NBA: For Spurs, free agency begins at home
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA070108.spursfreeagents.en.f748476.html
By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net
The annual NBA summertime shopping spree, otherwise known as the free-agency period, begins today.
General managers everywhere are ready to rev up their cell phones. The first calls the Spurs make are likely to be to a familiar set of numbers.
Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley and, yes, even 37-year-old reluctant retiree Robert Horry — all unrestricted free agents with varying degrees of value — are expected to talk with the Spurs about the prospect of rejoining the team next season.
If the price is right.
“The question is, can we find something both sides can live with?” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, also the team’s vice president of basketball operations. “In the end, it comes down to years and money.”
The Spurs, who quite possibly were a Manu Ginobili jammed ankle away from playing for another NBA title last season, plan to approach this offseason like an aging Hollywood starlet seeking one last leading role: They are in for just a nip here and a tuck there, not a full-fledged facelift.
Popovich realizes re-signing players in their mid-30s won’t go very far toward making the league’s oldest team in the league appear much younger. He just doesn’t care.
“The ‘getting younger’ thing is overblown,” Popovich said. “If we knew Manu would stay healthy, Timmy (Duncan) would stay healthy and Tony (Parker) would stay healthy, we’d bring back the same doggone team. And if any of those guys are not healthy, we’re not going to win a championship anyway.”
As free agency dawns, the Spurs have 10 players under contract with at least one more — first-round draft pick George Hill — on the way. Shopping for the remaining roster pieces will begin — but perhaps not end — locally.
The 35-year-old Thomas, a gritty forward who joined the team in a February trade, was a key postseason contributor for the Spurs. They might not have been able to handle the Shaquille O’Neal-infused Phoenix Suns without him.
Re-signing Thomas became an even greater offseason priority for the Spurs when Tiago Splitter, last year’s first-round draft choice, re-upped with his Spanish League club in early June.
“Whether Splitter was coming or not, Kurt Thomas was a guy we wanted to re-sign,” Popovich said.
Finley is another 35-year-old the Spurs harbor interest in retaining. The veteran guard endured an inconsistent 2007-08 campaign, but the Spurs value his leadership and would be open to bringing him back.
Refusing to slip easily into retirement, Horry has stressed his desire to return for a 17th season, in part because he was either inactive or ineffective for much of his 16th.
Horry, who made $3.6 million last season, would prefer to remain with the Spurs. He has suggested that he would be willing to take a pay cut — perhaps down to the veteran minimum of $1.26 million — to make it happen.
For their part, the Spurs would like to limit transactions that would cut too heavily into the cap space available for the summer of 2010, which should be a windfall year for high-yield free agents.
That is one reason the Spurs might choose to sign one or both of this year’s second-round draft picks, Malik Hairston and James Gist. Their contracts would be manageable, in terms of years and money.
The Spurs also could turn to the 2001 draft for help: They could opt to bring in 6-foot-11 Lithuanian forward Robertas Javtokas, their second-round pick seven years ago, although it would require buying out his contract in Russia.
That’s not to say the Spurs won’t wade into deeper free agent waters this summer. They have a mid-level exception worth about $5.8 million to spend and will probably use it to address their post-draft needs — another scorer on the wing or some depth in the frontcourt.
Denver guard J.R. Smith, who has piqued the Spurs’ interest in the past, is one such player likely to be available. He is a restricted free agent, but it is unlikely the Nuggets — who already are well over the luxury tax threshold — will be tempted to match a competing offer for him.
Among the unrestricted free agents who might be of interest to the Spurs are Golden State guard Mickael Pietrus, Portland swingman James Jones, Boston guard James Posey and L.A. Clippers guard Quinton Ross.
Carlos Delfino, a restricted free agent who appears to be on the way out in Toronto, is another potential target. The Spurs have expressed interest in Delfino before, though it has been surmised that he could probably command more money in Europe this summer.
Getting younger isn’t necessarily the Spurs’ priority this offseason. But it is likely to be an inevitability.
“We’re older than dirt,” Popovich said. “Anybody we add is probably going to make us younger.”
Spurs free agents
Here is a look at the five Spurs players who officially became unrestricted free agents at 11 p.m. Monday.
Kurt Thomas, forward
Age: 35
2007-08 stats: Averaged 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 35 games after arriving via trade from Seattle.
2007-08 salary: $8.1 million
Prognosis: Proved his worth in playoffs, especially in first-round series against Shaquille O’Neal and Suns. With Tiago Splitter opting to stay in Spain, resigning Thomas tops offseason to-do list for Spurs.
Michael Finley, guard
Age: 35
2007-08 stats: Averaged 10.1 points and shot 41.4 percent from the field – both mild improvements over season before.
2007-08 salary: $18.6 million
Prognosis: Suffered through inconsistent stretches last season, but Spurs still value his leadership and veteran head. Spurs will consider re-signing him, if the price is right.
Robert Horry, forward
Age: 37
2007-08 stats: Injury plagued for most of the year, set career lows in points (2.5 per game), minutes (12.9 per game) and games played (45).
2007-08 salary: $3.6 million
Prognosis: Has apparently decided he’s not ready to hang up his legendary shoes just yet, but market for him is limited. Spurs might opt to take him back, if he will take a pay cut.
Damon Stoudamire, guard
Age: 34
2007-08 stats: Played in 31 games after receiving buyout from Grizzlies and averaged 3.4 points.
2007-08 salary: $4.3 million
Prognosis: Spurs’ selection of backup point guard George Hill in the draft more or less makes Stoudamire expendable. He should have his résumé together by now.
DerMarr Johnson, guard
Age: 28
2007-08 stats: Played in five games with Spurs, averaging 3.7 points.
2007-08 salary: $42,203
Prognosis: Wasn’t going to return to Spurs before DUI arrest last month, though that certainly didn’t help.
