AggieEP said:

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I think as Spurs fans we have nostalgia for the beautiful game Spurs that beat the Heat. We think we can recreate that with the right pieces.

But the reality is that even for the Spurs, the beautiful game teams were outliers in offensive efficiency. Popovich hasn't been able to recreate that magic in the last 10 years and I'm not betting on him doing it again at this point.

A second elite scorer is what is needed.

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There are 20 guys in the NBA averaging 24ppg or more and I don't know that all of those guys are championship guys (Julius Randle, Dame, Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, etc)

No question we would all absolutely take a great secondary scorer. But I think we also need great team defense and great passing. Going back down the championship teams recently and they all have multiple guys that can create and multiple guys that can consistently hit threes.

If you have your star, especially an inside guy like Wemby, surrounded by players that can make the extra pass and hit the open shot, you can win. We need our #2 guy to be better than Vassell for sure. Vassell as our #3 or 4 guy could mean a really great team.

AggieEP said:

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I think as Spurs fans we have nostalgia for the beautiful game Spurs that beat the Heat. We think we can recreate that with the right pieces.

But the reality is that even for the Spurs, the beautiful game teams were outliers in offensive efficiency. Popovich hasn't been able to recreate that magic in the last 10 years and I'm not betting on him doing it again at this point.

A second elite scorer is what is needed.

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I disagree that adding another elite scorer is the solution, as there are so many more holes bigger than scoring. I believe Vassell can be that scorer. This season is the second season of the tank and first season of the rebuild. This season is all about identifying: 1) Who are we going to build around; 2) What is the projected timeline; 3) Who on the team is part of that build?; 4) What players is it time to move on from; 5) What players do we need more time on? and 6) What do we need and how do where do we get them (FA, Draft, Trade)?

The obvious answer to 1 is Wemby. We should be in playoff contention in year 3 of Wemby, barring a setback (injury). I think the definitive pieces part of the build are Sochan and Vassell. Keldon, Collins, and potentially Branham need to go, and Keldon and Collins should be ASAP. Barlow and Wesley need more time.

This team is so young and have had limited time together to not only develop chemistry, but learn their roles. This team needs veteran leadership and they need it going into next year. I would love to bring someone like Patty Mills back.

Brian Wright should be on a tight leash and needs to prove his worth fast. I believe Pop will ultimately be here for 2-3 more years. I believe his goal is to get them to a position where he believes they are ready to succeed, and then will step down.

Listening to Simmons trade value podcast. He thinks we should go all in for Trae Young to pair with Wemby.

But he also thinks Bill Walton was better than David Robinson, so his opinion on basketball isn't worth much to me

His Celtics homerism can be unbearable, which is the case there. But hes good most of the time.

I still can't believe the Bulls aren't blowing it all up. They aren't a good team. Just get what you can for Caruso, DeMar, LeVine, Vuc, etc and rebuild around Coby White.

Pelicans trying to get in on DeJounte Murray.

Quin Snyder doesn't want ATL to trade DJM.

Pelicans could be scary with Murray, if they can upgrade at post, too.

Jonas/Nance
Zion/Herb Jones
Ingram/Trey Murphy
CJ McCollum/Jordan Hawkins
Murray/Dyson Daniels


If you can upgrade Nance and/or Jonas, that is a really solid 2-deep. If they could do that and pull Daniel Gafford from Washington, they are scary.

Yea it's really interesting. I'm not sure what this means for next year. But they are going for it this year. I was listening to a podcast (Windy?) and they were saying that the Bulls are still a hugely popular team and they still draws a good crowd. Even if they just make one playoff series the franchise would make a lot of money.

Guitarsoup said:

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Pelicans trying to get in on DeJounte Murray.

Quin Snyder doesn't want ATL to trade DJM.

Pelicans could be scary with Murray, if they can upgrade at post, too.

Jonas/Nance
Zion/Herb Jones
Ingram/Trey Murphy
CJ McCollum/Jordan Hawkins
Murray/Dyson Daniels


If you can upgrade Nance and/or Jonas, that is a really solid 2-deep. If they could do that and pull Daniel Gafford from Washington, they are scary.

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I would think that the pelicans would likely throw in a Daniel's or Jones with the Murray trade which would make Atlanta better. Not sure I would want that trade to happen.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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Pelicans trying to get in on DeJounte Murray.

Quin Snyder doesn't want ATL to trade DJM.

Pelicans could be scary with Murray, if they can upgrade at post, too.

Jonas/Nance
Zion/Herb Jones
Ingram/Trey Murphy
CJ McCollum/Jordan Hawkins
Murray/Dyson Daniels


If you can upgrade Nance and/or Jonas, that is a really solid 2-deep. If they could do that and pull Daniel Gafford from Washington, they are scary.

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I would think that the pelicans would likely throw in a Daniel's or Jones with the Murray trade which would make Atlanta better. Not sure I would want that trade to happen.

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If they are throwing in Jones, I hope we get involved. Jones doubles up on DeAndre Hunter, Saddiq Bey, and Jalen Johnson into an even more ridiculous logjam of 6'7-6'8 SF/PF guys.

True. But he's a massive upgrade over two of those guys.

Ok, where did I screw up with this?

All teams stay under the luxury tax here (NOLA is close) Seems to benefit everyone. ATL gets two additional picks in the very near future and two ending contracts to help their rebuilding.

Washington gets a pick next year, a prospect and a good 2nd this year.

NOLA gives up this year's 1st, a good, young backup PG and a good D&3 player but upgrades at PG a great deal, upgrades at center and backup center and get a lot better. They also get the Charlotte pick, which is really two seconds.

Spurs give up the a second, Toronto pick, Charlotte pick, and Chicago pick as well as Branham, but get a great defensive PG with elite size (6'6 barefoot with 6'11 wingspan) that is just 20 years old. He has no shot, but he doesn't turn it over yet. Spurs also get the D&3 player of our dreams. Herb is also on a great contract. I think Chicago blows it up in the off-season, so that pick doesn't convey for a while. Toronto pick is 50/50 to convey this year, and the Charlotte pick never conveys. Spurs still have the most valuable assets - ATL picks, Spurs Picks and a ton of seconds.

Timberwolves are sending Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr. and one second-round pick to Detroit for Monte Morris, sources said. https://t.co/sb12v2N1gk

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2024

Conley insurance.

Spurs legend

Also double as a life raft.

Victor Wembanyama debuts a “Fiesta” PE of the GT Hustle pic.twitter.com/LR2BgG4oM5

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) February 8, 2024

The Utah Jazz are finalizing a trade to send C Kelly Olynyk and guard Ochai Agbaji to the Toronto Raptors for Kira Lewis, Otto Porter and a 2024 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/H14MTbDi3U

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2024

I don't really understand this one but it appears Toronto trying to stay above water to not give up their pick in 25 and 26 to the spurs. Should help with a conveyance for the Spurs this year.

Enzo The Baker said:

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The Utah Jazz are finalizing a trade to send C Kelly Olynyk and guard Ochai Agbaji to the Toronto Raptors for Kira Lewis, Otto Porter and a 2024 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/H14MTbDi3U

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2024

I don't really understand this one but it appears Toronto trying to stay above water to not give up their pick in 25 and 26 to the spurs. Should help with a conveyance for the Spurs this year.

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I'm good with this. Weird move, but whatever.

Toronto has Indiana's pick this year, so that is what this would have to be.

76ers trading or Buddy Hield.

Enzo The Baker said:

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The Utah Jazz are finalizing a trade to send C Kelly Olynyk and guard Ochai Agbaji to the Toronto Raptors for Kira Lewis, Otto Porter and a 2024 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/H14MTbDi3U

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2024

I don't really understand this one but it appears Toronto trying to stay above water to not give up their pick in 25 and 26 to the spurs. Should help with a conveyance for the Spurs this year.

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The bigger surprise is that Utah is making a trade which increases their melanin quotient.

Hornets are expected to acquire a package centered around Tre Mann and salaries, sources said. Mann, a 2021 first-round pick, has upside as a talented young guard. https://t.co/sjEmDORN5n

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024

Wonder when Gordon is coming back. He could really help them. But looks like more of a Bertans salary dump than anything else.

Enzo The Baker said:

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Wonder when Gordon is coming back. He could really help them. But looks like more of a Bertans salary dump than anything else.

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Gordon
Giddey
Chet
Pokusevski
Micic

All White All White All White.

Our guy Danuel House getting dumped to the Pistons. Hopefully he gets more PT.

Good move by the Knicks.

Sources:

Knicks receive Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from Pistons for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn and two second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/U0yC5bYWAX

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024

Damn. Love that move for the Knicks. Gives them 3 point shooting and a bench scorer in Burks. I'll be rooting for them in the East.

Mavs picked him up for Holmes and picks. Good move by them. Ruins my NOLA trade from yesterday.

Daniel Gafford this season:

— 10.9 PPG
— 8.0 RPG
— 1.0 SPG
— 2.2 BPG
— 69% FG

His contract:

2023-24 — $12.4M
2024-25 — $13.4M
2025-26 — $14.4M pic.twitter.com/RLejfyhL9K

— Hoop Muse (@HoopMuse) February 8, 2024

Gafford is a nice player but he's only going to make them marginally better IMO. Mavs have always depleted assets for 'meh' players or players you think that will work well but don't.

Schroeder for Dinwiddie. I can't remember the last time a team was this active during the season as Toronto.

Brucey B likely to be traded before the deadline too.

Charlotte is receiving a 2027 first-rounder from Dallas -- top-two protected -- and sending two second rounders to Mavericks as part of the deal, sources said. https://t.co/T9wm0JfqXF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024

Salivating over that 2030 pick swap.

The need to offload Graham and Malaki for a bag of peanuts (or some more second rounders, same difference) and bring Hayes in. Would rather he eat up some PG minutes. Hes still only 22

Could probably just cut Graham and sign Killian if the deadline passes with no trade

Detroit has waived Danuel House Jr., sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. https://t.co/MygAseuFjE

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024