http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=210&xlc=259722&xld=210 The Admiral may jump ship By Johnny Ludden San Antonio Express-News Web Posted : 07/04/2001 David Robinson, the cornerstone of San Antonio's only major professional sports team for more than a decade, is prepared to play elsewhere next season if the Spurs aren't willing to pay him "fair market value," his agent said Tuesday. "David's preference, which is no surprise to anybody, is to stay in San Antonio," said Jeff Austin, Robinson's agent. "That's where his heart is. That's where his loyalty is. Over the years, David has continually helped out the Spurs ... but there comes a point when there's only so many concessions you can make. "David wants to make fair market value. Admittedly, the Spurs might not be able to give it to him and sign other players they need." Robinson, who is spending part of the summer at his vacation home in Hawaii, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The star is a free agent for the first time in his 12-year NBA career. The Spurs have $16 million of salary-cap room this summer they can use to sign players, but Robinson would need to take a substantial cut from the $14.7 million he made last season for the team to also meet the salary request of guard Derek Anderson. "We want David back and we're going to work as hard as we can to make sure that happens," Spurs chairman Peter Holt said. "Negotiations are going to be tough, of course. We obviously can't pay David $15 million again and he knows that. If we did, we would have a team with David and Tim (Duncan) and Antonio (Daniels) passing them the ball and not a whole lot else. I don't think our fans would find that too much fun to watch." Robinson said at the end of the season he would be willing to take a decrease in pay if it would keep the team contending for a championship. Last summer, he said: "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this team successful. But am I going to be devalued? No, I don't think so." How much of a cut Robinson is willing to take and his value on the NBA's open market remain in question. Austin would not say what type of contract Robinson wants, but Dikembe Mutombo, the top free-agent center on the market, is expected to seek a multiyear deal worth more than $10 million annually. Antonio Davis, a 6-foot-9 forward/center who also is coveted, is expected to ask for close to that amount. Only a few teams — the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers — have enough salary-cap room to pay such a contract. Any team over the cap — such as Phoenix, which has shown interest in Robinson — is limited to a $4.5 million exception. Robinson, who has served as the Spurs' defensive anchor since Duncan arrived, was named to the All-NBA third team last season behind Shaquille O'Neal and Mutombo. He turns 36 on Aug. 6, but is only a year younger than Mutombo. "David hasn't changed his stance from Day 1," Austin said. "He wants to help, but he also wants to be paid market value. He's at the point in his career where he's not going to have too many contracts left. "If the Spurs pay David market value, they might not be able to sign another top-quality player. If they do, they probably would have to get some lesser-tier players. The question is, will they be satisfied doing that? "This is not easy. It's not easy for the Spurs and it's not easy for David. I think David is a little frustrated because he wants to stay in San Antonio. I'm not saying he's frustrated with the Spurs, but he is frustrated with the situation." Said Holt: "I can understand David's frustration because it seems like this whole thing is on his back. We're concerned, but we hope to work through this." Austin likened the Spurs' position to Atlanta's this season when the Hawks opted to trade Mutombo to Philadelphia for Theo Ratliff and Toni Kukoc because they did not believe they could give Mutombo the contract he was seeking and still surround him with enough young talent. A sign-and-trade deal involving Robinson would be difficult but doable, Austin said. "Maybe it comes to such a situation," Austin said. "David would be disappointed, but he would understand." For Anderson to get the more than $7 million he is seeking, the Spurs would have to essentially split their available $16 million between the two players. One player, who has spoken with Robinson since his meeting with Spurs general manager Gregg Popovich in Hawaii, said Robinson did not like the team's suggestion he reduce his pay by about 50 percent. Neither Anderson's agent, Tony Dutt, nor Austin have talks scheduled with the Spurs, but both expect negotiations to heat up by next week. Anderson wants to sign a contract on July 18, the first day allowable. "I don't want to come between David and San Antonio," Anderson said. "This is his city. But at the same time I have to look out for my own life. Maybe they should just get David and I together and see what happens." Austin admitted the perception throughout the NBA is Robinson will not leave the Spurs because of his ties to the city. "People have a hard time believing David would go somewhere else," Austin said, "but it could happen." ------------------
Give me break! San Antonio isn't a 2nd rate city free agent wise, San Antonio never has the cap room necessary to get a FA. You don't think that if the Spurs had the cap space and lost Robinson that Chris Webber wouldn't jump to the Spurs? The guy would jump in a heart beat! You don't have to like the Spurs to admit something like that. And David Robinson will return to the Spurs, it's his best chance to win a championship. There are people who hate the Spurs who don't think they can do it, but the Spurs are legitimate title contenders. ------------------ "Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!" - Jesse Ventura
I think that San Antonio is definitely a 2nd rate city as far as attracting Free Agents I hate to say it, but it's a very poor city, and that hurts it's marketability significantly Think back to the 99 offseason. The Spurs really wanted Shandon Anderson. They were coming off an NBA title. The Rockets wanted Shandon too, but were old and coming off an embarassing first round exit. Shandon chose Houston. That says it all. If you can't attract FA's coming off a title, you are in bad shape. I think Duncan will surely bolt in 2 years too. Next to Utah, I don't know of too many places FA's try to avoid than Dirty San Antonio. ------------------ Get Cato out of there...
Surprising that Robinson may jump. True, this could just be sports agent posturing, but it is interesting that he would allow even that. Unless Robinson somehow thinks this will help the Spurs? I know it may seem naive, but I really never expected the Admiral to not finish up in SA. He seemed incredibly loyal...so maybe he thinks this actually helps his team? In any case...I wonder how Duncan feels about this? ------------------ "Do you know what nemesis means? 'A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent.' Personified in this case by a horrible c***: ME." - Brick Top, Snatch [This message has been edited by Rokkit (edited July 04, 2001).]
David Robinson testing the waters is not really shocking... If you think about it everyone of the Spurs for the past few years has tested the free agent waters, and really their was concern for all of them to bolt for better and bigger markets. The most recent was Duncan last year. I think this is a combination of poor cap room management, the small market, and most important the team as a whole. Now you have a situation that if worst comes to worst this happens: David leaves to free cap space for the Spurs to sign players. If i'm David i would go straight to the Kings or Suns to be in the West and on a contender. Then let's say DA says forget SA cause the Sixers or Magic or any team will give him what he want and he bolts. You have cap space, but you have to operate with a free agent looking at the situation and saying, "They disrepected Avery Johnson and Sean Elliot, forced Dave to take a 60% pay cut or leave, they just cut Walker but Jaren Jackson makes more and he is still on the team, DA bolted for a bigger city, and Duncan is up in 2 years...and they want me to sign for 5-7 years?" Now do you see what COULD happen, and why the Spurs may be in trouble? ------------------ Take the blue pill, and wake up from the computer dream world. I'm a fan of basketball, and knowing the truth for some means finally facing it...I'm TRUTH.
Despite the sarcasm, you're right Freak, he wasn't. He was more of a mid level FA, not Major. ------------------ The season's over, but the 'Stros have started. Guess I'm still gonna be nursing that keg...
The Spurs have $16 million of salary-cap room this summer they can use to sign players, but Robinson would need to take a substantial cut from the $14.7 million he made last season for the team to also meet the salary request of guard Derek Anderson. - San Antonio Express-News If that article is true then San Antonio would be nuts not to cut ties with Robinson and make a hard push for Webber. Robinson is in the twilight of his career and Webber would give them a dominant Power Forward for another 4 or 5 years. Imagine a team that had Duncan at the 5 and CWebb at the 4. That would be a better front court then the one they had last year. ------------------
I guess the teams & fans are not the only victims of the luxury tax. The luxury tax is apparently going to cause the fair market value to drop for the high dollar players & they're just starting to realize it. ------------------ Nothing is impossible, if you believe it's possible.
crash5179, ahhh, now you're smelling me ! but, you'll never see that because major free agents will never come to san antonio. bet on it. i've been propping that acquisition up for the last few months. it would not only give them the best front court in the midwest, it would give them the best frontcourt in the nba. they'd beat the lakers. but think about this... why is it you never even hear of it as a possibility? because everyone knows san antonio is a second rate team (free agent wise).
AstroRocket: correct. nevermind the one-line musings of TheFreak. anderson was not exactly a "hot free agent". he was a midlevel free agent, with not many options (coming from the clip joint) who had a good season this past year. and don't be surprised if he leaves.
Tim Duncan -- also not a major free agent. Guess Orlando must be a "2nd-rate city for free agents" since Tim turned them down for the sad little Spurs. That's 2 very nice free agents the Spurs have signed just in the last two years. I'm sure the anti-Spur response will be quite amusing, I'm waiting with baited breath.
when i said "free agent", i should have been more clear (for those who can't decipher). i meant "free agents" of OTHER TEAMS. i'm talking about a player(s) who is a STAR, who would have to leave his current city to go to the spurs. now what??? can you name ONE TheFreak? or is this the time where you run little Dave?
Better to spend cap money on a player that's not going to retire in 2 years. If Webber was coming, so long DRob... ------------------
he was a midlevel free agent, with not many options (coming from the clip joint) who had a good season this past year. He had plenty of options... in fact, Portland offered him 60 million over 6 years in a sign and trade. And he turned down the offer of 10 million a year from the team that everybody predicted would win it all to play with David and Tim for 2 million in San Antonio. Also, it's fairly difficult to lure stars when you have no cap room. ------------------ EDDIE, EDDIE, EDDIE!!! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! The Mo Taylor Fan Site
Dirty huh? You have been to Houston right? I'd say SA and Houston are at worst equal in your category. As for David, its just sad to see it all come down to money, especially with this guy. I may have to retract my previous statement; it's looking ominous for the Spurs. ------------------
The Lakers were coming off a title last season and wanted Kendall Gill...I guess the city of LA is a poor market, in bad-shape as well...Perhaps things such as money and playing time are factored into the decision of free agents as well.
I haven't seen any responses to these two statements. Are you people scared? Are you running away like David Robinson?
I think it was the Clippers that turned down the sign and trade with Portland. ------------------ Protrolls.com! "I want to be like Olajon." -Sagana Diop has the right idea... Keep the ???? alive!
