There goes our matchup advantage against the Spurs. Thomas can shoot deep and defend, Yao is going to have a problem.
Good news. Increases our chances of getting Artest...or Miller. I'm still hoping for Casell in any case. What's the deadline for picking up players who get cut (for them to be eligible in the playoffs)? It's not the same as the trade deadline, is it?
I almost submitted my post before realizing I accidentally referred to Kurt Thomas as Kenny Thomas so I can see how all these Thomas names are easy to mistake for one another. LOL
wasnt the sonics GM a former spurs employee? this trade is good for the spurs i dont see what the sonics really get out of it cept a late first round pick since thomas was expiring anyway (right?) if thomas isnt expiring then yeah its good for the way they are going (the sonics) thomas gives them some big man depth and can hit that jumper which is going to hurt yao but i still think how we play parker and manu will determine any series with the spurs.
I have to take my hat for the Spurs, after seeing many "contenders" (for me they are not until they show me how they beat the Spurs) suit up new bigs, they add a reliable big man in Kurt Thomas, the guy known for "great defense against Tim Duncan" is one next to them, they are now able to put him on the best Big man and keep Duncan out of foul trouble, also Kurt has a Scola type mid range game that will spread the floor for them all the same way Scola does. Great timing and adjusting by the Spurs, the only thing i can criticize is that they gave away expirings+1st rounder and got no 2nd rounder along with Thomas (expiring). By the way, with this trade the Spurs are under the luxury tax if i am right.
I think Barry may be waived and rejoin the Spurs for the tittle run in one month (anyway he is injured and has 1 month still of recovering)
If they had let Thomas expire they would either had gotten nothing or at best a second round pick in a sign and trade. Thomas made it clear he was not re-signing with the Sonics stating he was more of a "Texas guy". For the Spurs this move has it's pros and cons. Maybe it's an understatement to say they beefed up their frontcourt but they their best 3P shooter in Barry. The new rockets defense is not to give up 3s. We'll see what happens.
Thomas doesn't shoot out any further then Duncan, and Yao is often put on Duncan. but Thomas does have good defense; that doesn't mean our advantage has dissapeared though.
They just didn't want anyone else to get Kurt Thomas, that guy defended Duncan pretty well in last year's playoffs. Plus they save enough cash to get under the cap. Frankly they were going to trade Barry and Elson to someone. I'd rather it be Thomas than Artest. Now that one more player is out of the Artest deal, it might come down to Houston and Denver. And don't forget that essentially the Spurs Suns Mavs and Lakers are done dealing. That also means that the number of players for Mike Miller is reduced too. I think Orlando might till try to get him, but hey let's let the deadline pass before rushing to judgment on Morey.
They should have just held on to Scola. I think it was a good move for the Spurs, but losing Barry takes away one of their shooters. The Rockets still match up with them.
In two games against Thomas this year, Yao dropped 28 ppg, and 14.5 rpg on 18/32 from the field. He hasn't really slowed Yao down. Granted, the spurs usually play great team defense, but this move doesn't worry me. It will help them against the Suns, where he can guard Shaq or Amare, or against the Lakers and Gasol though.
Kurt Thomas doesn't worry me anymore. You know, the interesting thing is, this all started with the Lakers getting Pao and going big. And just who were the Lakers trying to match up with??? You going bigger to match the Suns and Mavs before the Suns traded for Shaq. You gonig bigger to match up against Utah?? No, they are going big to tangle with San Antonio and Houston. I don't care what they want to say, none of these teams want to go against Yao or Duncan in the playoffs. They all know it comes down to half court execution. And they're looking to offset the big advantage that San Antonio have. Now San Antonio goes out and ups the antie..........supposedly....by acquiring Kurt Thomas. But I'm sorry. I'd take Yao/Scola/Landry over Duncan/Thomas/whoever. San Antonio is counting on Duncan outplaying Yao (which he has done up until now) and on Tony Parker being unstoppable. They are very vulnerable right now...................unless they are still able to pull off a miracle deal for Artest. I really think we can play with any of these teams right now. Not saying we would be guaranteed to win. No such thing. But these teams know the Great Wall is coming to their city......soon, and they are all bracing for the avalanche.
I was just gonna say that. Seattle is making a killing on good ol Kurt. Not a good pickup by the Spurs imo. Or insignificant. Either way, if they're thinking of getting slow, immobile players to counter Yao, then more power to them (and more points to Yao.)
