http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-stoudemirespurs012610 By: Adrian Wojnarowski Yahoo Sports Another intriguing suitor could emerge in the bidding for Phoenix Suns star Amar’e Stoudemire: the San Antonio Spurs. Multiple league sources say the Spurs’ front office has researched and debated pursuing Stoudemire to play alongside Tim Duncan. There are questions for the Spurs to answer: Would they be willing to part with the personnel – including possibly Manu Ginobili – to make a deal happen? Do the Spurs want to re-sign Stoudemire to a contract extension and swell their payroll? Do they believe Stoudemire could be the difference for their fifth championship? All questions with no clear answers for the Spurs – yet. Nevertheless, the possibility of an athletic, offensive force like Stoudemire has become too irresistible to easily dismiss. The Spurs (25-18) have lost five of their past six games, and have fallen into sixth place in the Western Conference. “They know they’ve got to do something,” says a source familiar with the front office’s thinking. “They feel like they’ve got to at least look at this … and they are.” The Miami Heat are exploring the possibility of a deal, but Pat Riley also knows he can keep Dwyane Wade and sign Stoudemire as a free agent this summer. Miami’s president doesn’t have to make a trade now. Chicago, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Detroit and Minnesota are among other teams with an interest with Stoudemire. For Phoenix and San Antonio, there could be a different urgency. The Suns are motivated to move Stoudemire out of a growing belief they’ll never come to terms with him on a contract extension. Stoudemire can opt out of the $17.7 million owed him next season. Suns owner Robert Sarver has been in constant cost-cutting mode, and although he does want to keep Stoudemire, it’s become increasingly unlikely that will happen. The Spurs need a young, athletic frontcourt complement for an aging Duncan. Despite taking on significant payroll this summer in moves for Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess, it’s become clearer to the Spurs that their frontline is still ill-equipped to overthrow the Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs have always maintained an interest in Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh, a Texas native, but Raptors’ general manager Bryan Colangelo has yet to show a strong inclination to trade his star before his impending free agency this summer. As painful as it would be for the franchise and fans, the Spurs could try to part with Ginobili and his $10.8 million expiring contract to make a package work. What about burgeoning young guard George Hill, a Gregg Popovich favorite? The Spurs also own the rights to one of the best young centers in Europe, Tiago Splitter, whom a source says could leave the Spanish League to get to the NBA next season. Many league executives wonder, too: Would the Suns be adverse to trading such a major talent to a longstanding Western Conference rival? Perhaps, but understand the market for Stoudemire is somewhat limited because so many teams don’t want to part with well-regarded assets and draft picks for what could amount to be a rent-a-player for this season. Almost all teams would want assurance they could re-sign Stoudemire. Given the All-Star’s stated desire to play for a championship contender, staying with the Spurs wouldn’t seem to be the most difficult sell.
Leaving Jefferson as their premiere wing player? Beginning of the end for the Spurs. Jefferson's been their disappointing acquistion of the summer. Anyway, if the Spurs are willing to deal Manu & Splitter... Hoping and praying the Rockets can get those two for McGrady.
I hope the spurs dont trade parker,ginobili,duncan and even jefferson(once he gets his head out of his a**) and maybe even george hill everyone is pretty much touchable and hope spurs dont make another mistake by trading tiago splitter who is the best big man in europe right now. finley,mason,bonner and mcdyess and maybe next years first round draft pick works for stoudemire after that hopefully the spurs could possibly land raja bell from warriors would be solid for the spurs mostly because they have been bad defense wise
yah im worried bout his defense but I will take anyone in the paint right now besides blair or mcdyess defense wise 2 7 footers in the paint could be intimidating
I said it earlier in the offseason, the spurs will be players in the free agent market and trade market. My reason are they have a 10m manu thats expiring, some other smaller contracts, and splitter. They spurs can offer manu and finley or mcdyess plus splitter and its a wrap for either bosh or amare. The lure of the deal is splitter and what he can do next year.
spurs are comfortably over the salary cap next season even with manu and other expiring contracts off their books.
The Spurs have 54 million committed next year to a grand total of 6 players. They're not players at all in the free agent market, though possibly in the trades. And I've heard a little bit about this Splitter guy, but can you explain why he would be the lure of the deal, and not say the expirings? He seems like a good European basketball player, but it's not like we gave up much to get Scola, Andersen, or Llull, and they are good European basketball players too.
Tim Duncan & Amare Stoudemire in the front court, thats pretty sick, IF amare finally plays defense... --RB
I don't see expiring contracts plus and over the hill McDyess and unproven Splitter as true value for Bosh. I think our offer of Landry, Ariza, an expiring, and a pick would be better value to the Raptors.
that would be a great trade...for everyone else in the division. Amare on the spurs would destroy them from within. He would be such a problem to handle.
Manu is probably a big target for toronto or phoenix. Splitter is a highly rated, highly skilled big in europe who is still young. Phoenix could get splitter for next season, and manu and mcdyess off the books also so they would get value if amare leaves. In the bosh case, its pretty much the same. They get another international player in manu for this season and a young import for next season. I'm not saying the rockets can't be in the deal, but a young talented big that can play on a rookie contract vs landry with 1 yr and trevor with 4 more might seem more appealing to toronto and phoenix.
Other than lull, those other guys were older and had limited upside. The main push for the grizz when they traded pau was his brother. His brother has been on the radar for a few years back when the lakers drafted him. Splitter has been on the radar for awhile as a highly skilled 7 ft er.
Splitter is getting PAID in Europe right now. I really doubt he comes over next year or even the year after.
Wait.. are you saying that the Spurs would make a deal with us for Manu and Splitter?! That's almost laughable, I'm sure Buford has learned his lesson by dealing with the devil (Morey) he's stolen Scola away from them I doubt he makes the same mistake twice. Besides they have no use for Tracy there if they can just keep Manu.
Spurs won't deal anyone from that big 3 when its said and done. They have the assets to acquire an all-star without touching them. Its apparent the Spurs WILL land someone nasty before the deadline.
So it's a story now when a team might be "researching and debating" the possibility of pursuing a trade?
