REPORT/BREAKING: Baynes headed to San Antonio
 

According to David Pick, Eurobasket.com and Sportando.net contributor, Aron Baynes is on his way to San Antonio, Texas.

Click HERE to read the article

At least he's moving in the right direction. So what would be the guess as to his itinerary --- Spurs run him through some routines and drills to see what he can do first hand, give him a physical, sign him and determine how long he might be at Austin? Or do we think he'll stay here and gradually work him into the lineup? I'm guessing D-league for a couple weeks, at least, so he familiarizes himself with the Spurs schema.

Unless he's some kind of prodigy, I don't expect him to sniff the court this season.

We won't see this guy contribute this year. After all, everyone talks about the complexity of the Spurs system - debatable in my opinion but that is a different post. Learning the system, the league, new city, way too much to do in a half a season.

Unfortunate because a rebouding defensive minded big is what they truly need.

i'll disagree to an extent. yes he's new to the Spurs and the NBA, but this isn't the same team we had a few years back. When McDyess, Jefferson, and Bogans were here and starting, we had 3 new faces with the team who couldn't help each other since they were learning on the fly.

if he does play this season, it will be a similar situation Nazr came into in 2005. the Spurs were desperate for big help and they had a core starting that knew the system (we have a starting unit right now that's playing well) and our bench with Diaw/Ginobili/Jackson/Mills may be enough to take any pressure off of him and actually give him some open looks to do his thing.

again i'm not putting my hopes up that he'll get huge minutes, but don't be surprised if the guy is given minutes this year. with the bench that we have and the versatile team that's playing well, the kid could fit in without much pressure to meet his expectations.

And if I'm not mistaken didn't the Australian national and Olympic team run a variation of the Spurs schema under Coach Brett Brown? If so, then Baynes has been exposed to this offense before. If worst comes to worst, he could always be on the floor to fill a time void should TD and Splitter both get into foul problems and hit the boards and absorb some fouls.

he is 26 years old, right? with international and college experience, plus, part of is experience is with assist coach and teammate.. maybe they gonna put him in combo with mills when team in control...

I agree with you.

They wouldnt of got him if he wasnt going to play this season!

Aussie center reportedly on his way

By Dan McCarney

Australian center Aron Baynes is heading to San Antonio for the finalization of his transfer to the Spurs, according to a tweet from the basketball journalist who broke the news of his acquisition several weeks ago.

Baynes, 26, had been averaging 13.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in the Euroleague for Slovenia’s Union Olimpija. He spent four seasons at Washington State before heading to Europe in 2009.

Baynes (6-foot-10, 260 pounds) had Spurs guard Patty Mills as a teammate on the Aussie Olympic team, coached by Spurs assistant Brett Brown.

Warriors center Andrew Bogut, who continues to rehab his injured ankle, had good things to say about Baynes despite never having played against his fellow Australian. He was particularly enthused about Baynes joining the Spurs.

“This system will fit him best,” Bogut said. “He’s definitely not a guy who could go to an isolation team that throws him the ball every time down. He’s better suited to be with a good team concept, and (Gregg) Popovich has a great system for that.”

Spurs Nation

VERY generous of McCarney not to give actual credit to the guy who broke the news on Twitter from overseas, Project Spurs, or the guy who wrote about it and credited the source.

The expectations are going to be fair for a guy who will be 10th on the roster.

If he can

1) set a screen where in he actually impedes the progress of the defender
And
2) grabs a rebound and " crashes the boards"

He's already better than Blair and Bonner.

He's going to be good reinforcement and depth against the Grizzlies and Clippers by virtue of not being 6'8 and being attributed as physical.

Against quicker teams that bother the spurs he may not be needed. But he definitely gives the spurs and added dimension they have not had in 4 or more years, another back up 6'11 banger

It's all good, he will give us a deeper bench.

He will be here to fill a need, Pop always plays the bench based on the team we are playing.... so if it is Memphis or Lakers or similar with big front court then he will probably make it off the bench sooner.

The Spurs are tight and would not of signed him to a guaranteed contract and paid out his current team if they weren't expecting to use him.

Brace yourself for THE BLAIR TRADE.

Its coming and you AIN'T gonna like the return... For now.

Mark my words.

2nd round draft choice

Hmmm I agree...We can't expect anything of value back!

Still I can't wait to see that happen to be honest with you, no matter what it is we have to embrace it!

a championship contender doesn't want or need him and wants to let him go.

we want to give him away for a bag of chips, but no one's giving in yet. anything in return for Blair is a good trade for the Spurs over waiving him.

Maybe they don't want a bag of chips. Maybe the FO will give him up for cap space. I don't see anything that makes this impossible. Maybe I'm using the wrong keywords.

Two teams want to make a trade. Both are over the salary cap. They have a perfectly valid trade.
Team A - Brings in $7M
Team B - Brings in $9M
Spurs call Team A, see if they want Blair. No chips, no top 59 protected second round pick. No nothing. Take Blair, and his contract. All part of the trade.

Spurs get the cap relief. Team A gets a moody rebounder, but maybe it's a fit.
Does the CBA allow this?

Since Blair's salary is only 1 million that wouldn't get much relief and the Spurs are only on the hook for 41 mil for next year which is down from the 70 mil they're paying out this year.

But it would clear out $1M toward the luxury tax. They are right up against that. Maybe allow a "Hey! That guy's good! Let's sign him for the summer league!" from the D-League without tax implications.

But can they trade someone and get nothing back just to dump salary? I thought they had to get at least something back of value

And THAT'S my question!
If the receiving team can absorb the contract under the rules for the ENTIRE trade, can it be done?

Obviously, if the Spurs trade Blair to a team under the cap, they can do it. Trade exception accepted. Easy.
What I wonder is, under the new CBA with it's more generous trade limits, can a third team drop a salary dump into the trade that still fits within the 150% window? Just for a salary dump?

The Spurs aren't gonna sweat Blair's $1M.
They would waive him if they needed the roster spot, but they don't.

Spurs will keep Blair on board as a backup in case of injuries, then probably let him walk in free agency to lose his salaray. There's no trade out there that makes any sense for anyone.

$

First, since no one's come in here and said my theory was crap, I'll assume that my searches were tougher than I originally thought.

But, if they unload him by the the trade deadline and give his $1M to another team, it's a bonus. Greg Oden (as long as there is zero guarantee)? But's it's money off the cap number.

You might even call it Money For Nothing.

Meh. Who'd want that? :)

Inauspicious start for Baynes...benched after 11 seconds of play. Are you sure he's better than Blair and Bonner? Also, saw him standing right next to Blair and they looked the same height.