Can Raptors Recruit LaMarcus Aldridge?

[ebrian]

I'd only worry about the Spurs if they had two straight losing seasons. Sometimes it's difficult to recover from lost free agents and/or retirements, but I trust in the Spurs organization and the savvyness of their scouts to pull it back together quickly.

Obviously it's nice to have a generational player like Duncan and David Robinson, but the fact of the matter is we're talking about a franchise that has missed the playoffs 5 times in the last 48 years. Think about that.

[McRealistic]

I wonder how the LMA experiment will go in SA. Ginobili may retire.. they could lose Joseph in free agency. Parker is injured a lot and if he's not healthy they'll struggle at the PG position. Duncan only really has one year left. That team is essentially Kwahi and LMA. It's a nice start but the West is always a force and San Antonio is still a small market team.

It will be interesting to see. I have a feeling that they will get a lot of those Vet minimum players to fill some gaps. I will add Danny Green to the list as well. I also thing Parker can still contribute for many years.

One thing about SA is that they know how to draft, how to get a cheap FA and how to make those guys fit in their system. Matt Bonner, Belineli and Diaw are all example of these type of move.

For some reason, I am not worried about SA at all.

[MangoKid]

Some fans here thought that Raptors are a better fit for LMA, ignoring the history and culture of wining that SA has to the point of making fun of that franchise.

I have said all along that SA is a model franchise that has years of wining backing their claims. We are no where close to them and does not matter how much talents we have, unless we start wining in the play offs, we are not in the same level of Spurs.

The Raptors are /were just as a good fit as the Spurs. Many people listed the pros of him signing with Toronto.

In addition, I don't recall anyone on this site that made light of the San Antonio Spurs franchise, players, history or anything to that affect. I think it's time you came off that high horse of yours.

[planetmars]

I wonder how the LMA experiment will go in SA. Ginobili may retire.. they could lose Joseph in free agency. Parker is injured a lot and if he's not healthy they'll struggle at the PG position. Duncan only really has one year left. That team is essentially Kwahi and LMA. It's a nice start but the West is always a force and San Antonio is still a small market team.

[Puffer]

Some fans here thought that Raptors are a better fit for LMA, ignoring the history and culture of wining that SA has to the point of making fun of that franchise.

I have said all along that SA is a model franchise that has years of wining backing their claims. We are no where close to them and does not matter how much talents we have, unless we start wining in the play offs, we are not in the same level of Spurs.

My recollection of the debating points is that fans here thought SA wouldn't be able to come up with the cash while keeping their core intact. It was those thoughts that moved SA from contention. I don't recall anyone saying that LMA wouldn't be a good fit in SA.

[DanH]

Silly to argue this point now that he's chosen the Spurs like I'd predicted from the start, but net points really?

Did you bother to look at who else was in those rankings? Minnesota (40-42 that year) was #1 in 13/14. Sacramento (29-53) was ahead of the Blazers in 14/15. Useless stat.

How is it useless? The only point he was making was that the starting lineup was very good. The same is true of those other two teams, they just had horriawful benches. I think his point was that with a bench makeover that POR team could be very good. Moot now, and I don't know how easy a bench makeover would be there, but still.

[ebrian]

I think we've seen with Boston & LA in 08 as well as CLE last year: adding the right pieces at the right time can make you championship contenders even if you weren't considered playoff threats the previous year.

And in terms of net points, they have been top 4 and top 6 the past 2 seasons.

POR starting lineup 13/14

POR starting lineup 14/15

Silly to argue this point now that he's chosen the Spurs like I'd predicted from the start, but net points really?

Did you bother to look at who else was in those rankings? Minnesota (40-42 that year) was #1 in 13/14. Sacramento (29-53) was ahead of the Blazers in 14/15. Useless stat.

[Axel]

I have said all along that SA is a model franchise that has years of wining backing their claims. We are no where close to them and does not matter how much talents we have, unless we start wining in the play offs, we are not in the same level of Spurs.

You've said all along? Really, an astute observation on your part.

Winning in the playoffs and winning multiple championships - we are so far from being on their level. It's amazing that we even got a meeting and it's largely due to how awful the east is.

[McRealistic]

A lesson? Do explain.

Some fans here thought that Raptors are a better fit for LMA, ignoring the history and culture of wining that SA has to the point of making fun of that franchise.

I have said all along that SA is a model franchise that has years of wining backing their claims. We are no where close to them and does not matter how much talents we have, unless we start wining in the play offs, we are not in the same level of Spurs.

[raptors999]

No.

Wanna bet

[Adam]

No.

[Bendit]

Think Carmelo last season

No offense but fuck Carmelo. That guy is a supreme narcissist (he has a very large painting of himself hanging over his fireplace in his living room). Somehow I dont think LMA is like that and he did choose the team with a very decent shot at winning the championship. Melo took the money and went back to NY and now whines. LMA could have re-signed with Portland for more.

[tDotted]

I think everyone knew that LMA was just enjoying being wined & dined and the experience of being the #1 FA target but knew he was going to be a Spurs from the start

Think Carmelo last season

[MixxAOR]

The lesson is obviously tank for the number one pick when a Hall-of-Fame/Top-10-of-all-time player is in the draft, have him lead you to five championships while being coached by arguably the GOAT coach, move the city of Toronto to a state with no income tax and sunny weather, let bake for eighteen years, and.... presto! Land a heralded free agent!

if i was a owner I would've done that

[Scraptor]

A lesson? Do explain.

The lesson is obviously tank for the number one pick when a Hall-of-Fame/Top-10-of-all-time player is in the draft, have him lead you to five championships while being coached by arguably the GOAT coach, move the city of Toronto to a state with no income tax and sunny weather, let bake for eighteen years, and.... presto! Land a heralded free agent!