There was nothing about reloading/rebuilding for a "title". It was avbout relaodign and rebuilding. The Spurs ave constantly done that with Gervin, Artis Gilmore, Mike Mitchell, Alvin Robertson, D-Rob, Elliott, Duncan, Parker, Ginobili. The Spurs are a constant playoff team year after year. And it is harder to win titles from outside the playoffs rather than in them. Name another team that from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s that has consistantly been in the playoffs.
IMO the first and last word in the NBA is CHAMPIONSHIPS. I could care less if my favorite teams made the playoffs every year since the birth of Christ, it wouldn't mean shyte if they didn't win a title.
Then I guess it is good you follow one of the larger markets teams that gets regular officiating gifts from the league. Woe be to you if you actually enjoyed watching a smaller market team that had to struggle with cap issues, revenues and still put a consistantly, competitive team on the floor. There are two small market teams that have accomplished this for years and IMO that is a lot more of an accomplishment than regualrly buying up the best players to keep making runs at titles.
Are we talking about baseball or basketball here? The two large market teams fall into the following:
One is not at the top of the league in spending.
One is at the very top of the league in spending and has not sniffed a championship since the 70s.
The Lakers do not have the highest payroll in the league and really have done a decent job since they moved to LA of not over spending. You act as if they are the Yankees when they are not. Plenty of LA residents have actually complained for years both post-threepeat and in the 90s for Jerry Buss *NOT* spending enough money.
I'd tend to agree with you Lurker if teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and Pheonix Suns have not paid for the largest contracts over the past 5 years. Would make sense if Dallas did not have one of the largest payrolls in the league since 2000. Kevin Garnett was the highest paid player for a really long time at well over 20 million a year. The Wolves even managed to find money to bring in key players that would have helped them get to a championship while he was still there. Now I could be wrong but I don't believe Minnesota is even one of the top 5 markets in this league. While at the same time realizing that the only super star the Lakers have used their money to get to come to the team has been Shaq. Over the past 25 years the only big name to be drawn to the city initially based on money is Shaq. Everyone else was pretty much drafted or traded for. Including Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.
And I don't think Spurs fans can really bring up "gifts" in the playoffs as you guys have had the benefit of the doubt MANY times during your runs. Most recently being the PHX series. Let me know when the Lakers are handed the best power forward of all time by the league
