Tim Duncan takes a pay cut because it will help the Spurs

Except for the whining to the refs, I love TD as a player. This move takes him to another level IMO.

 

Let's see if Tmac will take less to sign with the Rockets after 09/10

 

Well, if anyone was beginning to think that the Spurs' front office was slipping after the Scola trade, I guess you'd better think again. This move is another in a long line of smart moves made with the Spurs' long-term goals in mind. I seriously doubt almost any other team makes moves like these. Plus, the Spurs managed to get under the luxury tax threshhold by dumping Beno Udrih's salary on Minnesota. They had to throw in a bunch of cash, but the Spurs got back a conditional second rounder from Minnesota and end up saving a lot more than they paid. (By the way, I don't see why the Rockets couldn't have done a deal like this with Jackie Butler or Justin Reed.)

 

It's amazing how many players say they are committed to bringing a championship to their team, yet are unwilling to make a sacrifice like this. I'm not a huge TD fan, but I have to admit this is a class act.

 

Beno Udrih is loads more desirable than Butler or Reed -- he even makes less money to boot.

 

Shaq did it first before winning that championship in Miami. I'm not a fan of Duncan at all, but I do feel kinda bad for him because the Spurs aren't winning it this year (WE ARE!).. so all that is for nothing.

 

The wolves cut Udrih after he was traded

 

The Spurs didn't have to cut anyone, whereas the Rockets had to cut 4. Why not wait till after the cuts and see who's available. If we had cut Alston, Minny would have just signed him instead of trading for Uhrich. By the way, has anyone picked up Butler or Reed yet?

 

The Spurs now have TWO players under contract past '10: Duncan, Parker.

The following are available, as of now, after that season:

'Melo
Wade
L. James

 

Umm...he's will still get $20 per to play basketball. It's not much of a 'sacrifice', really. He's still getting pretty close to the max and will end up adding nearly $40 mil to his bank account before by the time it's all over.

Now, taking the vets min to try and win a championship (like Karl Malone did with the Lakers, or what CB did with us, when they could've gotten much, much more elsewhere) is much more of a financial sacrifice.

Duncan's benevolence, in this case, is overstated...and that's coming from a huge TD fan.

I wouldn't worry too much about that, the guy will likely be in the 'twilight' of his career by then. I would like to think that if Yao remains healthy and he's in the prime years of his career, then the Rockets will be much more of a 'destination' than SA is for highly touted free agents. That being said, it's highly unlikely than any of those big ticket guys will bolt. It's much more likely that they will stick around where they already are and their teams will continue to try and build around them.

 

He left $12,000,000 on the table. That IS a sacrifice, any way you slice it.

As for twilight; he'll be 34; Malone was 40 when he made the sacrifice you address; I'm thinking Duncan will still be one of the best in the game; Parker will be in his prime then, and one of the best point guards; don't discount HIS ability to lure, either. It's not the players that attract the FA alone; it's the organization. The Spurs are building more and more credibility in that regard.

 

good spirit, tim. Every team would love to have a player like him. He is a good example of the league, although he is really boring.

 

12 mil is a lot of money and I am sure teams would have been fighting each other to give it to him.

 

is that enough to feed his family?

 

Will the player association allow this? I think this sets a dangerous precedent.. now every team will think their star player is selfish for wanting the maximum instead of five million less. I applaud TD for putting the team first.. I'm just not sure this is essentially good for the game.

 

Wade will be interested at that time with Shaq gone.

 

Spurs build teams like they have done it before in another era; they creep me out...i will enjoy pummeling them repeatedly.

 

A whole lot can happen in three years.

 

Not really, the problem is you're choosing to focus on what he "left on the table" instead of what he "got"; again, he'll be making roughly $40 mil over two years. That still puts him in the upper-echelon of players in the league as far as salaries are concerned. Leaving $12 mil over two years on the table is a small 'sacrifice' to make for 1) Continuing to play in your adopted hometown, a place and an organization you're comfortable with; and 2) maintaining a winning tradition and helping to contribute to your legacy.

TD isn't and never will be the 'iron man' Karl Malone was. Malone at 37 was still one of the best in the league. VERY few players in NBA history can compare to Malone's physical conditioning, and certainly not Duncan.

He will still be a good player, but I am not sure "MVP candidate" good.

Parker is a very good player, but no one is coming to SA to play with Parker or Genobili, they're coming to play with TD. Parker doesn't have that kind of pull...

The Spurs are the best organization in sports, period. They've been so for a few years now. No organization has been as well-managed or proven to be as efficient as they've been. NBA GM's readily admit that the Spurs are the 'model franchise'.