San Antonio Spurs Offseason thread

Originally posted by dobophile:
For what it's worth, Chad Forde thinks the Spurs are the most improved team in the NBA.

Others:

Celtics #6. Magic #7. Cavs #9.

Lakers #23.

go spurs!

Originally posted by Jigga:

Originally posted by GameOver:
Popovich: 'If We Don't Win, I Should Be Fired'
Jul 19, 2009 8:05 PM EST

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich likes the moves the team has made so far this offseason.

"If we don't win it, I should probably be fired," Popovich told NBA.com.

However, he added that the Spurs will only go as far a healthy Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili next season.

The guy is as passionate a basketball coach as you're gonna find. I envy you Spurs' fans...you monotonous bunch of "fundamentally sound" jerkwads

I used to hate Pop for firing Bob Hill. The Spurs were struggling because David Robinson was hurt, and Pop punished Hill. Pop took over, lost a ton of games, got lucky in the offseason and drafted Tim Duncan, David Robinson returned, and the rest is history.

He's a great coach, in the mold of Larry Brown, but I get a feeling his ego won't allow him to coach after Duncan retires. I don't think Pop can handle losing with a rebuilding team.

I'm still having a hard time coping with the end of the Pistons era. They'd been declining for a couple years, and the AI/Billups trade was disastrous. But it's still sad.

The 2004 Finals dismantling of the Lakers was delicious. The 2005 Finals was the height of my enjoyment of the NBA. That's how basketball was meant to be played.

Originally posted by dobophile:
I'm still having a hard time coping with the end of the Pistons era. They'd been declining for a couple years, and the AI/Billups trade was disastrous. But it's still sad.

The 2004 Finals dismantling of the Lakers was delicious. The 2005 Finals was the height of my enjoyment of the NBA. That's how basketball was meant to be played.

It's just not the same when they aren't tearing up the East.
Double Manu, leave Horry open. Sweet.

Originally posted by pantstickle:

Originally posted by dobophile:
I'm still having a hard time coping with the end of the Pistons era. They'd been declining for a couple years, and the AI/Billups trade was disastrous. But it's still sad.

The 2004 Finals dismantling of the Lakers was delicious. The 2005 Finals was the height of my enjoyment of the NBA. That's how basketball was meant to be played.

It's just not the same when they aren't tearing up the East.
Double Manu, leave Horry open. Sweet.

The Pistons and the Spurs were like kindred teams. They were variations on the same basic theme: strong teamwork and solid defense, a balance of talent and veteran smarts, and brutal efficiency.

The Pistons were my Eastern Conference team. I think a lot of Spurs fans would agree.

Originally posted by dobophile:
I'm still having a hard time coping with the end of the Pistons era. They'd been declining for a couple years, and the AI/Billups trade was disastrous. But it's still sad.

The 2004 Finals dismantling of the Lakers was delicious. The 2005 Finals was the height of my enjoyment of the NBA. That's how basketball was meant to be played.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by dobophile:
I'm still having a hard time coping with the end of the Pistons era. They'd been declining for a couple years, and the AI/Billups trade was disastrous. But it's still sad.

The 2004 Finals dismantling of the Lakers was delicious. The 2005 Finals was the height of my enjoyment of the NBA. That's how basketball was meant to be played.

Oh, right, I nearly forgot.

SHOWTIME, BABY!

Theo Ratliff?

Originally posted by dobophile:
Theo Ratliff?

The answer is no.

Originally posted by pantstickle:

Originally posted by dobophile:
Theo Ratliff?

The answer is no.

Still available, though. My friend thinks he'd be perfect because the Spurs need a shotblocker.

I don't know. That's a lot of big men.

http://twitter.com/DonHarris4WOAI

Quote:

Breaking News!! Just confirmed Spurs sign Theo Ratliff. 36 yr old Big who can still block shots. Will b #3 center. Bad news for Ian Mahinmi?

I think there will be a trade. A 2 for 1.

Bonner might be gone.

Originally posted by dobophile:
I think there will be a trade. A 2 for 1.

Bonner might be gone.

I guess it's not as bad as I originally thought. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

Originally posted by pantstickle:

Originally posted by dobophile:
I think there will be a trade. A 2 for 1.

Bonner might be gone.

I guess it's not as bad as I originally thought. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

FWIW, I think it's a good move. Duncan's your only shot-blocker, and that's not something that McDyess brings. Ratliff can't stay healthy, but when he's on the court he's still an excellent shot blocker/changer.

While I like what the Spurs have done, the likely reality is that they're gonna have to go through the Lakers in order to get to the Finals. And when I look at your roster, the first thing that comes to mind is "who guards Kobe"? I think you'll struggle with the Lakers until that question can be kinda-sorta answered.

Who will guard Kobe? Some combination of RJ, Hairston, and Hill. I'm more concerned about Gasol and Odom, frankly.

The key is to keep Kobe shooting. Take everyone else out of the game.