CCC: Time to Trade Tony

[b1gdon]

Spurs' future: Time to trade Tony Parker

Understand that I can't stand Melo, but after reading this part of the article, it doesn't seem so far fetched that this could work.

New York gets away from the detrimental isolation heavy offense that Melo brought along and the addition of a pick-and-roll terror like Parker could do wonders for Amare Stoudemire. We're talking career revitalizing wonders. We saw how well he played when it was Jeremy Lin running the show, can you imagine him with Parker? New York would still have a good crop of plug and play role players, the defensive player of the year in the middle and they'd have a brand new offensive culture perfect for the situation. They've shown interest in Parker before and after a disappointing post-season run that brought about several stylistic problems between their two max salary players, now is a pretty good time for them to change things up.

San Antonio gets their new face. Anthony has a negative connotation around his name right now but we've seen countless times before that if you give Gregg Popovich a talented player, he can get rid of all of the baggage he carries. George Karl didn't have the stability to change Melo's mindset. Neither did Mike D'Antoni. And Mike Woodson practically told Anthony to do whatever he wanted near the end of the season. Popovich is the clear king in San Antonio, though, and if you give Carmelo a figure he has to respect, who knows how good he can be, especially when he's in a winning environment.

But what about the point guard spot? You can't trade Parker and not get anyone back to run the show. Even though Manu is capable of doing that, San Antonio would need a true point. So who is the final piece to the puzzle? How about the guy that once eliminated the Spurs from the post-season with one eye swollen shut? How about the future hall-of-fame whose legacy is dying for a ring? Why not get someone that once piloted the most efficient offense in recent NBA history to come in and lead the Spurs' new juggernaut? Steve Nash is a free agent this summer and even though his name is constantly linked to sexy destinations like Los Angeles or New York or Miami, a stint in San Antonio could bring him as close as ever to that ever elusive ring, and he'd be a perfect fit for Pop's new up-tempo offense.

If surrounding Carmelo with Nash, Ginobili, Duncan and Pop isn't enough to break him in as a team player then nothing will. Their starting lineup could be Nash/Leonard/Anthony/Free Agent X/Duncan with Ginobili, Patty Mills, Stephen Jackson, DeJuan Blair and Tiago Splitter coming off the bench. In crunchtime the Spurs could replace Leonard with Manu or they could even go small and play Melo at the four, something he did very well this year. The upside of that core with the Spurs' usually fantastic bench is huge and while they'd have essentially the same window as this current group, I think they would be better than this year's Spurs team was. Plus, San Antonio would have Anthony to build around once it comes time for Duncan, Nash and Manu to retire. I think going after Anthony and Nash while only dispensing Parker not only makes the Spurs better for next year but also paints a brighter picture for their future than their current cast does.

[gosaspurs2150]

Originally Posted by b1gdon

Spurs' future: Time to trade Tony Parker

Understand that I can't stand Melo, but after reading this part of the article, it doesn't seem so far fetched that this could work.

Sorry, doesn't work. Carmelo's salary is $18.2 million next season, then $19.5 mil in 2013-2014 season, then $21.5 mil for the 2014-2015. Not worth it at all.

And Nash is too old. He is worn down and his good ole days are over. He likely will get the MLE with some team out there. Probably New York.

[Guapo]

No tanks!

[Kager]

Wow we run into a damm good team and TP leading us throughout the season and playoffs all goes to the side for Melo..... who has still done nothing, the writer describes him as a project to work in under Pop.

Anyone who actually watched the Spurs offence may notice that it involved all but was triggered always by TP, he is the key figure in our offence.... pick and role worked with him and Manu to a lesser extent and that was it.

If you now want to trade TP you are trading our offence and starting again, for Melo who needs to have the ball in his hands and clear out to score.... I am amazed at how when we lose people disconnect any previous knowledge of the team and call out for the latest fad at the expence of a player that was voted top five in the MVP voting. Melo wasn't there!

TP is our franchise player now, he proved it all year and when a team figured out how to stop him and make other players beat them the other players couldn't do it.

I think all talk should be around TP/TD/Manu for one more ring, and argue around what is missing around that..... which for me is a rebounding defensive presence of a big who can finish at the rim when getting a ridiculous pass from Manu.

[Rzarector7]

Blah blah blah.

[Jose_TheGenius]

i wouldn't mind Melo. we'd have to rely on Patty as the starting PG, Leonard would have to move to SG (which wouldn't matter since it's a set offense with Melo).

i wouldn't sign Nash, only because he wouldn't mix with Melo. Nash still played well for his age, he couldn't do much with that Phoenix team this past year though (not sure anyone could by themselves).

just a personal opinion (as much as i wouldn't mind Melo): i'm not too keen on building a team or trading a key piece of a team for a Small Forward not named Lebron James. it's too tricky as opposed building around the rest since it's a tweener position (Lebron becomes the exception since he can play 1-4). they usually need a certain set of specialists around them and aren't pure shooters. Durant needs Westbrook and i don't think Patty Mills as the PG for Melo or Nash who'd rather run than spot up would be the answer.

[spurscrazed]

Originally Posted by Guapo

No tanks!

Agreed.

[MichaelWi101]

Melo is where the ball goes to die, Melo has NEVER played a second of defense in his life, Melo has NEVER elevated his teammates, Melo wants to play on the East Coast, there is no way he'd ever, ever, ever be content to play in San Antonio.

At some point those proposing trades really ought to start actually thinking and stop drinking

[RealMadrid12]

I dont like the way Melo plays but right now with Kevin Durant set to rule the West as a forward for the next decade with need somebody who can score as close as him, Leonard is a great player ala Bruce Bowen even better perhaps(eventually), however if you noticed during the WCF Durant didnt have to play any defense on him becuase leonard is a spot shooter so Durant can roam around and help on D with TP and Manu, with Melo around Durant will have to play some type of defense, and Nash plays as much defense as Tony (really)if we going for lets win it one more time with Timmy i would try to get

[JuanCaca]

im ok is SA try to rent 1 year of steve nash... with the current team minus the bench warmers and one athletic big added... someone able to move fast, to defend the pick and roll.. with good play reading (above average bb IQ), not needed much offense from him...

just imagine if other defenses try to trap parker... enter nash with his range and playmaking at pg and parker slide to sg....

[captainlate]

Anyone ready to close this?

[grizzly_bexar]

Please, please, please. No more trade Tony threads.

You don't trade an all-star in his prime with a reasonable contract when you lost in the WCF, taking the eventual champ to six games.

And you don't trade Tim or Manu either.

I guess I should just be glad I live in a world where none of us on here are actual GM's. Or at least GM's for the Spurs. I'm sure with some of these nutty ideas at least a few here are the awful GM's around the rest of the league.

[pjm]

Forget about Melo.

But having Nash as Parker's backup might be nice. It would be a nightmare for any defense to have to defend either Parker's or Nash's pick & roll during the whole 48 minutes (no let down when Parker goes to the bench). And maybe you can even play both together for spot minutes when we go on a dry stretch in offense.

[maldoror]

Nash isn't going to sign somewhere where he will be someone's backup. He only has a couple years left and will want to maximize the time he has left.

[Jose_TheGenius]

Originally Posted by maldoror

Nash isn't going to sign somewhere where he will be someone's backup. He only has a couple years left and will want to maximize the time he has left.

from what i've heard around these parts of AZ, it seems Nash will be gone unless the Suns sign someone decent and would give him some overpaid money to try to make it work. from what he's even said, he'll look at teams like the Heat (named that one in specific, but said he'd keep his options open). the guy wants to win most of all, so unless the Suns or Knicks offer a ridiculous amount of money (sign and trade for NY), it's expected he's gonna get a paycut to play for a title. now backup or starter, he's never mentioned anything like that.