Trade bait...do we have it?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I'd be all over it if the Spurs somehow could end up with a roster like:
PG: Tony Parker, Jacques Vaughn
SG: Sasha Vujacic, Brent Barry
SF: Tayshaun Prince, Bruce Bowen/Ime Udoka
PF: Tim Duncan, Ian Mahinmi, Matt Bonner
C: Fab Oberto, Kurt Thomas

That's 11 guys. Fill out the rest of the roster with FAs. To achieve this, I'm counting as GONE:
Robert Horry
Michael Finley
Manu Ginobili
Bruce Bowen/Ime Udoka
rights to Tiago Splitter
1st and (1 or possibly both) 2nd round draft picks this year

However the deals are structured, I think that we're giving up enough assets to acquire the assets I indicate. Perhaps Detroit trades Prince for Manu straight up. Then the Lakers sign Sasha and trade him to us for some combination of Bowen/Udoka, the rights to Splitter, our 1st round pick and possibly a 2nd round pick. That leaves a 2nd round pick to sweeten either deal or use ourselves. That's getting way more value out of the draft than the Spurs usually do.

Damn, that's awful.

[sasaint]

[/quote]Personally, I think those trades are unrealistic because...

Manu's contract is not THAT bad. In fact, considering what he has done and what he can still do, he's probably a bargain (even at that salary). So, unless you get a guy that can take over offensively like Manu can, one that can play his best when it matters most and knows how to lead his team to victory (this is all based on what he can do when healthy), why would you make that trade? Furthermore, Manu has achieved a status on the history of this team that will have his jersey retired someday. He's still in his prime. The fan reaction factor to removing a beloved player is not taken lightly by this team. Geez, look at the reaction to Malik Rose getting traded as an example. You would think he was an all-NBA player or something the way people reacted. Luckily that trade worked out nicely because Malik was redundent and had a fat contract. Manu is NOT redundent (we need MORE Manu types, not fewer) and can't be replaced easily. The threesome of TP, TD and Manu is someting that has taken time to solidfy as a true "big three" that has won multiple titles.

Lakers... we just played them in the WCF. When do WCF opponents go into the offseason and try to work a trade to help each other get passed the other?[/quote]

I never suggested that Manu's contract was bad, or that he was not valuable. I started by saying if you want to get value you have to give value (unless you're the Lakers). You are certainly right-on in noting how trading popular players from ANY team is very iffy. THAT is ultimately why Manu will be with the Spurs until HE decides to leave. AGAIN, I am addressing the issue of whether we have trade bait. YES we do. I suggested a couple of ways that I think the team could improve itself OVER ALL. Will either get done? NO. BUT, the SPURS had better start thinking a great deal more creatively than they have and start maximizing their assets, or they are will become also-rans PRONTO.

[SMRattler]

I think my position is the core three is still good enough (more than just good enough) to win a title. The role players need to be changed. Some tough decisions need to be made there. Not with the core.

[sasaint]

BLAME RASHO: Yes, I understand WHY Scola was dumped. My point was that they DID a deal with a team in the division. It happens - not often - but it does happen. And by getting absolutely nothing in return, the SPURS did a deal that essentially benefitted only the other team, a team in their own division. They might have just as well renounced his rights or traded him to Milwaukee for Oscar Robertson's contract - like the Dallas-Jersey deal, involving Keith Van Horn's "contract."

[sasaint]

I think my position is the core three is still good enough (more than just good enough) to win a title. The role players need to be changed. Some tough decisions need to be made there. Not with the core.

I love Timmy and Tony. I'm less in love with Manu. But they are about the second best big 3 in the NBA. My position is simply that the Spurs have not shown any ability to maximize assets. They aren't the least interested in drafting and developing talent or making a trade to really improve. Unless they get uncharacteristically creative, this team will slide pretty quickly into mediocrity as Timmy ages, and then rebuilding a declining team in a small market and without a Hall-of-Famer becomes VERY tricky. Once Timmy goes and the team doesn't achieve the same level of success, how much will the culture change?

[Black_Jack21]

Amazing how underappreciated the 6th man of the year is to you.
Ginobili at stages during this year was the best SG in the league, he had an injury during the WCF and you want him out?
Some fan you are...

[Blame Rasho]

Amazing how underappreciated the 6th man of the year is to you.
Ginobili at stages during this year was the best SG in the league, he had an injury during the WCF and you want him out?
Some fan you are...

What do you think of Batum?

[Black_Jack21]

I would love to see batum on this team, hopfully he falls to us, Tony and Ian would really help him fit in.
He has the possibility of being in the top 10 taken in this draft.
Why?

[UDRIH14]

barry, finley, horry, bonner, vaughn,
LLE + MLE + TE
2009 3 picks in the 2nd round

Bonner + vaughn + TE contracts combined could get us back a player whose earning near the MLE...6th man or role player.....

horry....we can always sign and trade him...probably to houston close to his daughter and family if there is something we want from the rockets, after using us as guinea pigs over batum.

barry + finley and picks...go back to the table with the bulls...see if the trade that nearly happened last season is it still on teh table....

spend the MLE this year imo on a wing player...guys we should look at signin are in no order
artest, childress, JRsmith, kalenna, duhorn,

PS. we can not absorb a contract going pass 2010, thats the year we are in the sweepstakes for either lebron/wade/cb4 sweepstakes free agency, we have enough to sign 1 player to a +10m a year contract......

[Raptors90102]

barry, finley, horry, bonner, vaughn,
LLE + MLE + TE
2009 3 picks in the 2nd round

Bonner + vaughn + TE contracts combined could get us back a player whose earning near the MLE...6th man or role player.....

horry....we can always sign and trade him...probably to houston close to his daughter and family if there is something we want from the rockets, after using us as guinea pigs over batum.

barry + finley and picks...go back to the table with the bulls...see if the trade that nearly happened last season is it still on teh table....

spend the MLE this year imo on a wing player...guys we should look at signin are in no order
artest, childress, JRsmith, kalenna, duhorn,

PS. we can not absorb a contract going pass 2010, thats the year we are in the sweepstakes for either lebron/wade/cb4 sweepstakes free agency, we have enough to sign 1 player to a +10m a year contract......

I don't think you guys will have enough money to be in the sweepstakes. The reason is, The salary cap will be around 61 million. Also, Duncan and TP will be making a combined 33 mill that year. Manu's caphold alone will be 16 million making it a total of 49 million dollars in committed salary. Plus you;d have other contracted players on the roster as well (you can't choose to live without signing players for the next 2 season if you still want to compete ). So lets make it another 10 million totalling to 59 million. The only way you get enough cap space is if you renounce Manu's bird rights clearing 16 million. And then you go after LBJ/Wade/Bosh/Melo etc. But this essentially means that you'd lose Manu for good if you end up signing anyone of the above mentioned players. Another way could be resign Manu to a cheap deal (7 million per?) as soon as the FA period begins.. which would leave your total salaries to around 50 Million. Still not enough to land one of those big names. The only way to have a legit shot at them is to renounce Manu or play the next couple of years with guys with short contracts or minimum contracts as your supporting cast, which I would highly doubt is the way to contend.

[co_laper]

There is no way San Antonio is trading Manu. There's 4 guys on this team that I think Pop will forever make untouchable unless they themselves asked to be traded. These 4 guys will likely get their numbers retired by the Spurs when their time is up.

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Tony Parker.