Sher Thing said:

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I don't know what the actual asking price is for Fox and I certainly agree with not overpaying but I'm not sure it would be "blowing up the warchest"; especially if guys like Vassell and Sochan are involved. The Spurs have to judge what the ceiling is with these guys and if they think they are limited then getting rid of them now before it is fully known around the league can actually end up being a positive. The much easier scenario is to just pay Sochan what he wants and keep punting these difficult decisions down the line and hope that the trade/move/whatever it is that takes this team to the next level just drops in the Spurs lap like it has in the past but Wembanyama is not Tim Duncan and starting next year I doubt he's going to be fine just wasting years away with average players around him.

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Fox is a top 25-30 player and a two-way player.

He's going to command a Donovan Mitchell-like deal at the very least.

• Collin Sexton
• Lauri Markkanen
• Ochai Agbaji
• 2025 first-round pick
• 2026 pick swap
• 2027 first-round pick
• 2028 pick swap
• 2029 first-round pick

The only really nice thing about trading for Fox is he cannot get the 35% max deal if we trade for him. Just like Toronto couldn't give it to Kawhi. He has to stay in Sacramento and then can't be traded for a year after he signs the deal.

So at least we know if the Spurs get him, he can't get a 35% deal. That certainly helps.

Sochan+Vassell+Collins = Fox+Huerter (salaries there are almost identical)

2025 Spurs
2025 Bulls
2027 Spurs
2028 Swap
Return Sacramento Swap

Then we keep our ATL and Minnesota Picks. Our 2028 swap is completely worthless to them. But they get two picks in the really great 25 draft or one in 25, one in 26 and one in 27 plus their own pick back.

I could see it, but I think it also might be overpay and you have to give Fox the 30% max.

Now we have

Bigs: Wemby, Bassey
Forwards: Barnes, Julian, Castle?
Guards: Fox, Huerter, Paul, Tre

I don't think we are closer to winning and now we dont have a forward that should be starting in the NBA and our rebounding is awful.

Sher Thing said:

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Ag Natural said:

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Sher Thing said:

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The Spurs are going to have some tough decisions to make starting this off-season. What is Vassell's future here? What does a Sochan extension look like when he's eligible this summer? The Spurs are 10-5 without Sochan in the lineup this year and 8-12 with him in the lineup. I do think the best Spurs lineup we've seen this season was with Sochan on the bench but I get the FO wanting him to start to see exactly what they have there before he wants a $130mm extension this Summer or something crazy. I struggle giving him that contract but I go back and forth.

I definitely question if the Spurs FO has what it takes to make some of these difficult decisions though (like getting rid of fan favorite players or pulling the trigger on a Fox-like trade) or if they will just dump a bag in front of all these guys.

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A five year extension at $130m actually wouldn't be all that crazy. That's basically what Vassell signed a year and half ago. I'm sure they'd shoot for a lower number but I would hate this at all. Sochan has shown glimpses of being a very valuable sidekick to Wemby.

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I don't know about that but I definitely think that's what he's going to want. I like Sochan and his energy and would like to see him stay on a lower contract but if that's the kind of money he's going to command then I'm just not sure he's worth it. The Spurs have actually been better with him out of the lineup this year primarily due to his inability to shoot the ball. He's a solid defender but he's so flawed offensively it makes for a weird and challenging fit. I actually think he's served better coming off the bench as well.

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Trey Murphy III just signed a 4y112M contract. That would be essentially the same as a 5y130. About 15% of the cap per season. Or 12% of the luxury tax. I would be good with that for Jeremy.

Also, how can we get Trey Murphy?

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/74124/trey-murphy-iii

Obi Wan Ginobili said:

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San Antonio needs to lean heavily into the "hometown discount" feelings with Sochan, and maybe even a little with Vassell. Neither one of them have done anything to prove they are worth huge chunks of money, either by their abilities or their ability to stay on the floor. If either/both of them are indicating they want their Brinks truck, I just don't know how you give it to either of them.

Castle is going to be guuuud,

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The ship sailed with Vassell, his contract extension started this year. 5y135 and it is declining so it will be just 13% of the cap/11% of the tax the final two years.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/70653/devin-vassell

Would like to get Jeremy slightly cheaper. Jaden McDaniels in Minnesota is slightly cheaper than Devin.

Jalen Green got a 3y105M deal from Houston that starts next year. Oof. Devin looks like a steal.

Again, I'm not sure what the Fox market actually looks like and I doubt they will get a haul like Donovan Mitchell with the teams that I have seen being reported as interested. Assuming Houston is out on him there aren't many teams that can offer anything close to that.

Anyhow, the Spurs are going to have to start using some of their trade chips soon and I would personally rather have to slightly overpay for a legit #2 guy then continue to pay inflated market prices for #3, #4, and #5 guys considering where this roster is at the moment.

Sher Thing said:

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Again, I'm not sure what the Fox market actually looks like and I doubt they will get a haul like Donovan Mitchell with the teams that I have seen being reported as interested. Assuming Houston is out on him there aren't many teams that can offer anything close to that.

Anyhow, the Spurs are going to have to start using some of their trade chips soon and I would personally rather have to slightly overpay for a legit #2 guy then continue to pay inflated market prices for #3, #4, and #5 guys considering where this roster is at the moment.

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I don't know why we would think Houston is out on him. He is from Houston and they are going to have a salary crunch soon.

I think they want to try to get Sacramento to take Jalen Green+ picks for him, but Green has a poison pill and effectively cant be traded until next year. I just think Houston, like us, don't want to shake things up during the season when neither team has a path for the championship. But I think both teams would do something if they thought it was a high value play.

Just going by what I've read that Houston isn't interested. There's really only three teams with a significant amount of stashed FRP's. SA, OKC, and Houston. Unfortunately for us, OKC looks like they are building a complete juggernaut and Wemby's Spurs are going to have to go through that for a title for quite a few years to come.

PHX looks to be on the verge of blowing it up. Maybe we can get Durant to play alongside Wemby for a year. Would be extremely entertaining if nothing else.

Sher Thing said:

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Just going by what I've read that Houston isn't interested. There's really only three teams with a significant amount of stashed FRP's. SA, OKC, and Houston. Unfortunately for us, OKC looks like they are building a complete juggernaut and Wemby's Spurs are going to have to go through that for a title for quite a few years to come.

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No one is interested in a trade until it is done.

FVV has been awful and he is a team option for next year. They need a PG and shooting and it has become clear that Amen will never be either, though he will be a great player. Fox doesn't bring the shooting, but he makes sense for this move.

Houston has the problem of having a #2 guy but not a #1. I think Fox is a #2, but he's probably the best they are going to get unless they can use the three Phoenix picks to get Booker. Then they still might have enough to get Fox for Green+picks.

All starters plus Julian in double digits after 3.

Everyone except Bassey with positive +/-

📍Area 51 pic.twitter.com/72Yj8sFFOj

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 7, 2025

This is what I am really excited about in the future. The wemby/castle castle/wemby PnR. Run it both ways.

GET 🆙, STEPH! pic.twitter.com/gtW75l7Qfz

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) January 7, 2025

Hitting the 4th quarter wall again.

I don't understand why Sochan stands behind the 3 point line and why they keep passing the ball to him there. Vic falls in love with the outside shots. Go inside big fella.

LawHall88 said:

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Hitting the 4th quarter wall again.

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Right here the Refs decided to change the game. The 4th quarter was called beyond awful. Bulls got every call, Spurs got none. Spurs even challenged two calls and both were overturned.

What a pathetic choke job

Vassell and Sochan special down the stretch tonight. Vassell had some nice moments down the stretch vs Denver but these guys just can't do it consistently when it matters. Paul tried to win the game but he can only perform like this 1 out of every 6 games at his age. Don't really see enough from Sochan defensively either to overcome his offensive shortcomings.

Coaching staff still has to do a better job of getting Vic the ball in better spots. He's catching way too far out, I don't remember running 1 play for him to get him open tonight. It's just post ups at the three pt line.

Mitch Johnson is not cut out to be a HC yet…what awful mismanagement of this game

Sochan has no business being on the floor in crunch time. Not defending, not rebounding, and teams ar happy to leave him alone at the three point line.

Is Mitch ever gonna figure that out?

Collapsing again in the fourth. Vassell, KJ, and Sochan no where to be found as they can't make a shot. Vic needs to develop a low post game when his outside shots are not going in.

Guitarsoup said:

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LawHall88 said:

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Hitting the 4th quarter wall again.

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Right here the Refs decided to change the game. The 4th quarter was called beyond awful. Bulls got every call, Spurs got none. Spurs even challenged two calls and both were overturned.

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This was nuts. We were getting nailed with offensive fouls when defenders weren't set. Down the stretch in the fourth they were outright shoving Paul with no foul.

Sports-Ag said:

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Collapsing again in the fourth. Vassell, KJ, and Sochan no where to be found as they can't make a shot. Vic needs to develop a low post game when his outside shots are not going in.

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It's just a ****ty rotation down the stretch in the fourth and Mitch is just stuck on it.

FTAG 2000 said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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LawHall88 said:

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Hitting the 4th quarter wall again.

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Right here the Refs decided to change the game. The 4th quarter was called beyond awful. Bulls got every call, Spurs got none. Spurs even challenged two calls and both were overturned.

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This was nuts. We were getting nailed with offensive fouls when defenders weren't set. Down the stretch in the fourth they were outright shoving Paul with no foul.

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Bunch of our shots should have ended in FTs. Castle jumps in front of LaVine without any contact and LaVine gets two shots.

Refs put them in the bonus with like 7.5 minutes left and they called ticky tack stuff away from the ball multiple times to give the Bulls free points.

Refs decided this game.

Castle again not playing down the stretch is making me dislike Mitch

Another game where Paul is lighting up the young guys in the huddle in the fourth for letting up.

Communication was lost in the second half on defense. Sean mentioned numerous times calling out the defense. Guys not knowing where they're going and no transition defense.

First half looked like a masterclass for them then they choke in the second half. Is this the middle of the season where they regress a little? Hard for them to be consistent all season. I know they got the win in Denver but some guys are regressing being inconsistent.

TheNotoriousP.I.P. said:

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Castle again not playing down the stretch is making me dislike Mitch

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It reeks of Pop dictating lineups to Mitch. Burying Castle on the bench so Sochan can get left alone repeatedly is just stupid.

FTAG 2000 said:

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Sports-Ag said:

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Collapsing again in the fourth. Vassell, KJ, and Sochan no where to be found as they can't make a shot. Vic needs to develop a low post game when his outside shots are not going in.

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It's just a ****ty rotation down the stretch in the fourth and Mitch is just stuck on it.

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I'm not liking that rotation.

I don't agree. Castle was closing games when Pop was on the bench.

How do you not score a point the remaining 4 mins of a game in today's NBA? No bueno.

Spurs just have to update the roster badly going into next season. Bunch of very average players. Coaching is bad right now also.

Everyone sucked in the 4th including Vic. The whole squad needs to make better decisions.

Victor Wembanyama felt like the Spurs didn’t respect the basketball gods and attention to detail late in tonight’s game. “We don’t deserve more wins.”

— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) January 7, 2025

I guess I'm in the minority, but watching them fall apart late isn't surprising on the 3rd game of a 3gsmes/4nights stretch

Wemby passed Rasho the Weak for 10th place all-time on the Spurs block list. Fewer than 100 more blocks gets him past Danny Green, Jakob, and TheMarcus for 7th.