Spurs need a rebounder/shot blocker

T

TheFied

2,500+ Posts
IMHO, that was the biggest Spurs weakness. Even moreso that being old.

Look at the Spurs frontcourt last year:

* Oberto - 4 rebounds per game, that's not enough. He's really not a shot blocker either which basically means all he does is rebound and he doesn't do that well.
* Bonner - are you kidding me? Not sure who/why he is on the roster still.
* Horry - great player but if he retires this year it is 1 year too late. He reminds me of when you thought you were younger and driving and you thought you could make it to that next gas station with your fuel gauge on low... but he should have known better.
* Kurt Thomas - I actually would like to see the Spurs keep him. He can hit the 10-15 foot jumper which is nice from a big guy. But he is a backup and honestly should be the #4 option amongst the frontcourt.
* Duncan - I don't need to say anything.

Duncan was basically on an island this year in the front court with no help. That led to a defense not as good as in the past when we could funnel guys to the middle -- Duncan is the only shot blocker but he cannot be too aggressive or he gets in foul trouble. Further, it leads to getting out rebounded more than we are used to. Who is crashing the boards with Duncan?

I have suggested before someone like Tyrus Thomas. A guy who is long, can jump, dunk, block shots and rebounds. We don't need him to hit the 10-15 foot jumper (those guys are VERY hard to find) but at least someone who knows not to take it and can crash boards and defend.

Anyway, will be interesting to see what happens this off season. I bet Finley and Horry retire but the Spurs need help in the frontcourt. Can they get it?
 
Why would Finley retire? He is 34 and played 27 minutes per game last year, shooting 42% from the field and 37% from three (half his shots were threes so he has a lower % overall from the field). He shot 80% from the line. Averaged 10 points per game. He is still effective. He is a good rebounding guard with size.

He can still shoot (and San Antonio can use outside shooting/role player guards like Finley and Barry). He can remain effective, especially if he dropped down to 20 minutes per game.

So long as he does not play too many minutes, I see him as a key role player for you guys.

If I was the Spurs I would let Horry and Stoudamire go. Try and draft CDR if he is on the board. Give more minutes to Udoka and Oberto plus whoever you pick up in free agency. They just need a little more athleticism.
 
Oberto sucks and is not athletic. Udoka (sp?) is a good player but a 3 spot, not a 4/5. Same with CDR; he is a 3. The Spurs need help at the 4/5.
 
You're right. My main point is that I would keep Finley for another year. The Spurs need to reload, not rebuild.

A real athletic post player would help and is probably the biggest need. But you probably have to get one in free agency as the decent ones will be gone by the time the Spurs draft. I still think the Spurs could use another good 3. Bowen is going to be 37 next year. You might get a decent wing at the end of the first round.

Don't the Spurs have some money to spend this year? Especially now that Splitter re-signed with his Euro team.
 
Horry, Stoudamire, and DerMarr Johnson (who?) are gone. Bonner, Barry, Vaughn, etc. are still under contract. Whether they keep Finley (a free agent) is still an open question. Ian Mahinmi, a long, athletic rookie is likely to stay and get playing time, but he's a project. Spurs have the mid-level exception (about $5 mil) and will be looking for a free agent for that amount to try and get more athletic and maybe get some rebounding help for Duncan. The rest of the roster will be pretty much intact unless they can make a trade for anyone except the big three.
 
Kurt Thomas may not block a lot of shots but he's a good post defender. What the Spurs need more, IMO, is someone who can be a scoring option in the post. When Duncan goes to the bench, all of their points are either scored or set up by the 3 wing players, making the defense's job much easier.
 
It just dawned on me but the Spurs need Joey Dorsey. He is projected late 1st round / early 2nd round. 6'9, shot blocker, rebounder...
 
While I agree that the Spurs do need an upgrade at the 4/5, I don't buy that Oberto has "no redeeming value."

He is excellent passing in the high/low with Duncan, and he is excellent in the pick and roll with Ginobili. He isn't a great rebounder or shot blocker ... but the Spurs don't really ask him to be.

We can argue the fact that he doesn't need to be starting ... but he's actually a pretty decent role player for them. His biggest problem toward the end of last season was missing too many chippies ... which is weird, because in the '07 playoffs he was probably the best at-the-rim finisher on the team.

I just think he gets a bad rap because he doesn't score, isn't flashy or athletic.
 
I don't understand the Spurs not asking him to be a rebounder. Duncan averaged over 17 rebounds per game vs. the Lakers and yet were outrebounded as a team by 5 boards per game. Oberto was playing ~20 min per game and averaged like 3-4 boards per game.

Duncan needs help on the glass. The Spurs management, coaches, players have to realize this.
 
Okafor is looking for a max contract or close to it (he turned down an offer to resign already). Spurs aren't in play with that much $$$. But they still need serious 4/5 help and I don't see it coming.
 
Dorsey at 6-9 could start next to Duncan. At 6-7 he's a role player off the bench.

They should have drafted Arthur. He's an athletic 4, he has decent range, will attack the glass, can play the pick-and-roll, and is a decent shot blocker.

But the front court isn't the only area the Spurs need to get better. They need an athletic SG, even if they are going to start Manu next year. They need more athleticism coming off their bench and they need a backup PG that won't make the offense completely stagnant.
 
I think he measured out at 6-7/6-7.5

The best draft move would have been drafting Arthur and then trading up into the early second round to get CDR/Bill Walker and then beating Miami to the punch of stealing Chalmers away from Minny.

A draft class featuring Arthur, CDR/Walker, and Chalmers would have been a great one.

I think a guy the Spurs should consider going after in free agency is Pietrus. He's an athletic wing, that can defend at least 3 positions and he can/will not only attack the basket he's a pretty good 3 pt shooter.

Don't know who they could target as far as PF's/C's in free agency. It seems Diop is almost a lock to head back to Dallas, I'm not sure what other reasonably priced impact big-men are out there.
 
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