A Little Update From Javier Perez

The Silver and Black is a collective...you would be foolish to believe that it is but one, quasi-tech savvy individual mindlessly plugging away at his computer as if he knew something that other people did not. No, in fact, the yin to the Silver and Black's yang is Javier Perez, sports anchor for NBC affiliate KTSM in El Paso. I'll let him do the heavy lifting in regards to Manu's injury:


No Spurs fan can argue that the championship window on this season (which was narrower this year than in years past) was slammed shut upon learning about Manu's injury. The Spurs have too much pride, experience, and integrity to just dog it out until they pack their bags, so I expect Parker to carry the team past the first round. Keep tuned to The Silver and Black and Realgm.com for a forthcoming article on what Manu's injury means for the future of the Spurs.

Miss Us? We Missed You.

I’m sure that there are many devoted, loyal types that have wondered what has happened to our dear Silver and Black. Well, from the deepest, most sincere part of my heart, I only have one unwaveringly genuine answer: aliens. I was abducted. And probed. And no, I don’t feel like talking about it.

But, in terms of Spurs-land, there is much to be talked about. And, yes, we’ll get there. For now, enjoy this clip of Roger Mason Jr. kicking some Clipper ass. (Of course you remember how much we loved that signing here, eh?)

2008-2009 National Television Schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 29 - Phoenix at Spurs, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Friday, Oct. 31 - Spurs at Portland, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Friday, Nov. 7 - Miami at Spurs, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Thursday, Dec. 4 - Spurs at Denver, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)

Wednesday, Dec. 17 - Spurs at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Thursday, Dec. 18 - Spurs at Orlando, 7 p.m. (TNT)

Thursday, Dec. 25 - Spurs at Phoenix, 1:30 p.m. (ABC)

Wednesday, Jan. 14 - L.A. Lakers at Spurs, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, Jan. 25 - Spurs at L.A. Lakers, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, Jan. 29 - Spurs at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)

Sunday, Feb. 8 - Spurs at Boston, noon (ABC)

Thursday, Feb. 19 - Spurs at Detroit, 7 p.m. (TNT)

Friday, Feb. 27 - Cleveland at Spurs, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, March 1 - Spurs at Portland, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Wednesday, March 4 - Spurs at Dallas, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, March 8 - Phoenix at Spurs, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, March 12 - L.A. Lakers at Spurs, 7 p.m. (TNT)

Sunday, March 29 - Spurs at New Orleans, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, April 5 - Spurs at Cleveland, noon (ABC)

Rumor Mill: Spurs Eyeing Jannero Pargo, Finley Turns Down Euro Offer

Silver and Black, why have I forsaken you!? It's been too long since our last post, partly due to a busy schedule at the "real" job. Here's the latest rumors in Spurs land:

Spurs Talking to Jannero Pargo

The take: Last time we say Pargo, he was burying threes in a late charge to steal game 7 of the Western semis. This is still in "rumor" mode, but Pargo's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledged mutual interest by saying that "The Spurs speak for themselves. It's a great place to play. They are limited in what they can do financially, but we are definitely talking to them." We'll keep an eye on this, since signing another backup point would have definite roster implications.

Finley Turns Down European Offer

The take: Old news, and not that surprising. Over a month ago, the 35 year-old Finley opted not to take a lucrative offer in Europe, and is still a free agent.

Spurs Re-Sign Kurt Thomas

The take: An absolute necessity after Tiago bolted, the resigning of Kurt Thomas stabilizes the frontline that will be introducing a young Ian Mahinmi to the rotation.

Spurs Sign Anthony Tolliver

The take: A relative no name out of Creighton, the 6-8 Tolliver earned a contract through summer league play. 53.5% from 3-pt land during the Rocky Mountain Review can do that for you. Keep in mind that it's a nonguaranteed contract, so Tolliver hasn't earned himself a roster spot, but he could be this year's version of Darius Washington.

Brent Barry Signs with Rockets

As soon as the Spurs signed Roger Mason Jr., the writing was on the wall for Brent Barry to sign with another team. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Barry has just signed with the Rockets, leaving the Spurs after four seasons and two championships.

On some level, it's saddening. He was one of the most personable and funny guys in the league, and he was one of the few players that was genuinely, visibly emotional when he played (on a team of robots, it's refreshing). So, here's to bones, one of my all-time favorite Spurs personalities, and a guy that earned each ring he got.

I'll miss you. *Sniffle* This shot will always give me chills...

Spurs Ink Roger Mason Jr.

This offseason, I wanted the Spurs to target the sweet-shooting combo guard, who averaged 9.1 points a game with Washington last season. Lo and behold, they actually listened to me for once (unlike the draft).

After Corey Maggette signed with the Warriors, the Spurs signed the Virginia product to a 2-year, $7.3 million deal. The Spurs spent half of their MLE, and what they do with the rest of their money will probably be dictated by whether or not they sign the in-demand Brent Barry, who is coveted by Phoenix and Houston, amongst other things.

Roger Mason Jr. can stroke it, is a class act, and plays defense, so he fits in well on the team. He's capable of playing point guard in spurts, but he's best served as a shooter who can, on occasion, get red hot.

Links:

Signing Mason Brings Spurs Tax Relief

More Details on Mason

Spurs Targeting Maggette; Barry Opts Out

Yahoo: Spurs Front-Runners for Corey Maggette.

Spurs fans have wanted Corey Maggette for some time now: he's relatively young (28), can jump out of a gym, and is strong enough to steal minutes at the 4 spot. He's also sort of one dimensional (a scorer), and has never dedicated himself to defense. That being said, you take you 22 points per a game players as they come. If he'll take the MLE with the Spurs and plays second-fiddle to the holy trio of Tim, Tony, and Manu, he'll be proving a lot of people wrong about his desire to win.

ESPN: Barry Opts Out, Becomes Free Agent

Final Thoughts on the Draft

1.) The Spurs had an interest in Nicolas Batum, and probably would have drafted him at #26, if Portland hadn't traded in and swept him up at #25. Batum, judging by this French interview, also wanted to be a Spur: "Mon objectif, c'est vraiment d'aller à San Antonio" (loosely, "My objective was to go to San Antonio").

2.) The Spurs wanted to trade up or out. Whether they were looking at Batum or Robin Lopez, the Spurs did explore trading up into the 20-24 range.

3.) They liked George Hill...but he may not have been the first choice. It's realistic to think that they could have traded down to get Hill around pick 33-36, but maybe they couldn't get a trade together after Batum was selected right before they were slated to choose.

4.) The Spurs, ultimately, filled a need. Whether Mario Chalmers is better or not will be highly debated, but, when it's all said and done, the Spurs got a mature backup point guard who can help them this year. He's mentally tough, unlike that guy Sacramento just signed, and has the length and dedication to play some D.

5.) The Spurs drafted domestic. That may be the biggest surprise of all.

Robert Horry Wants to Return with Rockets or Spurs

Robert Horry told KRIV in Houston that he wants one more crack at it, with either Houston or San Antonio. This leads to a pair of questions:

Why Houston or San Antonio?

Well, to put it simply, he likes where he's at in San Antonio and he also has a huge comfort zone in Houston (where he started his career). However, by announcing a "backup plan" with the Rockets, Horry has made it very evident that even he isn't sure the Spurs want him back.

Do the Spurs want him back?

Nothing has been said publicly, but did you see Robert Horry last year? He made molasses look like Sonic the Hedgehog. That being said, losing out on Tiago Splitter really did hurt the Spurs, and they have a big man spot to fill. They'll consider him, but, personally, I wouldn't mind if they looked in another direction.

Spurs Draft George Hill, Goran Dragic, and James Gist

George Hill, PG/SG, IUPUI. First round, pick #26.
Draft profile.



Goran Dragic, PG, Slovenia. Second round, pick #45.
Draft profile.

UPDATE: Dragic has been traded to the Phoenix Suns for Malik Hairston and the Suns' 2009 second round pick.

Malik Hairston, SG/SG, Oregon.
Draft profile.


James Gist, PF, Maryland. Second round, pick #57.
Draft profile.

Spurs Trading Out?

Again, from Chad Ford:

Updated: June 26 -- 4:01 p.m. ET


The Spurs sent an e-mail to every team in the league at 3:30 p.m. saying that they were willing to move the 26th pick. The e-mail asked league executives to "E-mail us your interest and your offers to 26."

That's the first time I've heard of something like this in all of my years covering the draft. Make your Spurs pitch below in our comments section.

Spurs Have Batum "Wrapped Up"?

From ESPN's Mock Draft:

"The skinny: Batum went into a workout with the Spurs on Wednesday and then disappeared off the grid. His medical reports never came out. His agent didn't return calls. I think the Spurs may have wrapped him up."

So, effectively, there are two ways to spin this:

After working out with the Spurs Tuesday (and Wednesday, apparently), it is possible that Batum and his agent felt comfortable enough that they would be selected by then that they didn't want to release Batum's medical information to anyone else. Maybe not by the Spurs, but quite possibly by Cleveland or another team prior to the 26th pick.

OR

It's possible the Spurs asked them not to give out the information and gave him a verbal commitment, so that teams that are scared of his heart condition wouldn't want to draft him without the reports.

Either way, somewhat exciting news. Batum will never be an all-star, but he could be a great defender and finisher, and Spurs fans (myself included) have been pining for a lengthy, athletic replacement for Bruce Bowen. His drive comes into question (does he play aggressively all the time?), but his athleticism sure doesn't:



If he ends up as the pick, check back here for a full assessment of Batum, and make sure to check out a brief description in our draft preview below.

Spurs Committed to Ryan Anderson?

Draft guru Chad Ford of ESPN has this to say about the 20-year old from Cal:

The skinny: [Updated 6/25] Lots of buzz that the Spurs have committed to Cal's sweet- shooting forward Anderson with the No. 26 pick. He should be able to stretch the defense the way Robert Horry used to.

Draft Express also has Anderson going at #26 to the Spurs. It could be smoke and mirrors, but he would fit a shooting need for the Spurs with Horry likely out of the picture and Bonner not given much of an opportunity.

The Silver and Black's 2008 Draft Preview

We’re all over the draft here at The Silver and Black. The major questions for the Spurs is if they draft a player that they can stash overseas (avoiding luxury tax and giving them the opportunity to sign veterans to fill their holes) or get a rookie that can contribute immediately. Before we get underway with the gossip and the likely draft scenarios, let’s recap what the Spurs need:

- Depth at point guard.
Although everyone values Jacque Vaughn’s professionalism, his offensive liabilities really shone through in the 2008 playoffs (forcing Pop to play Brent Barry and Manu Ginobili as the backup point). The guy plays with heart and means business, but, god help him, he just isn’t that offensively gifted. The Spurs could use a steady,
experienced backup point behind Tony Parker (and no, Mighty Mouse isn’t it).

- Young legs at the wings.
This was an issue for, say, the last 4 years, and the Spurs addressed it last year by signing then 29-year-old Ime Udoka. Nonetheless, Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, and (shudder) Manu Ginobili aren’t getting any younger, and the Spurs need to look for some youth.

- A 4th scorer.
The Spurs relied more heavily on their “big 3” this year than they ever had. The surrounding roster aged, and players like Michael Finley, Robert Horry, and Brent Barry didn’t offer the offensive production they had in the past, due to injuries and age. A scoring-minded bench player, be it a combo guard or Luis Scola-like big man (#$@!), would be welcome.

- Big man depth/rebounding help
Let’s face it: the loss of Tiago Splitter to the almighty dollar (or peseta, or whatever) was crushing. He was penciled in to be a rotation player this year, a banger with experience, youth, and championship experience. Now, the Spurs have to honestly contemplate bringing back dinosaur Horry.

Pipe dreams

This section is dedicated to players who are likely to get drafted before the Spurs pick at number 26. That being said, a player or two always slides, and there is always the chance the Spurs could trade up to nab someone they really like (not something they do often, but possible).

Brandon Rush (G/F): Long, defensively skilled, great shooter, versatile, championship pedigree. Everything the Spurs need, but probably everything a few other teams need, too. A top 15 pick.

Nicolas Batum (G/F): A lottery pick if he came out last year, Batum is suddenly sliding in mock drafts. With the unexpected announcement of a heart condition, some teams may be scared off by Batum. Still, Tony Parker’s countryman offers great athleticism and a tremendous upside, and could be one of the steals of the draft once he develops.

Robin Lopez (C): The less offensively skilled twin from Stanford is more of a dirty work player who can throw some bodies around and grab some rebounds. Can be run out of a game, but he would be a more ready contributor than Ian Mahinmi.

Realistic Prospects

These are the guys that both fit a positional need and are slated to go in the late portion of the first round.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (G/F): The best player on one of the best teams in the NCAA this past year, Douglas-Roberts has a freakish wingspan and can score as well as anyone in the draft. CDR possesses an awkward shot, but his midrange game is one of the best in the draft and he is capable of creating his own buckets or finishing on the break.

How he fits on the Spurs: He’ll have to learn defense first, but if he can earn minutes and prove something with the Austin Toros, he could be a rotation player in his second or third year.

Mario Chalmers (PG): Pen him in as a better version of Jacque Vaughn: a mature, professional point guard from Kansas that could immediately slide into the backup point guard. He’s poised and won’t have the learning curve of most NBA point guards.

How he fits on the Spurs: Chalmers will be in a semi-internship under Vaughn, but can be immediately penciled in as the backup point as soon as he figures it out.

Courtney Lee (SG): A 20-point scorer in college, Lee is an absolutely devastating shooter and has drawn comparisons to the Raptor’s Anthony Parker. Well-spoken and humble, Lee could play for the Spurs immediately. An average athlete, but Lee has quick feet and can stay in front of his man.

How he fits on the Spurs: A long-term replacement for aging shooters like Brent Barry, Lee, like CDR, will have to prove him self defensively before he gets significant playing time. He’d probably get some run in with the Austin Toros.

Serge Ibaka (PF): A relative unknown until the 6-10 Ibaka from Congo developed a buzz after a Reebok camp in Italy. The slender 18-year-old isn’t anywhere near NBA ready, but if the Spurs are looking to avoid the luxury tax they may want to draft a player that they can stash overseas. Ibaka has great hands, incredible length, and terrific athleticism. His lanky frame may scare off a team like the Spurs, who like their bigs to be physical. Consider this a long shot.

How he fits on the Spurs: For now, he doesn’t. Ibaka needs a few years of polish before the Spurs can bring him over, although they could bring him for a year with the Toros (as they did with Mahinmi this season).

Enigmatic foreigner: Let’s face it: the Spurs love to do this to us. Be it Ian Mahinmi, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio brass loves to pick out the diamonds in the rough. After two straight offseasons of losing a first round pick to contract squabbles (Luis Scola and Tiago Splitter), it would be a brave move for the Spurs to pick a player that may or may not be committed to being an NBA player. Omer Asik? Alexis Ajinca? The harder to pronounce, the more likely the Spurs are looking at him.

NBA Draft 2008: June 26th

Ginobili's Anke Worse Than Previously Though

On one end of things, it does kind of put in perspective how banged up Manu was during the Lakers series. We all saw that he had absolutely no explosion and was relegated to a streaky jumpshooter. The fact that he was playing was testament enough to how competitive the guy is.

Ginobili's ankle is now in a plastic boot and his Olympic appearance is in jeopardy. "If his ankle is feeling well in three weeks, he will go to the Olympics," his agent, Carlos Prunes, said.

Popovich, for one, wants Manu to consider missing the Olympics and give his ankle time to heal.

Season Comes to a Close; Offseason Updates

Yes, the Spurs' elimination has settled in, and turns out it's not the end of the world. In fact, the Spurs are set up to make another run next year, and I'll try to stay on top of all the rumors/transactions/scoutings/DerMarr Johnson arrests this offseason.

We'll have a more in-depth feature on the Spurs' future as well as a recap of the 2008 season soon, but for now, these links make for some good reading:

Horry contemplating retirement.

Ginobili expects to be OK for the Olympics.

Michael Finley wants to come back for another season.

Well, Great. Thanks. That's....spiffy.

ESPN Link:

"With the benefit of instant replay, it appears a foul call should have been made," league spokesman Tim Frank said Wednesday.

Somehow, "sorry" just doesn't cut it. And don't play the "Fisher's shot hit the rim" excuse either, because one bad call doesn't justify another (besides, we could argue that Kobe obviously traveled on that same possession. All the credit in the world goes to the Spurs organization and players, who, knowing full-well it was a foul, handled it with class and told the media otherwise.

And no, unlike NBC's Tom Curran, I don't think the NBA is rigged. Do I? No. Right?

Tiago Splitter Won't Join the Spurs

Tiago Splitter, the athletic power forward from Brazil, was predicted to join the Spurs this offseason. Now, everyone isn't so sure. Based on an interview from this Spanish site, Splitter is publicly stating that he may resign with TAU Ceramica (his current team in Spain) if they can offer him more money. Which, yea, they probably will. TAU can offer him essentially whatever they want, while the Spurs are limited to offering him a rookie-scale contract. Keep in mind, Splitter will also be going from "main man" on TAU to a bench role player on the Spurs.

According to Truehoop, Spurs' representatives are in Spain trying to convince him otherwise.

UPDATE: Looks like Tiago opted for the big bucks, or so says ESPN Brazil. If San Antonio sees him, it won't be until 2010. Major blow to the Spurs. The deal appears to be in the 2-year/$8-10 million range, which is obviously more than the Spurs could offer under the collective bargaining agreement rules (read: rookie contact).

UPDATE No.2: One upbeat writer suggests that Ian Mahinmi is a better player right now than Splitter, and the Spurs will be fine. He's wrong (Ian will be on the roster, but he still has a lot to learn about the game) but it's a nice glass-half-full approach.

Game 4 Recap: "Like Putting Whipped Cream on Shit"

It would be a cop out to blame this loss on Joey Crawford's blown call at the end. (And yes, it was a foul, be it middle school, rec league, or FIBA, according to ESPN's Henry Abbott.)

But the part that's even more frustrating is that, for the second time, the Spurs beat themselves. After crumbling under the weight of tired legs in game 1, the Spurs give up 20 (!) second chance points in the first half of game 3. The Lakers shot poorly, missed free throws, and had 6 more turnovers and 5 less assists than the Spurs...and the guys in white handed them the game on a black-and-silver platter.

It's difficult to handle the fact that the other team may be better than yours. It's damn near impossible to accept that your team is probably better, but losing anyways. If the Lakers beat the Spurs, fine. But the Spurs are beating themselves, and it's making for a stomach-turning series.

As far as scapegoats go, it begins with 3-pt shooting. At 7-24 from behind the stripe, the Spurs shot themselves in the foot again and again. Useless minutes from Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Ime Udoka, some dude pretending to be Robert Horry, and Fabricio Oberto wasted a career game from Bones Barry (23 points, 5 rebounds). He summed up his great game well: "It's like putting whipped cream on shit."

As great as Brent Barry was Tuesday night, do you really want him creating a shot with your season on the line? Don't you want the ball in the hands of Duncan or Parker, who both put together solid games? I love Barry, but he can't create his own shot any more than I can. Yes, he was fouled, but role players don't know to sell that foul and make the referee blow the whistle.

Looking ahead to game 5, the Spurs do have a legitimate shot. Despite their road record, they have confidence in big road games. If they execute and get something out of Ginobili (anything, really), they'll be in the mix again. I'm not ready to give up on the Spurs just yet...the 2008 version is not as talented as past championship teams, but they are resilient, and they'll be in game 5 til the end.

Game 3 Recap: Welcome Back

(Queue Welcome Back Kotter music.)

The Spurs should be up 2-1, and whether they were held back by absurd plane difficulties after game 7 of the semis or just fatigued, they needed to recapture the fire that got them back in the Hornets series.

Enter Ginobili.

Remember this guy? The one that goes on those "nothing will stand in my way" terminator-like benders. His 5 three pointers in the first half (tying the Spurs record) completely swung momentum, and, for at least one game, the Spurs had the best 2-guard on the court.

Reportedly "pissed off" before the game, Manu gave us a reminder that, when angry, he's one of the best in the league. For whatever reason, Manu is wired in a way that links his determination with how much he utterly despises his own performance or the guy guarding him. Did you see him barking at Rony Turiaf late in the game? That's when he's focused, and he's the last guy you want to give a hard foul to.

That being said, game 3 was the obvious win. The Spurs, by virtue of being pissed off, had to be favored. San Antonio had, after all, won 12 straight playoff home games. Therein is the new formula for the Spurs: win every home game, and steal as many as you can on the road. Long term, Ginobili won't always be that fired up, accurate, or dominating. They won't always get the nod from a relatively weak ref crew. Likewise, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol won't collectively pull a Houdini in a major road playoff game that often.

So, as great as Manu was, the more telling aspects of the game came with the other aspects of the offense. Tim Duncan made his moves quicker, not allowing the double to collapse on him. There was significantly more motion on offense, which takes the pressure off of Parker to create off of the pick'n'roll for half of the possessions. Pop also used a fired up Brent Barry, which is always a cure for bad ball movement. Finally, the Spurs, for the most part, abandoned small ball for game 3, but pushed the ball in transition with Parker and Ginobili at the helm. You could tell it was a point of emphasis: even Finley pushed the ball, trying to keep up the tempo and get easy buckets.

Ginobili was fantastic. But with lingering injuries, can he put together 3 great games out of the next 4? Maybe...but it would be nice if the Spurs could establish a rhythm that allowed him to have an offnight. It would be great if Finley could maintain his shooting stroke (3-6), Barry could provide a spark (4 assists), and Parker could remain an efficient scorer rather than a volume scorer (20 points on only 15 shots). At the end of the day, the Spurs are going to have to collectively up their play, not just rely on Manu's hero mode.

If these offensive elements can hold up, the Spurs have given themselves a legitimate shot. Besides, they did this all before...about 2 weeks ago.