Beyond the trade talk/names I think we should look at the TYPE of player this team needs to be elite . . . esp Next year Brooks/Lowry - This combo I am fine with. I don't think we have a PG need Ariza/Budinger - This is a place we can improve. I like C-Bud - He has the tools. We need MORE here though Shane/Ariza/? - Again - another area of need. Scola/Landry/Dorsey - We are good here IMO Yao/Chuckl/Anderson - A strong back up would be nice but not a major priority So I think we looking at SG/SF - With the SF being higher priority for me. Which is why I am ok with BOSH but not Mega for me. Philly's offer intigues me. . but I wonder can AI can play some SF Yao-Landy/Scola[which one we don't lose]-AI : would be a NICE and BIG front line. Sam D would be a good back up. Rocket River Rocket River
As of now, i think our best option would be to stay put until we end our PO or RS run. Once we are out of the PO we are still able to trade for players for the duration of the playoffs. If SA is out of the PO they will want to move both Ginobili and Jefferson, and TMac would be the expiring that matches their salary. Then we will have bird rights on Ginobili and a expiring Jefferson. A quite good SF SG combo that makes either Battier or Ariza expendable.
The more ideal lineup imo: Brooks/Lowry/Conroy Taylor/McGrady Battier/Ariza/Budinger Scola/Landry/Hayes/Dorsey/Cook Yao/Anderson It's whats been said all along: A SG and a semi-legit to legit backup for Yao. (Sorry, Andersen is not that). No real need for F's or a PG
Even with Yao I think we are 2 players away. Scola/Landry and also Ariza/Battier are too redundant. We need to subtract one of those 4 (while upgrading) and add a guy. I think Scola will end up being the odd man out, we need a 6-10 guy there that can play D and finish. We need a perimeter threat that can crea their own shot and offense for other.
All we need is the one who can create his own shots from the perimeter or create shots for his teammates, aside from Brooks and Lowry, no one on this team can do pretty much of those things. In my opinion, just ship Ariza and keep Battier, trade Scola for some who's more athletic and taller, capable of doing pretty as much of what Scola could produce on the court. Yeah, I'm dreaming on the part of Scola trade.
I would say that SG is our biggest position of need. Aiza is just asked to do to much on the offensive side of the ball. I think moving him to SF and just taking what the game gives him with out trying to force the action would improve him tremendously. Chase (if he is not traded) is our future at SF IMO. He will never be a game changing defender like Ariza is capable of being but he can provide good solid to great defense similar to what Shane does now. Better still is that I think he is going to be a solid all around offensive player with few weaknesses. We definitely need height and athleticism in the paint as well as week side shot blocking. Dorsey may be able to provide this but the jury is still out on him. Yao (healthy), Scola, Landry and Dorsey might be fine here. If Dorsey does not work out then we definitely need someone else.
The player(s) we need to be elite next season... If we do a Caron Butler/Spencer Haywood deal where we give up Budinger then we will need: 1) MLE like Mike Miller a dead eye shooter, now we may be able to get him in the deal for Butler but if not do it in the offseason for the MLE. 2) We will probably have a top 20 pick if not top 10 we should target size in a fairly deep draft. 3) Try and resign Haywood but if not thats ok. Brooks/Lowry/Conroy Butler/Miller/Taylor Ariza/Battier Scola/Landry/Hayes/Draft Pick Yao/Andersen/Dorsey/Draft Pick If we do nothing and TMAC's contract simply falls off the books... 1) Go after a SG/SF wing player with the 7-10 million that could be available. 2) Our pick will probably be top 15 so in this case go for best player available. 3) Use our LLE to get a veteran shooter again like Miller if he is willing to take less money to win. In this scenario it will again be more of a team effort but hoping to hit it big with a nice FA, Top Pick and a veteran gunner that would go well with Yao. Brooks/Lowry/Conroy FA acquisition/LLE/Taylor Ariza/Battier/Draft Pick Scola/Landry/Hayes/Draft Pick Yao/Andersen/Dorsey/Draft Pick Not to optimistic on the Iggy deal for obvious reasons but... 1) Draft a big man with a again a top 20 pick or LOWER pick. 2) Trade someone from the core players or even Dalembert if possible for another player of value. To many questions with the lineup to post but would be a nice team just no idea who they could target.
so what have we been doing for the last 6 months? There's a reason the rumors are focused on guys like butler, iggy, and kmart....we need guys who can shoot, dribble, and take it to the rim. And we need them at the 2 or 3 spot, preferably the two.
Damnit, we need a guy exactly like McGrady....who played defense and didn't have to have the ball in his hands all the time. I can't help but wonder what our team would be like healthy with our now borderline All-Star blur AB. But yeah, someone else with handles who can create his own shot, be able and willing to feed Yao in the post more often than not, and play defense.
Most people are missing the boat. We need to look in shane's direction for a trade. He could be the missing link for team makinf a Championship run. Maybe Portland! we get Rudy F. somehow - BAMA! - --------------------- Martell Webster 6-7 SF from Seattle Prep (HS) 11.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.8 apg in 28.5 minutes Steve Blake 6-3 PG from Maryland 7.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.8 apg in 27.2 minutes Travis Outlaw 6-9 SF from Starkville (HS) 9.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.7 apg in 21.0 minutes Rudolfo Fernandez 6-6 SG from Spain (Foreign) 8.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.1 apg in 23.1 minutes Outgoing Players Shane Battier 6-8 SF from Duke 8.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.3 apg in 33.1 minutes Luis Scola 6-9 PF from Buenos Aires (Argentina) 14.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.8 apg in 30.4 minutes Joey Dorsey 6-9 PF from Memphis 2.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.4 apg in 9.1 minutes
Rudy Fernandez would be a great target, but I don't see a scenario where we could get him. He's the type of player we need.
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