UPDATE: Spurs land Kurt Thomas

GJense4181 · Post #41 » by **GJense4181** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:34 am

A trade for Krstic would set us up quite nicely for the long-term if we extended him this upcoming summer. We would have to waive one of or do a two-for-one trade with Hunter, Murray, Hayes, Hermann, Brezec, and/or Samb before getting him, though.

2007-2008 Under Contract Depth Chart ("true" positions)
Billups/Stuckey/Hunter*/Murray*
Hamilton/Afflalo
Prince/Hayes*
McDyess/Maxiell/Johnson/Hermann*
Wallace/Krstic/Brezec*/Samb*

2008-2009
Billups/Stuckey
Hamilton/Afflalo
Prince
McDyess/Maxiell/Johnson
Wallace/Krstic/Samb*

2009-2010
Billups/Stuckey (TO)
Hamilton/Afflalo (TO)
Prince
McDyess/Maxiell (QO)/Johnson
Krstic

2010-2011
Billups/Stuckey (TO)
Afflalo (TO)
Prince

Krstic

So as you can see, even if we fail to re-sign or extend anybody besides Krstic (Rasheed, Hamilton, Maxiell), we are still left with a solid 5-man core, not including draft picks. Our nine-man rotation in 10-11 could very well be:
Stuckey/Billups
Hamilton/Afflalo and Stuckey
Prince/Afflalo
Johnson/Maxiell
Krstic/08 draft pick and Maxiell

Hunter · Post #42 » by **Hunter** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:39 am

I like this move MUCH better than the Artest one. Nice pickup for SA. IF anybody thought they'd fallen behind the likes of Phx & LA with their recent moves this puts SA right back into the mix. Still the best defensive team in the league, but with an even stronger frontline.

Liqourish · Post #43 » by **Liqourish** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:46 am

We would have to waive one of or do a two-for-one trade with Hunter, Murray, Hayes, Hermann, Brezec, and/or Samb before getting him, though.

why?

We have 15 players, if we traded Flip + 1st for Krstic, we'd have an open spot for him. I don't see why we would have to waive anyone to swap one player a piece.

Hunter · Post #44 » by **Hunter** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:46 am

Panty Raider wrote:I am hearing this sort of logic quite a bit as of late. I personally do not subscribe to that line of thought. I believe that the more tough opponents a team has to go through the better prepared from an execution and focus standpoint they are.

The Cave drew an easy path last season while the western teams beat up on one another. The end result was the Cavs getting annihilated in embarrassing fashion in the NBA finals.

That is certainly not something I would aspire to.

The goal is to win it all, not to win the east. This team, as currently comprised is not going to win it all (IMO).

I sure hope that Dumars realizes this and places his chances in the expiring contract robbery trend and not just count on making it to the Finals and hoping for a miracle (anything can happen) as most are doing.

The Cavs got swept because they were a vastly inferior team. That doesn't mean that playing long, tough, physical series doesn't take it's toll. Look at the Pistons in '05 when they had to play back to back 7 game series then went into SA and laid a couple of eggs. Or hell, even look at the Lakers in '04 when they came in beat up, worn down and injured. There are still plenty of people who believe that a healthy Malone makes a difference in that series.

And I agree we are probably not going to win it all as currently contsructed, but I also don't see any reasonable move out there that would put us over the top. At least not without putting us into the same sort of position that Miami currently finds itself in after selling out to win it all.

If there is a minor move to be made that can at least strengthen our chances I'm all for it. But if you are looking for a major shakeup, it's just not going to happen and if you are looking for something that will magically catapult us from remote contendor status to favorite, well, you are probably S.O.L.

GJense4181 · Post #45 » by **GJense4181** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:52 am

^But if you ask Miami fans, they would say that the Shaq trade was ENTIRELY worth it, which I find silly.
I'm (not) sorry, but I simply cannot excuse my team winning less than a fifth of its games. Ever. Even if a championship preceded the catastrophic season.

Hunter · Post #46 » by **Hunter** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:58 am

GJense4181 wrote:^But if you ask Miami fans, they would say that the Shaq trade was ENTIRELY worth it, which I find silly.
I'm (not) sorry, but I simply cannot excuse my team winning less than a fifth of its games. Ever. Even if a championship preceded the catastrophic season.

I'd rather be a 50+ win team year in and year out and know that while we may not be favorites we'll be in the mix. And hope that at least one or two times during that run we'll manage to come through.

IMO Miami was lucky to even get the 1 ring they did. They had plenty of "help" along the way. And now they are paying for it big time. I want no part of that.

Liqourish · Post #47 » by **Liqourish** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:22 am

Hunter wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I'd rather be a 50+ win team year in and year out and know that while we may not be favorites we'll be in the mix. And hope that at least one or two times during that run we'll manage to come through.

IMO Miami was lucky to even get the 1 ring they did. They had plenty of "help" along the way. And now they are paying for it big time. I want no part of that.

QFT.... if we had to experience games like last night and tonight, everynight....

I'd rather know my team could win any game and go deep in the playoffs each year than be the Miami Heat right now.

Greyhound · Post #48 » by **Greyhound** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:28 am

Hunter wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

The Cavs got swept because they were a vastly inferior team. That doesn't mean that playing long, tough, physical series doesn't take it's toll. Look at the Pistons in '05 when they had to play back to back 7 game series then went into SA and laid a couple of eggs. Or hell, even look at the Lakers in '04 when they came in beat up, worn down and injured. There are still plenty of people who believe that a healthy Malone makes a difference in that series.

And I agree we are probably not going to win it all as currently contsructed, but I also don't see any reasonable move out there that would put us over the top. At least not without putting us into the same sort of position that Miami currently finds itself in after selling out to win it all.

If there is a minor move to be made that can at least strengthen our chances I'm all for it. But if you are looking for a major shakeup, it's just not going to happen and if you are looking for something that will magically catapult us from remote contendor status to favorite, well, you are probably S.O.L.

Malarkey

The Cavs were the best team the east had to offer and they were obliterated. However many qualifiers needing to be added to rationalize their performance does not change that fact.

When the Pistons won it all they went through wars to get to the finals. They went 7 games with the (then two time reigning eastern conference champion) New Jersey Nets in the eastern conference semis, then took the top seeded team in the league, the Indiana Pacers, to six hard fought games in the conference finals.

The Pistons learned a lot about themselves on that tough run through the east. They learned that they could perform with their backs against the wall (elimination game 6 in NJ). They became the team they are today on that run through the east. That was the turning point for this particular team (IMO).

The next season the grueling trek still had the Pistons one mental mistake from Rasheed Wallace away from winning back-to-back ships'.

I am a believer in trial by fire. I subscribe to beating the best in order to elevate yourself beyond their greatness.
Nothing is learned and character cannot be gained by stomping on a patsy. That may get you through the sea of patsies but at some point the gut check deficit will manifest itself as the bar rises (the Celtics, the west).

Note: Flip in particular I believe needs that gut check. When the going gets tough he is the first to fold.

-----------

The Lakers were banged up because they were banged up, not because they were going through a more grueling trek to the finals. Injuries do not have preference for quality of competition. You can twist an ankle just as well against the Bobcats as you can against the Spurs.

ElectricMayhem · Post #49 » by **ElectricMayhem** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:29 am

So correct me if I'm wrong, but all in all this is what having Kurt Thomas amounted to for the Sonics:

Outgoing: 2nd Round Draft Pick

Incoming: 3 1st Round Draft Picks
Francisco Elson
Brent Barry

Hunter · Post #50 » by **Hunter** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:39 am

Panty Raider wrote:The Cavs were the best team the east had to offer and they were obliterated. However many qualifiers needing to be added to rationalize their performance does not change that fact.

The Spurs were not the better team because they had a tougher path to the Finals. They the better team because they had better players and a better coach. Put the Spurs in the East and they still make the Finals but are probably better rested than whoever they would have had to face, and I assure you it would not be a team of the Cavs caliber

Put the Cavs in the West and they aren't better prepared for having "gone through the fire". They are eliminated in the 1st round.

Anyway, we disagree on this point and that's fine. You have your view and I have mine. :dontknow:

BadMofoPimp · Post #51 » by **BadMofoPimp** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:40 am

Elson, Barry and (1) 2009 Draft Pick. Thus, good trade for the Spurs. I always admired the dude. Personally, I wish the Magic got him as a Piston fan living in Orlando. Would have been fun to watch some competition down here come playoff time.

nasty daddy · Post #52 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:01 am

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/ ... TE=DEFAULT

The San Antonio Spurs acquired veteran forward Kurt Thomas from the Seattle SuperSonics on Wednesday night for guard Brent Barry, center Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round draft pick.

The 6-foot-9 Thomas, in his 13th NBA season, gives the defending NBA champions much-needed size to complement Tim Duncan. In 42 games with the SuperSonics, the former Texas Christian star averaged 7.5 points and 8.8 rebounds."We need things that they don't and they need things that may not fit here right now," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "Hopefully the addition of Kurt will strengthen our playoff push."

Sonics general manager Sam Presti moved forward with the trade mostly for the draft pick. Seattle has 13 draft picks over the next three years, including six in the first round - two each season."Looking at the first-round pick, in combination with our other future picks, we have great flexibility to add to our core or acquire another impact player in the future," Presti said. "At the same time, Kurt is a tremendous person and player, and I appreciate his contributions this season and wish him success."

triplet1984 · Post #53 » by **triplet1984** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:42 am

goddamn Spurs. I officially hate them. what a perfect pickup. Big Man who can rebound and play defense. Boy i wish we had him.

Roscoe Sheed · Post #54 » by **Roscoe Sheed** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:28 am

they should push for Barry to get bought out so they can bring him back. He makes big 3s

bstein14 · Post #55 » by **bstein14** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:33 am

Roscoe Sheed wrote:they should push for Barry to get bought out so they can bring him back. He makes big 3s

No, we should trade expirings of Brezec and Flip Murray + a second rounder for Barry...

He'd be a better backup SF than Hayes.

Roscoe Sheed · Post #56 » by **Roscoe Sheed** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:34 am

bstein14 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

No, we should trade expirings of Brezec and Flip Murray + a second rounder for Barry...

He'd be a better backup SF than Hayes.

problem is that he's got a bum calf

laxation26 · Post #57 » by **laxation26** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:37 am

Krstic is injured from everything I have heard. Not terribly injured, but injured enough to hamper how he plays and the amount of minutes he can play.

He also missed most of, if not all of the preseason with his injury...

Id love to have him here, but apparently NJ is pretty high on him.

Phobo_Phile · Post #58 » by **Phobo_Phile** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:45 pm

What a bad week to be a Detroit basketball fan.

My girl Swin Cash gets traded. (Not like I even care about WNBA basketball, but I love banners that say "Detroit" on them, and Swin is just finer then hell.

We get blownout by the 2 teams in the league I would consistently call our whipping boys.

Now the player I wanted most towards the deadline, goes to the only team I fear. Crap.

Low-Ki · Post #59 » by **Low-Ki** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:22 pm

Swin was traded at her behest as she didn't get along with Laimbeer anymore. Also she reunites with her college teammate - I believe they were part of the UCONN undefeated juggernaut back in the day. Shock get the 4th overall pick - not a bad deal considering Swin was coming off the bench, or was at least marginalized in the Shock gameplan.

Liqourish · Post #60 » by **Liqourish** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:41 pm

Still hurts to lose Swin, especially after trading Ruth Riley to San Antonio, losing Katie Feenstra to the expension draft and trading Ivory Latta away for #18 draft pick and LaToya Thomas who can hopefully fill some of Swin's shoes.

Laimbeer is stockpiling draft picks though, so hopefully he has something up his sleeve. If all the free agents re-sign we are looking at...

K. Smith/S. Johnson
D. Nolan
L. Thomas/T. Smith
C. Ford/P. Pierson
K. Braxton/T. Mills

with #4, #11, #18, #28, #42 in the draft.

Back to the topic though, Joe D is smart, if there is a deal that blantantly helps us, he'll do it... but he won't make a move just to say he made a move. Swapping scrubs who'll be benched in the playoffs don't really help the team.