Huh, just before you posted this I read here that Scola was coming over, and that Oberto was also rumored to be coming over...
I hope we can get them both, but I don't even try to follow the money in detail enough to know if that's possible...
Stephen:
I researching the money issue right now.
It's on the news in Argentina too, but just like a rumour started by Oberto's agent. It might be true, but I still think Scola has better chances by now.
We still might get Scola. Chad Ford is wrong on the regular. We're paying Oberto some of our MLE, but not all of it.
This certainly does have ramifications for one of our big men, though. It's likely that either Rasho (good contract), Nazr (expiring contract) or Scola (The Tower of Buenos Aires) will be moved this offseason or next February. Frankly, I'm expecting something happening sooner rather than later, since Pop and Co. always have a plan. With a surplus of centers and the Nets backing out of the Reef-stakes, it seems we might be getting new small forward after all.
seeing how well nazr did during the playoffs i would be surprised if they moved him and i don't think that they would be able to get good value for Scola (based on his huge buyout from his european team), so i guess it's goodbye Rasho...
but if they don't get Shareef who else is available that fits their needs - or will it just be a salary dump (i.e. for draft picks)?
And while I'm here, I might as well respond to some of Matthew's recent barbs.
Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that Garnett doesn't want to win. I said he doesn't know HOW to win and I said he cares more about stats than Duncan does. That is evidenced here, but it's probably just my prejudice talking:
http://www.82games.com/comm14.htm
Note the huge disparity between KG and TD--this is reason enough to dismiss whatever small statistical edge KG might have and look at team success instead. I realize this was from '02-03 and midway through '03-04, but the fact that KG is annually in the top 5 in garbage time production nontheless illustrates my point. They should have garbage results from last season up soon.
Speaking of 82games, Matthew, how do you explain the Roland Ratings this year, given that you swear by plus-minus? http://www.82games.com/
rolandrat...ratings0405.htm
How is Duncan #1 while KG doesn't crack the top 50? Since he allegedly has "calcified remains" around him, you'd expect his +/- to be high, while Duncan's "amazing" teammates should better be able to shoulder the load when he takes a rest. But again, this is probably just prejudice talking.
My "recent barbs?" I didn't even respond to your last comment on the KG/TD debate.
I've never used +/- to say that KG is better than Duncan. Unadjusted +/- is a poor stat to use to compare players on separate teams. Yes, I would have expected KG's value to be higher this year.
Since you brought it up, here are their 3 year averages (82games doesn't go further back) for +/-:
Duncan: 12.9
Garnett: 14.8
You can repeatedly imply you aren't prejudiced, but your calling KG>TD a "ridiculous opinion" is a clear sign that there is something other objectivity behind your beliefs.
I have no problems with anyone thinking TD is better than Garnett. I have consistently referred to TD as a top 3/5 player and currently put him 2nd behind only KG. If forced to equate the two, I would say TD = 0.97 * KG. Maybe you think TD = 1.05 * KG. That's fine and a perfectly rational opinion. It's the idiotic notion that it's no contest that I have a problem with.
Feel free to respond twice to this; I am done with this tired subject.
Some people would say to just let it go....
but i beg of you michael, please DON'T!
This is good stuff. KG better than Duncan!?! By gawd, someone needs to knock that crazy notion out of this spurs' bloggers mind! You can do it buddy! For all that is holy, Duncan has 3 frikkin' rings for crying out loud!
3 rings to none! Nuff said.
I swear to God I'll forward the past weeks' e-mails to your boss. And the German.
Hey Matt,
Here's a question I put up on my blog as a what if yesterday. Would like your feedback. Let's say they bring back their top 10 players (starting five- include Rasho in this group- & Horry, Barry, Udrih, Mohammed, and Brown). Would their be a precipitous drop in talent if we just signed the five best Argentine players not named Manu to fill out the remaining roster slots? I mean that's Scola, Oberto, and three more.
Plus we'd have- at least- Mohammed and/or Rasho as trade bait. Now this includes no such realistic constrictions such as the salary cap or salary expectations. But we'd just about lock up Central and South America as Spurs fans, and the Spurs would go from the 'undying devotion' level to 'deity' level in SA for having 40% of the team speaking fluent Spanish.
Don't know enough about who else would qualify as the final three Argentine players, but on a talent and intangibles level, wouldn't these guys fit perfectly into a system that is just as much about team as their national basketball team is, and wouldn't they push our guys in practice much, much harder than 5 regular ol' NBAers would?
Matthew,
I'm glad you brought up the Rodman parallel. I couldn't agree more.
This Oberto signing sounds exactly what I was hoping for and ranting about: a likeable goon to play next to Tim. We don't need anymore big players who can't mix it up. Tim needs an enforcer. I'm not saying Oberto is for sure that person but he could be.
And if we get Scola too? Ah, this is too good. I can already imagine a "Little Argentina" neighborhood popping up somewhere in the Dominion.
'Toughness'... Remember Nocioni briefly got a rep for this at the end of the season for some hard fouls. Oberto might be cut from the same cloth - not dirty but hard-nosed, not objecting to contact or laying it down from time to time. Manu and, to a lesser degree, Scola, in general had it less and needed it less, from that Argentina team.
Hi Matt, news from Argentina: Oberto's agent Herb Rudoy --manages Ginobili also-- said that a three year deal is going to be signed on July 22nd. According to Clarin, the main newspaper here, Scola is not going to SA this year.
I would have preferred Scola over Oberto because he is younger and more aggressive (speaking about attacking skills, not fouling). Oberto is very smart and passionate. He might have an awfull rookie season (I predict lots of fouls and turnovers), but I think he will be able to overcome that and play a key role, specially when Tim is not on court. Hi is slim but tough. When he is inspired, he can play like a big Tony Kukoc.
Sorry, Booth, but I'm done too. I would have stopped before if it wasn't for Matt's continued insults. I like wasting time debating about sports, and thought it was par for the course. Sorry if ya'll disagree.
My intention when I originally posted was to provide video of Ian, compliment the site and apologize for something I posted on a message board (not here) a really, really long time ago. Was I trying to give Matt a hard time? Of course, but it was good natured and I don't think I ever said anything that was personally insulting. I only continued the debate because Matt said my opinion was a "load of shit," and was based on "prejudice." And yeah, I am a Spurs fan, but the prejudice tag is insulting, dismissive and off-base. If someone had said a few years ago that they thought Shaq was better than Duncan I probably would have agreed. Even now I wouldn't really object to that claim. But to mention Garnett's name in the same breath as Duncan's is an insult to Timmy.
Fabricio Oberto's website, with pictures and videos: http://www.fabrioberto.com/
WHAT ABOUT WHAT channel four said that SCOLA demands to be traded cos he absolutely refuses to play in Europe next year and that he feels there is no room for him in SA? How about we trade him for SAR and then after 3 years we dump SAR and sign SCOLA as a free agent?
ALso I don't think the spurs siging the top 5 players from Argentina is a stretch at all esp since they are all MANU's boys.....
If they(national Argentine team) could win a gold medal then they can surely win a championship with Duncan.
SO who the hell are the top 5 players in Argentina? SOMeone one told me one of them plays in Chicago but he is not top 5??
KG still sucks ballz!
Chris(COKE0
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