...yet another player the Spurs try to sign goes over seas...

[SPURSX3]

http://www.broadbandnewsnet.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=4938&z=1

Again?!
SpursReport.Com
Tuesday, August 19, 2008




He never played for the Spurs, but Croatian guard Gordan Giricek-- whose draft rights were owned by the Spurs after being traded to them by the Dallas Mavericks who drafted him in the second round (40th pick overall) in the 1999 NBA Draft-- had a chance to sign with them this summer.

On Tuesday, however, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard signed a two-year contract, complete with an option to return to the NBA next summer, with Turkish Euroleague club Fenerbah?e ?lker.

Giricek finished last season as a member of the Phoenix Suns.

Faced then with the decision of either playing rookie Manu Ginobili or letting Giricek eat into his minutes, the Spurs traded the Croatian's draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies for a second-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He stayed in Croatia until 2001, when he signed with the Russian Euroleague power CSKA Moscow, playing the 2001-02 season there.

Apparently, the Spurs were interested enough to have him back, but his agent said it wasn't a match.

"We looked around the NBA," his agent Marc Fleisher said. "Everybody was moving very slowly. And there were great opportunities for him to play overseas for a lot of money. Fenerbahce are Turkish champions and a EuroLeague team. It was a tough decision, and it came down to Fenerbache and Triumph, in Russia."

"Gordan had an offer from the San Antonio Spurs," Fleisher added, "but it was for much less."

Giricek becomes the third player to head to Europe instead of signing with the Spurs this summer. Spurs fans are reacting to the news in the SpursReport Fan Forums.

[westkoast]

Not a big loss IMO...

Though what is it with the Spurs getting so many players taken?  Is this pay back for Manu and Parker?!?!?

[SPURSX3]

Not a big loss IMO...

Though what is it with the Spurs getting so many players taken?  Is this pay back for Manu and Parker?!?!?

This may not be affecting other teams but for ONE team to lose so many targets to overseas is pretty bad.  Yeah Gordon is not a bad loss, I am more upset that the options are slimming down for players we can sign.  Still the only one that may have made a big difference was Tiago Splitter, the rest have been "ehh", it just seems like there are no breaks for us this summer.

[Reality]

Saw this elsewhere. 

No reason to panic Spurs fans.  The offseason is going great.

Yes Xs concur the only pretty much slam dunk loss was Splitter, but the combined "losses" they have had on draft picks and bub byes is bad.  Cumulative bad.  Scola for (probably nothing, certainly nothing at this point), Barrdog gone for nothing, Beno virtually nothing, on and on.  Bringing in people to learn the system, only to later say adios and start over again (the endless backup point guard situation Barbosa, Van X, Beno, JVaughn (mega props for 2007 JV), now Hill etc. 
Did the Spurs FO offer anything for Artest?  Stinkin Houston gets him for a half pound of coffee.

[Lurker]

So the Spurs...as well as half a dozen other teams...are trying to sign minimum salary guys who will sit on the end of the bench.  And this should be troubling because Giricek was going to take playing time away from who?


X3...I would have expected a lot better from you.  The Spurs were in the WCF and lost mainly because one of their big three (IMO the biggest X-factor for Spurs success) played at probably less than 50%.  It took him until July to stop feeling pain in his ankle.

So the 2nd best team in the west should blowup the roster and start over completely.  At least that is what I gather from the "knowledgable" posters on this board.  The Spurs aren't in that bad of shape.  They have let 2 of their oldest players (3 if you count late season signee Mighty Mouse) walk - Horry & Barry.  They will move a 21 year old PF/C who was a double-double machine in the NDBL on the main roster.  And they signed Roger Mason Jr to shore up the back court.  I would discuss Finley returning but then there are only a few posters here who would understand team chemistry, locker room leadership & teaching youngsters (professionalism) by example.

[WayOutWest]

So the Spurs...as well as half a dozen other teams...are trying to sign minimum salary guys who will sit on the end of the bench.  And this should be troubling because Giricek was going to take playing time away from who?

IMO it's going to start looking like the 90's NBA again.  Teams going 2 or 3 deep on the rosters being successfull.  After the first tier of team talent there is going to be a major drop off in talent.  If Euro teams are going to keep throwing big bucks at journey man players the NBA is going to get very shallow.  IMO teams are going to have to do a better job of developing young talent and drafting intelligently.  Those small "title" ingredients like Posey are going to get espensive which means a teams roster is not going to be as well balanced.  Deep talented teams like the Pistons and Jazz will disappear unless it's stocked with young unproven talent.  I doubt the casual NBA fan will notice but when guys like Paxon, Longley, Wennington, Hodges and Williams are key contributors to a championship dynasty then you know things are getting ugly.

X3...I would have expected a lot better from you.  The Spurs were in the WCF and lost mainly because one of their big three (IMO the biggest X-factor for Spurs success) played at probably less than 50%.  It took him until July to stop feeling pain in his ankle.

Injuries were a blessing and a curse for the Lakers.  Not sure the Gasol trade gets done if Bynum stays healthy.  The trade was a no-brainer but Mitch was not burning up the phone lines for a big man until Bynum went down.  The Lakers did expose their soft pink belly to the Spurs twice in the WCF and both times the Spurs failed to stick a knife in them but as much as people would like to play "what if" with Manu, I wonder what happened to Parker and TD.  The real problem that is going to haunt the Spurs next year is they are not deep enough to win a title again.  The Lakers were playing without Bynum and without Ariza, Ariza being the Lakers 6th man and eventually moving into the starting lineup.  The Lakers were deep enough to handle key injuries to Bynum, Gasol and Ariza, IMO the Spurs are not going to deal with starter injuries all that well.  Spurs have a talent problem after the big 3, that may be what keeps the Spurs title hopes on hold.

So the 2nd best team in the west should blowup the roster and start over completely.  At least that is what I gather from the "knowledgable" posters on this board.  The Spurs aren't in that bad of shape.  They have let 2 of their oldest players (3 if you count late season signee Mighty Mouse) walk - Horry & Barry.  They will move a 21 year old PF/C who was a double-double machine in the NDBL on the main roster.  And they signed Roger Mason Jr to shore up the back court.  I would discuss Finley returning but then there are only a few posters here who would understand team chemistry, locker room leadership & teaching youngsters (professionalism) by example.

You sure you're on the right board?  I think you're getting confused or I'm not reading the same thing from the "knowledgable" posters.  I don't think anyone has considered moving any of the big 3.  The big 3 for the Spurs still have a couple of years together before they should be thinking of change.  What is apperant is that the Spurs are not doing enough to keep the Spurs at the top of the league.  IMO the Spurs think so highly of their big 3 that they feel they can surround them with so-so talent and go for it all.  That has worked every other year but like you want to play the "what if" game, the Lakers IMO would have beat the Spurs in 03 if Kobe hadn't got injured in the 1st round, it was obvious he wasn't the closer we were used to seeing and when he had offseason shoulder surgery it became apparent why.  They also lucked out that the Fab Five imploded and the Lakers blew that team up, otherwise it would have been a long drought.  The talent level in the WC has really increased and I don't think the Spurs can use the old model to succeed, they need to add talent with a higher price tag to get through the WC.  IMO the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets are ahead of the Spurs.  If they can stay healthy I would take the Suns over them as well.  Finely is a good guy to have around but not the guy IMO to count on when the big 3 are not doing well, not at this stage of his career anyway.

[Ted]

This is a perfect of example of addition by subtraction. Congratulations Spurs fans. Your off season is starting to turn around.

[Reality]

So the Spurs...as well as half a dozen other teams...are trying to sign minimum salary guys who will sit on the end of the bench.  And this should be troubling because Giricek was going to take playing time away from who? 

Finley.

X3...I would have expected a lot better from you.  The Spurs were in the WCF and lost mainly because one of their big three (IMO the biggest X-factor for Spurs success) played at probably less than 50%.  It took him until July to stop feeling pain in his ankle.

Who left GNob in the game at "probably less than50%."?

So the 2nd best team in the west should blowup the roster and start over completely.  At least that is what I gather from the "knowledgable" posters on this board.

Anyone post this?  No.  Ahh cousin Lurker taking a page out of WoWkoasts misquote fabrication m.o.

The Spurs aren't in that bad of shape.

 
It's true it's not all bad.  Fins as a 5th wing and limited playing time should be fine.  As long as boifriend Pop does not give him starters minutes and sit and watch as he gets lit up on D.  Will be interesting to see how Ian, Mason, Ime and others can contribute. 

I would discuss Finley returning but then there are only a few posters here who would understand team chemistry, locker room leadership & teaching youngsters (professionalism) by example.

yes that one title in 3 years coming over from a titleless Mavs career really shows Fins is the man on the Spurs.  Thank goodness he is back.  If he was gone, why who would the "youngsters" look to for "locker room leadership and teaching"?  Certainly not Tim Dunkar, GNob or Tony Parker, right lurker? 

[SPURSX3]

So the Spurs...as well as half a dozen other teams...are trying to sign minimum salary guys who will sit on the end of the bench.  And this should be troubling because Giricek was going to take playing time away from who?


X3...I would have expected a lot better from you.  The Spurs were in the WCF and lost mainly because one of their big three (IMO the biggest X-factor for Spurs success) played at probably less than 50%.  It took him until July to stop feeling pain in his ankle.

So the 2nd best team in the west should blowup the roster and start over completely.  At least that is what I gather from the "knowledgable" posters on this board.  The Spurs aren't in that bad of shape.  They have let 2 of their oldest players (3 if you count late season signee Mighty Mouse) walk - Horry & Barry.  They will move a 21 year old PF/C who was a double-double machine in the NDBL on the main roster.  And they signed Roger Mason Jr to shore up the back court.  I would discuss Finley returning but then there are only a few posters here who would understand team chemistry, locker room leadership & teaching youngsters (professionalism) by example.

no, as i stated the other players were "ehh" as far as importance go.  My point is that the players, bench or not, are just not willing to commit to us because of the money they are being offered elsewhere.  The Spurs are usually not the team to make public players they might be interested in getting, but so far the ones we have been after have not only jumped ship, they swam to another country...  just seems bad.

[westkoast]

So the Spurs...as well as half a dozen other teams...are trying to sign minimum salary guys who will sit on the end of the bench.  And this should be troubling because Giricek was going to take playing time away from who?


X3...I would have expected a lot better from you.  The Spurs were in the WCF and lost mainly because one of their big three (IMO the biggest X-factor for Spurs success) played at probably less than 50%.  It took him until July to stop feeling pain in his ankle.

So the 2nd best team in the west should blowup the roster and start over completely.  At least that is what I gather from the "knowledgable" posters on this board.  The Spurs aren't in that bad of shape.  They have let 2 of their oldest players (3 if you count late season signee Mighty Mouse) walk - Horry & Barry.  They will move a 21 year old PF/C who was a double-double machine in the NDBL on the main roster.  And they signed Roger Mason Jr to shore up the back court.  I would discuss Finley returning but then there are only a few posters here who would understand team chemistry, locker room leadership & teaching youngsters (professionalism) by example.

no, as i stated the other players were "ehh" as far as importance go.  My point is that the players, bench or not, are just not willing to commit to us because of the money they are being offered elsewhere.  The Spurs are usually not the team to make public players they might be interested in getting, but so far the ones we have been after have not only jumped ship, they swam to another country...  just seems bad.

You can't really blame the Spurs though.  They are not over paying for players just to have them.  Do you want them to do what teams like the Knicks and Blazers (Thank god the Blazers learned) have done in the past?  Over spend and get locked into contracts that will haunt the franchise long after the players leave.

[Lurker]

So the Spurs...as well as half a dozen other teams...are trying to sign minimum salary guys who will sit on the end of the bench.  And this should be troubling because Giricek was going to take playing time away from who?


X3...I would have expected a lot better from you.  The Spurs were in the WCF and lost mainly because one of their big three (IMO the biggest X-factor for Spurs success) played at probably less than 50%.  It took him until July to stop feeling pain in his ankle.

So the 2nd best team in the west should blowup the roster and start over completely.  At least that is what I gather from the "knowledgable" posters on this board.  The Spurs aren't in that bad of shape.  They have let 2 of their oldest players (3 if you count late season signee Mighty Mouse) walk - Horry & Barry.  They will move a 21 year old PF/C who was a double-double machine in the NDBL on the main roster.  And they signed Roger Mason Jr to shore up the back court.  I would discuss Finley returning but then there are only a few posters here who would understand team chemistry, locker room leadership & teaching youngsters (professionalism) by example.

no, as i stated the other players were "ehh" as far as importance go.  My point is that the players, bench or not, are just not willing to commit to us because of the money they are being offered elsewhere.  The Spurs are usually not the team to make public players they might be interested in getting, but so far the ones we have been after have not only jumped ship, they swam to another country...  just seems bad.

You can't really blame the Spurs though.  They are not over paying for players just to have them.  Do you want them to do what teams like the Knicks and Blazers (Thank god the Blazers learned) have done in the past?  Over spend and get locked into contracts that will haunt the franchise long after the players leave.

And this is the other side of it.  The Spurs are one of the best at managing the cap.  They are going to be in position to be in the hunt for the big names in a couple years.  I agree that they have most likely dropped a step back but they are still a legit title contender.  Another year and another set of matchups and maybe the Lakers/Spurs don't meet.

Parker is just entering his prime.  Duncan is still solid at 32.  Ginobili is an x-factor depending on health.  Everyone said make the bench younger.  The Spurs have done that with Mason & Mahinmi replacing Barry & Horry.  They also added the 25th-ish pick of the draft...who sucked at summer league btw.  Otherwise they have chased at marginal players with limited money (about $2.5 mil).  Maybe they are publicizing it to help make the public aware why these guys are leaving...for the money, not for lack of NBA teams wanting them.

[rickortreat]

Loosing Giricek was no big deal, he wasn't the component the Spurs needed.

The Spurs are still right there in the West, and will be with Duncan, Ginobli and Parker.  But I'm not sure they've replaced the loss of Horry and Barry.  Horry was spectacular for the Spurs in their wins, making a number of key shots.

IF they have replaced them, they should be back to the WC finals.

The Spurs should be attracting older quality free agents (like Finley) to fortify their roster. They also need more help for Timmy up front to handle LA.