http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/gen/wire?messageId=5652742 Spurs sign guards Charles Smith and Stephen Jackson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ The San Antonio Spurs have signed forward Stephen Jackson and guard Charles Smith. Jackson averaged 8.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 77 games last season for the New Jersey Nets. Smith, who played at New Mexico, was a first-round draft choice by the Miami Heat in 1997. He spent last season in the Italian A-1 League, averaging 24.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 33 games for Snaidero Udine. He ranked second in league scoring.
Actually Stephen Jackson is pretty good but the signing of mediocre players isnt bringing the Spurs back. They actually would have kept Walker but released him to open up more money for Anderson, shame.
<b>Actually Stephen Jackson is pretty good but the signing of mediocre players isnt bringing the Spurs back. </b> Isn't this an oxymoron?
Pretty good descirbes Jackson and mediocre players describes the assortment of Ferry, Jackson, Smith, and Bowen.
Actually those are good role players. Look at all of the role players on championship teams, and players people think "suck" have rings. Guys people bang on like Matt Bullard, Scotty Brooks, Carl Herrera, Trent Tucker, Craig Hodges, Jaren Jackson, all of those guys have won championships and have played key roles at some point, so I wouldn't quite rip on the players the Spurs have acquired.
Nice pickup for the Spurs. If Steve Smith can stay healthy and produce the spurs have a nice shot at winning SOMETHING
I don't want the Spurs or the Mavericks to win any championships in the next 250 billion years. I want the Rockets to be the only Texas team with two titles. BTW-Luv the new format!
I like Stephen Jackson,he had a surprise year last year getting some playing time while Kittles and Van Horn were sidelined and he did well. Now the Spurs signed Cherokee Parks to take Samaki's place so I dont think he will be missed too much.
The "role players" or weak spots on teams you want competing for the championships are guys like Horace Grant, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Arron McKey, Sean Elliot, Bryan Russell or Mario Elie (a few years ago). Guys that may not do anything exceptionally nor be all-stars, but guys that do everything well enough so they can't be exploited defensely or offensely. Guys like Bowen or Ferry or Jackson are NOT these kind of guys. Even a guy like Fox or Aaron McKey or maybe our own SA would have been a much bigger improvement over what the Spurs got--not that the Spurs could have done any better than they did with their options presented to them by the way DA was leaving. Having Ferry/Bowen play the 3, while having a defensive liability at the 2, and a complete unknown at the 1 (to whether the starting 1 can perform in that role versus perform in a much easier back-up spark plug role) present serious questions to whether the Spurs are legitimate title contenders. There moves might work out, but they will have to get breakout years from there new 1 and 3 starters and their 2 must stay healthy and competitive defensively. I personally don't think all these things will come together, but the Spurs will have the 3rd-5th best record in the league nonetheless.
SJackson is slated to be the backup 3. Might see some 2 as well. With greater team defensive flexibility, SSmith will be fine defending the 2, or he can simply switch with Bowen and take the opposing 3. What Daniels gives up in 'true' point guard skills he does make up for in his total game. Once again, the Spurs are being built primarily based on defense. And to that end Pop has done a solid job. Offensively, this team is more sound than the team that entered the playoffs, without a doubt. McKie would've been a nice acquisition, but offensively the edge goes to Smith. The Spurs added their perimeter defender in Bowen and have AD to guard points.
Bowen was second team All-NBA Defense last season. SJackson had a pretty good rookie year last season. Oh no, not every player on the Spurs is an All-Star.
How can you list Russell and McKey as key guys for a championship team and they don't have a ring, but you disregard Jaren Jackson who won a championship 3 years ago as a key player!? Again, the Rockets won a championship with Chucky Brown at PF. He has bounced around since, but it doesn't take away from his importance to the Rockets championship. A lot of times the most forgotten guy, or the most laughed at guy, is the guy that steps up and becomes a hero. Guys like Steve Kerr, Bobby Hanson, Bill Wennington, etc., etc. That's why I say those are some good pick-ups for the Spurs.
The problem is not that AD or whomever is the "3" (Bowen/Ferry/Jackson) are not all-stars, the problem is they are not even average to below-average NBA starters at their positions. On the Spurs championship only AJ was a marginal starter (though AJ was an effective veteran at that time and knew how to guide the team), now the Spurs have to go to war with at least 2 marginal starters (Elliott and Mario were much better all around players and tested veterans than whomever the Spurs can muster to play two of their positions). It is much easier to be an effective bench player than a proven starter. If things had turned out just a little differently I think the Spurs could be right there with the Lakers. #1 resign DA. #2 sign a swingman that is tough on both ends (Aaron McKey was my favorite realistically signable FA for them--though he would have to sign for less $ and expected future payback). #3 resign Walker. Then the Spurs line-up would be: C Robinson/Duncan PF Duncan/Walker/Rose SF McKey/Ferry/Rose SG DA/AD PG AD/Porter (maybe start Porter if AD doesn't lead the team well) That team would have been much, much better than what they have now. It would have been less exploitable defensively AND offensively, and would have higher quality verteran backups. This team in my mind would have been competitive for a championship, barring an injury to Shaq or Kobe no way do I see the current Spurs guys hanging with the Lakers. They have too many questionable key players who are not fire tested over a long season. The Spurs have made the best of bad situations but have not done near enough to try to overtake the Lakers.
Let's see...the Spurs have 3 proven players/star/olympians/etc...in Duncan DRob & Smith in the starting lineup. Then you add in an Antonio Daniels, who you apparently think is awful, but most regard as a solid young player. You're a tad bit off with calling him a "marginal starter"....I definitely wouldn't mid having a few more marginal starters like him then. And at the 3 you have a second team ALL-NBA Defense member in Bruce Bowen. McKie was pursued by the Spurs as a replacement for DA, not to play the 3. Same for Christie. Walker? Walker was so highly thought of by SA that they dumped him and found two guys who would play more physical than he ever did for less than he would've cost them. Your proposal: C Robinson/Duncan PF Duncan/Walker/Rose SF McKie/Ferry/Rose SG DA/AD PG AD/Porter Current: C Robinson/Duncan/Parks PF Duncan/Rose/Bryant/Ferry SF Bowen/SJackson/Ferry/Rose SG Smith/Daniels/Porter/SJackson PG Daniels/Parker/Porter The current lineup is better than your proposal. The current roster is more versatile than your proposal. Overall, you have a bigger team and a better defensive unit. You have height out on the perimeter that you don't have in your proposal. Should the Spurs decide they want more athleticism out on the perimeter than can go with SJackson instead of Bowen. With the rules changes slasher/cutters lessen in importance. DA's shot selection was poor. He needed a lot of touches for his game. Next season he will need the ball much more to generate his offense as defenses now have more flexibility. Smith is a smarter player who is a proven playoff performer and is wise with the ball. I know you must think he's dead but he still has plenty of game. Smith is a better fit at the 2 in SA than DA, especially for next season.
I'm not a Spurs fan, but I have to give credit where's it's do, to replace Derek Anderson with Steve Smith and Bruce Bowen is pretty good. They could have easily lost him for NOTHING, instead they get a solid scoring veteran and a solid role player in Bowen. I still can't figure out how people think Bowen sucks, the guy is 2nd team All-Defense, and is a 33% 3pt shooter. Their defense improves greatly, he is a far better defender then Anderson. Anderson was brought on as a Kobe equalizer, and Kobe treated him like a sack of garbage. Kobe humiliated him. So how do you remedy that? Go out and get and NBA All-defensive player. Bowen should do a much better job on Kobe then Anderson. Assuming Sean Elliot comes back, the Spurs essentially replace Samaki Walker (who walked), Derek Anderson (who could have walked), and Steve Kerr (who was useless to them) with a solid veteran and scorer in Steve Smith, a solid defensive stopper and 3pt shooter in Bowen, and Cherokee Parks. At worst they stand pat, but Smith and Bowen's perimeter shooting will help considerably against the zone.
Hey, did anyone notice the search feature is back? http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&postid=9290#post9290 http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&postid=18787#post18787
