San Antonio Spurs Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Thunder Interested In Bradley Beal

By Luke Adams | at June 28, 2012 12:57 pm

THURSDAY, 12:57pm: The Thunder likes Bradley Beal, but they're not willing to give up James Harden, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Earlier today we heard from fellow HoopsWorld scribe Steve Kyler who said a significant trade involving the Thunder is very unlikely.

WEDNESDAY, 4:18pm: Charlotte's second overall pick has drawn plenty of trade interest, and while it's possible the Bobcats trade it, it would take a "really enticing" offer for the team to seriously consider it. Most teams talking to the Bobcats about the No. 2 pick are targeting Bradley Beal, and according to Andy Katz of ESPN.com, that list of interested teams includes the Thunder.

3 comments 2012 NBA Draft Charlotte Hornets Denver Nuggets Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Bradley Beal

Spurs Shopping DeJuan Blair

By Luke Adams | at June 28, 2012 11:01 am

Looking to clear space on their roster, the Spurs are shopping DeJuan Blair in trade talks, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Blair fell out of the Spurs' rotation this season, and would be open to a move, Wojnarowski adds in a second tweet.

Draft Rumors: Wednesday

By Luke Adams | at June 27, 2012 10:59 pm

With draft night fast approaching, our Tuesday draft rumors post seemed to go on forever, and we're expecting things to be just as busy today. Earlier this morning, we published our second and final mock draft, but given the amount of trade chatter around the league, it wouldn't be surprising if some of our predictions were rendered moot within a matter of hours. We'll follow today's draft-related news and rumors right here, with the latest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….

ESPN's Andy Katz tweets that Dion Waiters could now be a possibility for the Cavaliers at the 4th pick. If Waiters lands in the top 5, his draft stock will have shot up boards over the past few months in historical fashion.

Earlier updates:

Five of ESPN's draft analysts participated in a rotating mock draft today.
Also at ESPN, Chad Ford and Skip Bayless name Austin Rivers and Tyler Zeller as two of the biggest potential busts. Steven A. Smith joins them to debate whether Rivers is overrated or clutch.
The Spurs have been able to pull talent out of the second round in the past, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune identifies Will Barton, John Jenkins and Doron Lamb as three players that have worked out for the Bulls and are realistic possibilities at 29.
The Knicks have been one of few quiet teams leading up to the draft, but Jared Zwerling put together a Knicks draft primer for ESPN New York. Al Iannazzone of Newsday offers his take on the Knicks' draft options as well.
Perry Jones III was in Houston today for his second visit with the Rockets, says Mark Berman of Fox Houston. Jones III's selection will probably fall somewhere between 12 and 18, where the Rockets have three picks.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star examines the Raptors' trade options with the 8th pick. With Harrison Barnes likely off the board at 8, Smith thinks the team should either move up to get him or trade out with a teams like the Rockets.
Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas says that it makes sense for the Mavs to keep their pick because a rookie contract will save them money in comparison to a free agent one.
Dion Waiters says that he did not get a promise from a team in the lottery, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
NBA.com's David Alridge tweets the Rockets are still trying to get into the top five tomorrow, with their latest offer being rejected by the Kings who hold the 5th pick.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has eight players the Magic may target should they keep the 19th pick tomorrow night – point guard and big men seem to be the trend.
Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune says via Sulia that while the Jazz are still interested in trading into the lottery, it seems unlikely as they are unwilling to overpay to make it happen.
Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area continues his extensive draft coverage by ranking the draft's power forwards and examing how each player would fit in Golden State.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford updated his most recent mock draft to reflect today's Bucks/Rockets trade, and conducted a chat with readers in which he answered a ton of draft questions.
Also at ESPN.com, Andy Katz spoke to a number of this year's top prospects on the eve of the draft.
Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap told Adam Zagoria of Sheridan Hoops that it's "possible" Charlotte trades down from No. 2, but team president Rod Higgins and GM Rich Cho both said it would take a "really enticing" offer for the 'Cats to move down, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Higgins also said that yesterday's trade for Ben Gordon won't affect the Bobcats' draft plans.
The Grizzlies don't intend to sell the No. 25 pick, owner Michael Heisley tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).
Damian Lillard had a second workout for the Raptors today and said it went much better than his first, tweets Ryan Woltsat of the Toronto Sun.
In a pair of new mock drafts, SI.com's Sam Amick updates his picks, while at Grantland, Chad Ford and Bill Simmons alternate picks for most of the first round.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News explains why the Warriors have a good chance to end up with Harrison Barnes or Dion Waiters at No. 7, rather than Andre Drummond.
A source tells Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News that Austin Rivers is a possibility for the Trail Blazers at No. 6 (Twitter link).
TNT's David Aldridge has Andre Drummond slipping all the way down to No. 16 in his mock draft for NBA.com.
Nets GM Billy King told reporters there's "no shot" his team will jump into the top six of the draft, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports and Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio are both hearing that Thomas Robinson will likely go to the Bobcats at No. 2 and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to the Cavs at No. 4 (Twitter links). Amico suggests the Cavs' rumored deal with the Bobcats could be off, or at least on hold.
According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter), there could be as many as nine first-round prospects that have received medical red flags. As Givony points out in a series of subsequent tweets, many red-flagged players in the past have had perfectly healthy NBA careers.
While Thomas Robinson is considered the Bobcats' top target at second overall, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is still very much in the running, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
The Raptors may have narrowed their draft wish list to three players, but are keeping their options open, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. I'd guess the top three realistic targets for Toronto at No. 8 are Dion Waiters, Damian Lillard, and Austin Rivers, in some order.
The two lottery picks drawing the most trade interest are the Raptors' at No. 8 and the Kings' at No. 5, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) has updated his latest mock draft, which sees Michael Kidd-Gilchrist bumped up to fourth overall, to the Cavs.
According to Nets Daily, TNT's David Aldridge said on NBA TV that the Nets are exploring a way to land a first-round pick and snag Thomas Robinson as a trade chip for Dwight Howard. Given the lack of trade assets Brooklyn currently possesses, I doubt this one gets past the exploratory stage.
Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes of an increasing possibility that the Bucks could draft a guard at No. 12.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Marquis Teague could have been a 2013 lottery pick if he'd stayed at Kentucky another year. The Grizz are eyeing Teague and others at No. 25, as Tillery writes.

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1 comment 2012 NBA Draft Brooklyn Nets Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Dallas Mavericks Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies Milwaukee Bucks New York Knicks Orlando Magic Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Andre Drummond Austin Rivers Damian Lillard Dion Waiters Doron Lamb Harrison Barnes John Jenkins Marquis Teague Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Perry Jones III Thomas Robinson Tyler Zeller Will Barton

Patty Mills Declines Player Option

By Luke Adams | at June 27, 2012 4:29 pm

The deadline for Patty Mills to opt into his player option for 2012/13 has passed, and he will become a free agent, reports Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. The decision comes as no surprise and doesn't necessarily mean Mills won't return to San Antonio. The option was for the minimum salary (about $885K), which the point guard should be able to surpass on the open market.

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Front Office Notes: Magic, Pistons, Thunder, Spurs

By Luke Adams | at June 25, 2012 3:46 pm

As we noted earlier today, Magic general manager Rob Hennigan made his first hire, bringing aboard Pistons executive Scott Perry to replace Dave Twardzik as the team's assistant GM. Hennigan also parted ways with Adonal Foyle, which ESPN.com's John Hollinger suggests (via Twitter) is the clearest indication that Hennigan has total control in Orlando. The Magic were rumored to be grooming Foyle for the GM job down the road, but Hennigan appears to be clearing house and bringing his own people aboard. In Detroit, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio, changes are also afoot, so let's check out the details….

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Expired Trade Exceptions: Bobcats, Blazers, Spurs

By Luke Adams | at June 25, 2012 12:22 pm

In an entry last week for Hoops Rumors' glossary, I broke down how the traded player exception works, noting that a certain kind of trade exception allow a team one year to spend it. If the team doesn't use the exception to acquire a player within a year, the exception simply expires.

Last June, a handful of teams acquired traded player exceptions in draft deals. Having not used them over the course of the year, the following clubs lost their trade exceptions over the weekend:

0 comments Charlotte Hornets Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs

Tony Parker May Miss Olympics

By Michael Pina | at June 24, 2012 3:31 pm

After recently injuring his eye in a New York City nightclub, the Spurs may force Tony Parker to sit out this summer's Olympic games, according to the San Antonio Express-News' Mike Monroe.

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Southwest Rumors: Landry, Rockets, Cabezas

By Chuck Myron | at June 21, 2012 10:50 pm

Tony Parker is seeking $20MM in a lawsuit against the New York nightclub where he sustained an eye injury during a fight involving singer Chris Brown and members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage, the Associated Press reports (via the New York Daily News). Parker isn't expected to miss any time for the Spurs because of the incident. There's plenty of other off-the-court news happening with Southwest Division teams that figures to have a greater on-court impact, as we detail here.

0 comments Dallas Mavericks New Orleans Pelicans New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs Carl Landry Carlos Cabezas Erazem Lorbek Goran Dragic Kyle Lowry

Odds & Ends: Mills, Magic, Garnett, Shumpert

By Luke Adams | at June 18, 2012 3:19 pm

When Patrick Mills returned from China this season, he signed a two-year deal with the Spurs that included a player option for the second year. Mills will have to make a decision soon, and tells Chris Dutton of The Age that he wants to finalize his NBA future before heading to the Olympics.

"I feel like I need to do my due diligence and really go and see what there is, to make sure I explore every option," Mills said. ''But in saying that, I really enjoy being in San Antonio and being part of that program."

Mills' decision could have an effect on whether or not the Spurs need to pursue a point guard in free agency, as I discussed in my preview of the team's offseason earlier this afternoon. Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

0 comments 2012 Olympics Atlanta Hawks Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Dallas Mavericks New York Knicks Orlando Magic San Antonio Spurs Iman Shumpert Jason Kidd Kevin Garnett Patrick Mills Scott Brooks

Offseason Outlook: San Antonio Spurs

By Luke Adams | at June 18, 2012 2:05 pm

Guaranteed Contracts

Manu Ginobili ($14,107,491)
Tony Parker ($12,500,000)
Stephen Jackson ($10,059,750)
Tiago Splitter ($3,944,000)
Matt Bonner ($3,630,000)
Kawhi Leonard ($1,809,840)
Cory Joseph ($1,074,720)

Options

Patrick Mills ($885,120, Player)

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

DeJuan Blair ($1,054,000)
Gary Neal ($854,389)
Derrick Byars ($762,195)

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Tim Duncan ($22,222,850)
Danny Green ($2,695,391 – QO)
James Anderson ($1,565,640)
Boris Diaw ($854,389)
(Robert Horry – $6,897,000)
(Chris Quinn – $854,389)
(Glenn Robinson – $854,389)
(Damon Stoudamire – $854,389)
(Nick Van Exel – $854,389)
(Jacque Vaughn – $854,389)

Draft Picks

2nd Round (59th overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $47,125,801
Non-Guaranteed Salary (including options), Cap Holds: $42,062,919
Total (not including draft picks): $89,188,720

While the Spurs' situation heading into the 2012 offseason is a little reminiscent of the Celtics', there are a few key differences between the two teams that will likely dictate San Antonio's plan of attack this summer. Whereas the Celtics have the opportunity to clear a ton of cap space if they don't re-sign the players that helped them win their title (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen), the Spurs don't have quite the same flexibility. Plus, they only have one major contributor to their championship teams facing free agency — Tim Duncan.

Because Duncan is unlikely to retire or play anywhere besides San Antonio, I think we can safely assume that the two-time MVP will re-sign with the Spurs. Even if he takes a big paycut on his next deal, retaining Duncan will likely ensure that the Spurs remain an over-the-cap team. Re-signing players like Danny Green and Boris Diaw shouldn't be a problem, but San Antonio won't have more than the mid-level to throw at other free agents in July.

Unfortunately, where a team like Boston has cap room and a pair of first-round picks to make solid improvements around its core, San Antonio doesn't have the same luxury. The team's only draft pick is at the end of the second round, and its options with the mid-level will be limited. A recent report suggested that the Spurs might kick the tires on the Celtics' Garnett, but it's hard to imagine how they could afford a player of that caliber with only the MLE at their disposal.

Still, $5MM is enough to land a solid player, and it's more than luxury-tax clubs like the Heat, Lakers, and Bulls will be able to offer free agents. Depending on which of their own free agents are re-signed, the Spurs should have some options — if Green, Diaw, and Patrick Mills all return, there aren't any obvious holes in the team's rotation. Perhaps San Antonio's top target could be another big man, particularly if the team has any concerns about Tiago Splitter's development. On the other hand, if Mills were to opt out of his contract and sign elsewhere, a free agent point guard to complement Tony Parker could be the team's preference.

Outside of retaining their own free agents and perhaps signing one or two outside players, the Spurs shouldn't be too active this summer. They still have the amnesty clause available, but it can't be used on Stephen Jackson, who was acquired via trade. Matt Bonner, making $3.63MM, is an amnesty candidate, but cutting the Red Rocket wouldn't increase the team's financial flexibility much.

GM R.C. Buford proved a year ago that he isn't shy about making unexpected deals, when he sent George Hill to the Pacers in a trade that landed the Spurs Kawhi Leonard. You never know if Buford has another move like that up his sleeve, but I wouldn't expect San Antonio to make any major trades. Players like Parker and Manu Ginobili aren't going anywhere yet, and the Spurs don't really have any other players that would be as valuable elsewhere as they are in San Antonio.

A couple weeks ago, in the midst of a 20-game winning streak, it looked like the Spurs were on their way to another title. They may be a year older in 2012/13, but there's no reason to believe that the same group with a couple tweaks, shouldn't be a strong contender again. The prime of the Duncan/Ginobili/Parker era may be behind us, but I'd be surprised if the Spurs don't bring back Duncan and try to make at least one more run at the Finals.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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