Writer’s note: this is the first of a three part series on critical off-seasons for the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks.
The latest class of NBA bachelors looking for an expensive marriage with a new team underwhelms at best. A cadre of overpriced stars and limited role players declared for free agency by Monday's deadline.
The teams that won this year's youngster-filled draft traded unproven freshmen to get old guys who can play. That would be Kevin McHale's Minnesota Timberwolves, who landed the most undervalued guard/forward hybrid in the NBA. Who knew that McHale would devise a way to pair Mike Miller with Kevin Love and Al Jefferson?
The Portland Trail Blazers stole the evening again and stomped all over it. The Blazers landed the draft's second- or third-best point guard in Jerryd Bayless, depending on who you ask, and managed to snatch explosive reserve Ike Diogu in a trade.
Most mock rookie of the year lists slot Greg Oden at the top and Spanish star Rudy Fernandez in third place. Nate McMillan gets to mesh all of that talent with All-Star Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Who doesn't envy the Blazers' position as a possible future powerhouse?
I can name three teams, and they hail from the same hot and humid state.
The Blazers will make a run at the seventh and eighth playoff spots next season, but they are not ready to contend. Adding Miller makes the Timberwolves a playoff prospect—but Randy Whittman's young bunch has a long route to a championship.
That arduous path includes multiple bumper-to-bumper, three-hour traffic jams, torn-up stretches of highway, faulty directions, and a half tank of gas with no filling station for 1000 miles.
A productive big man next to beastly Big Al, with Miller and Corey Brewer: so, what's the problem?
6 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Max Iascone about 1 year ago
The Spurs are purportedly interested in Corey Maggette, who averaged 22 ppg last year, they could only offer him the mid-level exception but his only offer so far has been the exception, coming from Boston. Maggette would be a good option if only for his great scoring ability, good idea by Buford but he'll either go for the money from a team with cap space or take Boston's mid-level exception since they have a better shot at the championship in the weaker East and they are last year's champ. "I've made a lot of money in my career and now I want to win" Maggette said (or at least something to that effect) so the Spurs may have found a cure to their offensive woes if they can sell themselves better than Boston or a team with money.
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Robert Kleeman about 1 year ago
The Spurs have been interested in Maggette for years, and come to think of it, I have no idea why I didn't mention him in the above article.
Maggette would be a dream addition and doesn't carry quite the personal baggage that Smith does. I'm still not convinced when this guy says he wants nothing more than to join a winning team. If Maggette means what he says, then the Spurs would prove a great fit.
The Spurs tried in the 2007-07 season to land Maggette in a cloudy deal that included Brent Barry and Beno Udrih. Obviously, that deal fell apart.
The Spurs need a hybrid two/three and I would much rather see Maggette in a Spur uniform than Smith.
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David Cohen about 1 year ago
Maggette reportedly has agreed to the Spurs full mid-level exception (around $5.8 million).
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Rufus Navarro about 1 year ago
Spurs are done. Next year is their last chance to win another one. After that its over
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John Ligon about 1 year ago
Yeah, I've never heard THAT one before.
The Spurs have a good shot to sign Maggette, but their main competition will be the Magic if they want him; it'll come down to whether he wants to win a title (in which case he should come to the Spurs), or if he wants to play for his hometown Magic. The Spurs have to pull out all the stops to sign him, as the gap in talent between him and J.R. Smith is quite large. If the Spurs can come back with a rotation of Oberto, Duncan, Bowen, Maggette, Parker, Ginobili, George Hill, Udoka, and Thomas, the Spurs would be as much a threat to win the title next year as anyone; without him, the Spurs will have trouble having enough young, energetic legs to keep up in the west.
I wouldn't list Thomas and Barry as "probable" returns; sounds to me like there is a very good chance another team might bring them in.
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Robert Kleeman about 1 year ago
Barry and Thomas may not return but the Spurs want them and need them.
It looks like Barry will seriously consider joining one of the other teams that courted him this spring. Thomas, on the other hand, likes his role with the Spurs, and as I said above, Tiago Splitter's delayed arrival makes signing him imperative.
The Spurs need Thomas as much as they would need Maggette to win another championship. The only "report" I see of Maggette accepting the Spurs MLE is on hoopsworld.com. That articles lists "multiple reports."
Where are these multiple reports? Sounds to me like somebody is blowing smoke up somebody else's ass. With all the offers he will attract, I cannot believe that he has already settled for the Spurs.
However, if the guy has any sense and wants to win, he will head for San Antonio.
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