PLUM LOCO said:

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Oh well! Still the greastest PG in SPURS history.

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did you even see the vinny in action???

Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina has agreed on a deal to run basketball operations and become the new head coach of Olimpia Milano, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Messina has been a lead assistant on Gregg Popovich's staff since 2014.

Wonder if Pop will hire a new assistant coach or just move everyone up from the Spurs.

Pop could bring someone new. I know three stars who are all now available together.

Pop is going to hire Uncle Denis and get Kawhi back home.

DSAg44 said:

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PLUM LOCO said:

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Oh well! Still the greastest PG in SPURS history.

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did you even see the vinny in action???

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Yes I did and I will still take TP for 17 seasons over DelNegro's 5.

Guitarsoup said:

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Glad he's taking it in stride.

West Texan said:

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The draft is right around the corner and this year we have 3 picks this year (19, 29, 49). Drafting as low as we are is always a crap shoot; do you take the best player available, draft for what you need, draft and stash, take a chance on a guy that super raw, or go with a guy who could contribute but is about tapped out. All that to say, there's no sure things and no one will have a clue until draft night.

Needs: wing defender, 3 point shooting, and an athletic big with the potential to switch on the perimeter.

Wings I like:
Rui Hachimura- I've seen him projected anywhere from 5-20, so we'd have to hope he falls to us, but he's got a lot to like. 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan, good athlete with some bounce, good midrange jumper and post up game, finishes well around the rim with both hands, and has a reputation as a hard worker. Could play the 3 or small ball 4. His jumper needs a little work (shot 41% from 3, but on less than 1 attempt per game), he doesn't rebound as well as a guy as big, strong and, athletic as he is should, and He doesn't have great vision. I think at minimum he could be what Rudy Gay is right now, with the potential to be a very good SF if his 3 point shot develops.

Cameron Johnson- shot nearly 46% from 3 this past season at UNC, quick release, and he's 6'9" so no one is going to bother his shot. He's a solid defender who I think can be adequate in the NBA. However, he's already 23 and about tapped out. Lots of shooting, but he won't ever be a lock down defender. I like him a lot better if we could get him at 29.

Matisse Thybulle- another guy I like at 29 but not 19, he's Danny Green 2.0 imo. Washington played a Syracuse style zone this last season, but he averaged 3.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. That kind of disruptiveness should translate very well. He's more of a 2 guard at 6'6" but has a 7' wingspan and like Danny, I think could guard bigger wings. He shot 35% from 3 and almost 80% from the free throw line, so a little work and I think those numbers would both improve. He's another older player that won't develop a whole lot more to his offensive game, but should contribute early and won't eat up touches.

Bigs:
Bol Bol- another guy that's project anywhere from the mid lottery to 20s, and would be a big time high risk/high reward type of pick. Manute's son is 7'2" with a 7'7" wingspan, has legit 3 point range, and some very surprising ball skills for a guy that big. Could be a real difference maker blocking shots and spacing the floor. Now, he is Manute's son so he's built just like him, so he'll get bullied by bigger posts. He had a foot injury and only played 9 college games (putting up crazy numbers in those games). He also has a reputation as not the hardest worker. Most likely he's gone before 19, but he'd be hard to pass up if he was still there.

Mfiondu Kabengele- nephew of Dikembe Mutombo, so more NBA blood lines. 6'10" with a 7'3" wingspan, and weighs 250 lbs of muscle, so he's already built for the NBA. Being that big, he's a really good athlete. Runs well, moves latterly, quick jumper. Also has a nice shooting touch, shot almost 37% from 3 and 76 from the line. He needs some work between the ears. No passing ability, needs help learning rotations, and has to cut down on turnovers. Would be a nice pick at 29.

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ESPN did a mock draft special tonight and I was bored so I watched. They had the Spurs taking Goga Bitzade with the first pick and Luka Samanic with the 2nd. Both are close to 7 ft tall from Europe(Georgia and Croatia). Goga is a center and Luka is a combo forward. Sometimes I think they just put the Spurs down for the foreign players just because they are the Spurs but these two guys look legit. Just don't know when they contribute.

jteagle said:

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West Texan said:

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The draft is right around the corner and this year we have 3 picks this year (19, 29, 49). Drafting as low as we are is always a crap shoot; do you take the best player available, draft for what you need, draft and stash, take a chance on a guy that super raw, or go with a guy who could contribute but is about tapped out. All that to say, there's no sure things and no one will have a clue until draft night.

Needs: wing defender, 3 point shooting, and an athletic big with the potential to switch on the perimeter.

Wings I like:
Rui Hachimura- I've seen him projected anywhere from 5-20, so we'd have to hope he falls to us, but he's got a lot to like. 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan, good athlete with some bounce, good midrange jumper and post up game, finishes well around the rim with both hands, and has a reputation as a hard worker. Could play the 3 or small ball 4. His jumper needs a little work (shot 41% from 3, but on less than 1 attempt per game), he doesn't rebound as well as a guy as big, strong and, athletic as he is should, and He doesn't have great vision. I think at minimum he could be what Rudy Gay is right now, with the potential to be a very good SF if his 3 point shot develops.

Cameron Johnson- shot nearly 46% from 3 this past season at UNC, quick release, and he's 6'9" so no one is going to bother his shot. He's a solid defender who I think can be adequate in the NBA. However, he's already 23 and about tapped out. Lots of shooting, but he won't ever be a lock down defender. I like him a lot better if we could get him at 29.

Matisse Thybulle- another guy I like at 29 but not 19, he's Danny Green 2.0 imo. Washington played a Syracuse style zone this last season, but he averaged 3.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. That kind of disruptiveness should translate very well. He's more of a 2 guard at 6'6" but has a 7' wingspan and like Danny, I think could guard bigger wings. He shot 35% from 3 and almost 80% from the free throw line, so a little work and I think those numbers would both improve. He's another older player that won't develop a whole lot more to his offensive game, but should contribute early and won't eat up touches.

Bigs:
Bol Bol- another guy that's project anywhere from the mid lottery to 20s, and would be a big time high risk/high reward type of pick. Manute's son is 7'2" with a 7'7" wingspan, has legit 3 point range, and some very surprising ball skills for a guy that big. Could be a real difference maker blocking shots and spacing the floor. Now, he is Manute's son so he's built just like him, so he'll get bullied by bigger posts. He had a foot injury and only played 9 college games (putting up crazy numbers in those games). He also has a reputation as not the hardest worker. Most likely he's gone before 19, but he'd be hard to pass up if he was still there.

Mfiondu Kabengele- nephew of Dikembe Mutombo, so more NBA blood lines. 6'10" with a 7'3" wingspan, and weighs 250 lbs of muscle, so he's already built for the NBA. Being that big, he's a really good athlete. Runs well, moves latterly, quick jumper. Also has a nice shooting touch, shot almost 37% from 3 and 76 from the line. He needs some work between the ears. No passing ability, needs help learning rotations, and has to cut down on turnovers. Would be a nice pick at 29.

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ESPN did a mock draft special tonight and I was bored so I watched. They had the Spurs taking Goga Bitzade with the first pick and Luka Samanic with the 2nd. Both are close to 7 ft tall from Europe(Georgia and Croatia). Goga is a center and Luka is a combo forward. Sometimes I think they just put the Spurs down for the foreign players just because they are the Spurs but these two guys look legit. Just don't know when they contribute.

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It's always trendy to predict a euro player to the Spurs. I'm really not a fan of Goga. He's big and has some very advanced offensive skills. Good feet and moves down low, a solid shooting stroke that could stretch to 3, and he passes the ball pretty well. However, he's slow footed and has a reputation to pout and be disinterested on the court at times. I'm tired of slow plodding centers because that's what's hurt our defense is trying to have bigs that can't move getting stuck on the perimeter. Maybe he's the next Jokic, but it's really hard for bigs like that to make it in today's NBA.

Samanic is an interesting prospect, especially if we took him at 29. He handles the ball well for a kid that big, can push it in transition and take guys off the dribble in the half court, his shot looks great, and he's a really good athlete. He's not long for a guy that's 6'11", and while his shot looks great, his numbers weren't awesome so that's more of a projection than a proven skill. He was predicted to be a second rounder to undrafted until he blew up at the combine.

If you gave me those names a year ago I'd have assumed the Spurs already owned draft rights to all of them.

So KD is out next season and Klay is likely too with a torn ACL. Will be interesting to see which teams in the west go all out in free agency to try and grab a chance in the finals this year.

Anyone see his postgame interview? Dude is a real piece of ****. So many implied shots at the Spurs. I think I finally have closure. He's an idiot.

Ulrich said:

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Quote:

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Rui Hachimura
Matisse Thybulle
Bol Bol
Mfiondu Kabengele
Goga Bitzade
Luka Samanic

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You people are just making up names now.

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What do you mean "you people"?

Enzo The Baker said:

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Anyone see his postgame interview? Dude is a real piece of ****. So many implied shots at the Spurs. I think I finally have closure. He's an idiot.

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I didn.t stick around to watch, what did he say?

I remember him saying last time he went through a lot, a lot, a lot and his hard work paid off.

In his press conference he said, "A lot of people doubted me, thought I was faking an injury or didn't want to play for a team. It was disappointing."

The win last night felt like closure. Move on and focus on the draft with the West looking wide open.

Surprised more people aren't talking about his comment about Pop.

Something to the effect of "I joined a COACH with the same mindset as mine... That LOBrien trophy"

Lots of folks feel Pop has kind of checked out since that last title - gotten more focused on things off the court (there's lots of planets out there, Trump hating, etc.). Kawhi's comment seems to hit at that.

He also said that it was important that he got good rest during the summer so he wouldn't get injured after 5 games eluding to his comeback in the middle of the season last year IMO.

Sports-Ag said:

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I remember him saying last time he went through a lot, a lot, a lot and his hard work paid off.

In his press conference he said, "A lot of people doubted me, thought I was faking an injury or didn't want to play for a team. It was disappointing."

The win last night felt like closure. Move on and focus on the draft with the West looking wide open.

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Probably because he was having an injury to move to a bigger market to get a better shoe deal.

That's why people think that Kawhi

Guitarsoup said:

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Sports-Ag said:

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I remember him saying last time he went through a lot, a lot, a lot and his hard work paid off.

In his press conference he said, "A lot of people doubted me, thought I was faking an injury or didn't want to play for a team. It was disappointing."

The win last night felt like closure. Move on and focus on the draft with the West looking wide open.

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Probably because he was having an injury to move to a bigger market to get a better shoe deal.

That's why people think that Kawhi

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Does he stick around with Toronto?

Toptierag2018 said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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Sports-Ag said:

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I remember him saying last time he went through a lot, a lot, a lot and his hard work paid off.

In his press conference he said, "A lot of people doubted me, thought I was faking an injury or didn't want to play for a team. It was disappointing."

The win last night felt like closure. Move on and focus on the draft with the West looking wide open.

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Probably because he was having an injury to move to a bigger market to get a better shoe deal.

That's why people think that Kawhi

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Does he stick around with Toronto?

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What else does Kawhi have to prove in Toronto? Maybe he falls in love with the city/team, but I bet he walks to the Clippers or Lakers.

Clippers could sign Kawhi and another max by moving Lou Williams' favorable contract (2y,9mm guaranteed, 8mm for 19-20) to go with Danilo, Shamet, and Shai.
Anthony Davis
Danilo
Kawhi
Shamet
Shai

Pretty solid starting five, as long as you ignore that Davis, Danilo, and Kawhi are super injury prone. Plus they have Philly's pick next year and Miami's 2021 unprotected pick.

Guitarsoup said:

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Lakers are apparently offering Ingram, Ball, Kuzma or Hart and the #4 pick for Anthony Davis.

Where the **** was that last year?


Speaking of Kuzma...

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Magic Johnson thought that being Magic Johnson and the lakers made them entitled to Kawhi for peanuts.

It's also easy to forget Kawhi was still supposedly 'rehabing' coming off a season where he played nine games due to an injury. That really hurt his value, and the only team willing to take that risk was Toronto. Speaking of which, this is a really good timeline of the Kawhi saga last season if anyone wants to get pissed off and angry.

Oh well. At least we only have 2y/25mm left on Patty's contract.

Enzo The Baker said:

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It's also easy to forget Kawhi was still supposedly 'rehabing' coming off a season where he played nine games due to an injury. That really hurt his value, and the only team willing to take that risk was Toronto. Speaking of which, this is a really good timeline of the Kawhi saga last season if anyone wants to get pissed off and angry.

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Great timeline of the situation. Some parts could kind of forget because it lasted all season. I agree with what he said in we don't care what Kawhi does but stop dragging the Spurs in the mud.

To me what makes no sense is that the media and causal fan never cared or paid attention to the Spurs. Once Kawhi leaves and does good in Toronto everyone apparently knows about the Spurs now and has all the info as if the Spurs are the Lakers.

The die hard fans know the Spurs and how they run the team. Just a little annoying when you have a Joe Schmo who all of a sudden is a Spurs genius and talks about the team.

When schmucks like Mark Jackson decide that the right narrative is that Leonard bravely faced criticism to do the right thing by sitting out...

I don't know what the end of that sentence is exactly, but it's a shame that the instant the Spurs stopped being a contender everyone decided they must have been intentionally and recklessly endangering players' health. Over 20 years of leading the way on player health and longevity and this is the thanks they get.

The Spurs approach to injury management shifted how people think about injuries. They changed the zeitgeist. If it weren't for that, would people have even thought of Durant and Leonard's injuries as more than bad luck?

Guitarsoup said:

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Lakers are apparently offering Ingram, Ball, Kuzma or Hart and the #4 pick for Anthony Davis.

Where the **** was that last year?


Speaking of Kuzma...

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He's right. Nobody feels bad for the Warriors. They benefited greatly from Kawhis injury 2 years ago and CP3 pulling up lame last year.

Achilles injury is the worst in the sport and Durant will miss the entire next season and likely will be a diminished version when he returns. Klay Thompson's torn ACL means per reports he is likely out until at least next All-Star break.

Kawhi's injury vs Warriors was worsening an already sprained ankle and Chris Paul's was a pulled hammy. Yes, those type of injuries affect playoff series, but imagine if instead Chris Paul had blown his Achilles vs Warriors. At his age and given nature of injury - career maybe literally over. That would maybe have been it...no more watching Chris Paul play forever. Is that the kind of 'karma' that NBA fans enjoy see happening to teams and players?

Injuries are part of the breaks and Toronto deserved the 2019 NBA title fair and square, but I would think that most NBA fans agree that blowing out Achilles and knees suck extra hard because of the longer term implications...now 2 of the best 15 players on the planet will be missing from the game for most or all of next season, and arguably the best or at least Top-3 player in the world (Durant) just had his peak prime years cut short.

I'm all for 'basketball karma' dishing out fair balances of sprained ankles and pulled hammies to affect or knock guys out of playoff series, but count me as a fan who hates ever seeing the more hateful level of injuries that the Warriors just had.

This would be huge. I believe Derrick can do it, given his development up to this point.

Sure no player deserves to be injured. I was just pointing out that as great as they've been, the Warriors have also been very lucky. Kawhi missed the WCF with minor injury but then he missed a whole season with a major injury. That's one contender out of the mix. Love and Irving suffered big injuries and missed the 2015 Finals. Parker ruptured a quad. This year Nurkic goes down with an ACL. Murray missed the whole season. Etc etc. These arent all small injuries.

Ag Natural, Nurkic broke his leg, not an ACL.

Sekou Doumbouya is set to work out for the Spurs which is kind of a surprise. He is a consensus top 10 pick. Very raw but freakish athlete from France with a lot of upside especially defensively. A lot compare him to Siakam. Still young (18) and didn't start playing basketball until 12 years old. Looks like the Spurs are considering moving up. I could see us making a deal with Miami or Atlanta. I'm pretty sure they would kill for an all star player. Of course nothing will likely happen.