http://blogs.phillynews.com/inquirer/live/ The Alamo Connection One thing is clear after all this trade action: the Spurs control the entire NBA. The nexus of current and former San Antonio players and executives now in general manager or team president positions around the league controlled most of the action this season, dealing with each other as much as they did with other teams. Consider Kurt Thomas, who started the season with the Suns, run by ex-Spur player Steve Kerr, now Phoenix's president. The Suns--who needed Thomas's defensive presence--sent Thomas and a second-round pick to Seattle, which is run by former Spurs assistant general manager Sam Presti, last July for 2008 and 2010 first-round picks. (The Suns received an $8 million trade exception in the deal.) Thomas was then traded on Tuesday from Seattle to San Antonio, where Presti dealt with his former boss, Spurs GM R.C. Buford, in exchange for Brent Barry, Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round pick. Total haul for Seattle from former Spurs' executives for Thomas and a second-rounder: three firsts, Barry and Elson. (The Sonics now have six first-round picks in the next three years--two each season--and 13 picks overall, plus millions in cap room to build around Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.) Then, Presti turned around and traded Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West to Cleveland--which just happens to be run by another former Spurs player/executive, Cavs president Danny Ferry--for Donyell Marshall, Cedric Simmons, Shannon Brown and Ira Newble. (The Bulls sent Adrian Griffin to Seattle.) Kerr, of course, also pulled the trigger on the Shaquille O'Neal trade with Miami for Shawn Marion. And the Mavericks, which acquired Jason Kidd from New Jersey this week, are coached by a former Spur, Avery Johnson. (And recall that the Spurs almost got Kidd in free agency a few years ago before he opted to re-sign with New Jersey.)
