I understand wanting to keep Splitter in the fold if you are projecting pairing him next to Aldridge. I mean that's a pretty complimentary front court with those two guys playing next to eachother but keeping Tiago long-term and planning on replacing Tim with some mid tier PF to pair next to Splitter doesn't sound to promising long-term.

There's certainly might be a scenario in which maybe the Spurs can try to get Aldrige/Afflalo? from Portland in a deal which involves Green/Fillers/Picks or something like that. Seems lopsided at the moment but there are other scenarios in which something like that could happen and allow the Spurs to keep a frontcourt of Aldirdge/Splitter once Duncan retires.

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I do think Splitters numbers are inflated on defense though due to playing with Duncan and Kawhi and the Spurs system.

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To use football terminology, during the 2014 playoffs, they put him on an island with Aldridge, Nowitski, and Bosh, and he held his own and then some.

Splitter:
-is a top-notch defender,
-is for some reason convinced that's he's 6'3 when he's playing offense (right down to the PG passing abilities), and
-has a suddenly alarming injury history.

I think that's a pretty fair assessment.

I think the injuries to Tiago is arguably the biggest reason for the Spurs demise this year. I understand the skepticism surrounding him, even myself has doubts but he's been very important to this Spurs team the last couple years and has played well. Injuries happen, it just happens that he gets injured a lot. While I would prefer to keep Splitter on the team, I don't hesitate to get rid of him if it means bringing in someone like Aldridge.

I do believe Aldridge will be the player the Spurs pursue hardest this off-season.

You have to take people that want to come and that you can afford.

We need post help/depth and we need Parker's replacement if Parker is done.

I think Gasol is the ideal post player for the Spurs and I don't think he is going to give the Spurs serious consideration. Maybe if the Grizz get swept out by the Warriors in super embarrassing fashion, but even then, Gasol grew up in Memphis and Memphis has been good to him.

I don't think LMA is a perfect fit, but he would be an upgrade. And a Duncan/Aldridge/Leonard front court would be tough to guard.

The point guards available are pretty weak. Monta could work as a point for the Spurs, but he is in no way ideal. He's a poor 3pt shooter, turns 30 before the season starts and is really thin. Despite playing on a 50-win Dallas team, he had a negative BOX+/- this year.

I think Dragic would be near ideal at point for the Spurs, offensively. He also sucks defensively and will get the max. Do we want 35-40mm of our cap tied into point guard?

So who do we get and with what? I think Dragic is going to the highest bidder, no matter the team's chances at winning. I think Gasol stays in Memphis and LMA flirts with the Texas teams and stays in Portland. Maybe Morey puts together a trade to get LMA next to Dwight and Howard for his elusive third star. Brewer+Jones+DMo+Terry works.

So yeah, upgrading point and post is great, but you have to have a way to do it. I'd be in favor of trading Parker+Tiago away to upgrade, but who are you feasibly going to get and how will it affect the team?

That is a fair assessment, but he knew which way to push those players to have help in the system and was told which moves to give up (typically fadeaway jumpers). Again, I think it goes back to him being a great team player an intelligent bball player and motivated to give great effort. I don't believe he is a great athlete though and I think with the right player brought in and motivated to make a championship run, could provide similar production on defense, while giving us more on offense and in rebounding.

The only other part I would add to your assessment is he has one of the only significant and moveable contracts if we want to make a significant change this offseason with Green and Parker being the other two. It seems he would be the odd man out of that group unless we bring back the same squad.

Great post and I agree. That's why I proposed the Ellis and Tyson Chandler deal with dallas if it is determined Parker is indeed on the decline. On paper it definitely favors the Mavs and Cuban will be all over it, but the space if frees up to re-sign Green or a replacement, while arguably upgrading our scoring from the PG position and improving our rebounding and probably a similar defensive impact as Splitter.

So if Gasol and LMA say no. We ship Parker's 15 million and Splitters 9 Million salaries for a two year deal for Ellis and Chandler for say 12 Million for Ellis and 7 Million for Chandler. Freeing up about 5 million to resign Green or another 2 guard for 8 figures per year. Then bring back the rest of the team.

It isn't a perfect solution, but in my mind gives us a fighting chance to repeat. I also think both Ellis and Chandler would be darn motivated to win a championship.

I do worry about the chemistry problem, but the Spurs are professional and if Parker sleeping with a teammates wife isn't enough to disrupt the chemistry then they can probably overcome a business decision.

Spurs aren't moving Parker.

Monta is getting older and is showing signs of slowing down. WIll be 30 next season. Not sure what type of contract he will be looking for but probably something substantial since it will be his last long term deal.

It's interesting to me that you think a 29 year old Ellis is slowing down in your mind, but the Spurs can't be open to moving a 32 year old with a ton of miles who is due 15 million dollars for 3 more years. That contract will hamstring the Spurs for 3 of KLs prime years if they don't move him and he doesn't return to form.

Who knows what Ellis wants. He has done the high scoring thing on a bad team a few times. If he signed a 2 or 3 year deal with the Spurs for $12 million or so, that still provides some stability. If he excels here, he will still be a hot commodity at 32 or 33 for one more decent contract. Plus the Spurs are great at managing minutes to extend the mileage.

If he wants $15 million for 4 years to go play for the knicks, then obviously this won't work. Add in no income tax and his shot at winning and I think the Spurs would look pretty good to him.

I don't see Ellis/Chandler as enough of an upgrade to overcome the intangible losses of Splitter/Parker. If it was a no brainer, I would be for it despite Parker having a hand in 4 rings. But that is not a no brainer trade.

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It's interesting to me that you think a 29 year old Ellis is slowing down in your mind, but the Spurs can't be open to moving a 32 year old with a ton of miles who is due 15 million dollars for 3 more years.

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It's not that hard to figure out. Just don't see the Spurs trading TP. They are too loyal in this regard. Maybe I will be wrong but not holding my breath here.

As far as Green goes, people are misunderstanding his situation a bit. His caphold is 7M/yr. That's all the Spurs really have to be willing to spend on him for him to come back. After everything else aligns itself the Spurs will be over the cap and can spend whatever they want on green (7M - 10M - 12M/yr) it really doesn't matter. The only thing that will be counting against them in regard to the rest of Free Agency is his caphold of 7M/yr. Doesn't really matter what his final contract ends up being for at that point. That's why I see there being little chance they let Danny walk.

I get the cap hold situation, but the Spurs are frugal and it is expensive to spend over the cap. If they felt it was a championship level move they would do it, but if it is to overpay Danny Green on a team that has the same deficiencies then I am not sure they do it.

If they sign LA or Gasol then resigning green even if it puts them over the cap is a no brainer.

If they bring back the same team or even lose a couple key pieces then it becomes a much more difficult decision.

I don't think Monta+Tyson is any better than Tiago+Parker for the Spurs system if all four are healthy. Monta is still a low-efficiency scorer that is not great at creating for other players.

Why not? The cap goes up after this year. This is the one time I could see the Spurs not worrying about going over the current cap.

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If they sign LA or Gasol then resigning green even if it puts them over the cap is a no brainer.

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In order to sign a big game FA like that they would have to renounce Green to get his 7M/yr caphold off the books. This mean they will lose his bird rights and not be able to re-sign him. That's the issue at hand.

If they are healthy and regain their old form then I would agree with you, However, those are some big ifs that the Spurs have to evaluate. And in Parker's case it isn't just next year but 3 years at $15 million.

I also understand Ellis has some deficiencies. I trust in Pop to reign that in a bit and to improve his shot selection. I also expect his minutes to be reduced here.

It isn't a no brainer trade, there is some risks and the potential to even downgrade, but you also might add a shot creator, a slasher and a big man that can actually dunk and rebound besides Duncan. These are all things this past years Spurs team could have used.

Not if they trade Splitter or Parker, which is option #1 that we all agreed was the smartest play.

Agree with what you said.

I readily admitted it was a gamble, that had risks and was a bandaid for the last year or two of the Duncan era.

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I readily admitted it was a gamble, that had risks and was a bandaid for the last year or two of the Duncan era.

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Which is why I don't understand why you're suggesting it. The Spurs haven't gone for veteran band aids like the Mavs have for Dirk. They have for depth-style guys, but not for main contributors, at least recently. I just don't see them doing it now. I also don't seem them running the risk of a downgrade while getting rid of Parker. Especially if Duncan stays.

Again, I'm just trying to think outside the box if LA or Gasol or a big name FA doesn't happen (since it rarely happens for the Spurs).

I'm off the opinion that bringing back the same squad isn't good enough as we will still have deficiencies at the point and in the post. I am trying to present an idea that would work for a year or two to address those problems and not hamstring the Spurs long term. I

'm also of the opinion that Parker is on the decline and will never be the TP we need in the playoffs again. If those assumptions are wrong (and only TP and maybe the Spurs front office knows for sure) then by all means bring back the same squad and hope for 2014 magic again.

Parker slept with a teammate's wife?

Haha, rumor was he shacked up with Brent Barry's old lady. No idea if it is true, but I think Barry was off the team not long after, but I might have the timing wrong. I'm sure GS or someone would have more info.

That would be incredible and I really hope it happens, even if that does mean two tsips on the team.

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Again, I'm just trying to think outside the box if LA or Gasol or a big name FA doesn't happen (since it rarely happens for the Spurs).

I'm off the opinion that bringing back the same squad isn't good enough as we will still have deficiencies at the point and in the post. I am trying to present an idea that would work for a year or two to address those problems and not hamstring the Spurs long term. I

'm also of the opinion that Parker is on the decline and will never be the TP we need in the playoffs again. If those assumptions are wrong (and only TP and maybe the Spurs front office knows for sure) then by all means bring back the same squad and hope for 2014 magic again.

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I think the main reason big name FAs have steered clear of the Spurs the past decade plus has been because the understanding has been that SA's big three would command the lion's share of the purse and the touches as a matter of course. No big name FA is going to want to come and play 4th fiddle, even for a contender. With the futures of the Big3 no longer a certainty, I expect the heads of more big name FAs to be turned than ever before, especially given that Pop will likely be here for a few more years.

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Parker slept with a teammate's wife?

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Brent Barry's according to the rumor mill.

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Parker slept with a teammate's wife?

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Brent Barry's according to the rumor mill.

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Rule 1?

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Parker slept with a teammate's wife?

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Brent Barry's according to the rumor mill.

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Rule 1?

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Allegedly the underlying reason Parker/Longoria ended in divorce.

What amazes me is how SA somehow avoids letting something like that turn into a major team-rending scandal. Assuming all accounts are true, of course.

Helps that Barry wasn't on the team anymore. And that he doesn't speak Italian, Spanish and French like the rest of the team.

Yeah who knows what actually happened there.

Yeah like I said, it's all alleged.

And tbh, I don't really care either way. Not my relationship on the line lol.

*yet

The only thing I know for sure about this offseason is that the spurs will make moves, I will curse them and say the team is doomed, and they will clearly be improved from this year.