Pool of big men shrinking for San Antonio

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Pool of big men shrinking for San Antonio



Believe it or not, the economy is affecting professional sports. Attendence is one issue and contracts are the another. Teams are being a little more careful about doling out the cash, including big market teams like the Los Angeles Lakers.
But as the offseason begins playing out in earnest, you have to start wondering which big man will fall to San Antonio, who frankly, can't outbid anyone with the field of bigs quickly shrinking.
Charlie Villanueva is out. He has agreed in principle to a 5-year, $40 million deal with Detroit.
Rasheed Wallace is being wooed by the entire Boston Celtics organization, who has already offered Wallace a contract. Although Wallace said he'll take his time making a decision, Boston seems to be the frontrunner for his services.
ESPN is also reporting that Orlando center and restricted free agent Marcin Gortat has verbally committed to Dallas, despite all three Texas teams being linked to the Polish center.
Gortat, anxious to get out of Dwight Howard’s large shadow might not have wanted to wait for Houston and San Antonio to sort out their free agent priorities. As it stands, he'll have to wait till Wednesday to sign the contract and wait seven more days to see if Orlando will match it.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to trade forward Zach Randolph to Memphis, which may close the door on any trade of center Marcus Camby. The glut of bigs in Clipperland had somebody moving and with Randolph out of the mix, LA might be less inclined to deal Camby, who has just one year left on his contract.
That series of moves presumably takes four names off the top of the Spurs’ wish list.
San Antonio’s trade to acquire Richard Jefferson originally put the Spurs as early frontrunners for the 2010 NBA Championship with their mid level intact to add a quality frontcourt player next to Duncan.
There are still guys out there. They might even have the answers already on their roster with the untested Ian Mahinmi and DeJuan Blair.
But since the Jefferson trade, Orlando has acquired Vince Carter, Cleveland added Shaquille O’Neal, Boston may get Wallace and the Lakers will reportedly let Trevor Ariza walk in favor of Ron Artest.

The Artest signing may be the most shocking considering his talent and contract. Artest will take a pay cut, reportedly accepting a three year deal for about $18 million.
“I’m playing to win, I’m not playing for the money no more,” Artest said live on ESPN’s Sportscenter tonight.
Ariza, who apparently is playing for the money, wanted more than the mid level from LA who ultimately balked at his demands.
Give credit to Artest for putting his money where his mouth is. Artest, who turns 30 this November, is the anti Jason Kidd.
Kidd likes to talk about winning and titles, yet always seems to go to the highest bidder. Kidd, in fact, is flirting with the idea of going to New York, who will struggle just to make the playoffs. That's unlikely, however, with the Knicks unable to outbid Dallas.
Regardless, for Houston things just got worse. Yao Ming may be lost for the season, if not forever, and now they lose Artest. He told ESPN that Houston offered the forward only a one-year deal. Meanwhile, it’s being reported that the Rockets will now sign Ariza.
Huh?
Forgive the Rockets if they’re still dizzy from the Yao injury situation, but depending on Ariza's contract, it’s curious that they would offer an unproven role player like Trevor Ariza a better deal than a proven player like Artest. Ariza is a nice complimentary guy but he’s barely a starter in this league. Artest has been an All-Star and an All-Defensive Team mainstay, including winning the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year Award. While Artest's career looms around "borderline All-Star" status, Ariza is closer to "lucky to get an NBA paycheck."
This is a major upgrade at the small forward position for LA, who originally just hoped to resign Ariza and Lamar Odom, their unrestricted free agents. Instead of watching Boston, Cleveland, Orlando and San Antonio pass them in terms of talent; the Lakers have repositioned themselves right at the top of the NBA heap while presumably stealing Artest away from the Cavs.
Let's see, Cleveland, Ohio or Los Angeles, California? Hmm.
If you’re keeping score at home, consider the playing field evened. With transactions still to be made, those are the top five teams in the league and the next group really isn’t close, meaning no team outside of those five has any shot to win the title.
The NBA isn’t about Cinderella stories and this season won’t be the first.
Denver and Portland could join the mix if the Nuggets can resign Chris Andersen and Ty Lawson ends up being the steal of the draft. The Blazers could make some noise if Portland can land Hedo Turkoglu and get their rising stars to become stars.
Both are still long shots.
There are major plays yet to be made over the coming weeks, San Antonio included, but this offseason is shaping the next season as one of the most exciting and interesting in NBA history.
In a league of haves and have-nots, your San Antonio Spurs fall in the category of the former. In these tough economic times, many fans don’t get the entertainment value for the price of their game ticket.
You think T-Wolve fans are happy with the direction of their franchise?
But by the standards of putting a championship product on the floor, the San Antonio Spurs will be worth the price of admission.

[Guille]

Ok, but the article does not say anything about a big for us... damned...

[writer1953]

How about Goodin??? Think we might keep him?

I understand that Fab is a free agent----do you think we will take him back?