His max contact is too expensive. Cleveland fans are not happy with him. If they dump him cheap, sure, but I don't want to give up a premium pick. Chicago pick, #8, and matching and I am considering it.

Guitarsoup said:

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His max contact is too expensive. Cleveland fans are not happy with him. If they dump him cheap, sure, but I don't want to give up a premium pick. Chicago pick, #8, and matching and I am considering it.

---

I think if we had more pieces and were closer to being contenders, Garland would make more sense. But with his huge contract I don't think there's a price where he really makes sense for us right now. Don't get me wrong, he's a big upgrade over Jones. I just don't think he's enough of one at his contract.

Zaccharie Risacher exploded for 28 points (5/7 3P), 6 rebounds in 29 minutes in game two of the French playoff quarterfinals. Career high outing in any platform for the No. 1 ranked prospect on ESPN's Top 100, in an ultra aggressive performance. pic.twitter.com/CSMsShWje1

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 18, 2024

If Risacher and Castle are both available at 4, who we taking?

Enzo The Baker said:

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If Risacher and Castle are both available at 4, who we taking?

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I'd take Risacher personally.

Risacher at 4 then trade Charlotte their stupid pick to jump from 8 to 6 to get Castle

Interviews with a lot of the rookies. Dillingham talks about how he only puts in effort on defense at the end of games.

Feels like he is signaling the Spurs here.

UConn's Stephon Castle, who is 6-foot-6, said today at the NBA Draft Combine that he views himself as a point guard at the NBA level. Here's video of Castle describing the skills and traits he'll bring on both ends: pic.twitter.com/s2DWooR2Xs

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) May 14, 2024

LawHall88 said:

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Feels like he is signaling the Spurs here.

UConn's Stephon Castle, who is 6-foot-6, said today at the NBA Draft Combine that he views himself as a point guard at the NBA level. Here's video of Castle describing the skills and traits he'll bring on both ends: pic.twitter.com/s2DWooR2Xs

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) May 14, 2024

---

Yeah, I feel like this is a "Charlotte, you ****heads better not draft me to play SG next to Ball."

Obviously a Mavs video, but it shows the value in the taller playmaker being able to see over, pass over the defense breakdowns and doubles - something that Dillingham will not have the advantage of. You can see Topic doing it some - he makes the same skip passes when he isn't injured.

Not much here, but a few good quotes.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5492780/2024/05/21/victor-wembanyama-spurs-offseason/

Quote:

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Wembanyama is the one and only untradeable player. That's not to say a major housecleaning is coming, but nobody should be surprised if there are more new players on the San Antonio roster on opening night in October than those who were on the roster, both active and inactive, for the season finale on April 14.

"Devin has turned into a confident scorer," Popovich said. "He can shoot it. He can drive it. He's upped his defensive understanding that no defense, no wins. So, he's made a big step in that regard."

"Jeremy is a prime defender," Popovich said. "He can guard one through four, and he enjoys it, which is great."

"Tre has been Tre," Popovich said. "He gets taken for granted because he does the same things every night and gives 100 percent of what he has and everybody respects it, knows it and we need it. His consistency is off the charts."

---

Quote:

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"We got to see a lot of different lineups and styles and we've done different things throughout the season," said Wright, the Spurs GM since 2019, after San Antonio closed out its season with their 22nd victory. "We've seen him (Wembanyama) in different places. He's so unique and he does so many different things that I think he's still learning and we're still learning.

"That process will continue, so I don't know that there's one blueprint. He's so dynamic and I think you can build the thing in a lot of different ways. So, we've got to keep chipping away at that.

"We've learned a lot of different things across the season and what may work right now. We've got to project a little bit about what will work in seasons three, four, five and beyond. So, we'll keep adding to that, but there's no one uniform, 'This is the way you can build with him.' "

Wright also said adaptability is key.

"Everybody has a vision and a plan you want to execute," Wright said. "But, if it's static on paper and it's not adaptable based on what you've seen, it's probably not much of a plan."

---

Quote:

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Does that make an off-season trade for an All-Star caliber player a likelihood this summer?
Not necessarily.
"Every year we try to be aggressive, but you have to be strategically aggressive, right?" Wright said. "Because of all the things you've tried to establish to give yourself ways to build, you want to make sure that you have different ways you go forward.
"I think we'll do that. We'll be aggressive, but we'll maintain being strategic."
When it comes to luring high-profile free agents, Wembanyama is a strategic plus that no other team can offer.

---

Wright doesn't give away any details but I always like to hear his mindset and am always impressed with his professional and methodical approach to things. Especially liked this quote:

"Everybody has a vision and a plan you want to execute," Wright said. "But, if it's static on paper and it's not adaptable based on what you've seen, it's probably not much of a plan."

https://www.nba.com/news/2023-24-all-defensive-teams-announced

Wemby is the first rookie to make All-Defense 1st team.

Last three Rookies to make All-Defense 1st or 2nd team are:

Wemby
Duncan
Robinson

One voter did not have Wemby 1st or 2nd team.

The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team: pic.twitter.com/k3FODNJ0YU

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024

Our boys Caruso and Derrick White made 2nd team.

That voter shouldn't be on the panel for this award again

I would like to hear the logic from the people who thinks Victor should be second team instead of first.

You want to call Gobert's goofy ass the DPOY, fine. It's the only thing he is capable of.

Victor had plenty of argument for DPOY. It was either him or Gobert. That doesn't equal second team, no matter which way you slice it.

Obi Wan Ginobili said:

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I would like to hear the logic from the people who thinks Victor should be second team instead of first.

You want to call Gobert's goofy ass the DPOY, fine. It's the only thing he is capable of.

Victor had plenty of argument for DPOY. It was either him or Gobert. That doesn't equal second team, no matter which way you slice it.

---

Only if (1) the first team should be G-G-F-F-C rather than just the 5 best players; and (2) you consider Wemby and Gobert both as centers. Even though the voting is supposed to be positionless, I assume some voters went by position anyway.

LawHall88 said:

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Obi Wan Ginobili said:

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I would like to hear the logic from the people who thinks Victor should be second team instead of first.

You want to call Gobert's goofy ass the DPOY, fine. It's the only thing he is capable of.

Victor had plenty of argument for DPOY. It was either him or Gobert. That doesn't equal second team, no matter which way you slice it.

---

Only if (1) the first team should be G-G-F-F-C rather than just the 5 best players; and (2) you consider Wemby and Gobert both as centers. Even though the voting is supposed to be positionless, I assume some voters went by position anyway.

---

Bill Simmons and others said they were still going to vote for players so it makes a coherent team. I think that was probably Simmons' excuse for putting Derrick White as 1st team.

Guitarsoup said:

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LawHall88 said:

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Obi Wan Ginobili said:

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I would like to hear the logic from the people who thinks Victor should be second team instead of first.

You want to call Gobert's goofy ass the DPOY, fine. It's the only thing he is capable of.

Victor had plenty of argument for DPOY. It was either him or Gobert. That doesn't equal second team, no matter which way you slice it.

---

Only if (1) the first team should be G-G-F-F-C rather than just the 5 best players; and (2) you consider Wemby and Gobert both as centers. Even though the voting is supposed to be positionless, I assume some voters went by position anyway.

---

Bill Simmons and others said they were still going to vote for players so it makes a coherent team. I think that was probably Simmons' excuse for putting Derrick White as 1st team.

---

Simmons is a huge Celtics homer. His thought process didn't extend much past that with respect to White

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2018161/2020/08/24/the-analytics-lookaround-embiid-just-not-good-enough-ehh-its-complicated/

Older Athletic article, but solid for team building.





We have Wemby, and I think he is quickly going to be the top 5 franchise cornerstone if he isn't there already.

Need that second All-NBA player.

Then a borderline all-star: I think this can be Devin Vassell.

Then need 4 players in the top 125. I think Sochan can get up there but it will likely take a couple years. I'm not sure anyone else can. Hopefully we can add two guys to this in the draft.

TheNotoriousP.I.P. said:

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I think ideally Sochan should be our fifth best guy or maybe even sixth man, he seems destined to be the dirty work soldier who plays defense at a borderline all defensive team level a la Iggy on those Warriors teams. If we can find a bonafide second star then I think Dev will flourish as a number three. So really we need our number 2, 4, and 6 guys. I think once we find someone we feel can reliably fill those 4 and 6 spots, we will press the gas on trading for another star. That's kind of what Indiana did this year; they had their 1 in Hali and number 3 in Turner, and then once Nesmith and Nembhard started showing they were legit rotation guys they went out and brought in a number 2 guy in Siakam and now they are sitting in the conference finals.

---

Right and those guys have to be available. I don't think Garland is a #2. He's a #3.

Trae could be a great #2, if you have a Wemby and three guys with Herb Jones/Caruso level defense and plus offense. And even this Hunted Trae may be too much to overcome

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/5/22/24162049/best-nba-players-25-and-under-rankings

I think Kawhi being traded to Toronto was the best thing to happen for the Spurs and the Raptors.

It ended up being maybe the biggest win-win in trade history.

It meant 5 years later, the Spurs were in the right spot during the lottery to get Wemby. Plus the Spurs are still getting draft picks and players from that trade.

And the Raptors won an NBA championship, which will likely be a once a century deal for them.

Earth Rider said:

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I think Kawhi being traded to Toronto was the best thing to happen for the Spurs and the Raptors.

It ended up being maybe the biggest win-win in trade history.

It meant 5 years later, the Spurs were in the right spot during the lottery to get Wemby. Plus the Spurs are still getting draft picks and players from that trade.

And the Raptors won an NBA championship, which will likely be a once a century deal for them.

---

I was thinking of this watching Pascal Siakam in the ECF the other night and how if we'd somehow gotten Toronto to throw him into the Kawhi deal...we probably wouldn't have ever gotten bad enough to get Wemby. Meanwhile he's on a fun Pacers team who's just starting their contender window and we...well...we got Wemby.

You can tell me literally anything post-nephew and I'm like...shrugging. Because we got Wemby.

Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

Guitarsoup said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

Edit: He also has a good relationship with Pop and respects him. From a culture standpoint it's not like it would be amateur hour for him. And playing with Wemby would not be a bad way to close out his career.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

---

Feels like treading water if we are signing guys we know we'll be replacing in a year or two.

LawHall88 said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

Enzo The Baker said:

---

Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

---

Feels like treading water if we are signing guys we know we'll be replacing in a year or two.

---

Our team needs intelligent vets. Even if it's just for one season. Shai got to have Paul as a mentor for a season. It matters.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

Edit: He also has a good relationship with Pop and respects him. From a culture standpoint it's not like it would be amateur hour for him. And playing with Wemby would not be a bad way to close out his career.

---

If Paul wanted to come here to mentor Castle, I am all for it. By all accounts, he did incredible stuff for SGA.

But I don't know why you would think he is not going to try to ring chase. Felt like that is why he went to Houston then resigned with Phoenix.

But in any event, if we brought him in, we can't do it until after the new season starts, and it would have to be something like Keldon for Paul or Zach for Paul. This would also completely kill any salary cap space, since we would absorb him into space. We can't trade for him until after July 1 because of tax rules since GSW is a 2nd apron team.

His contract is a team option, so if GSW picks it up and trades him for Collins, then Paul doesn't really have a lot of say, other than being a whiney ***** like always.

If we draft Castle then Clingan, trading Collins for Paul makes a lot of sense. Then we could still bring in a FA with the Room Exception, such as Kyle Anderson. Room is a 2y deal starting at about 8M.

LawHall88 said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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Guitarsoup said:

---

Enzo The Baker said:

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Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

---

Feels like treading water if we are signing guys we know we'll be replacing in a year or two.

---

It's not about Paul not being a long term piece, it's about adding a veteran that understands what it means to be a professional and what it takes to play consistently at a high level. I don't think we make a move for CP3, but there's still value in it even though we're not contenders yet.

West Texan said:

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LawHall88 said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

Enzo The Baker said:

---

Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

---

Feels like treading water if we are signing guys we know we'll be replacing in a year or two.

---

It's not about Paul not being a long term piece, it's about adding a veteran that understands what it means to be a professional and what it takes to play consistently at a high level. I don't think we make a move for CP3, but there's still value in it even though we're not contenders yet.

---

Yeah the Spurs philosophy for a lot of years was to have a group of veteran players on the roster mostly coming off the bench. It worked back in the day, it could work now.

Ag Natural said:

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West Texan said:

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LawHall88 said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

Enzo The Baker said:

---

Stein said Spurs are a potential landing spot for CP3. I would not mind it, especially if we draft Castle so he can learn from him.

I bet the Lakers are front runners though due to his relationship with James and home in LA.

---

Everyone just links us to everything. Spurs aren't gonna give any real assets for Paul at 39yo and no way does he want to babysit at this point in his career when he is a ring chaser.

---

TBH Chris Paul doesn't really strike me as a ring chaser. Also, a contender is likely not going to be able to have the assets to trade for him salary wise. I wouldn't mind giving up a couple protected seconds for him. I think his value to our young team would be huge.

---

Feels like treading water if we are signing guys we know we'll be replacing in a year or two.

---

It's not about Paul not being a long term piece, it's about adding a veteran that understands what it means to be a professional and what it takes to play consistently at a high level. I don't think we make a move for CP3, but there's still value in it even though we're not contenders yet.

---

Yeah the Spurs philosophy for a lot of years was to have a group of veteran players on the roster mostly coming off the bench. It worked back in the day, it could work now.

---

Pop's been bringing in aging vets on the cheap as long as he has been in San Antonio. Hell, he probably learned it from Larry Brown. In Robsinons's rookie year, Larry Brown (with assistants RC Buford adn Gregg Popovich) brought in Caldwell Jones and Mo Cheeks. Then Paul Pressey and Vinnie Johnson.

Then Pop becomes GM and brings in Moses Malone, Doc Rivers, Dominique Wilkins, Jerome Kersey, Terry Porter, Steve Kerr, etc. We've pretty much always been a clearing house os washed veterans.