Adam87inSA said:

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That speaks volumes.

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I'm not really a fan of +/-, but Aldridge was -45 for the playoffs while the Spurs were +6.

Watching postgame and the pubes on Steph's face are disturbing

No reason to be disappointed with the team. They showed heart the entire season.

The only player that was disappointing was LMA - he needs to get his **** together or get off the floor.


The Spurs were handed some bad and unlucky breaks with the injuries to Kawhi and Tony but they still tried their absolute hardest to beat a team that used the new salary cap era to build a super team.

Spurs will be back

I give LMA credit for being huge in Game 6 closeout in Houston.

Other 'n that, yeah he stole salary.

BirdhunterAg13 said:

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Not gonna lie... totally forgot he use to have lots of flowing hair!!!!!!

Manu, it was a pleasure (whether last night was the last or not). Too many memories to count, but I'll always remember that 3 you hit against Miami in 2014 as part of the "nail in the coffin" barrage of three pointers.

As much as it sucked to get swept, I'm glad I went last night. It was basically a Manu love fest all night long. The last 2 and a half minutes until he walked off the court tothe locker room after the game were really incredible.

If that was his last game the crowd sure let him know what he meant to this team over the years. Definitely got me in the feels.

Manu Ginobili walked off the court with 2 minutes, 25 seconds left to a standing ovation. Then he sat on the bench next to one of his closest friends, Patty Mills.

"I was like, 'I don't know why these guys are giving you a standing ovation for,'" Mills said. "And he said, 'Yeah, I'm coming back for another three years,' or whatever it was."

ESPN

If your wounds have healed, Zach Lowe's newest podcast with Kevin Arnovitz is pretty good. It talks about Spurs culture and how LA doesn't really fit the Spurs mold. Both also think that the mutual interest between CP3 and the Spurs is real.

I definitely think the CP3 interest is real on both sides. The dude has made a fortune already and this is his last shot at his age to make a champ run as a key member and it looks likely that the Clips will have to lose at least one key piece on a team that really hasn't been that close.

The clips will likely be rebuilding, so it might not be that smart for them to even offer Paul the huge max contract that the new CBA rules allow. I think odds still slightly favor them offering the max (because Clips aren't smart), but I definitely don't think it's a certainty. Most other contenders have a great PG, so it's really either resign with the Clips or sign with the Spurs.

Plus, it's not like the Spurs will be offering him chump change. He is probably getting a 4 year $25 million dollar offer from the Spurs at the minimum and maybe pushing $30 million per.

Obviously the Kawhi, Pop combo is intriguing as both represent the best player and coach CP3 has ever had. Plus Paul will instantly make many of the Spurs role players and even our posts look much better with his ability to break down a defense, shoot the 3 ball and run an offense.

The match is almost too perfect for both parties and it will allow Murray to learn and develop under one of the best ever to play the position.

I think it's a coin flip on if he takes the extra money from the Clips (probably over $50 million difference so tough to turn down) or takes a $100-120 million dollar offer from the Spurs for 4 years.

I'm sure he can get an H-E-B commerical or two to offset the $50 million difference!!!

Unfortunately, the Spurs would really have to shakeup their roster to make a run at Paul and a lot of things would have to work out like Gasol losing a leg and retiring in the offseason.

But to me, Paul is so good that I think he could give life to LaMarcus. He'll put the ball wherever he wants it.

Edit: Sorry I should really move this to the Offseason Thread.

I'll be curious if the CP3 sweepstakes will be as crazy as the Jason Kidd saga years ago?

Thinking it's a "coin flip" seems incredibly optimistic to me. Turning down $55m (even though likely to offset somewhat by whatever he would earn in year 5 elsewhere), plus I'm sure his agent is telling him he won't have near the endorsement potential in SA, plus backing out on the Clips when he helped recruit those guys, plus leaving a coach he likes and respects, plus ushering a friend in Parker to retirement who may not be ready for it. That's a whole lot on the "stay in LA" side.

I'd love to see it, and I wouldn't go as far as calling it a pipe dream, but it seems pretty unlikely. I'm more inclined to view it as a 10-20% chance than a 50% chance.

You may be right. However, basically condemning yourself in your late prime to have no shot at a title is a huge deal. CP3 is supposed to have an ultimate competitor mentality/personality. I have a hard time seeing him being just fine with taking the money knowing he will have basically no shot at a title.

Legacy becomes important too. He would likely go down as a top 5-10 player to never win a title.

I still think it is higher than folks realize if he is indeed as competitive as rumored.

It makes basketball sense. The problem is CP3 was an instrumental part of the negotiating team on the this CBA that has this super star provision. It seems unlikely that he'd fight for it and then not use it to his advantage. Based on his end of year press conference I don't think he sees the Clips as a lost cause either. He said "we'll just keep coming back and trying again". Everyone uses the Dirk Mavs as an example of a team who looked destined to never win it all and then have one magical season.

I personally think Hill is a more viable option. If you were paying attention this year he has really become a good player. I put him only a small notch below Hayward as Utah's MVP this season.

I think the bargaining thing is a bit overstated. Just because you wanted it as an option doesn't mean you have to take it. The money implications of that agreement will be a much bigger factor than him having negotiated it, in my opinion.

I'll admit I don't watch alot of Utah basketball, but George Hill just doesn't do it for me, especially at a high price. If he wants to take a 10-15 million deal and CP3 says no then I guess you do it. If he wants $20 million plus then I don't even consider it.

Utah has more across the board talent than the Spurs (Kawhi not withstanding) and Hill couldn't even make them competitive against GSW.

GatorAg03 said:

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I think the bargaining thing is a bit overstated. Just because you wanted it as an option doesn't mean you have to take it. The money implications of that agreement will be a much bigger factor than him having negotiated it, in my opinion.

I'll admit I don't watch alot of Utah basketball, but George Hill just doesn't do it for me, especially at a high price. If he wants to take a 10-15 million deal and CP3 says no then I guess you do it. If he wants $20 million plus then I don't even consider it.

Utah has more across the board talent than the Spurs (Kawhi not withstanding) and Hill couldn't even make them competitive against GSW.

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He was injured and out against GSW and without him they sucked.

Besides, with CP3 the Clippers have lost like 10 straight against the Warriors and most of those haven't been close.

Haha, like I said I don't watch much Utah bball. Maybe he is worth a look and better than I realize.

I'm really on the CP3 or bust wagon right now.

GatorAg03 said:

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Haha, like I said I don't watch much Utah bball. Maybe he is worth a look and better than I realize.

I'm really on the CP3 or bust wagon right now.

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What about Lowrie?

I think the clippers are breaking up no matter what. They can't pay to keep that team together because that team won't win. Six years of proof.

With his career earnings and say 150mm in this contract, he has career earnings around 300mm plus endorsements of about $9mm/year. But he also has zero trips to the conference finals.

Will that $50mm be worth more to him when he is in a place that can't possibly win or would he rather join the only title contender with a need at PG, a top 3 nba player, and the best coach in the NBA by a long shot?

Raptors are another obscure franchise that I don't see much of. He strikes me as a scoring PG and not a pure PG like Paul. Again, I could be wrong. I like him better than Hill but not by much. If he wants to come for cheap and CP3 says no then I guess you do it.

I almost think you ride with Murray and Parker if you can't get CP3 (Don't over pay for Mills) though and bring in a cheap Veteran. You just hope Murray becomes elite sooner than later (which I think is hugely optimistic and unlikely).

I think the Spurs have little chance of a title for the next couple years unless they get CP3 and then that endangers if Kawhi and Pop stick around in a couple years.