What is going on with the Spurs this season? LaMarcus Aldridge doesn’t believe it’s any one thing that is causing the team to struggle.
“I can’t pinpoint a certain thing, movement, whatever. It’s just a unit, you know? We have to figure it out together. It’s about all five guys on the floor. We try to be better, try to figure it out, and we haven’t,” as the big man tells Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com.
Three of the team’s top players (Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, and Dejounte Murray) are not strong long-range shooters, which has forced coach Gregg Popovich to play big men who can stretch the floor, such as Trey Lyles.
“They’re playing Lyles? Come on,” one rival scout told Bontemps. “Not in the West. Maybe you can play him and hope to get to ninth in the East or something.”
Bontemps mentions a possible DeRozan trade as something that could help the team improve by rebalancing the roster with shooters. However, the Spurs haven’t made an in-season trade in five years.
So that leads us to tonight’s topic: Should the Spurs make a deal to try and save their season? Which player should they ship away? Or should they stay pat without making meaningful improvements and potentially land a top-10 draft pick for the first time since 1997?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
it’s a team full of mid-range shooters in 2019 and Murray’s isn’t advanced enough to be able to carry them and is coming off injury himself. dealing DeRozan and Aldridge and resetting is the probably the smart thing to do but I dont think that’s the “spurs way”
Ah the old anonymous “rival scout”. What WON’T he say?
Derozan and 1st for Fournier and Bamba and 2nd
You mean Derozen for Fournier, Bamba and Orlando’s first? Maybe. No way Spurs give up their first for Fournier and Bamba.
There just isn’t enough talent on the roster. With the depth of the west the Spurs best course of action is to move their assets while they still have value. Both DeRozen and Aldridge should return lottery picks.
Spurs probably won’t do it, but it would make sense to flip DeRozan to Portland for Bazemoore and whatever youngsters they can get (and or picks). Portland is desperate, San Antonio is going to rebuild after next season anyways, and the Spurs probably aren’t going to get much better in the next 18 months.
The Spurs could also try and make a deal with Charlotte. And if Orlando wasn’t so miserable from 3, they’re a decent option too.
But my guess is the Spurs just keep grinding with the group they have. Never count them out.
Derozan looks as sharp as ever though, though his stats mark him down on defense. It is possible their morale is down. I think they should have kept Derick White as starter.
As Aldrige slows down in this his 14th year, can he just move to center and roll on?– not really. He is not really a force in the paint and is not closing on the shooter, even if it’s his own guy.
Trade Aldridge to Pacers 0for Bitadze. Warren and McDermott? ESPN says it works and that Spurs would lose a game but gain a younger force and Pops does well with foreigners. Says Pacers lose 5 games but they are fine at the 5 and could do something with LMA’s pace and weakness.
Melo/Blazers would be an example.
Turner, Sabonis and Aldrige for 2 slots and likely 3 guards. Fun to see, anyway.
A deal centered around an LMA-Turner swap makes sense for both. Indy paying way too much money for the Sabonis-Turner tandem for them not the play well together.
Indy doesn’t seem like they want to give up either, and then they were smart enough to draft Bitadze.
I would like to seem them go through with their concept!– insread of burying (or dealing) one of their 3 centers.
I doubt the Pacers give up on the twin tower lineup anytime soon. They will ride it out this year, as they work Oladipo back into the lineup and see how a lineup of Brogden, Oladipo, Warren, Sabonis, and Turner works.
Makes sense, but boy is that an expensive starting 5 if it doesn’t
They have to at least move one of LMA or DeRozan, and use this year for their promising youngster to mature. As spurs fan I wouldn’t be mad at them moving both.
Piecing rumors we’ve seen on this site, two separate trades with BOS and ORL to net the following would be interesting:
Out: DDR (Orlando), LMA (Boston)
In: Gordon, Hayward, Bamba, BOS 1st
(Filler as necessary, etc.)
Risk for Spurs is Hayward leaving which would merit some compensation from BOS (their late first). Spurs could also reroute Hayward to a contender for other assets.
If the Spurs don’t make bigger changes, they’ll rebound a bit and push toward .500, but this is not a playoff team in the West currently.
The best course of action would be to make anyone not named Dejounte, Derrick, Kelvin, Lonnie or Bryn available. I doubt it happens, but being able to cash in on any of LMA, DeMar, Rudy or Pattie would be a win. Marco and DeMarre may have some value as well.
It’s been a heck of a ride, but it finally looks like it’s over. It’s not the Spurs way to tear it apart, but this is also not a Spurs type record.
Cut bryn and sign Jamal Crawford. Problems solved.
The Spurs could have 100 percent acquired Brandon Ingram in a Kawhi package but nope can never deal with those Lakers. Pops has become basketball senile.
Yes Indeed, He sure looks like a complete senile idiot with those FIVE World Championship Rings! He probably fumbles them around and loses them in the couch like Cracker Jack Toys. You sure have him pegged! To think some senile idiot could take a small market team to those levels? Can’t be done…..
You clearly don’t know what senile means
I trust in Pop!
Pop is finish…
He had to let Ettore Messina become the coach…
This Summer team USA was unbelieavable, with a lot of stars escape from the camp…
And Marcus Morris… Lyles… Carroll… Was this a smart improvement ?
Btw they have to move away … The only team that can be interested in DDR is Orlando, so
Orl: DDR + Walker + Forbes
SAS: Gordon + Fournier
Or maybe the best:
SAS: Dedmon+Ariza
Sac: DDR+Walker
Really the best for both
Time for the Spurs to go young. DeRozan is a solid player but everyone knows he isn’t clutch and he disappears during the playoffs. Aldridge is getting older also might be best to cash in on him too while he still has value. At least then you have a young group and if they make the playoffs cool if they don’t they are young and get a better draft pick.
I’d do Aaron Gordon and Mo Bamba for DeRozan, B Forbes and a first.
Then I’d go Aldridge for Wiggins and a first.
Spurs then have
1. Murray. White. Mills
2. Harris. Walker. Belinelli
3. Wiggins. Gay. Johnson
4. Gordon. Carroll. Samanic
5. Poetl. Bamba. Lyles
Murray is a great defender and good playmaker, Harris can do a little bit of everything and a great fit under Pop. Wiggins is the best scorer and has a high ceiling, Gordon is the most athletic can do a little bit of everything and would play great under pop. Then at centre they have 3 decent options, Bamba with the most potential.
They also have good depth, with a nice mix of vets and young guys and some versatility.
Man you undervalue DD & you overvalue LMA, you can’t get Wiggs & a first for LMA, SAS needs to give more & better just for Wiggs alone never mind a 1st. Minny should never do that. Teams had a chance to get Wiggs for cheap the last 2 years… now if they want him they gotta pay the right price for him.
Just cause Wiggins has played decent for the first 15 games doesn’t mean his value is all of a sudden huge. Aldridge would be great for Minny. Towns and Aldridge together to bigs than can shoot and not clog the paint. Then Roco on the wing, Culver and Okogie at SG. Aldridge would be a really solid vet for this team.
And for DDR I don’t undervalue him at all. I know he’s a really good SG for the regular season but as soon as it comes to playoffs and there is pressure on him he struggles. I’d send him and Forbes and a first to Orlando cause he’s also possibly in the last year on his deal and because your getting back Bamba who was recently a high first round pick.
I think starting with DeRozan for Levine and move DeRozan to a team who wants to make the playoffs. Atlanta? Trae and D could play well off each other.
Celtics: Aldridge
Hawks: DeRozan
Heat: Hayward
Plug and play the players and picks and it works for all 3 teams. The Celtics and Hawks have plenty of 1st round picks. Lots of players there to help Spurs and make Pop happy to boot.
Nah, just makes to much sense.
I see Hayward/MIA and Aldridge/BOS, but don’t see DDR to ATL for where they are in their process.
maybe make an aldridge for kevin love deal…
Rotations have been different than I expected coming into the season. Patty Mills is playing way too many minutes. Dont get why they added DeMarre Carroll to shore up their wing spot if he was never going to play. Rudy Gay should start at the 4, and their young guys need more minutes.