Offseason thread... MLE,Draft, and all the other stuff...

Blame Rasho · Post #201 » by **Blame Rasho** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:44 am

Blame Rasho wrote:More bad news for Batum... I see his stock dropping.

Draftexpress has him going in the 2nd round...

and they have us taking Ryan Anderson... jeez... another Matt Bonner... :roll:

Ballings7 · Post #202 » by **Ballings7** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 3:17 am

I doubt we'll take Anderson...

Ballings7 · Post #203 » by **Ballings7** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:01 am

-Serge Ibaka is in the United States, working out for NBA teams, sources told DraftExpress. Citing exhaustion, Ibaka initially decided to head straight back home to Barcelona after the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso, but has changed his mind and worked out Sunday for the Utah Jazz. He also has workouts scheduled with the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday and San Antonio Spurs on Monday (with Ryan Anderson), which will also be attended by representatives of the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Seattle Supersonics and New Orleans Hornets. Ibaka is expected to be drafted anywhere from 23 to the early portion of the second round, depending on how he’s viewed by teams. If taken in the first round, he will likely stay overseas for one or two more years, as his contract is extremely flexible.

Well, I don't know about Ibaka with that overseas stuff...

-Sasha Kaun signed a 3-year contract with CSKA Moscow, as released on their their official website this weekend. Kaun may end up being the highest paid player on the Kansas Jayhawk championship team, as his salary will be similar to that of a late lottery pick next season. He has not shut the door on playing in the NBA down the road, as he has a comfortable buyout after the second year of his contract, which may even make him more attractive to a team drafting in the late second round.

That's great for Kaun. He's going to have a nice pro career.

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonathan-Givony/

Blame Rasho · Post #204 » by **Blame Rasho** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:30 pm

Kaun has a Russian passport and that helps out alot.

Blame Rasho · Post #205 » by **Blame Rasho** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 5:25 pm

Via Chad Ford... in his last mock draft..

San Antonio

Ante Tomic
Position: C
Height: 7-2
Weight: 237
Age: 21
Country: Croatia

The skinny: The Spurs got burned by Tiago Splitter (their 2007 first-round pick), but that won't stop them from grabbing Tomic here. His skills remind some of a young Pau Gasol. He needs to get stronger and continue developing, but this would be a value pick for them. And the good news for San Antonio is that Croatian teams don't pay nearly as much as Spanish teams.

The Spurs are also trying to move up into the mid-first round for a shot at Robin Lopez.

No chance that they draft Tomic in my opinion...

Looking at Lopez? Now that is interesting..

Ballings7 · Post #206 » by **Ballings7** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:39 pm

Blame Rasho wrote:Via Chad Ford... in his last mock draft..

San Antonio

Ante Tomic
Position: C
Height: 7-2
Weight: 237
Age: 21
Country: Croatia

The skinny: The Spurs got burned by Tiago Splitter (their 2007 first-round pick), but that won't stop them from grabbing Tomic here. His skills remind some of a young Pau Gasol. He needs to get stronger and continue developing, but this would be a value pick for them. And the good news for San Antonio is that Croatian teams don't pay nearly as much as Spanish teams.

The Spurs are also trying to move up into the mid-first round for a shot at Robin Lopez.

No chance that they draft Tomic in my opinion...

Looking at Lopez? Now that is interesting..

Would be quite happy getting Lopez

Don't think we'll draft Tomic

Chad's strange

Blame Rasho · Post #207 » by **Blame Rasho** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:17 pm

From insider chat...

terry: do the spurs go international again!?

SportsNation Fran Fraschilla: (4:29 PM ET ) Given the Spurs' history, it would surprise no one if they looked in that direction again. However one thing has changed the international landscape. Agents are discouraging teams from drafting their international players in the late first round because salaries are already slotted for each draft pick in the first round. And because the value of the dollar is so low in Europe right now, even the young, rising international stars can make much more money in Europe right now. The best bet for teams to draft the international players in the second round where they can monitor their progress and pay them accordingly 2-3 years from now. Remember, Manu Ginobli was taken very, very late in the draft.

SportsNation Fran Fraschilla: (4:30 PM ET ) If he's available, look for the Spurs to take a long look at 6-8 small forward Nicolas Batum, a 20-year-old from France.

the southern dandy · Post #208 » by **the southern dandy** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:49 am

At this stage I'm paying no attention because they seem to have less inside than the majority of posters here on the spurs board. The only way the Spurs take a big with number 26 is if a can't miss prospect drops to us, and I just dont see that happening.

Blame Rasho · Post #209 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:57 am

the southern dandy wrote:At this stage I'm paying no attention because they seem to have less inside than the majority of posters here on the spurs board. The only way the Spurs take a big with number 26 is if a can't miss prospect drops to us, and I just dont see that happening.

I agree... Anderson or Tomic??? on nbadraft and chad ford...

Ballings7 · Post #210 » by **Ballings7** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:36 am

Good news about Batum:

-Great news for Nicolas Batum—he’s been cleared to continue working out for NBA teams after a long day of extensive testing with one of the world’s top doctors in Cleveland. He is flying out to San Antonio to work out tomorrow, and then will be in Cleveland the following day. His agent Bouna Ndiaye tells us that he will be sending out the full medical report at 9:30 AM tomorrow to us and every NBA team.

-Speaking of Courtney Lee, basically every team representative we’ve spoken with has him going 22nd in their personal mock draft, heading to Orlando.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Wor ... g-Up-2940/

Blame Rasho · Post #211 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:58 pm

Good for him... I hope we can land him. An interesting fact is that he shares the same agent with Ian, and it would be wise for his agent to give the Spurs the 411 on Batum considering that it will make life easier for him when Ian's contract comes up.

Blame Rasho · Post #212 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:07 pm

Tibit from nbadraft net... saying that he is underrated...

Nicolas Batum (France)

In what is widely considered to be a weak international class, Batum is perhaps the most intriguing prospect of all the foreigners in this year’s draft.

Blessed with freakish athleticism and a 7-1 wingspan, the 6-8 Frenchman has ideal size and build to play on the wing. Due to his ridiculous vertical leap, Batum’s an extremely explosive finisher and is also able to elevate on his smooth jumpshot.

Nicolas has played at the highest level of European basketball, and has plenty of experience against big-time competition. Questions linger over his drive, assertiveness and aggressiveness, especially in big games. Then again, Rudy Gay was the subject of these very same criticisms when he was at UCONN.

At only 19 years old, Batum has a high ceiling and the potential to develop into a stat-sheet stuffing scoring machine. He's expected to be drafted in the late teens, and is definitely worth the gamble due to his upside.

With the recent heart concenrs, there's a chance that teams in the late teens and early 20's will shy away from him and he could slip all the way to the late first round. If this happens, a team like San Antonio could grab a tremendous steal.

Ballings7 · Post #213 » by **Ballings7** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:51 am

Be really nice to get him

Ballings7 · Post #214 » by **Ballings7** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:01 am

If we don't get to draft Batum, what about going after Shawne Williams? Big, young athletic three that has shown he can hit the three, defend, rebound some (and should get better), and play in the paint. He improved in his 2nd year from what I gathered, and was a contributor for Indiana... had a big game against Phoenix. Still a developing player with a good physical make-up.

Eric Gordon could suddenly be factoring into the Pacers' plans. Jamaal Tinsley, on the other hand, no longer does – and the same might be true of Shawne Williams. .

Williams was also singled out for tough talk from Bird. Asked about the status of the forward taken at No. 17 in the 2006 draft, Bird said, "He's on thin ice."

"I've had enough, really," Bird said, an apparent reference to Williams' past legal issues. "If we can look and do something, get something back, we'll probably do it. But he's on very thin ice here."

If Williams is on thin ice, Bird was asked, where does that leave Tinsley?

"Just right below him," Bird said.

http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/draft_080624.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/414 ... dNSTykvLYF

Pop and the vets would better him from what iffyness he's had/has.

Maybe something to look out for a bit later on. Not quite sure we could get him alone, but with another team, I think so.

Ballings7 · Post #215 » by **Ballings7** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:09 am

D.J. White (Indiana)

In recent years, the NBA Draft has produced a number of effective undersized power forwards that were selected in the second round. Brandon Bass, Craig Smith, Paul Millsap, Carl Landry, Leon Powe and Glen Davis are just some examples, and their solid play has clearly illustrated that smaller power forwards have a place in today’s NBA.

At 6-8, Indiana’s D.J. White is a quintessential undersized PF, and is a true second-round sleeper. White was fantastic in his final season at IU, averaging 17.4 points and an impressive 10.3 rebounds per game, which earned him 2nd team All-American honors.

As his statistics indicate, D.J. is an absolute terror on the glass, especially on the offensive end, where he averaged over three offensive boards a game last season.

White has three key attributes that define good undersized NBA power forwards: great strength, a long 7 ft. wingspan and a tremendous motor. He also has a solid set of post moves, and possesses a nice mid range game, particularly from the baseline.

White has had injury problems in the past, and durability is certainly something to consider. But, if he can remain healthy, White should be an excellent choice in the second round for a team looking for a physical frontcourt player who can give good minutes off the bench.

http://www.nbadraft.net/node/1232

Always have liked White quite a bit going back to last year. Maybe White can be our Millsap/Maxiell/Bass/Powe big off the bench (and would if we picked him)... as has been mentioned, if not him, there's also Hendrix possibly.

Blame Rasho · Post #216 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:53 pm

I am disgusted... by this thought.

The skinny: [Updated 6/25] Lots of buzz that the Spurs have committed to Cal's sweet- shooting forward Anderson with the No. 26 pick. He should be able to stretch the defense the way Robert Horry used to.

Blame Rasho · Post #217 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:00 pm

Draftexpress,Chad Ford, has Anderson as our first round pick as of today. NBA draft net has in the past week pegged him to us as well. :roll:

Blame Rasho · Post #218 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:28 pm

Draftexpress has Chamlbers,Thompson,Walker, and Hardin...

Chad Ford has Batum,Jordan,CDR, and Lee after us...

****... what are they or the Spurs thinking...

Blame Rasho · Post #219 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:15 pm

Via Yahoo...

At No. 21, the Nets could break San Antonio and New Orleans’ hearts and take Cal shooter Ryan Anderson or opt for J.J. Hickson.

I hope it is smoke screen.

Ballings7 · Post #220 » by **Ballings7** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:09 pm

Well, Anderson would be good in the sense that he can shoot well out to three... but it's questionable how everything else translates to the NBA... I think.

But c'mon now, I can't see us taking Anderson over more athletic and versatile players around at #26. If that would be the case, simply have to get an athletic player in the 2nd round.

That's like draft.net and ESPN (Chad Ford, at least) predicting the Kings could well take Hibbert or Chalmers in some form, being top favorites... I think they're just trying to be unique, get attention, and look good if it happens.

The Nets do need shooting.

Blame Rasho wrote:Chad Ford has Batum,Jordan,CDR, and Lee after us...

Which is why he's Chad Ford. If that clown, thinks were passing up Batum, then Lee, then CDR for Anderson? Get the **** off, Chad Ford.