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San Antonio Spurs 2021 Offseason Thread -- Wandering the Desert

Patrick Bateman

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Patrick Bateman

Patrick Bateman 3966

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This franchise is fucking lost and unless we get some lottery ball help, it doesn't look like it's going to be much better next season.  Our best player is a UFA and probably will want to go ring hunting, of course, he also is probably the 4th best guy on a Championship roster and wilts in the playoffs.  Our young pieces are fun, but role players without superstar talent.  We have a front office who seems to value challenging for play-in games than really making the necessary sacrifices to rebuild a championship roster, but hey, we're Los Spurs, we play real hard!  We'll have a ton of space if we get rid of the old guys, but who wants to sign here?  Not sure, but maybe we can make it an interesting offseason.  I'd like to clear the decks and get rid of everyone every 28.  

 

SAN ANTONIO SPURS TEAM SALARIES 2020-21 SEASON

PLAYER 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
TOTALS $128,746,873 $59,690,017 $59,422,614 $41,709,042 $19,321,429

$0

 

DeMar DeRozan $27,739,975          
LaMarcus Aldridge * $16,750,000          
Rudy Gay $14,500,000          
Dejounte Murray $14,286,000 $15,248,880 $16,571,120 $17,714,000    
Patrick Mills $13,535,714          
Jakob Poeltl $8,101,852 $8,750,000 $9,398,148      
DeMarre Carroll * $6,119,676 $1,242,340        
Trey Lyles $5,500,000          
Devin Vassell $4,033,440 $4,235,160 $4,437,000 $5,887,899 $8,060,534  
Derrick White $3,516,284 $15,678,571 $16,892,857 $18,107,143 $19,321,429  
Lonnie Walker $2,892,000 $4,447,896 $6,311,564      
Luka Samanic $2,824,320 $2,959,080 $4,556,983 $6,498,258    
Keldon Johnson $2,048,040 $2,145,720 $3,873,025 $5,809,537    
Marquese Chriss * $1,824,003          
Drew Eubanks $1,620,564 $1,762,796 $1,910,860      
DaQuan Jeffries $1,445,697 $1,701,593 $2,126,991      
Gorgui Dieng $1,000,000          
Tre Jones $898,310 $1,517,981 $1,782,621 $2,228,276    
Quinnd. Weatherspoon Dual $1,669,178        
Keita Bates-Diop Dual          
Cameron Reynolds * $110,998          

Salary cap:

https://en.hispanosnba.com/salaries/san-antonio-spurs

tumblr_ndhvt2qgJo1qbsi4oo1_500.gifv

Let's all comb the desert together....

comb-the-desert

Is Tim Duncan Jr in this draft?

 

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Braff Zacklin

Braff Zacklin 13675

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15 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

This franchise is fucking lost and unless we get some lottery ball help, it doesn't look like it's going to be much better next season.  Our best player is a UFA and probably will want to go ring hunting, of course, he also is probably the 4th best guy on a Championship roster and wilts in the playoffs.  Our young pieces are fun, but role players without superstar talent.  We have a front office who seems to value challenging for play-in games than really making the necessary sacrifices to rebuild a championship roster, but hey, we're Los Spurs, we play real hard!  We'll have a ton of space if we get rid of the old guys, but who wants to sign here?  Not sure, but maybe we can make it an interesting offseason.  I'd like to clear the decks and get rid of everyone every 28.

Almost invoked your name in a post (1104) I made in "last" season's thread a couple of hours ago lamenting the Spurs roster. Was tempted to drop a line to the effect of, "Need Bateman to get in here and dish on salary cap and contracts cuz shit looks bleak."

Should've known you were merely biding your time. Well done, sir.

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Patrick Bateman

Patrick Bateman 3966

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13 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Almost invoked your name in a post (1104) I made in "last" season's thread a couple of hours ago lamenting the Spurs roster. Was tempted to drop a line to the effect of, "Need Bateman to get in here and dish on salary cap and contracts cuz shit looks bleak."

Should've known you were merely biding your time. Well done, sir.

So, this is a huge offseason for the Spurs because it really is going to show the direction of the franchise.  The last two years, we had so much money guaranteed to players, that it would have taken an active front office (trades) to change the trajectory of a below average team.  This offseason is different because we have all of these older guys who still may have a little left in the tank but won't be worth the cost to a rebuilding team.  To a contending team?  Maybe they are one of the missing pieces.  But Patty, Rudy, Lyles, and yes, even Demar shouldn't be resigned to a big deal unless it's a S&T.  We would have to actively tie up guaranteed money rather than just take the cap space.  This year will really alert the fanbase if there's a real plan.

For some reason, this organization seems to believe they're like a player or two away, which is folly and lacks self-awareness.  Yes, we're a player or two away if it's prime Tim Duncan and David Robinson.  Otherwise, there isn't a lot, foundationally, to build a legit contender with.  Again, most of young players are role players.  I love guys like Keldon, Murray, and maybe even White's (when healthy) games, but unless something huge happens in their development, they aren't the type of players who you can build around, they're guys you surround a star with.  Anyways, let's look at some of the decision ahead:

1.  So, we could max out a soon to be 32 year old Demar for the small bargain price of 150m for 4 more years which would push his last year of about 40m in his year 35.  That's a fuck no for me.  He'll basically be untradeable (unless you take back an equally disgusting contract) if we sign him to a max deal.  Even at a discount (which I doubt he'll give), I'm not sure I want him starting at 30 million.  He's a good solid player, but not a superstar and asking him to try to be one here because we fucked up the Kawhi trade is unfair to all involved.  Admit your mistake, take your licks, and either help facilitate a trade via S&T or just let him walk and use the money elsewhere.

2.  Extend Lonnie.  That's another no.  Lonnie has the most upside potential of anyone on the roster physically.  He can score a little but he does little else to help the team.  He's a shitty rebounder, not much of a facilitator, an averagish (probably below) shooter, and doesn't do much of anything on the defensive end.  He's only 22 and young so I get it, but he has shown no improvement thus far.  His basketball IQ seems low and rather than having a poor man's Andrew Wiggins (yea, he's so much worse than Wiggins) eating up 16-19m a season seems....... unwise.  Make him earn it and if he balls out and makes a huge jump, then you can pay him. 

3.  Pick up Eubanks option.  Why?  He's a no talent journeyman.  I'm sure Pop will pick it up because of his work ethic.

Plenty of other decisions but let's start there.  Anyone else have opinions?

 

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Mitch Cumsteen

Mitch Cumsteen 18926

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So, the easy stuff first:

1. I imagine they are going to re-sign Dieng. He had options to sign with contenders at the deadline, but apparently he has a man crush on RC from when he was a kid growing up in Africa. He wants to be here, they are woefully bereft of front court talent, and they have plenty of cap to pay him. He's 31 and can play a little, and is coming off an obscene (in his favor) contract. Hopefully he comes cheap.

2. Eubanks is a no brainer to be back. Cheap as fuck, 23 years old, taller than 6'6" and has some bounce. He could be our Eduardo Najera if he could learn how to be more annoying.

3. Bateman says no to this, but they are going to work out an extension for Lonnie Walker unless he's just hellbent about becoming a free agent. He's still raw but he has gotten better. He's still only 22 years old with lots of growing to do. I think they do something reasonable with him, but below the Derrick White / Dejounte Murray range. And I don't think they are going to have any better options with all of that cap space.

4. Brace yourself for Patty to come back. He's the last remaining tie to championships, the poster child for Spurs culture, and terrifyingly, still their best three point shooter. They overpaid the fuck out of him last time, which was a reaction to his being underpaid on his prior contract since he was injured when his free agency came up, so hopefully they will get something done reasonably. If they are smart, they will only overpay him the first year and team option him for way less over the next one or two years with a built in golden parachute. More likely, you should prepare to be pissed for the disgusting amount of cash they are about to give him. Those HEB pre-made meals aren't going to sell themselves.

5. Trey Lyles is gone. He requested a trade at the deadline that they couldn't accommodate even though they tried damnedest, and he hasn't played in two months with a fraudulent mysterious sprained ankle despite them having zero front court depth. I couldn't believe he still had the balls to show up on the bench every night in street clothes. I thought they would have bought him out. Just a weird deal, but I don't see him (or want him) back.

Okay... for the more difficult stuff:

1. Rudy Gay - I'm sure they want him back on a cheap contract but my man is 34, pocketed more than $150 million over his career, and he should go ring chasing. God bless you Rudy and your bionic Achilles tendons, but it's time for you to go.

2. Demar - what a mess. This free agent class is hot garbage. So much so that if you look around, he's probably the most impactful one out there, which means that some desperate dumbass GM is going to talk himself into overpaying the fuck out of him.  Dallas, Miami and New York all have cap and all have a need for another scorer/facilitator and none of them are afraid to write stupid contracts. Charlotte has cap too, but I'm not sure he's a fit there. Then again, MJ. As terrible as Demar was last night, he's probably the difference between them being in the play-in game and duking it out with OKC and Houston at the bottom of the conference.  Please god don't let the Spurs overpay him when his agent starts dangling around texts from Mark Cuban and whoever the fuck runs the Knicks now. Dream scenario: sign and trade where they take on some bad contract in the short term and get picks/young prospects. I think they would have done it at the trade deadline though, if that were possible.

3. Pop - I think this is the biggest question mark. Does he pull the cord after the Olympics? And if he decides to stick around, does that influence their decision making on Derozan? I hope the fuck not.  They aren't stupid. Contrary to what Bateman says, they know that they can't compete right now. They know they need a superstar. Does Pop have the stomach for this rebuild? 

The other thing, the draft and lottery:  If they can dig up that red chameleon, they should. I think they are at about a 10% chance for moving into the top 4. Stranger things have happened, and this franchise for as much good luck as they've had over the past 30 years could sure use a little bit more of it. Even at 11 or 12, they should get a good player.  Kawhi and Giannis were drafted at pick 15. Kobe and Karl Malone went at 13. Jokic at 41! You never fucking know. They had the good fortune of not only winning the lottery twice, but doing it in years where they couldn't possibly fuck it up. 

All in all, I expect very little action from them this Summer. Just like every other fucking Summer. Even if Derozan leaves, the free agent class sucks and they aren't going to go crazy there. Unless they can't help themselves from overpaying Richaud Holmes, I don't even see anything out there remotely palatable. So, expect to rinse, lather and repeat next Summer. Mas losing, mas desert.

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Patrick Bateman

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5 hours ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

So, the easy stuff first:

1. I imagine they are going to re-sign Dieng. He had options to sign with contenders at the deadline, but apparently he has a man crush on RC from when he was a kid growing up in Africa. He wants to be here, they are woefully bereft of front court talent, and they have plenty of cap to pay him. He's 31 and can play a little, and is coming off an obscene (in his favor) contract. Hopefully he comes cheap.

2. Eubanks is a no brainer to be back. Cheap as fuck, 23 years old, taller than 6'6" and has some bounce. He could be our Eduardo Najera if he could learn how to be more annoying.

3. Bateman says no to this, but they are going to work out an extension for Lonnie Walker unless he's just hellbent about becoming a free agent. He's still raw but he has gotten better. He's still only 22 years old with lots of growing to do. I think they do something reasonable with him, but below the Derrick White / Dejounte Murray range. And I don't think they are going to have any better options with all of that cap space.

4. Brace yourself for Patty to come back. He's the last remaining tie to championships, the poster child for Spurs culture, and terrifyingly, still their best three point shooter. They overpaid the fuck out of him last time, which was a reaction to his being underpaid on his prior contract since he was injured when his free agency came up, so hopefully they will get something done reasonably. If they are smart, they will only overpay him the first year and team option him for way less over the next one or two years with a built in golden parachute. More likely, you should prepare to be pissed for the disgusting amount of cash they are about to give him. Those HEB pre-made meals aren't going to sell themselves.

5. Trey Lyles is gone. He requested a trade at the deadline that they couldn't accommodate even though they tried damnedest, and he hasn't played in two months with a fraudulent mysterious sprained ankle despite them having zero front court depth. I couldn't believe he still had the balls to show up on the bench every night in street clothes. I thought they would have bought him out. Just a weird deal, but I don't see him (or want him) back.

Okay... for the more difficult stuff:

1. Rudy Gay - I'm sure they want him back on a cheap contract but my man is 34, pocketed more than $150 million over his career, and he should go ring chasing. God bless you Rudy and your bionic Achilles tendons, but it's time for you to go.

2. Demar - what a mess. This free agent class is hot garbage. So much so that if you look around, he's probably the most impactful one out there, which means that some desperate dumbass GM is going to talk himself into overpaying the fuck out of him.  Dallas, Miami and New York all have cap and all have a need for another scorer/facilitator and none of them are afraid to write stupid contracts. Charlotte has cap too, but I'm not sure he's a fit there. Then again, MJ. As terrible as Demar was last night, he's probably the difference between them being in the play-in game and duking it out with OKC and Houston at the bottom of the conference.  Please god don't let the Spurs overpay him when his agent starts dangling around texts from Mark Cuban and whoever the fuck runs the Knicks now. Dream scenario: sign and trade where they take on some bad contract in the short term and get picks/young prospects. I think they would have done it at the trade deadline though, if that were possible.

3. Pop - I think this is the biggest question mark. Does he pull the cord after the Olympics? And if he decides to stick around, does that influence their decision making on Derozan? I hope the fuck not.  They aren't stupid. Contrary to what Bateman says, they know that they can't compete right now. They know they need a superstar. Does Pop have the stomach for this rebuild? 

The other thing, the draft and lottery:  If they can dig up that red chameleon, they should. I think they are at about a 10% chance for moving into the top 4. Stranger things have happened, and this franchise for as much good luck as they've had over the past 30 years could sure use a little bit more of it. Even at 11 or 12, they should get a good player.  Kawhi and Giannis were drafted at pick 15. Kobe and Karl Malone went at 13. Jokic at 41! You never fucking know. They had the good fortune of not only winning the lottery twice, but doing it in years where they couldn't possibly fuck it up. 

All in all, I expect very little action from them this Summer. Just like every other fucking Summer. Even if Derozan leaves, the free agent class sucks and they aren't going to go crazy there. Unless they can't help themselves from overpaying Richaud Holmes, I don't even see anything out there remotely palatable. So, expect to rinse, lather and repeat next Summer. Mas losing, mas desert.

Nice post.  So a few clarifications.

1.  Agree that Dieng is back as a backup big, probably the 3rd guy who can play post and shoot the 3 a tad.  No problems if cheap.

2.  Eubanks is cheap as hell but if you pick up his option, you're guaranteeing 2 years.  I expect him to be back, but he's man without a country in today's NBA.  Undersized big who can't shoot the 3 and is limited to garbage guy around the basket because he's not a great finisher.  He tries real hard though.  Maybe we should change our names to the San Antonio Try Hards.  He's sort of a waste of roster space unless they think he can become Kelly Olynk all of sudden.

3.  Walker's not a free agent, in fact he has another year plus RFA, so my idea is not to sign him now unless he comes in around the 12m mark.  But he probably sees White and Murray's early extensions and says, "Hey, I was a lottery pick, why should I take less money?"  Answer:  Because you're advanceds say you actually make us worse than me when you're on the court.  Talented as fuck, I see it, but rather just make him play it out, if he improves then offer him a deal next summer.  Yea, you may end up paying 3-4 million more per season, but at least make him show it first.

4.  If Pop comes back, then they'll want Patty to come back.  Bleh.  Love the little Aussie and he hit 55 more 3's than the next guy on our roster..... Rudy Gay.  In some ways, because the other dudes can't shoot, we may need him back in a bench role, but again, to what end?  We're not a contender and nowhere close unless we draft the next Kawhi so..... yea.  I'd let him walk unless he wants to be here so bad, he takes a huge hometown discount (like 2/11-12 or something).

5.  Who?  Fuck him.  

Tough Stuff:

1.  Not tough.  Let Rudy go ring chase.  Thanks for the vet leadership, go with God.

2.  Demar.  If Pop is back, I feel like they'll push to re-sign him.  He's our weather vein.  Re-sign him and we're in for some teen picks the next couple of years.  Let him go and maybe we get a top 5 pick next season or at least take that money and go after a RFA.  Don't just look at the UFA's.  This offseason the guys we should be looking at our RFA's.  We may re-sign him but again.... to what end?  He makes us good enough to not fully rebuild for a couple of seasons.

3.  Perhaps you misunderstand me.  In no way do I think the Spurs think they're a real contender, only a moron would think so.  But I do think they overestimate their front office prowess.  Everything good that has happened to the franchise the last 35 years is because of three guys, David, Tim, and Pop.  Yea, Manu was a great pick.  Tony was a great pick.  Kawhi was fantastic until he flaked but we had the foundation.  We already had the anchors.  We win no championships with Manu as our foundational player.  Love the guy, but it's the truth.  However, I do believe Pop has no desire to tank.  I don't think it's in his outlook, his DNA and if he comes back then I expect more wandering, as you do.

4.  Draft/Lottery.  Yes, sacrifice a live chicken or whatever to get help with the lottery balls, but beyond that, it's really a low, low odd proposition you're going to find your bedrock.  Kawhi took 3-4 years to develop.  Same with Giannis.  Bringing up outliers is a good exercise to understand the possible, not the probable.

5.  Free Agency.  I agree, the UFA class sucks.  Who's the best?  Kawhi, after he opts out (but probably goes back to LA) and I think there will be a Blizzard in the Valley before he would come back to SA.  Hey, we did get a freeze in Central Texas.  Otherwise, IMHO (which means shit), I think i'd look at the RFA class.  John Collins?  Overpay a little and offer Demar in a S&T for cap purposes?  Atlanta knows what they are with him.  Maybe they want to shake it up?  Doubtful, but I'd definitely look.  Jarrett Allen?  He's a better Jakob, but Jakob played well and Spurs probably don't want to overpay for a small upgrade.  Markannen?  Probably doesn't play enough defense but hey, neither does Demar.  Pick and pop?  Maybe they think Samanic is that guy, but I'd rather have the young asset if it's not too pricey.  

Otherwise, yea, the idea is to reset the our salary cap by letting the old guys say adios, let the young guys play and develop (with some free agent value vet guys on short-term contracts) and probably be solidly in the lottery next year.  Unless, perpetually playing play-in games is fun for the organization.  I don't know, time will tell and I would probably bet on your scenario then a reset.  My argument is what we should do, you seem to be writing what we will do.  Overall, I think we probably are more aligned in our thinking than not.

 

 

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Mitch Cumsteen

Mitch Cumsteen 18926

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15 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Nice post.  So a few clarifications.

1.  Agree that Dieng is back as a backup big, probably the 3rd guy who can play post and shoot the 3 a tad.  No problems if cheap.

2.  Eubanks is cheap as hell but if you pick up his option, you're guaranteeing 2 years.  I expect him to be back, but he's man without a country in today's NBA.  Undersized big who can't shoot the 3 and is limited to garbage guy around the basket because he's not a great finisher.  He tries real hard though.  Maybe we should change our names to the San Antonio Try Hards.  He's sort of a waste of roster space unless they think he can become Kelly Olynk all of sudden.

3.  Walker's not a free agent, in fact he has another year plus RFA, so my idea is not to sign him now unless he comes in around the 12m mark.  But he probably sees White and Murray's early extensions and says, "Hey, I was a lottery pick, why should I take less money?"  Answer:  Because you're advanceds say you actually make us worse than me when you're on the court.  Talented as fuck, I see it, but rather just make him play it out, if he improves then offer him a deal next summer.  Yea, you may end up paying 3-4 million more per season, but at least make him show it first.

4.  If Pop comes back, then they'll want Patty to come back.  Bleh.  Love the little Aussie and he hit 55 more 3's than the next guy on our roster..... Rudy Gay.  In some ways, because the other dudes can't shoot, we may need him back in a bench role, but again, to what end?  We're not a contender and nowhere close unless we draft the next Kawhi so..... yea.  I'd let him walk unless he wants to be here so bad, he takes a huge hometown discount (like 2/11-12 or something).

5.  Who?  Fuck him.  

Tough Stuff:

1.  Not tough.  Let Rudy go ring chase.  Thanks for the vet leadership, go with God.

2.  Demar.  If Pop is back, I feel like they'll push to re-sign him.  He's our weather vein.  Re-sign him and we're in for some teen picks the next couple of years.  Let him go and maybe we get a top 5 pick next season or at least take that money and go after a RFA.  Don't just look at the UFA's.  This offseason the guys we should be looking at our RFA's.  We may re-sign him but again.... to what end?  He makes us good enough to not fully rebuild for a couple of seasons.

3.  Perhaps you misunderstand me.  In no way do I think the Spurs think they're a real contender, only a moron would think so.  But I do think they overestimate their front office prowess.  Everything good that has happened to the franchise the last 35 years is because of three guys, David, Tim, and Pop.  Yea, Manu was a great pick.  Tony was a great pick.  Kawhi was fantastic until he flaked but we had the foundation.  We already had the anchors.  We win no championships with Manu as our foundational player.  Love the guy, but it's the truth.  However, I do believe Pop has no desire to tank.  I don't think it's in his outlook, his DNA and if he comes back then I expect more wandering, as you do.

4.  Draft/Lottery.  Yes, sacrifice a live chicken or whatever to get help with the lottery balls, but beyond that, it's really a low, low odd proposition you're going to find your bedrock.  Kawhi took 3-4 years to develop.  Same with Giannis.  Bringing up outliers is a good exercise to understand the possible, not the probable.

5.  Free Agency.  I agree, the UFA class sucks.  Who's the best?  Kawhi, after he opts out (but probably goes back to LA) and I think there will be a Blizzard in the Valley before he would come back to SA.  Hey, we did get a freeze in Central Texas.  Otherwise, IMHO (which means shit), I think i'd look at the RFA class.  John Collins?  Overpay a little and offer Demar in a S&T for cap purposes?  Atlanta knows what they are with him.  Maybe they want to shake it up?  Doubtful, but I'd definitely look.  Jarrett Allen?  He's a better Jakob, but Jakob played well and Spurs probably don't want to overpay for a small upgrade.  Markannen?  Probably doesn't play enough defense but hey, neither does Demar.  Pick and pop?  Maybe they think Samanic is that guy, but I'd rather have the young asset if it's not too pricey.  

Otherwise, yea, the idea is to reset the our salary cap by letting the old guys say adios, let the young guys play and develop (with some free agent value vet guys on short-term contracts) and probably be solidly in the lottery next year.  Unless, perpetually playing play-in games is fun for the organization.  I don't know, time will tell and I would probably bet on your scenario then a reset.  My argument is what we should do, you seem to be writing what we will do.  Overall, I think we probably are more aligned in our thinking than not.

 

 

I think we mostly agree on all of this. Unless Derozan makes the decision for them, they are not going to blow this up the way they should. My greatest hope is a sign and trade. They can afford to take on some bad contracts and get more assets in the process. No max free agent (or one that is actually worthy of the max) is going to sign here anyway in the current climate. 

Re: Lonnie... yeah, I know they picked up his option this coming year. $48 for 4 years sounds about right though for an extension. I think it makes sense for both sides to get something done this offseason. He will still only be 27 at the end of that contract and it pretty much ensures his financial stability for the rest of his life. He also has a little bit of an injury history that might fit into his calculus. I still like his potential. He's the only guy on the roster who makes you hold your breath when he gets the ball in the open court. And his advanced numbers are horrendous but I do see signs of his playing a better floor game even though the numbers don't bear it out. 

They are going to get a good player in the draft. They desperately need size but there aren't a lot of bigs available. My initial thought was that they had to take a big no matter what or move some pieces, but at this point, they need to take the best player available regardless of positional fit. If they have 10 guards/wings on the roster, so be it. They need talent, anywhere they can find it. 

We are going to have to learn to be patient. Barring a lottery or drafting miracle, it is going to suck for a couple of years. While we would like them to tank, I do think that they are taking the right approach by going after so many young players. I think they have 8 guys 24 years old and younger on the roster, and 5 guys 22 or younger. Hopefully watching them grow up will be rewarding.

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Assman

Assman 1830

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With the amount of cap space we have, I have a bad feeling we're going to overpay for 1-2 players just to get over the cap minimum.  One will probably be Patty, and I wouldn't be surprised if the other was DD.  No big name FA is coming here next year or any other year, so we're relegated to overpaying for aging average/above average players and filling the gaps with role players and hoping to hit the jackpot in the lottery. Yay!

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Kermit

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50 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Needs a ruling here.  Should I joke Dallas wins because fuck kawhi?   Or go clippers because fuck Dallas?  
i never hated Dallas as much as most Spurs fans because mark cuban was right, the river walk is gross.  

Which one torpedoed the franchise causing irreparable harm? Which one is a little bitch, incapable of fulfilling contractual obligations? Which one brings their wife to a strip club? There might be a time when we play Dallas on equal footing again and begin to refuel that hatred, but one day I will piss on Kawhi’s grave. I hope that answers it.

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dingleberryswitzer

dingleberryswitzer 2724

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7 hours ago, Kermit said:

Which one torpedoed the franchise causing irreparable harm? Which one is a little bitch, incapable of fulfilling contractual obligations? Which one brings their wife to a strip club? There might be a time when we play Dallas on equal footing again and begin to refuel that hatred, but one day I will piss on Kawhi’s grave. I hope that answers it.

This the way I was leaning.  
I read the MAvs thread a bit and they didn’t seem confident even after a game 1 win

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ztejas

ztejas 44114

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On 5/23/2021 at 6:53 AM, dingleberryswitzer said:

Needs a ruling here.  Should I joke Dallas wins because fuck kawhi?   Or go clippers because fuck Dallas?  
i never hated Dallas as much as most Spurs fans because mark cuban was right, the river walk is gross.  

I don't really hate the Mavs. It hasn't been much of a rivalry in over a decade even though they made us sweat in 2014.

Them being better than us is always annoying but I hope the Clippers get swept. Fuck Kawhi.

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Mitch Cumsteen

Mitch Cumsteen 18926

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The answer is always fuck Kawhi Leonard for what he's done to this franchise. That cocksucker is the reason we are wandering the desert.  I hope they lose in the most painful, embarrassing way possible that makes the entire franchise implode on top of that goldbricking turd.

Also... for those of you keeping score at home, the Spurs lost the coin flip with Charlotte for the 11th pick so barring a lottery ball miracle (8% chance of landing in the top 4), the Spurs will be picking 12. Golden State or Indiana could also find their way into the top 4 which would push the Spurs down, but statistically speaking, they are most likely getting #12. There should be a good player available.

I've seen mocks with them getting Moses Moody, Josh Giddey and Alperen Sengun.  I'd be okay with any of them. Would love it if Jalen Johnson or Scottie Barnes fell to them, but I think they will both be gone by 12. I'm on the fence about Isaiah Jackson and Kai Jones. If they think they can fix Jones' jumpshot, then I can see them taking a flyer on him. They sure as shit need someone with his size and athleticism. 

There are people who love Franz Wagner, but I can't get his performance against UCLA in the elite 8 out of my head.  Not a huge Keon Johnson fan either - the last thing they need is another combo guard who can't shoot threes but again, if they think they can fix his jumpshot then I could be persuaded.  I'm not that into Kispert, either. He looks like the next Jason Kapono to me. Hard pass. 

 

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Mitch Cumsteen

Mitch Cumsteen 18926

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9 hours ago, hornfan785 said:

Should we have kept Bryn Forbes?...

If we had Giannis on our team to create endless open looks and cover up for his defensive shortcomings, sure. But watching Forbes have success just puts a spotlight on how desolate your championship chances are without a superstar. It also kind of makes you reconsider your roster. I think the spurs have a bunch of solid rotation guys but how much better would they be if they had a true superstar making the game easier for them? Every jumper has a little more space. Every help defender is a little more hesitant to leave his man. Those split seconds mean everything. 

As a franchise, we've been so spoiled. The time between Ice and Robinson was five years, but you knew David was eventually coming after his two year Navy deal so it didn't seem so bad. Then they went straight to Duncan and then Kawhi. So, that's three years in the late 80s when it seemed hopeless and now three years post Kawhi. 

They will eventually find that next guy. It may be a while, but they will find him. Until then? Hold your nose and pray to the lottery gods. 

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Kermit

Kermit 3162

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19 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

If we had Giannis on our team to create endless open looks and cover up for his defensive shortcomings, sure. But watching Forbes have success just puts a spotlight on how desolate your championship chances are without a superstar. It also kind of makes you reconsider your roster. I think the spurs have a bunch of solid rotation guys but how much better would they be if they had a true superstar making the game easier for them? Every jumper has a little more space. Every help defender is a little more hesitant to leave his man. Those split seconds mean everything. 

As a franchise, we've been so spoiled. The time between Ice and Robinson was five years, but you knew David was eventually coming after his two year Navy deal so it didn't seem so bad. Then they went straight to Duncan and then Kawhi. So, that's three years in the late 80s when it seemed hopeless and now three years post Kawhi. 

They will eventually find that next guy. It may be a while, but they will find him. Until then? Hold your nose and pray to the lottery gods. 

I’ve already sacrificed three goats Mitch. Are you saying we need a fourth?

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Machinator

Machinator 32102

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I like reading Marks' offseason primers as a way to familiarize myself with where all the NBA teams are sitting. But his article on the Spurs seemed... off-base.

Spoiler

How do we evaluate the 2020-21 version of the San Antonio Spurs?

Is it by the 8-22 record in games decided by five points in the last five minutes? Or the 2-5 record in overtime games?

Do we look at the stretch of the season when this team was decimated by COVID-19, resulting in having to play 40 games after the All-Star break? That brutal stretch saw San Antonio go from four games over .500 to six games below, finishing the season 33-39, including 15-25 since the All-Star break.

In total, the Spurs played 63 of their 72 games either on a back-to-back or with one day of rest.

Despite missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Spurs have a solid foundation in place and have the flexibility to retain their own free agents or bring in other free agents to replace them.

The state of the roster
The Spurs are comparable to the Memphis Grizzlies -- the team that defeated them in the play-in round -- in that they have built their roster the right way.

The post-Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili era could have left this team stuck in the bottom of the Western Conference for the foreseeable future. The Spurs could have hit the button on a full-scale rebuild and relied on selecting in the top half of the lottery, looking for their next Duncan.

Instead, San Antonio has laid down a strong foundation as a result of identifying talent outside of the lottery. Starters Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson were selected with the second-to-last pick in the first round, while key reserves Lonnie Walker IV and Luka Samanic were picked in the teens.

Devin Vassell was the only player on this year's roster who the Spurs drafted in the lottery. Building a roster organically through the draft should be commended. And while the Spurs did not take any shortcuts in remaining competitive, the franchise is at a crossroads this offseason.

The DeMar DeRozan trade brought stability to a franchise in the aftermath of losing Kawhi Leonard, but now the forward is an unrestricted free agent. Do they look to bring him back or do they continue the youth movement without one of their veterans?

Cap space or own free agents?
The trend in San Antonio has been to draft, develop and eventually re-sign that player when his rookie contract expires or the year before in an extension. Will that change this offseason when the Spurs could have more than $50 million in cap space?

The Spurs could jump into the deep end in free agency, but it would come at the cost of their own free agents: DeRozan, Patty Mills or perhaps Rudy Gay. The three players combined to average 43.8 points this season, 39% of the Spurs' total production.

Although the Spurs have $58 million in contracts, well below the projected $112.1 million salary cap, their individual cap holds have San Antonio over the cap right now.

The Spurs will have a big decision to make, and it starts with DeRozan.

DeMar DeRozan

It would have been easy for the former All-Star to look down the roster, see the young faces of Murray, White, Johnson and Walker, and ask not to be part of the youth movement prior to the start of this season. The Spurs were coming off their first non-playoff appearance since 1997 and DeRozan was at a point of his career where contending for championships typically becomes more of a priority for players.

However, DeRozan embraced the youth movement, sacrificing for the better of the team, as he's done since his arrival in 2018. He transitioned to playing both forward positions and increased his efficiency, posting the highest offensive rating of his career.

"He deserved to be on the All-Star team, in my opinion," Popovich said in February. "He's helped us win, put us in good position. He's scored, he's distributed the basketball. His leadership's been amazing."

DeRozan is coming off a season where he averaged a career high 7.3 assists and ranked in the 100th percentile of all NBA players in assist percentage per Cleaning the Glass, joining Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook in this elite group.

"He seems to never get tired, and he's always ready to go," Popovich said after a recent victory over New Orleans. "He wants the ball, he wants to score, but he'll get it to his teammates if that's appropriate. He loves being in that situation. He's the best on our team with that."

Despite never attempting more than 3.6 3-pointers per game in a season, DeRozan has still averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the past eight seasons, including 21.4 this year. He has one of the most effective midrange games in the NBA and is still performing at an All-Star level as he's set to turn 32 in August. According to ProFitX, DeRozan has outperformed his $27.7 million contract this season by $4 million.

The Spurs currently have an exclusive window to negotiate a new contract for DeRozan in the form of an extension. San Antonio can add an additional four seasons and up to $149.1 million in new money with a starting salary of $33.3 million in 2021-22.

If there is no agreement by Aug. 1, DeRozan would enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The salary for DeRozan per ProFitX projects to start at $31 million next year (with a low of $24 million).

Supply and demand will be a big factor in determining what DeRozan's next contract will be. The teams outside of San Antonio who project to have cap space are Charlotte, Dallas, Miami and New York. Would the Knicks use their $55 million in room to target DeRozan and his former Toronto Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry? How about the Mavericks adding an established scorer to play alongside Luka Doncic?

If San Antonio decides the cost of re-signing DeRozan is too rich and the four-time All-Star wants to join a team that doesn't have cap space, a sign-and-trade would be an option. However, that would require the Spurs to take back salary into their cap space or redirect those contracts to a third team.

There are three big questions the Spurs will need to ask internally with regards to DeRozan:

Does paying a 32-year-old player more than $30 million fit the timeline of the current roster?

Where would DeRozan rank on our free-agent board if he were not on our roster, and would he be a player that we would target with cap space?

Do we sign DeRozan and utilize him as a trade asset down the road and if so, where would his value be in the second year of the contract?

If the Spurs can answer "yes" to any of the above questions, then there is a deal to be made.

For DeRozan, there is a balancing act of finances and team success.

DeRozan has already earned $178 million in his career. Does a $25 million-$30 million salary outweigh playing for a team that is competing for one of the final playoff spots and is not considered one of the elite teams in the Western Conference?

Note: ProFitX is a dynamic financial and performance index powered by Artificial Intelligence with front-office optics displaying 17 visual and time-series models for 480+ NBA Athletes. The Athledex models historical, dynamic & future performance data to monitor and project insights on contracts, performance, injuries, team fit, development and potential.

Patty Mills and Rudy Gay

On a roster that has been built with youth (outside of DeRozan), veterans Mills and Gay are the primary anchors of a Spurs bench that ranked in the top 10 of the NBA.

Mills is not your typical free agent in that he has spent all but two of his 12 seasons in a San Antonio uniform and is considered an extension of their coaching staff. Before the All-Star break, Mills was part of the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 13.3 points on 40.2% from 3-point range. Like the entire roster, he struggled in the second half, averaging 8.5 points on 33.9% from 3.

Gay had been a starter for most of his NBA career prior to joining the Spurs, but he accepted a reserve role, coming off the bench in 183 of the 256 games he played in his four seasons in San Antonio. Despite dealing with COVID-19 this season, Gay still managed to average 11.2 points on 38.3% from 3 on 242 attempts, the second highest of his career. Gay has averaged at least 10 PPG in each of his 15 seasons and has become a reliable 3-point threat.

Outside of the Spurs family

When it comes to midmarket teams like San Antonio, cap space can be fool's gold. The free-agency landscape brings a lot of unknowns, and often the pieces to the puzzle that look good on paper do not fit.

Since 2015, the Spurs have twice added free agents to contracts exceeding $15 million: LaMarcus Aldridge in 2015 and Pau Gasol the following year. Both players ended up eventually being bought out by the Spurs.

However, that does not mean the Spurs should not be in a position of spending this offseason. San Antonio has a distinct advantage of being one of five teams with room, a result of only a 3% rise in the salary cap (from $109.1 million to $112 million).

One option would be to sign DeRozan to a $28 million contract, reserve the $4.9 million room exception for Mills and still have $23 million to use on solidifying their bench.

They could also elect to preserve cap space and use their cap space as a trade option for teams looking to shed bad contracts. However, making such trades to accumulate future draft picks is not something San Antonio is accustomed to.

Offseason cap breakdown

Spurs' Projected Cap Sheet

PLAYER 2021-22 SALARY
1. Dejounte Murray $15,428,880
2. Derrick White $15,178,571
3. Jakob Poeltl $8,750,000
4. Lonnie Walker IV $4,447,896
5. Devin Vassell $4,235,160
6. Luka Samanic $2,959,080
7. Keldon Johnson $2,145,720
8. Tre Jones $1,517,981
9. Drew Eubanks $1,762,796 (non-guaranteed)
10. DaQuan Jeffries $1,701,593 (team option)
11. DeMar DeRozan1 $39,344,970 (free agent hold)
12. Rudy Gay1 $21,750,000 (free agent hold)
13. Patty Mills1 $19,928,571 (free agent hold)
14. Trey Lyles2 $7,150,000 (free agent hold)
15. Keita Bates-Diop3 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
16. Quinndary Weatherspoon4 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
17. Gorgui Dieng5 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
18. First-rounder $4,154,400 (draft hold)
-- DeMarre Carroll $1,242,340 (buyout)
Guaranteed contracts $54.7M
Partial/non-guaranteed $3.5M
Free agent/draft holds $95.7M
Dead cap space $1.2M
Total $153.4M
SALARY CAP $112.8M
LUXURY TAX $136.6M
1. Bird  
2. Early Bird  
3. Restricted Non-Bird  
4. Restricted Early Bird  
5. Non-Bird  

Spurs' Projected Depth Chart

PG SG SF PF C
1= Partial/non-guaranteed
T= Team option
D. Murray D. White L. Walker IV K. Johnson J. Poeltl
T. Jones D. Vassell D. JeffriesT L. Samanic D. Eubanks1

Team needs

  • Starting small forward
  • Bench depth at all positions
  • Healthy Derrick White

Resources to build the roster

  • The draft: First and second round
  • Projected $50M+ in cap space
  • Own free agents (if cap space is not used)
  • Exceptions: $9.5M midlevel and $3.7M biannual or $4.9M room midlevel
  • Cash: $5.8 million to send or receive in a trade

Dates to watch
• Drew Eubanks has $500K in guaranteed money, and his $1.76 million contract will be fully guaranteed if he is not waived before Aug. 20. Eubanks appeared in 46 games this season, averaging 5.6 points, 4.2 rebounds in only 13.9 minutes per game. He had a career-high 13 points and 13 rebounds in a start against Phoenix. Expect him to be on the roster after the Aug. 20 deadline.

• The Spurs claimed DaQuan Jeffries right before the end of the regular season. Jeffries appeared in 31 games this year with Sacramento and Houston. The 24-year-old scored in double figures, four times this season, including a season-high 18 points in a loss to Milwaukee. The Spurs have until Aug. 1 to exercise his $1.7 million contract for next year.

Restrictions
• The poison-pill restriction on Derrick White's extension gets lifted on Aug. 3.

• The $1.8 million contract of Drew Eubanks has no trade value currently because it is not guaranteed.

Extension candidates
• There has been a pattern the past two offseasons of former draft picks getting extended. Murray signed a four-year, $64 million extension in 2019 and White agreed to a four-year, $70 million extension in December. Both extensions occurred on the last day of the offseason and the deadline for rookie extensions. We will now see if the Spurs go 3-for-3 with Lonnie Walker IV. The former first-round pick is yet another example of the Spurs' strong player development program. Walker went from playing 29 games in the G League his rookie season to averaging a career high in minutes (25.2) and points (11.3) this past season. Walker is far from a finished product -- he followed up a 23-point game against Philadelphia by scoring just 2 points against Utah the next night. But he has only scratched the surface with regards to his development. There are two schools of thought about an extension: Walker can bet on himself and play out the season, entering the 2022 offseason as one of top shooting guards on the market, or he can go the guaranteed route and take an extension that starts in the $10 million-$12 million range.

The draft
The Spurs have built the foundation of their roster through the draft. Six players on the roster were selected by the Spurs in the first round.

Here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have Charlotte selecting in July:

No. 11 (own): Isaiah Jackson, PF/C, Kentucky

No. 51 (own): Austin Reaves, PG/SG, Oklahoma

The last time San Antonio made a draft-night trade was in 2014 when it moved the 58th and 60th pick to Philadelphia for pick No. 54 (the rights to Nemanja Dangubic). The last time the Spurs made a deal involving a first-round pick was 2011, when they sent George Hill to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the draft rights to Kawhi Leonard (the No. 15 pick that year), Davis Bertans and Erazem Lorbek.

 

 

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Patrick Bateman

Patrick Bateman 3966

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3 hours ago, Machinator said:

I like reading Marks' offseason primers as a way to familiarize myself with where all the NBA teams are sitting. But his article on the Spurs seemed... off-base.

  Hide contents

How do we evaluate the 2020-21 version of the San Antonio Spurs?

Is it by the 8-22 record in games decided by five points in the last five minutes? Or the 2-5 record in overtime games?

Do we look at the stretch of the season when this team was decimated by COVID-19, resulting in having to play 40 games after the All-Star break? That brutal stretch saw San Antonio go from four games over .500 to six games below, finishing the season 33-39, including 15-25 since the All-Star break.

In total, the Spurs played 63 of their 72 games either on a back-to-back or with one day of rest.

Despite missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Spurs have a solid foundation in place and have the flexibility to retain their own free agents or bring in other free agents to replace them.

The state of the roster
The Spurs are comparable to the Memphis Grizzlies -- the team that defeated them in the play-in round -- in that they have built their roster the right way.

The post-Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili era could have left this team stuck in the bottom of the Western Conference for the foreseeable future. The Spurs could have hit the button on a full-scale rebuild and relied on selecting in the top half of the lottery, looking for their next Duncan.

Instead, San Antonio has laid down a strong foundation as a result of identifying talent outside of the lottery. Starters Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson were selected with the second-to-last pick in the first round, while key reserves Lonnie Walker IV and Luka Samanic were picked in the teens.

Devin Vassell was the only player on this year's roster who the Spurs drafted in the lottery. Building a roster organically through the draft should be commended. And while the Spurs did not take any shortcuts in remaining competitive, the franchise is at a crossroads this offseason.

The DeMar DeRozan trade brought stability to a franchise in the aftermath of losing Kawhi Leonard, but now the forward is an unrestricted free agent. Do they look to bring him back or do they continue the youth movement without one of their veterans?

Cap space or own free agents?
The trend in San Antonio has been to draft, develop and eventually re-sign that player when his rookie contract expires or the year before in an extension. Will that change this offseason when the Spurs could have more than $50 million in cap space?

The Spurs could jump into the deep end in free agency, but it would come at the cost of their own free agents: DeRozan, Patty Mills or perhaps Rudy Gay. The three players combined to average 43.8 points this season, 39% of the Spurs' total production.

Although the Spurs have $58 million in contracts, well below the projected $112.1 million salary cap, their individual cap holds have San Antonio over the cap right now.

The Spurs will have a big decision to make, and it starts with DeRozan.

DeMar DeRozan

It would have been easy for the former All-Star to look down the roster, see the young faces of Murray, White, Johnson and Walker, and ask not to be part of the youth movement prior to the start of this season. The Spurs were coming off their first non-playoff appearance since 1997 and DeRozan was at a point of his career where contending for championships typically becomes more of a priority for players.

However, DeRozan embraced the youth movement, sacrificing for the better of the team, as he's done since his arrival in 2018. He transitioned to playing both forward positions and increased his efficiency, posting the highest offensive rating of his career.

"He deserved to be on the All-Star team, in my opinion," Popovich said in February. "He's helped us win, put us in good position. He's scored, he's distributed the basketball. His leadership's been amazing."

DeRozan is coming off a season where he averaged a career high 7.3 assists and ranked in the 100th percentile of all NBA players in assist percentage per Cleaning the Glass, joining Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook in this elite group.

"He seems to never get tired, and he's always ready to go," Popovich said after a recent victory over New Orleans. "He wants the ball, he wants to score, but he'll get it to his teammates if that's appropriate. He loves being in that situation. He's the best on our team with that."

Despite never attempting more than 3.6 3-pointers per game in a season, DeRozan has still averaged at least 20 points per game in each of the past eight seasons, including 21.4 this year. He has one of the most effective midrange games in the NBA and is still performing at an All-Star level as he's set to turn 32 in August. According to ProFitX, DeRozan has outperformed his $27.7 million contract this season by $4 million.

The Spurs currently have an exclusive window to negotiate a new contract for DeRozan in the form of an extension. San Antonio can add an additional four seasons and up to $149.1 million in new money with a starting salary of $33.3 million in 2021-22.

If there is no agreement by Aug. 1, DeRozan would enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The salary for DeRozan per ProFitX projects to start at $31 million next year (with a low of $24 million).

Supply and demand will be a big factor in determining what DeRozan's next contract will be. The teams outside of San Antonio who project to have cap space are Charlotte, Dallas, Miami and New York. Would the Knicks use their $55 million in room to target DeRozan and his former Toronto Raptors teammate Kyle Lowry? How about the Mavericks adding an established scorer to play alongside Luka Doncic?

If San Antonio decides the cost of re-signing DeRozan is too rich and the four-time All-Star wants to join a team that doesn't have cap space, a sign-and-trade would be an option. However, that would require the Spurs to take back salary into their cap space or redirect those contracts to a third team.

There are three big questions the Spurs will need to ask internally with regards to DeRozan:

Does paying a 32-year-old player more than $30 million fit the timeline of the current roster?

Where would DeRozan rank on our free-agent board if he were not on our roster, and would he be a player that we would target with cap space?

Do we sign DeRozan and utilize him as a trade asset down the road and if so, where would his value be in the second year of the contract?

If the Spurs can answer "yes" to any of the above questions, then there is a deal to be made.

For DeRozan, there is a balancing act of finances and team success.

DeRozan has already earned $178 million in his career. Does a $25 million-$30 million salary outweigh playing for a team that is competing for one of the final playoff spots and is not considered one of the elite teams in the Western Conference?

Note: ProFitX is a dynamic financial and performance index powered by Artificial Intelligence with front-office optics displaying 17 visual and time-series models for 480+ NBA Athletes. The Athledex models historical, dynamic & future performance data to monitor and project insights on contracts, performance, injuries, team fit, development and potential.

Patty Mills and Rudy Gay

On a roster that has been built with youth (outside of DeRozan), veterans Mills and Gay are the primary anchors of a Spurs bench that ranked in the top 10 of the NBA.

Mills is not your typical free agent in that he has spent all but two of his 12 seasons in a San Antonio uniform and is considered an extension of their coaching staff. Before the All-Star break, Mills was part of the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 13.3 points on 40.2% from 3-point range. Like the entire roster, he struggled in the second half, averaging 8.5 points on 33.9% from 3.

Gay had been a starter for most of his NBA career prior to joining the Spurs, but he accepted a reserve role, coming off the bench in 183 of the 256 games he played in his four seasons in San Antonio. Despite dealing with COVID-19 this season, Gay still managed to average 11.2 points on 38.3% from 3 on 242 attempts, the second highest of his career. Gay has averaged at least 10 PPG in each of his 15 seasons and has become a reliable 3-point threat.

Outside of the Spurs family

When it comes to midmarket teams like San Antonio, cap space can be fool's gold. The free-agency landscape brings a lot of unknowns, and often the pieces to the puzzle that look good on paper do not fit.

Since 2015, the Spurs have twice added free agents to contracts exceeding $15 million: LaMarcus Aldridge in 2015 and Pau Gasol the following year. Both players ended up eventually being bought out by the Spurs.

However, that does not mean the Spurs should not be in a position of spending this offseason. San Antonio has a distinct advantage of being one of five teams with room, a result of only a 3% rise in the salary cap (from $109.1 million to $112 million).

One option would be to sign DeRozan to a $28 million contract, reserve the $4.9 million room exception for Mills and still have $23 million to use on solidifying their bench.

They could also elect to preserve cap space and use their cap space as a trade option for teams looking to shed bad contracts. However, making such trades to accumulate future draft picks is not something San Antonio is accustomed to.

Offseason cap breakdown

Spurs' Projected Cap Sheet

PLAYER 2021-22 SALARY
1. Dejounte Murray $15,428,880
2. Derrick White $15,178,571
3. Jakob Poeltl $8,750,000
4. Lonnie Walker IV $4,447,896
5. Devin Vassell $4,235,160
6. Luka Samanic $2,959,080
7. Keldon Johnson $2,145,720
8. Tre Jones $1,517,981
9. Drew Eubanks $1,762,796 (non-guaranteed)
10. DaQuan Jeffries $1,701,593 (team option)
11. DeMar DeRozan1 $39,344,970 (free agent hold)
12. Rudy Gay1 $21,750,000 (free agent hold)
13. Patty Mills1 $19,928,571 (free agent hold)
14. Trey Lyles2 $7,150,000 (free agent hold)
15. Keita Bates-Diop3 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
16. Quinndary Weatherspoon4 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
17. Gorgui Dieng5 $1,669,178 (free agent hold)
18. First-rounder $4,154,400 (draft hold)
-- DeMarre Carroll $1,242,340 (buyout)
Guaranteed contracts $54.7M
Partial/non-guaranteed $3.5M
Free agent/draft holds $95.7M
Dead cap space $1.2M
Total $153.4M
SALARY CAP $112.8M
LUXURY TAX $136.6M
1. Bird  
2. Early Bird  
3. Restricted Non-Bird  
4. Restricted Early Bird  
5. Non-Bird  

Spurs' Projected Depth Chart

PG SG SF PF C
1= Partial/non-guaranteed
T= Team option
D. Murray D. White L. Walker IV K. Johnson J. Poeltl
T. Jones D. Vassell D. JeffriesT L. Samanic D. Eubanks1

Team needs

  • Starting small forward
  • Bench depth at all positions
  • Healthy Derrick White

Resources to build the roster

  • The draft: First and second round
  • Projected $50M+ in cap space
  • Own free agents (if cap space is not used)
  • Exceptions: $9.5M midlevel and $3.7M biannual or $4.9M room midlevel
  • Cash: $5.8 million to send or receive in a trade

Dates to watch
• Drew Eubanks has $500K in guaranteed money, and his $1.76 million contract will be fully guaranteed if he is not waived before Aug. 20. Eubanks appeared in 46 games this season, averaging 5.6 points, 4.2 rebounds in only 13.9 minutes per game. He had a career-high 13 points and 13 rebounds in a start against Phoenix. Expect him to be on the roster after the Aug. 20 deadline.

• The Spurs claimed DaQuan Jeffries right before the end of the regular season. Jeffries appeared in 31 games this year with Sacramento and Houston. The 24-year-old scored in double figures, four times this season, including a season-high 18 points in a loss to Milwaukee. The Spurs have until Aug. 1 to exercise his $1.7 million contract for next year.

Restrictions
• The poison-pill restriction on Derrick White's extension gets lifted on Aug. 3.

• The $1.8 million contract of Drew Eubanks has no trade value currently because it is not guaranteed.

Extension candidates
• There has been a pattern the past two offseasons of former draft picks getting extended. Murray signed a four-year, $64 million extension in 2019 and White agreed to a four-year, $70 million extension in December. Both extensions occurred on the last day of the offseason and the deadline for rookie extensions. We will now see if the Spurs go 3-for-3 with Lonnie Walker IV. The former first-round pick is yet another example of the Spurs' strong player development program. Walker went from playing 29 games in the G League his rookie season to averaging a career high in minutes (25.2) and points (11.3) this past season. Walker is far from a finished product -- he followed up a 23-point game against Philadelphia by scoring just 2 points against Utah the next night. But he has only scratched the surface with regards to his development. There are two schools of thought about an extension: Walker can bet on himself and play out the season, entering the 2022 offseason as one of top shooting guards on the market, or he can go the guaranteed route and take an extension that starts in the $10 million-$12 million range.

The draft
The Spurs have built the foundation of their roster through the draft. Six players on the roster were selected by the Spurs in the first round.

Here's how ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have Charlotte selecting in July:

No. 11 (own): Isaiah Jackson, PF/C, Kentucky

No. 51 (own): Austin Reaves, PG/SG, Oklahoma

The last time San Antonio made a draft-night trade was in 2014 when it moved the 58th and 60th pick to Philadelphia for pick No. 54 (the rights to Nemanja Dangubic). The last time the Spurs made a deal involving a first-round pick was 2011, when they sent George Hill to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for the draft rights to Kawhi Leonard (the No. 15 pick that year), Davis Bertans and Erazem Lorbek.

 

 

How so?

 

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Patrick Bateman

Patrick Bateman 3966

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1 minute ago, Machinator said:

He seems much more bullish on Demar than warranted.

I mean the guy is a good player, even though some folks don't believe it, coming off arguably his best season (top 3 certainly) and is multi-positional who can generate his own shot.  He's valuable, he's simply not a superstar and his age excludes him from being a building block for the future with the Spurs.  Frankly, I think he wants to go ring hunting or find another place who may contend easier rather than have a goal of a play-in game.  He'd fit with either LA team, Miami, maybe even a team like the Nuggets or Hawks.  Teams need a reliable 3rd scorer who can pass.  His aversion to the 3 is challenging but you can scheme around it for the most part.

I think he laid out some good points.  Missed a little on some others but seems like a solid offseason analysis.  It really does come down to Demar.  I'm really hoping he leaves of his own accord, because not sure PATFO would let him leave if left up to them.

 

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Machinator

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1 minute ago, Patrick Bateman said:

I mean the guy is a good player, even though some folks don't believe it, coming off arguably his best season (top 3 certainly) and is multi-positional who can generate his own shot.  He's valuable, he's simply not a superstar and his age excludes him from being a building block for the future with the Spurs.  Frankly, I think he wants to go ring hunting or find another place who may contend easier rather than have a goal of a play-in game.  He'd fit with either LA team, Miami, maybe even a team like the Nuggets or Hawks.  Teams need a reliable 3rd scorer who can pass.  His aversion to the 3 is challenging but you can scheme around it for the most part.

I think he laid out some good points.  Missed a little on some others but seems like a solid offseason analysis.  It really does come down to Demar.  I'm really hoping he leaves of his own accord, because not sure PATFO would let him leave if left up to them.

 

To be clear, I mean he's too bullish on Demar's role and development on the Spurs for where they are as a franchise. I agree that he is a good player.

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Patrick Bateman

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3 hours ago, Machinator said:

To be clear, I mean he's too bullish on Demar's role and development on the Spurs for where they are as a franchise. I agree that he is a good player.

I hear ya.  I guess because he didn't demand a trade and at least publicly embraced a move to forward, sometimes playing PF in small lineups, he's been given credit and probably should.  He's always been known as a great teammate but yea, the bar is low these days.  His pay day probably had a lot to do with it as well as knowing he was going to be a UFA in a disgusting FA class.

 

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Patrick Bateman

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14 minutes ago, Michael Knight said:

Boston tried to trade us Kemba for LA

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/celtics-tried-dealing-kemba-walker-to-spurs-for-lamarcus-aldridge-at-trade-deadline-per-report/

That contract is toxic.  At least we weren't stupid enough to bite.  Can't imagine what Kermit would do watching Patty and Kemba running around launching 3 and getting beat up on defense.

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Kermit

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10 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

That contract is toxic.  At least we weren't stupid enough to bite.  Can't imagine what Kermit would do watching Patty and Kemba running around launching 3 and getting beat up on defense.

Animated GIF

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ztejas

ztejas 44114

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On 6/7/2021 at 5:05 PM, Patrick Bateman said:

Atlanta probably this year's Portland.  A mirage but will convince themselves they're close.

Decent analogy but I like Atlanta's pieces much better going forward. Sue me but I think Trae is a better facilitator than Lillard and I'd much rather have JC than Nurk. And they're younger.

So basically... I'm agreeing with you. JC is probably close to untouchable.

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Mitch Cumsteen

Mitch Cumsteen 18926

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On 6/7/2021 at 5:05 PM, Patrick Bateman said:

We couldn't afford him.  J/K.

BTW, my John Collins idea..... DOA.  Atlanta probably this year's Portland.  A mirage but will convince themselves they're close.

 

Atlanta is a much better constructed roster with a shit load of young guys who still have room for growth and a nice mix of tough minded vets. Portland is capped out with no young assets and no real way out of their situation without blowing the whole thing up. I don't really see the analogy. 

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Kermit

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43 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Atlanta is a much better constructed roster with a shit load of young guys who still have room for growth and a nice mix of tough minded vets. Portland is capped out with no young assets and no real way out of their situation without blowing the whole thing up. I don't really see the analogy. 

So what you’re saying is, fuck Kawhi Leonard?

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Patrick Bateman

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On 6/11/2021 at 1:17 PM, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Atlanta is a much better constructed roster with a shit load of young guys who still have room for growth and a nice mix of tough minded vets. Portland is capped out with no young assets and no real way out of their situation without blowing the whole thing up. I don't really see the analogy. 

They also have Gallo and Bogan eating up cap space just in time for Collins and Trae to eat up the the majority as those guys come off.  But the similarities are nice young team who are pretenders, built around a small guard, without a legit #2 but through circumstance and injury, may get to the Conference Finals and convince them they're one player away, when they're more like 2-3.  Portland got to the WCF couple of years ago but were nowhere near a legit contender.  Neither is Atlanta.  

 

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ztejas

ztejas 44114

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On 6/15/2021 at 9:07 PM, Hate said:

I think this was my favorite of the 5 as the season was just a blast to watch.

I mean it was one of the best redemption titles ever in any sport. For the aging big 3 to get back there - especially after the game 6 against Dallas - and then blow the Heat off the court in games 4 and 5 to seal it without a doubt was poetic.

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Mitch Cumsteen

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Just throwing this out there, but would you sign and trade Derozan for Ben Simmons? Simmons is 24, completely broken mentally to the point where he can't play in crunch time, and on the books for 4 years / $140 million. I think I would do it so fast it would make Darrel Morey's head spin.

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ztejas

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7 hours ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Just throwing this out there, but would you sign and trade Derozan for Ben Simmons? Simmons is 24, completely broken mentally to the point where he can't play in crunch time, and on the books for 4 years / $140 million. I think I would do it so fast it would make Darrel Morey's head spin.

Um. Absolutely. The fact that you would do it so fast answers your own question. We are not getting Simmons for DeMar, however. 

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