a reasonable price.

[AlexTmz2]

It’s no surprise that DeJuan Blair may be moved prior to the trade deadline on February 21. The San Antonio Spurs have been shopping him for quite some time, and nearly traded him in June. In the days leading up to the 2012 NBA Draft, the Spurs spoke to a number of teams about the 23-year-old big man. They nearly sent Blair to the Miami HEAT, but the deal fell apart. Now, San Antonio is once again shopping Blair and seeing what teams are willing to offer.

HoopsWorld

[AlexTmz2]

Steve Kyler: Spurs' Aron Baynes signing signals the end of the road for Dejaun Blair. Spurs have been exploring trades for Blair since June.

HoopsWorld

[AlexTmz2]

The DeJuan Dilemma
Written by Trevor Zickgraf on Thursday, 10 January 2013 18:00.

See what I did there? DeJuan Blair was the perfect pick for the San Antonio Spurs in 2009. Lottery level talent that fell in to the Spurs' lap early in the second round. You can say they should've drafted this guy or that guy, but the only guy available where the Spurs drafted that you could legitimately say the Spurs should've drafted instead was Chase Budinger.

Anyways, Blair brought energy to team that at time was old, slow, you know, all the things that people still say about the Spurs that aren't true anymore.

The problem for Blair is he hasn't developed as much as the Spurs would've liked, especially on defense. He lost a lot of his playing time, especially in the postseason, when Boris Diaw fell in to the Spurs' lap. Simultaneously Tiago Splitter continued to develop, pushing Blair farther down the big man ladder.

Now, it appears the Spurs have found another big man in Australian Aron Baynes. That can't be great news for Blair above all other bigs. Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld reports the Spurs have made Blair available again, in part to make room for Baynes.

"In the past, the Spurs haven’t had any trouble finding teams interested in Blair, but they haven’t been able to find a deal worth taking. However, with Blair out of the rotation and a replacement on the way in Baynes, San Antonio may lower their asking price."

There a couple of differences between Blair's situation last June and now. First off, Blair is a free agent after this summer, so the financial implications for whatever team trades for him. Second, the team that Kennedy writes was most interested in Blair, the Miami Heat, have a specific problem Blair could help with. The Heat are a really bad rebounding team right now. Blair might not be the ideal size, but he can rebound, is pretty good moving in the pick and roll and is an underrated passer. One problem is unlike last year, Miami doesn't own their own pick. They own Philadelphia's pick, but it's lottery protected for the next three years. Still, that could be something the Heat are willing to part with if they're not in love with this year's draft or they don't think Philly is going to make the playoffs.

Another team that could be looking for some extra help inside is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who just lost Anderson Varejao for a couple of months and own Miami's first round pick and Orlando's second round pick among other things. Other teams with extra first round picks include the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz. The point is, the Spurs will likely trade Blair for what will end up being a late first round pick or early second round pick.

Unless they package Blair with someone else, they're not going to get that elusive shot blocker you're all looking for. This is a time for them to stockpile assets for the future without giving up a player who is key to this season's title run. Blair's going to get moved, I'm pretty sure of it now. It's what best for him and the Spurs and I do think the Spurs want to do what's right by Blair, who's handled his inconsistent playing time this season pretty well, a few tweets not withstanding.

project spurs

[jezzyman05]

I might cry myself to sleep after every Houston game from now on. This is why I dreamt about Harden coming here. Can you imagine a Green, Harden, Leonard wing rotation. All the people who said Harden was nothing more than a third wheel need to take notice now. I know it is only two games, but a crazy to games it has been. And now, not only is he not a Spur but he will be creating havoc for us for the next 5 years.

I totally hear you I cry too I really really Harden here I would have totally sent Manu packing for Harden and anybody that knows me here know I am not a fan of Ginobili.....

[AlexTmz2]

NBA PM: Knicks or Lakers Signing Martin?
By Alex Kennedy
NBA Writer

The halfway point of the 2012-13 NBA season is approaching and yet Kenyon Martin remains unsigned. Around this time last year, Martin was coming back from a short stint in China after signing with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers during the lockout. When Martin returned, he visited with several teams and weighed a number of offers, and ultimately decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Now, there aren’t any offers for the 35-year-old Martin to consider. Over the offseason, several teams expressed interest in Martin including the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs. However, none of the teams offered a contract so Martin is still at home.

At first, sources blamed Martin’s unwillingness to sign for the veteran’s minimum as the reason why he wasn’t signed, but even since Martin has backed off of that stance he hasn’t been picked up. Some reports have even indicated that Martin would even be willing to sign a 10-day contract in an effort to prove that he can still bring something to the table for an NBA team.

If that is the case, it shouldn’t be long before someone takes a chance on Martin, particularly teams that are looking to improve their defense or rebounding. Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl, who coached Martin for seven years, recently described the power forward as “a bright player and one of the more dominating defenders I’ve ever coached.”

The New York Knicks have been linked to Martin most recently. They could certainly use a reserve big man since Rasheed Wallace has been sidelined with a stress reaction in his left foot and Amar’e Stoudemire’s minutes must be limited after he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. New York’s frontcourt is depleted and they’re relying heavily on Marcus Camby, 38, and Kurt Thomas, 40. Signing Martin on a 10-day contract would be a bargain and he would give the Knicks another solid interior defender and rebounder. Martin also has chemistry with several Knicks players, having played with Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby and Jason Kidd earlier in his career.

The Los Angeles Lakers are another team that may consider signing Martin. With Dwight Howard out indefinitely with a torn labrum, Pau Gasol out indefinitely with a concussion and Jordan Hill sidelined with a hip injury, the Lakers are down to Antawn Jamison and Robert Sacre in their frontcourt. They also have an open roster spot after recently waiving Darius Johnson-Odom. Los Angeles’ defense has been an issue all season and Martin may be able to help.

One of the main reasons that Martin is still a free agent is because he’s perceived as someone who is uncoachable and has a negative impact on a locker room. However, if you talk to the majority of players who have played with Martin, they’ll say that this is the furthest thing from the truth.

Last season, there were times when Martin grew frustrated with Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro and butted heads with him, but Martin wasn’t the only veteran on the team second-guessing the coach’s sometimes questionable decisions. Martin is an intense competitor and most his frustration came when he felt Del Negro was holding the team back, such as when he called an unnecessary timeout in the Clippers’ first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies and T.V. cameras picked up Martin yelling an expletive.

With that said, Martin didn’t have a problem with coming off of the bench for the Clippers and he was extremely productive in his limited minutes. He averaged 5.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, one block and one steal in 22.4 minutes. Martin was excellent for the Clippers on the defensive end and helped them win their first-round playoff series. The postseason is nothing new for Martin; he has been to the playoffs in 10 of his 12 seasons in the league and has played in a total of 100 postseason games.

At the end of the day, Martin is still someone who is capable of contributing on an NBA team and, if anything, he’ll be on his best behavior after being without a job and humbled for the first half of this season. He’s worth taking a chance on and it’s likely only a matter of time until he signs a contract.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-kni...igning-martin/

[AlexTmz2]

If i'm not mistaken, IversonIsKrazy is a big fan of Kenyon Martin.

[benjirh]

Our roster is full. Can't sign him now unless we make a trade.