RealGM

Well we've already kinda started on this topic in the lockout thread so I thought i'd make us an offical thread to discuss free agency in to avoid any confusion.

As most of you know we have to 2 major needs and 1 minor need. The major needs being help at SF and interior defense. The minor need is a backup PG.

Free agency starts December 9th, but GM's have already been cleared to start talking to agents.

Anndd go!

Well, we have to make a respectable signing in one, if not both of those areas in the way of a veteran.

Players I definitey would like as options...

Kwame Brown
Josh Howard
Caron Butler
Tayshaun Prince
Shane Battier
Samuel Dalembert
Jeff Foster (obviously age has brought him down to a degree, but he's still one of the best defensive bigs and hustle players in the league)
Kris Humphries
Joey Dorsey
Josh Powell
Jason Smith (bigger, better more athletic Bonner and Ryan Anderson)
Shelden Williams
Solomon Jones

I'd list Chuck Hayes, and while his positional defense would be great, but he provides insignificant help defending the rim. He and Splitter wouldn't be bad, but better could of been done in the case of shoring things up on adding an interior defender.

All assuming Jefferson's exiting in some way for the SFs, of course... but most of those guys probably have us as 2nd tier options for teams they'll strongly consider. I'd bet that Battier, Prince, and Dalembert are not looking at SA seriously.


Regardless of who is or isn't signed, we do have two intriguing athletic, young players with nice size in Splitter and Leonard for SF and C. So, one of them really helping to fill the void is important, and at least one of them should be making an impact this season. Ideally both, though, and I think that really can happen. Especially since we kind of don't have anything to lose in letting them get settled in more and play regular, significant minutes. With Splitter it's basically mandatory on all factors.

I really feel Leonard's activity and athleticism on both ends is going to get him relevant in the rotation, pretty quickly.

I'd really like for us to make a veteran signing of a defensive big, in some form, regardless of anything. We can't just have Splitter for defensive size supporting Duncan, especially at this point in Tim's career. Really since 2009, and no team should just have one big man in support of the primary big man with some length defending the paint. If not, then it's like a semi-weakness.

http://www.insidehoops.com/free-agents.shtml

A guy I really want is Josh McRoberts. Athletic big that can shoot and block shots. He's so underrated and he'd be a good fit here.

I haven't seen much of him, but have heard he's developed into the NBA pretty well... he'd be a nice option at PF/C. I always remember reading he's got some passing game that is notable.

Frankly, none of the free-agent big men intrigue me enough to hope for signing them. I am not as high on Dalembert as some other guys and I don't see who could be had for a reasonable amount. As a matter of fact, a D-League center might be a better option for the minimum - someone like Chris Hunter who played for the Warriors a couple of seasons ago when they were really short-handed. Another option could be talking Antonio McDyess out of retirement to use him in some games and play Splitter a lot more than last season.

On the other hand, reports that we are interested in guys like Caron Butler and Tayshaun Prince make me think we might use the amnesty on Richard Jefferson which is a very risky move considering they still have to pay him and there is no guarantee whoever is signed makes us that much better overnight. I guess we'll have to wait and see...

I think the only way we get any worse over night is if with the space cleared by waiving RJ they sign me.
I'm 6'0, 150 odd pounds and no jumpshot to speak of...

Black_Jack21 wrote:I think the only way we get any worse over night is if with the space cleared by waiving RJ they sign me.
I'm 6'0, 150 odd pounds and no jumpshot to speak of...

Have they contacted you already?

I meant that besides paying Butler or Prince or whoever we sign the MLE money, we'll owe Jefferson around 10 mil per year even though he'll be playing for another team and that's what will put the entire decision in the spotlight. And if the new signing doesn't make us better immediately, the decision will be criticized even more. I guess I should elaborate that making us better will not be up to simply replacing Jefferson with another player but also taking into account the advancing age of our main core. Thus, adding a better player might not be the only thing needed for us to become a better team. Fit will be even more important than in Jefferson's case.

Well looks like Butlers off the board, he got 3 years 24 million from the Clippers. Thats just an awful deal thats going to haunt the Clippers.

Ballings7 wrote:Well, we have to make a respectable signing in one, if not both of those areas in the way of a veteran.

Players I definitey would like as options...

Kwame Brown
Josh Howard
Jeff Foster (obviously age has brought him down to a degree, but he's still one of the best defensive bigs and hustle players in the league)
Kris Humphries
Joey Dorsey
Josh Powell
Jason Smith (bigger, better more athletic Bonner and Ryan Anderson)
Shelden Williams
Solomon Jones

Caron Butler
Tayshaun Prince
Shane Battier
Samuel Dalembert
Chuck Hayes

All off or basically will be, off the market.

With Howard off the market that leaves us with AK47 and James Posey as the only decent options at SF left.

I'm still suprised Dalembert is out there, but I doubt we're after him even though we should be.

We really have done Duncan a diservice with helping him as he's slowed down. That's all I'll say until things change significantly.

Ballings7 wrote:We really have done Duncan a diservice with helping him as he's slowed down. That's all I'll say until things change significantly.

Totally agree with you.

I'm pissed that we haven't been more active in free agency. We need to add some depth, this season is going to be rough on us with the compacted schedule. So we need to add some bodies that can help give Duncan and Manu some nights off. So unless Buford is secretly planning on tanking I don't get what the hell he's doing.

Nolan wrote:

Ballings7 wrote:We really have done Duncan a diservice with helping him as he's slowed down. That's all I'll say until things change significantly.

Totally agree with you.

I'm pissed that we haven't been more active in free agency. We need to add some depth, this season is going to be rough on us with the compacted schedule. So we need to add some bodies that can help give Duncan and Manu some nights off. So unless Buford is secretly planning on tanking I don't get what the hell he's doing.

There isn't one difference maker that out there that we can get thru FA at either C or SG from what I gather. We need some bodies. Hell... our offseason has consisted of getting Ford, and um... no one else. Arg...

Yi Jianlian or Brandan Wright or Kyrylo Fesenko... we need a project big.

Andrei Kirilenko is out there... maybe for MLE?

Ballings7 wrote:We really have done Duncan a diservice with helping him as he's slowed down. That's all I'll say until things change significantly.

I tend to agree, but I don't believe it's for lack of effort. I just don't think there are enough decent bigs out there, and at the price that we're willing/able to pay. Plus it's tough to sell SA to prospective FA.

Spurs FO has proved over time that they put in the work to secure players that everyone else missed or passed on. Manu drafted late in 1999, TP late in the 1st round, Neal undrafted, took Blair when some projected him as a lottery pick etc etc. They've made some mistakes but for the most part have surrounded Duncan with great players.

Blame Rasho wrote:Andrei Kirilenko is out there... maybe for MLE?

He might be the best option available for the MLE.

Blame Rasho wrote:Yi Jianlian or Brandan Wright or Kyrylo Fesenko... we need a project big.

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Brandon Wright. He was great in his one year at UNC but I have no idea what happened to him in the NBA.

Nolan wrote:

Blame Rasho wrote:Yi Jianlian or Brandan Wright or Kyrylo Fesenko... we need a project big.

I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Brandon Wright. He was great in his one year at UNC but I have no idea what happened to him in the NBA.

Injuries... He is like still 210 lbs