This trade cleared enough money to trade Horford for Klay / Lee

[JonKoncak]

The Spurs got lucky with Ibaka getting hurt in their series. Duncan did have to go through Aldridge in Round 2. Aldridge came off a phenomenal season. Bosh isn't exactly chopped liver but old man Duncan took it to him. Dalembert and Dirk took him to 7 games in Round 1.

He had an all star post player to beat in each round of the playoffs. Lucky for him the best defender out of the bunch was got hurt.

Ibaka alone wasn't going to stop the Spurs from destroying OKC.

[Guest]

Call him a superstar or not - he's still a factor on both sides of the ball that teams have to account for.

[Dragitoff]

Call him a superstar or not - he's still a factor on both sides of the ball that teams have to account for.

 

True, but that wasn't the argument.  lol. 

[AHF]

Call him a superstar or not, SA has no chance to win a championship without him and if you substitute some borderline All-Star like Paul Millsap for him then the Spurs don't win a ring last season.  

 

It is laughable to me that anyone thinks that it is a pure coincidence that Duncan happened to win his 5th championship as one of the All-Time Top 10 players in the NBA when there were a bunch of other teams in the league with a handful of "All-Star" talent that didn't get close.  

 

Like I said, prove it to me when those teams without a Tim Duncan type superstar even in his twilight wins a championship.  Funny thing how they lose every year and require Tim Duncan to validate the theory you can win without a superstar from the same people that claim he is the equivalent of Robin #$&*ing Lopez.  Until then, I'll take an older Tim Duncan or Shaq in Miami over your team built with Paul Millsap or David West or Robin Lopez every time and twice in the Finals.

 

This claim that Duncan isn't the key to that team rings especially hollow when Duncan was the Spurs best and most important player in the post-season in 2013-14.

[coachx]

Ibaka alone wasn't going to stop the Spurs from destroying OKC.

Did you see the shooting % numbers before and after Ibaka's injury ?

 

The Spurs simply bullied them in the paint since they had no shot blocking. His injury had a HUGE effect on the outcome of that series.

[nathan2331]

Call him a superstar or not, SA has no chance to win a championship without him and if you substitute some borderline All-Star like Paul Millsap for him then the Spurs don't win a ring last season.

It is laughable to me that anyone thinks that it is a pure coincidence that Duncan happened to win his 5th championship as one of the All-Time Top 10 players in the NBA when there were a bunch of other teams in the league with a handful of "All-Star" talent that didn't get close.

Like I said, prove it to me when those teams without a Tim Duncan type superstar even in his twilight wins a championship. Funny thing how they lose every year and require Tim Duncan to validate the theory you can win without a superstar from the same people that claim he is the equivalent of Robin #$&*ing Lopez. Until then, I'll take an older Tim Duncan or Shaq in Miami over your team built with Paul Millsap or David West or Robin Lopez every time and twice in the Finals.

This claim that Duncan isn't the key to that team rings especially hollow when Duncan was the Spurs best and most important player in the post-season in 2013-14.

What? I'm sorry but Duncan at this stage of his career simply isn't what he used to be. Nor does he have to. The stats may prove me wrong but Duncan is somewhere close to Al in terms of how good he is today. While that's a testament to his legacy that he's still getting it done, he is not the only reason why the Spurs won this year. I don't even think he's the most important factor anymore.

Tell you what, give these teams a coach like Popovich and they might win something.

[AHF]

He was their best player this post-season and definitely the hardest player to replace on their roster.  I am absolutely flabbergasted that people think it is a complete coincidence that it just happens to be his team that runs to the finals the last two years when they think he was so replaceable -- without, of course, acknowledging that he was first team All-NBA in 2012-13 and the Spurs most important post-season player in both 2013 & 2014.

 

Again, if you think superstars aren't important find a team without one playing a central even past their absolute prime that wins a championship. No teams with Tim Duncan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki or other MVPs playing central roles on them.  It should be easy if the superstars thing isn't that meaningful.  It is no coincidence that the only examples anyone can point to are the 1-time Detroit Pistons and the 1-time Supersonics as teams with rings without those central players.

 

Once Duncan retires, the Spurs will be done winning championships unless they get a new star to replace him and Leonard isn't going to cut it.

[taz]

I think you're criminally underselling pops here. Without him the spurs don't win anything probably. He's the greatest coach of our generation

[jy23]

I completely agree with AHF, he may not be the player he used to be but the spurs don't come close to winning without him. He can't replace him with al Jefferson and think the spurs are winning....and he was an MVP candidate this year. Let alone middling all star type guys. His impact in the game is to great

[AHF]

I completely agree with AHF, he may not be the player he used to be but the spurs don't come close to winning without him. He can't replace him with al Jefferson and think the spurs are winning....and he was an MVP candidate this year. Let alone middling all star type guys. His impact in the game is to great

 

Duncan was 12th in regular season MVP votes this season and 7th in MVP votes last season.  And he has been better in the post-season both seasons.  

 

But he is easily replaceable with guys whose teams don't win.  His 5 rings are not the product of a team built around his talents but rather his good fortune at having been lucky enough to be on a team that was going to win the title with or without him (even though he was that team's best player in the post-season every time they have won a ring).

[Shige]

Tim Duncan is a stud. Overall he is a superstar and even in his current body he's still a HUGE reason the Spurs are so good. No he doesn't post up like he used to but the offense doesn't require him to do so as much.

 

All you need to see is that he has elite skill level in all facets of the game and he couples that with extreme effort. Look at footage of last year's and this year's finals and you will see him charging down the court. I remember him routinely beating the younger Chris Bosh back to the other side of the court after a Spurs defensive rebound.

 

Tim Duncan is a stud regardless of his age because he maximizes his potential.

[TheBigETrain]

I would rather get Klay + Bogut for Horford rather than Klay + Lee.

Bogut is a defensive beast and would give the hawks legit size and presence in the middle since Deke

[taz]

How do we trick them into giving us H Barnes too

[JonKoncak]

Did you see the shooting % numbers before and after Ibaka's injury ?

The Spurs simply bullied them in the paint since they had no shot blocking. His injury had a HUGE effect on the outcome of that series.

I realize that.. but when the series shifted back to San Antonio... the Spurs smacked them again.. and then at the end of game 6.. Duncan took it to Ibaka and schooled him.

[coachx]

That was a limping Ibaka when tried to play on an injury that should take a month to heal.

Hey, I love the Spurs and I'm glad Duncan got another ring.

Agree to disagree on the impact of the Ibaka injury.

[LamarHampton]

derailed

[Admin]

derailed

Notice the 1 common denominator in almost all derailment threads?

And no it's not me!

[jy23]

Well to get this back on track....I'm down for getting klay, I think his numbers and or efficiency would be better playing with us. Lee could give us good numbers but we would be even worse off defensively than we are now. A trade like this would have to come with a signing like Chris Anderson to at least give us some kind of anchor on the block. He isn't much but he's better than what we have