They were under the cap by more than the amount of the mid level exception. So, they did not have the exception. But I am sure that you will tell me that the truth is incorrect yet again. I am well aware of the difference between the two exceptions and if you have any other questions I will answer them for you. Falsehood? See above quote and response. For the 459th time, because his contract did not allow it last season.
Shawn Bradley puts up great block stats year after year. A great defender no doubt. DRob was more mobile that Olajuwon ever was. Olajuwon was a Mutombo-esque defender, waiting for the penetrator so he could come over from the weakside for the block. DRob played a greater part of the court than Olajuwon ever did. Olajuwon could guard bigs, DRob guarded bigs and at times even guards. Saying that someone who thinks that DRob is as good of a defender 'doesn't have a shred of knowledge' in and of itself demonstrates a lack of knowledge. Unless, of course, you simply see the game from a Rockets' "homer" perspective. Olajuwon had the better O, DRob had the better D.
I'm not quite sure how to say this : You're wrong. DRob was indeed a mobile defender - but to suggest that he was Hakeem's superior in that regard or on defense in general is quite simply, wrong and frankly displays a general ignorance concerning Hakeem's game.
The first quote of mine you posted was a response to... Note: "he" = Ginobili And I responded with: I should have written that to make it clear that Bowen was re-signed this year using the MCE. Last summer the Spurs did not have the mid level exception as they were were under the cap by a greater amount, and Ginobili was not available. My apologies for the confusion.
Oh, Heeeeeell naw. What the f*ck is going on in here?! Its time to release some hate. MrSpur, where the f*ck is you savior David Robinson on the all time steals list? Huh? I don't see his soft whiney ass in the top ten, like Dream. Who, might I add, is the only center in the top ten, hell, the only BIG MAN in the top ten! You're right, defense is more than just blocks, so where is Mr, Pansy Ass Robinson on the steals list? Man, take that weak sh*t elsewhere. damn straight. Translation b-b-b-but Robinson got double teamed and Hakeem didn't... Hey, you want to make big claims, then start posting like a man, not a little boy. The above is a weak ass excuse from a Spurs fan who knows perfectly well how weak it is. Robinson got torched by Hakeem. If he was supposedly such a good defensive player, D-Rob would not have had a problem holding Hakeem to reasonable scoring numbers, with or without help. But he didn't, did he? Hell no he didn't. Dream put some astronomical sh*t on his overrated ass. OMG, did you just compare Mr. Hakeem Olajuwon to f*ckin' Dikembe Mutombo?! The same Hakeem who moved with such fluidity that he often had the opposing facing the wrong direction as he released his shot (for sorry-as D-Rob, it was way more than often)? The same Hakeem that was often termed "a small forward in a center's body? Do you know how tall Hakeem is? 6 f*ckin 10. Thats how tall he is. Not 7'0" like you've heard on tv. They lied. He's 6'10". he got all those blocks and he's 6 f*ckin' 10. Apparently he couldn't just fall back on height like Mr. Mutombo and just get those weakside blocks. Maybe, just, maybe, there was something else. An attitude or desire maybe? Well, there's two things D-Rob wouldn't know sh*t about at least. Robison didn't have an advantage on O or D. Hakeem was just the better player on both sides of the floor. Hakeem carried his teams to championships, D-Rob didn't. You should never compare decent to great. It ain't pretty. One thing I like about all this is that you've lost a good bit of your Cat support (in this thread anyway). You're on your own kid. Got more sh*t to talk about Dream? Then bring it. 'Cause we're ready and waiting. Always feels good to let some hate loose.
-Olajuwon wasn't the one getting ripped a new A$$hole in the playoffs by every superstar center he faced in the playoffs like the "more mobile" David. -If Mrs. Robinson is so much more mobile than Olajuwon, why the hell did SHE always have less steals than Hakeem? Let me guess: Bob Hill was the reason!!!! Robinson wasn't crowned defensive player of the year twice, Hakeem was. -Someone show Mr. *pur the videoclip of Olajuwon tracking down Rod Strickland in the 94 playoffs and then ask who's more mobile: The all time NBA Shot block leader or Mrs. Robinson. Olajuwon was a 5X times better one on one defender than DRob, who was Hakeem and Shaq and K. Malone's b**** every time they met in the playoffs. Patrick Ewing was a better defender than DRob because at least he played like a MALE in the playoffs. Hakeem had a much harder time dealing with Ewing than pansy Mrs. Robinson. Most overrated player of all time: DRob. The owner's manual to DRob will always be on Hakeem's bookshelf baby. Robinson will have his *MVP though. *-Hakeem dropped 40 a game on me and showed me who the REAL MVP was. My jockstrap is still on the Alamodome court from Hakeem spinning me in circles. Saying Olajuwon was a Mutombesque defender is pretty freakin clueless. The guy was the most athletic Center ever. Spurfan has lost it here. As for this "Olajuwon was single covered all series" BS, I've heard this lame BS argument from Spurs fans before. How in the world does Olajuwon average 6 assists a game in the 95 WCF without ever being doubled. Simply put, Olajuwon's game was just THAT much better than Mrs. Robinson's. Olajuwon developed moves like the baseline turnaround which he could shoot quicker than double teams arrived. Robinson's offensive "game" was just to drive to the hoop, flail his arms like a pansy, and hope for a call. It's like comparing a man to a boy. Not even freakin close. A Spurs fan saying Hakeem is not a defender as DRob would be like a Rockets fan going to a Spurs site and proclaiming Eddie Griffin as a better offensive player than Tim Duncan. Just listen to yourself. Blocks are meaningless? Steals are meaningless? Who made the all nba def team more is meaningless? Who had more def player of the year awards is meaningless? Where does all the madness stop? Hakeem has Robinson beat in EVERY defensive stat/award category and of course was much better at both ends in the playoffs. That's indisputable fact. Spur spin control doesn't change any of that.
Take your meds kid. If Olajuwon was the great defender you make him out to be then he wouldn't have needed double and triple teams to hold DRob to his season average. As for that steals list, yet another longevity record owing to the fact that Olajuwon entered the league 5 years prior to DRob. Stop bringing weak **** like that. I give no "weak ass excuses". I tell it like it is. The problem is that you are a jaded Rockets nut who is still living on the fumes of 1995.
OMFG. Now that is just plain stupid. DRob was the most athletic big in the NBA when he entered the league. As quick and as agile as many guards in the league. Damn, take your friggin' pinstriped pajama blinders off.
Sorry MrSpur, you are so darned clueless about about Hakeem's total defensive dominance and peerless defensive skills. Go back at what tapes of Hakeem (might have been Akeem then) in the late 80's versus the Celts in the championships. Even on switches Boston's guards didn't try breaking down Hakeem on the wings--he was quicker than they were. Never has a big man with that size and strength show that kind of innate quickness. The man caught Kevin Johnson for Pete sake. D-Rob might have been quicker in a strait line, but in terms of body control, 1st step, quickness, anticipation, there was simply no comparison (between Hakeem and DR or Hakeem and any other big man for that matter). Again 3 seasons with over 4 BPG, 5 with over 2SPG. Nobody since they have been keeping such statistics is even close. You have a hopeless argument going here that DR was even the equal let alone superior defensive player in their primes. Personally I think DR's offensive game (which was is probably underrated) is a lot closer to the equal of Hakeem's then his defense ever was.
I think this guy is the highest rated player in Europe right now. The Spurs got lucky with him. DaDakota
MrSpur's not going to listen, folks. He's walking around in a fantasy all his own. I have a brother-in-law who was born and raised in SA, has had GREAT season tickets for years, and we've talked about all of this many times. When the subject of David and Dream comes up, he just shakes his head and says that Dream was just in a class by himself. That the Admiral was a great player (which I've said myself), but he just couldn't match up with Dream. He talks about poor coaching by the Spurs, and David needing help, but he's NEVER said that the Admiral was the better player. Or even as good. This is a guy who's a HUGE Spurs fan, and what he pays for his season tickets... well, let's just say he can easily afford them. I've used them before when the Rockets played SA, and I've got to give props to their fans. They are loud and proud. Their new arena is going to be like playing in Sacramento... but I digress... your making yourself look bad, MrSpur. Not for defending your team and players, power to you, but for your lame arguments. Quit beating up your credibility.
MrSpur: While Robinson was probably very mobile and also very athletic, it is a travesty to call Hakeem a mutombo-esque defender, especially considering Hakeem was really 6'10. Hakeem used his quickness,speed, fluidity, and great timing to block shots. Just watch some tape from the early days and you will easily see it. I won't say that Olajuwon is more mobile or anything, but it is just purely wrong to say Hakeem was immobile and another Mutombo.
Wow, this thread has gone on WAY too long. Look, Ginobili AND Nachbar both appear to be great prospects. Whether you want to say if Ginobili is the best Euro player or not is just a matter of opinion. The whole point HP was making was that the defense was weak and he won't be able to do the same things in the NBA. Honestly, I'm more impressed with Nachbar not because I'm a Rockets fan but what I've seen has just been more impressive. Nachbar is younger, shoots better, has the size, and still can finish very strongly inside. Ginobili's highlights are nice, but they're mostly just dunks that an extremely large amount of athletic players in college and bench-warmers in the NBA could do. I'm not going to judge other aspects of his game because I've not seen him play, but if 2 and a half minutes of highlights have one jumpshot made it tells you something. In Nachbar's highlights he hit several threes that appeared to be in clutch moments PLUS he had the highlight-reel-type dunks on people similar to Ginobili. Yes the defense in Europe is going to be weaker. People praise European players not for their defense but for their offensive versatility and "fundamentals"...I mean jumpshooting... The reason Euros used to not get respect is because they were soft and could not create their own shot. Nowadays they still have the greater shooting ability but are much more versatile and physical. You still see people like Turkoglu pussying out in the closing minutes of a game 7, but leaps have been made and the overall performance has improved greatly. So I guess instead of writing 50 posts back-and-forth, I'll just agree that yes the defense is weaker, yes the highlights were impressive as HIGHLIGHTS, and yes he may be a good player. I don't know if he's the best Euro player or not and it doesn't really matter once he's here. No one cares if Juan Dixon was one of the best college players, do they? I don't know if Ginobili can really shoot, but I doubt he can as well as Nachbar just from reading evaluations and seeing the short clips. From the highlights you can't tell much about Ginobili other than he has some nice dunks that many other players who were undrafted could do as well. So IMO, Nachbar looks like a better prospect, but both of them could do quite well. I'll just say that if Ginobili cannot hit jumpshots consistently then he's a poor man's DEVEAN GEORGE. That goes for Nachbar as well, but his shot appears to be above average in all aspects.
Come on now, Mr. Spur, longevity record or not, I don't see why it has no value. In any event, Robinson is WELL behind Olajuwon in both steals and blocks, far more behind than 2 years would have made up for: Robinson (b/s) 2,843 1,336 Olajuwon (b/s) 3,830 2,162 (note, earlier I inaccurately posted blocks for both when I was really posting steals, ESPN had the totals under the wrong headings.) Now, arguments about what would have happened if ... are of lettle value as compared to what actually happened. But Robinson is nowhere near Olajuwon in either category. He would basically have had to set NBA single season records to come even close, but either way he didn't.
Apparently, some Spurs fans just can't get over 95 and probably never will. I nominate the comment that the reason Olajuwon has more steals than Robinson is "longevity" as the stupidest in the history of this BBS. Here are the facts: Here are their steal numbers for each of their first 9 yrs in the league, courtesy NBA.com. DRob Dream 1.68 1.21 1.55 1.97 2.32 1.87 1.55 2.05 1.74 2.60 1.65 2.12 1.35 2.16 1.00 1.81 0.88 1.83 Career Avg: 1.45 1.75 Playoff Avg: 1.33 1.69 -Yeah, it's the longevity, not the fact that Olajuwon had 4 consec years of over 2.0 steals and more steals than D Rob in all NBA seasons but TWO in the times their careers coincided. Congrats Mr. Spur on exposing your ignorance. Any more lies you'd like us to shoot down? Perhaps NBA.com is just looking at things through Pin stripe PJ tinted glasses though and its a big conspiracy to deny Mrs.Robinson her due. Again, to make things real simple for you: More blks: Hakeem More stls: Hakeem More times all def 1st team: Dream More def player of the year: Dream What exactly do you have to prove your ludicrous assertion than your own unbelievably biased "hakeem was like mutombo" BS. Any facts or just Spur homerism? Facts don't seem to be on your side on this one. How the hell does a less mobile and active defender average more steals than a superior athlete just about every freakin year?
Just curious, but what did you all think of Dirk Nowitski before he came into the league, and Peja Stojakovic, and Gasol?
to get back to the topic, I admit I was skeptical of Dirk. Sotjankovic I don't even remember when he came in, it was with little fanfare. Gasol I had seen and heard more about so I thought he had a chance though I didn't know he would be so good so fast. Probably the reason why people are skeptical (including me) now is that the top prospects in Europe seem to have been already mined. Eventually, after all the top talent is stripped you are going to get to the guys who aren't that great (Turkcan, etc.) I don't know if Ginobli will be one of those guys or not but eventually the Euro flood will tone down a bit. This last draft may have been an example of teams making up for their past neglect.
Wow, HP is seriously schooling some folks... Incidentally... there's absolutely no way that anybody could be certain of the success or failure of that player from the video. Nifty dunks. Nice drives. He didn't protect the ball. Who the hell knows if he can or not? From that vid, who the hell knows if he can shoot? Some people have praised him. Yay. The same happens for every single first round bust ever. Go back and read about how Marcus Camby was going to revolutionize the C position. Or about how Tyus Edney is the next Stockton. Plenty of pundits say plenty of things - most are wrong. If he indeed can shoot and protect the ball... great. If not, well... E-Rob has more hops than this guy, and he's bench fodder for the Bulls.
I dont understand why everyone keeps making this silly comparisons. All's I said was I think he could help the Spurs, not SOLELY based on those highlights and the games I have seen of him, but on the fact that many scouters, Mike D'Antoni, and others have claimed he has the talent to be rookie of the year and the FACT that he is one of the best, if not the best Euro Shooting guard. How can anyone tell if he can protect the ball or not on the NBA level? By watching a few young MJ highlights I could say he is simply an athletic freak with no reliable deep jumpshot and would it even matter? Would that mean that MJ has no potential to make it in the NBA if I looked at it that way in 82? Fact is no one can say this guy wont be able to protect the ball when he gets in the league. No one is perfect and I doubt many can truly judge this guy or any other player (ex. Nachbar). All's I was trying to show was that he is very athletic by european standards and he seems like he has the ingredients to become a solid player in the NBA and for the Spurs. It is almost like everyone leans to the Tyus Edney BUST side as oppose to the other side of the spectrum, the fact that he might become a solid player. Look I like the way this guy plays based on what I have seen and I think he can help the Spurs, simple as that. And as far as the Camby/center comment?? Big deal, no one new Mj was gonna be the BEST PLAYER of all time. No one I bet thought Dirk would become this good. Why does everyone seem to lean towards the negatives? I never claimed him to be the next Kobe.
