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This lockout is really getting to me! At first I thought that it's a bit of a joke and it would be solved once the season came around but now it's just dragging on and on and it doesn't look like stopping with both sides acting as stubbon as each other.
It wouldn't worry me so much if I followed a team like the Clippers or the Grizzlies. I mean every game that they miss is another loss averted and another game closer to the lottery. But i'm a big Spurs fan and we have one of the teams with the most talent and biggest future in the NBA. With every game that we miss the questions still remain...Will Tim kick some ass again this year? ...Who stays and who goes?...Can we make it to the finals?...you get the idea.
I've listed my top fifteen big Spurs question marks and i've had a wild guess at answering them. I'm sure that i'm terribly wrong on a lot of them but at least i'm having a dash at it. Anyway here goes....
1/ Will Spree end up in a Spurs uniform?
We'll have to outbid teams such as Miami and Indiana. The Spurs are rumoured to have offered
such names as Sean Elliot, Will Perdue and Vinny Del Negro for trade bait. Reports surfaced
recently about a potential move with Toronto that would have involved a gang of players,
apparently including Sean Elliott and Will Perdue to Toronto, some Raptors to Golden State,
and Sprewell and perhaps Donyell Marshall to San Antonio. I say go for it, give our all to
sign him!
2/ Has Doc made a difference?
Doc Rivers has been working with a gang of Spurs players almost daily since the lockout began.
Tim Duncan, Will Perdue, Monty Williams, Reggie Geary, Antonio Daniels and Sean Elliott are
regulars. Others that have turned up for the occasional practice include David Robinson and
Vinny Del Negro. From what I've read Doc has been fantastic with the Spurs individual and team
development and it looks like he could have a big future coaching in the NBA.
3/ Was Jaren a one season wonder?
Lets hope not. After years of team hopping Jaren found a home at San Antonio last season and
ended up making his way into the starting line-up. Jaren plays tenacious defence and is one of
the few Spurs that could contribute from the perimeter last season. If we can re-sign Jaren he
will be very important to our general team depth.
4/ Will Chuck Person be back?
I for one hope that Chuck calls it a day and hangs up his sneakers. Chuck was once a offensive
threat for the Spurs and a capable defender. That was before his back troubles however. You
can't shoot a basketball with a bad back, you can't shut down a defender when you can't move.
If Chuck is to return (and the latest reports say he will) his back has to be 100% and ready
for the punishment of a full NBA season. If it isn't then he is more of a liability than an
asset.
5/ Just how good is Derrick Dial?
Good enough to currently lead the A1 Greek league in scoring. We won't be seeing Derrick with
the Spurs this season, he got sick and tired of the lockout B.S. and headed off to play a season
in Greece with ESAKE A1 League team Peristeri. The tough European league should prepare Dial for
a career in the NBA and the next few months will show just how good he is and if he was worth our
second round pick.
6/ Will Antonio Daniels find some form?
You don't get drafted at number 4 if you're a bad player. Antonio had a terrible season with
Vancouver last season. Look for him to improve on it this season playing behind team leader and
Spurs floor general Avery Johnson. Learning to run the point in the NBA is not easy. Avery should
help a hell of a lot.
7/ Will Will stay or will Will go?
Lets get two things straight. 1/ Will Perdue is a quality player and he would start for a lot of
teams in the NBA. 2/ The Spurs are stacked at the centre position with David Robinson and
Tim Duncan. These two reasons seen to suggest (to me at least) that Will's head is well and
truly on the chopping block. Will was shopped around last season around trade deadline time and
all indications are that he will be put up for the highest bidder this season. I love you Will,
but I doubt that you'll be a Spur by this time next year.
8/ Will we finally find an outside presence?
There are dozens of free agents with a respectable outside shot available to the Spurs. Some
names that come to mind include Steve Kerr, George Mc Cloud, Rex Chapman etc... Hopefully Greg
Popovich secures at least one of their signatures.
9/ Will Tim Duncan have another breakout year?
To me this year will show us what kind of player we have in Tim. He was an immediate impact
player last year, probably elevating himself as one of the top two power forwards in the league
(Malone being the other). If he can show a similar season (or even and improved one) then Tim
will be known as one of the greatest power forwards/centres in basketball. Tim has been working
hard this extended off-season, let's hope it pays off.
10/ Can we solve our depth problems through free agency and trading?
This seasons 'crop' of free agents is as deep as we've seen in years. Although the Spurs seem
unlikely to sign any marquee players we could certainly deepen our bench with some quality
athletes. Look for us to try for players in the shooting guard/forward positions. Players who
can shoot the rock are a necessity. Some names that I'd like to see include
Steve Kerr, Jim Jackson, George McCloud, Mario Elie, Rex Chapman, Charles Barkley and
(surprise, surprise) Latrell Sprewell.
11/ Can Sean Elliott return to All-Star form?
Sean Elliott has been a regular at the Spurs 'informal' training sessions held by former Spur
Doc Rivers. Rivers reports that Sean's knees are responding well to treatment and are almost
100% again. Sean Elliott should be slashing and powering to the hoop with relative ease again this
season. I just hope that he is doing it in a Spurs uniform.
12/ Have we seen the last of Monty Williams?
If you believe the rumours yes. Monty has sold his San Antonio house and even though he is still
working out with the Spurs he looks set to go. The free agent is rumoured to be unhappy with
his court time in San Antonio and there are said to be a few teams that are interested in him.
Look for him to be playing in Orlando next season and for possibly Mario Ellie to soak up his
minutes for the Spurs.
13/ Will AJ get the recognition that he deserves?
Probably not. For years now Avery Johnson has been the heart and soul of the Spurs. Without his
sweet passes, tight defense and slashes to the whole the Spurs would be a lot less competitive.
For years he has been overlooked as a factor and the trend shows no sign of stopping.
14/ Can we put to sleep our Utah Jazz jinx?
By all reports this season we will finally be able to be rid of the Jazz and their 'jinx'
over us. The backbone (and elbows) of the team Karl Malone has demanded to be traded and
without Malone the Jazz will just be an average team. Even if Malone returns the Jazz are
just another year older while Tim Duncan is another year wiser and Robinson and Elliot are
hopefully fully fit. My tip is that the Jazz have the 'wood' over us no more.
15/ Can we go all the way?
Why not? We have two of the best big men in the league and a quality point guard. I believe that
all we have to do is add another quality player ( a healthy Elliott or a traded Sprewell would
be more than enough) and maybe a bit of depth around the bench and shooting areas and we would
be easily in the top three or four teams in the league.
I'm sure that a lot of you guys dissagree with some or all that i've said. I'd love to hear your feedback and thoughts on any of the above. Let's all pray that this stupid lockout ends soon so that these questions and more get solved!
