Draymond traveled that last possession when he passed to KD for that jumper.

Much respect for the Spurs tonight

Well, they went out fighting. Heck of an effort.

Except Danny Green. He sucked hard. Again.

Sports-Ag said:

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Draymond traveled that last possession when he passed to KD for that jumper.

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Travel and moving screens don't get called, ever.

Average Joe said:

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Sports-Ag said:

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Draymond traveled that last possession when he passed to KD for that jumper.

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Travel and moving screens don't get called, ever.

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I hear you. Hope the refs really look into that during the off season along with the fouls at the 3 point line.

Also, didn't think that was foul on Rudy when Green jumped over him and got the and 1 call the last minute or 2.

Well, they went out fighting. They had chances. I love Manu Ginobili!

I'm sure Messina was just offered a head coaching job after the game without needing to be interviewed.

Moving screens have been an issue for years, but they never actually do anything about it.

Felt like there were about 8 times during the series where a spur had position for a defensive rebound, a warrior jumped on their back trying to steal an offensive rebound, and the spur got called for a foul. That could and should get fixed. I get that it looks bad because the aggressor falls awkwardly, but they are doing it to themselves and there's nothing you can do about someone literally jumping on you from behind.

A great season for LaMarcus and Manu. One more season Manu!

Sports-Ag said:

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A great season for LaMarcus and Manu. One more season Manu!

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This about sums it up. Aside from those two bright spots, this season was one to forget for many reasons. Maybe next year.

Pretty decent article here.

I would be pretty surprised if there aren't some changes. I could see the Spurs getting a little aggressive and try to move up to get a player they love in the draft. The last time they had a pick near this high that is exactly what they did to get Kawhi.

The only solid trade chip they have is Murray. I don't think he's untouchable by any means. However they do it, this needs to happen.

1. Get Kawhi back healthy
2. Make the right decision on some guys. Green has a player option and I think he'd be dumb to turn it down. Anderson is restricted. I bet they let him walk if he gets a nice offer. Tony is a FA. I can't imagine they offer him very much after what we saw this season. I bet he takes whatever they offer.
3. Upgrade the shooting ability at PG. So either develop Murray, trade Murray, or keep him and sign someone. I don't think White is ready to play the point but he is a good shooter.
4. Gay will probably opt out. He should because he's only set to make 8.8 million next season. I hope the Spurs sign him to a 3 year deal. I want to see a Gay, Aldridge, Leonard frontcourt sooooo bad.
5. Did I mention Kawhi?

Gay only played 21mpg and has a lot of miles on his wheels. Not sure he is worth more than 8/year except paint to the team that paid Gasol a billion dollars a year

Gay is easily worth 8-10 when healthy. He's definitely worth more than Gasol, Parker, Mills, and Green, all of whom made more this year.

I think he'll get 15 from someone unless he's serious enough about winning to take a pay cut.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Rudy leave for other more formidable contenders and for less money. I bet he somehow ends up in Houston, Boston, Toronto, Philly, or other such team that is younger and less close to a blowup/rebuild than the Spurs.

The only way I can see Gay staying is if Kawhi comes back healthy and Gay believes he'll get 30 mpg to put up points and rebounds in more of a small ball offense.

He's got one more big contract, so does he want to lock it in at 11ppg and 31 years old (say 4x12) or try for the best case: stay healthy for another year, put up 15-17 ppg with steady defense, and be part of the core of a successful team. If all that happens he would probably command 4x18 next off-season plus the 8 already in his pocket. Lots of outcomes in between, but that's probably the upside scenario he's looking at right now.

Unless Rudy believes he is getting more money from the Lakers, Pacers or the Sixers, I'm not sure he opts out.

Teams are crushed on salary cap space, and most teams can't offer him more than what the Spurs offer (the MLE), and the Spurs offer him a chance to get Early Bird Rights first after next season, otherwise the clock resets if he goes to another team.

Maybe 2 of those teams with cap space have a chance to be in the playoffs next season.

Teams that can offer him more than the MLE (projected)
Atlanta
Brooklyn
Bulls (but not much more than MLE)
Pacers
Lakers
Sixers
Kings

We lose gay im gonna be ****ing livid. Only one besides Aldridge and manu that balled out this year.

I am hearing TP wants to come back at backup...it better be at the minimum if he does.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Well it was a disappointing season. I think I'm most proud of LaMarcus. He was a great leader all season.

I think Kawhi will be back, but unfortunately, I don't think our roster will look that much different.

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I think Kawhi comes back as well, but I don't know why it would be considered unfortunate if the roster looks the same.

With a healthy Kawhi, this is a 55-60 win team. There is years of on-court chemistry built up, the kind that make the Spurs possibly the only non "superteam" that can compete with the Warriors/Rockets/Cavs.

If Kawhi comes back healthy, he instantly changes the dynamic of the offense. Murray is quick with the ball, and with defenses warping to account for Kawhi, he's got that much more room to get into the paint. Aldridge won't be double teamed, and opposing teams will have to put their 3rd option on Green which allows him to move without the ball and shoot threes from a set position where he thrives.

If Manu comes back, and Tony takes the vet minimum or close to it, the Tony/Manu/Gasol bench can keep games moving.

Rudy Gay would be really nice to have again. It's pretty well known that people coming back from Achilles injuries are more productive in their second season back from the injury. Gay can slot in as a small ball PF with Kawhi and Aldridge, or he can play a tag team SF between the starters and the bench.

San Antonio isn't going to land any stars. We need Kawhi back. There isn't a realistic trade out there that can replace him.

Unless there are some shakeups around the league, I think rolling out the same 55-60 win team is the way to go.

The Warriors have managed to avoid serious injuries for years, and if they win another title this year, it's going to be hard to ask someone like Draymond or Klay to take a pay cut when they already have 3-4 rings and can get bigger deals and a bigger role somewhere else. Iggy turns 35 next season. He won't be there to lock down the best players forever.

The Rockets are legit, but they haven't done anything yet. Harden isn't going anywhere, but Chris Paul could very easily follow his boy LeBron whereever he chooses to go. Eric Gordon is too good to be coming off the bench. When his contract is up, someone is likely to offer what Houston can not.

The Lakers could land LeBron and another max contract guy and I still wouldn't be that worried about them.

The Sixers are scary good and should only improve, but that's an Eastern conference team so building a squad to beat them seems irrational.

A healthy Kawhi turns this ragtag squad into a team with multiple quality role players around two all-NBA pillars. Everyone has been playing a little out of where they really belong, especially Green and Mills. Keep Rudy Gay and the spurs are back to being huge and versatile.

Even with Kawhi back it doesn't change the fact that almost every player on our team can't shoot an outside shoot consistently outside of LaMarcus.

Aldridge was not good from three this year. That said, more catch and shoot opportunities for Green and Mills should improve their percentages, more minutes for Forbes would put another shooter on the floor, and Kawhi is an excellent three point shooter. Murray is the only player who is truly a liability.

But we do need 1-2 guys to get a relatively consistent 40%+ on a good number of attempts next year, and no one in the team has done that for a while.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Even with Kawhi back it doesn't change the fact that almost every player on our team can't shoot an outside shoot consistently outside of LaMarcus.

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Patty and Danny are much better shooters when it's catch and shoot with no movement. They have been having to catch the ball while moving and then shoot, or make shots off the dribble because the defense doesn't have to sag off them to account for Kawhi.

Insert Kawhi, and those same players chasing Patty and Danny have to shift a step or two towards the side of the court Kawhi is on. That's all the space they need to shoot. That's why players like Kawhi and Lebron make an offense so much better just by being on the court.

Obi Wan Ginobili said:

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San Antonio isn't going to land any stars. We need Kawhi back. There isn't a realistic trade out there that can replace him.

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First off, I want Kawhi back and that's definitely our best course of action. However, I like to play imaginary gm in my mind.

Spurs send Kawhi and pick 18 to Boston.

Boston gives us Jaylen Brown, Jason Tatum, and their Lakers pick this year (if it ends up pick 2-5, it goes to Boston, so there's a chance this part wouldn't even be possible.)

We would get two young wings with a lot of upside, plus a top 5 pick. Boston gets superstar #3 to compete with the other super teams.

Pipe dream, probably but what the hell else have we got to do right now?

Edit: I have no clue what it would take to make the money matchup for this, just looking at what would benefit both teams and the Spurs getting good value for an MVP candidate.

Depends what happens in the off-season.

Could happen:
Manu retires and we stretch the remaining contract over 3 years (.83/year) (2.5 guaranteed for next year)
Parker retires
Gasol retires and we stretch the remaining contract over 5 years (4.7/year) (23mm guaranteed left)
Danny Green opts out and signs with someone else (10)
Rudy Gay opts out and signs with someone else (8.8)
Joffery opts out and signs with someone else (1.66)

In this scenario, Spurs are stuck with:
LMA: 22.3
Kawhi: 20.1
Mills: 12.wtf
White 1.7
Murray 1.5
18th pick 1.97
Ginobili .83 deadspace
Gasol 4.7 deadspace
Duncan 1.8 deadspace
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~66.9mm

Cap is supposed to be 101mm.

You could trade Kawhi for Tatum, Brown, Morris twin, and Aron Baynes and it works financially.

It would be interesting to see if Boston would take a Kawhi for Brown and Tatum trade. Or what about Tatum and Kyrie? I think some are forgetting how good Kawhi is. He's a legit MVP candidate when healthy. That's why I really doubt the Spurs make a move unless Kawhi demands it.

These bean town trade proposals are ridiculous. Jason or Jaylen - pick one, then add a Marcus Smart or Scary Terry type. It's not going to be two stars.

CactusThomas said:

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These bean town trade proposals are ridiculous. Jason or Jaylen - pick one, then add a Marcus Smart or Scary Terry type. It's not going to be two stars.

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I saw one NBA analyst propose Tatum, Rozier, Morris and 1st round pick so it is being thrown around other places as well.

Yes that is a realistic proposal.

Boston won't (and shouldn't) trade Tatum AND Brown. They can afford to trade one if they are getting Kawhi. Morris is a good player, but I bet him and Pop would get into a fist fight in training camp. I wouldn't mind Baynes coming back. He doesn't need the ball on offense and he's a solid defender. The Celtics play defense the way the Spurs do. Switches and help. Just get to your spots. Lots of effort.

If Boston hits the mini lottery again and they wind up with pick 2-5, all of a sudden the trade gets a lot more complicated. Boston won't let that pick go without Kawhi signing an extension. You don't trade a top 5 pick in a draft this good for a one year rental. The problem with this scenario is that Kawhi can't sign the supermax deal and then be traded. He would have to sign a regular extension, which he would be a dumbass to do.

I think Kawhi will sign the supermax deal (which doesn't kick in until 2019-2020 season), play this upcoming season out, and if the fences aren't mended, ask for a trade. If he asks for the trade now, he's passing up between 30 and 70 million dollars. Even Kawhi's dumbass uncle/agent is going to have a hard time passing that up. Granted, Kawhi is likely to get a bigger shoe deal playing in LA, but that's not guarunteed. The supermax contract is cash money.