NBA free agency/LeBronapalooza 2018 | Page 10 | Syracusefan.com

NBA free agency/LeBronapalooza 2018

Cusefan0307 said:
Send Kawhi east. They need to balance the power and stop the West’s 20 year dominance.
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East probably needs more than that, but it would be the most significant conference migration in a long time.
 
The thing that is getting exposed in all of this is the "Spurs Way". It was the TD way and once Duncan left the magic was gone. Pop and company know it better than anyone. The secret elixir was TD's attitude, not some front office genius. It is why Duncan is the most underrated player in league history.
 
Newhouser said:
The thing that is getting exposed in all of this is the "Spurs Way". It was the TD way and once Duncan left the magic was gone. Pop and company know it better than anyone. The secret elixir was TD's attitude, not some front office genius. It is why Duncan is the most underrated player in league history.
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Man -- couldn't disagree more with that take [and we are usually on the same page]. This foundation was set in place and was a successful formula even BEFORE Tim Duncan arrived. David Robinson set the tone you describe above, which induced others to buy into Pop's style of play and embrace defense -- when the team's best player buys in and takes direction, the rest of the team follows suit. Robinson was a rarity -- a superstar caliber player who could take being coached hard [maybe it was his military background, maybe that he was a no-frills type of player]. But being more concerned with winning and putting the team first set the tone.

I certainly agree that Duncan was cut from the same cloth, and had many of the same character / personality traits that Robinson exhibited. But it wasn't just Duncan, it didn't start with him, and it wasn't a "secret elixir."

Not winning the championship every year doesn't = "magic was gone." Very few teams could lose their best player and still win 55+ games every year. The culture of the organization and front office [to say nothing of coaching] are unique to the NBA, and have set that franchise apart in terms of sustainable, systemic consistency.
 
RF2044 said:
Man -- couldn't disagree more with that take [and we are usually on the same page]. This foundation was set in place and was a successful formula even BEFORE Tim Duncan arrived. David Robinson set the tone you describe above, which induced others to buy into Pop's style of play and embrace defense -- when the team's best player buys in and takes direction, the rest of the team follows suit. Robinson was a rarity -- a superstar caliber player who could take being coached hard [maybe it was his military background, maybe that he was a no-frills type of player]. But being more concerned with winning and putting the team first set the tone.

I certainly agree that Duncan was cut from the same cloth, and had many of the same character / personality traits that Robinson exhibited. But it wasn't just Duncan, it didn't start with him, and it wasn't a "secret elixir."

Not winning the championship every year doesn't = "magic was gone." Very few teams could lose their best player and still win 55+ games every year. The culture of the organization and front office [to say nothing of coaching] are unique to the NBA, and have set that franchise apart in terms of sustainable, systemic consistency.
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Hmm. They were good before Duncan but they didn’t win it all until Duncan was there. I think I agree with elements of both your posts. Well run organization overall with a great coach, but Duncan was the special player/franchise building block that set them apart from the 1990s-early 2000s Utah Jazz.
 
Toronto Raptors reportedly trying to acquire a draft pick for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with a source saying "no one on the roster in off-limits to get him" per Marc Stein
 
OrangeDW said:
Hmm. They were good before Duncan but they didn’t win it all until Duncan was there. I think I agree with elements of both your posts. Well run organization overall with a great coach, but Duncan was the special player/franchise building block that set them apart from the 1990s-early 2000s Utah Jazz.
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I don't disagree that Duncan was a top 10 [and probably closer to top 5] player, and the ultimate winner.

But there were other factors at work beyond just him -- and suggesting that it was all just TD does a disservice to how well that franchise is run. They were visionary in terms of going all-in on the international market, drafting "winners" who excelled at the Olympics and knew what it took to win on the brightest stage, and formed a quality nucleus of those types of players. There have also been examples of their free agents signing with the team for less money just to remain with the organization.

And of course, Pop belongs in the conversation for the greatest NBA coach of all time. Some might argue Auerbach, Jackson, Riley, etc.--to each their own, subjectively. But I don't think anybody can objectively dispute that he belongs in the discussion, no matter what evaluative criteria is applied. It hasn't just all been TD. It is also unprecedented in the modern era of the NBA for a coach to be somewhere for twenty+ years. Think about that for a second -- a professional coach who's been with the same franchise for more than TWO DECADES. I mean, that's really incredible -- and his results speak for themselves [the team not winning less than 50 games since Tim Duncan was drafted, 5 championships, etc.].



EDIT -- I fully concede that there was also an element of "luck" involved in the Spurs ascendance. They get the #1 pick who ends up being a future HOFer in The Admiral, but since he can't play initially while he fulfills his military service, they end up continuing to be poor and which gets them a figural #3 pick who turns into Sean Elliot -- and then they add both to the franchise at the same time, which set them up for long term success.

In 1996, Boston had TWO lottery picks and the Spurs had the lowest chance [I believe] of any team to win that #1 pick, and they strike gold again. Net result: Tim Duncan gets added to a team that is already loaded, but struggled due to David Robinson missing most of the year.

And while this is unrelated, the timing of those two #1 picks was important. Some years the available pool nets you a generational talent like Lebron or Duncan or Robinson, other years you "get" Olowokandi or Bargiani. Timing is everything.
 
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Melancer46 said:
Toronto Raptors reportedly trying to acquire a draft pick for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with a source saying "no one on the roster in off-limits to get him" per Marc Stein
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Really? Doesn't strike me as a prospect I'd be all in for.
 
Cusefan0307 said:
Send Kawhi east. They need to balance the power and stop the West’s 20 year dominance.
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They can't get full value, and he has hurt his market. Sit him for a year. Let him rust.
 
Capt. Tuttle said:
They can't get full value, and he has hurt his market. Sit him for a year. Let him rust.
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I'm sure that's what some fans want, but the Sheridan article said Pop is fine getting .75 cents on the dollar for Kawhi.
 
Cusefan0307 said:
Really? Doesn't strike me as a prospect I'd be all in for.
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Yeah, Kevin O'Connor pointed out that he's from the Toronto area and has not worked out for any teams, so people are thinking Toronto told him to lay low and they'd find a way to come up and get him.
 
Cusefan0307 said:
I'm sure that's what some fans want, but the Sheridan article said Pop is fine getting .75 cents on the dollar for Kawhi.
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I could totally see a trade around Leonard and Kuzma. Seems typical SA for a young kid like Kuzma to get to SA and blow up as their next star.
 
RF2044 said:
I don't disagree that Duncan was a top 10 [and probably closer to top 5] player, and the ultimate winner.

But there were other factors at work beyond just him -- and suggesting that it was all just TD does a disservice to how well that franchise is run. They were visionary in terms of going all-in on the international market, they drafted international "winners" and formed a quality nucleus of those types of players, there have been examples of their free agents signing with the team for less money just to remain with the organization, etc.

And of course, Pop belongs in the conversation for the greatest NBA coach of all time. Some might argue Auerbach, Jackson, Riley, etc. but I don't think anybody can dispute that he belongs in the discussion. It wasn't all just TD.



EDIT -- I fully concede that there was also an element of "luck" involved in the Spurs ascendance. They get the #1 pick who ends up being a future HOFer in The Admiral, but since he can't play initially while he fulfills his military service, they end up continuing to be poor and which gets them a figural #3 pick who turns into Sean Elliot -- and then they add both to the franchise at the same time, which set them up for long term success.

In 1996, Boston had TWO lottery picks and the Spurs had the lowest chance [I believe] of any team to win that #1 pick, and they strike gold again. Net result: Tim Duncan gets added to a team that is already loaded, but struggled due to David Robinson missing most of the year.

And while this is unrelated, the timing of those two #1 picks was important. Some years the available pool nets you a generational talent like Lebron or Duncan or Robinson, other years you "get" Olowokandi or Bargiani. Timing is everything.
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Basically agree with everything you said, just wanted to say the Spurs had the second worst record in the NBA in the 96-97 season. But of course, what that means is they basically had the good luck, so to speak, of having their worst season in 20 years (due to Robinson getting hurt) in a year when an inner circle HOF player was available in the draft.

It's really an unbelievable run. (And remember, last year this front office received a trade request from LMA and was able to shore up that relationship)
 
NineOneSeven said:
I could totally see a trade around Leonard and Kuzma. Seems typical SA for a young kid like Kuzma to get to SA and blow up as their next star.
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Supposedly Kuzma is more untouchable that Ingram and Pop ain't trading with LA. Not sure why people keep pushing it.
 
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Melancer46 said:
For what it’s worth, Ryen Russilo has said it’s a fact that the Lakers value Kuzma more than Lonzo or Ingram
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Oh, you mean LeBron's sacrificial lambs?
 
OttoinGrotto said:
AKA "Be a man and look me in the eye"
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Yep. The back story to all of this is kind of crazy (if all the rumors are true).

Basically Kawhi's new agent is working with his uncle and some nyc real estate mogul who bought up some parts of another agency that folded and wants to make Kawhi his centerpiece in a large market (pitch being that there can be money to be made outside of bball with his connections).

I think Kawhi already owns real estate in NYC and it's tied to this situation.

One other note, I think I'm piecing together what I've read (some articles, some reddit), but I think Kawhi's old agent is suing his current agent.
 
Trueblue25 said:
Based on how Rozier and smart may improve, that may be closer to 19.5 vs 17.5, being fair and giving livingston a half point
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Smart isn’t going to be getting any better ...he is what he is ..
 
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