SBNation.com User Blog: sambunnell

Texas Joining the Big 10 Soon?

sambunnell — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 04:42:01 -0000

Here's the story.

Viable? No?

Think the Big 12 actually has a future as a superconference?

I just don't know. No one does know, really.

hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em

I like the Longhorns. Why are you still reading this?

hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em

I like the Longhorns. Why are you still reading this?

Here's the story.

Viable? No?

Think the Big 12 actually has a future as a superconference?

I just don't know. No one does know, really.

hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em

I like the Longhorns. Why are you still reading this?

hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em hook em

I like the Longhorns. Why are you still reading this?

GameThread for San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat, Jun 6, 2013 8:00 PM CDT

sambunnell — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:55:37 -0000

At this point in the playoffs, it's virtually impossible to assign positions to most of the contributors on the top two teams in the league. That said, let's check out some perceived match-ups, as we go roster-to-roster:

Tony Parker vs. Mario Chalmers SPURS ADV Parker could prove almost unguardable in this series. Chalmers has improved this year but should be overmatched.

Cory Joseph vs. Norris Cole EVEN Cole provides more offensive punch, but Cojo's D could prove invaluable against Wade and others.

Danny Green vs. Dwyane Wade HEAT ADV Green's D will be needed on LeBron at times, and we're all hoping his threes are falling. Wade's effectiveness all depends on our ability to botch the Heat's passing lanes.

Gary Neal vs. Ray Allen HEAT ADV Allen can still hit big shots, and Neal is sometimes inconsistent. Matching up against a slower Allen could hide some of Neal's defensive shortcomings.

Kawhi Leonard vs. LeBron James HEAT ADV The KLeon's D will really be the deciding factor in this series. How much help he will demand for LeBron will determine how much the Heat's supporting cast will be freed up. LeBron is the juggernaut for the Heat, and if we can limit his distributing and confuse their offensive spacing, things could swing our way. But that hinges on the level of isolation defense Leonard can play for the majority of the series.

Manu Ginobili vs. Mike Miller SPURS ADV We need Manu. He is our Wade, in a sense. No one can truly guard him, and when he's on, we generally win. We've been winning without his best outputs, but that may prove difficult against Miami. Tony will need to be spelled as Option 1 at times. Mike Miller is a seasoned vet, and the guy can still shoot.

Tiago Splitter vs. Udonis Haslem SPURS ADV Splitter should do well against either Bosh or Haslem. He's playing tougher now, and decent bigs have a history of succeeding against this Heat team, as these playoffs have exhibited.

Boris Diaw vs. Shane Battier HEAT ADV Battier is a great player. He gets inconsistent playing time, but he could show up big at any time. His D is solid, his BBIQ is high, and he can hit big shots. We need Diaw to continue his smart play and smother Bosh from time to time.

DeJuan Blair vs. Rashard Lewis HEAT ADV Lewis is a smart player, and he can still drain some threes, but he isn't likely to do much else. Blair won't get burn unless we get down a couple of games, and what we're doing doesn't seem to be working.

Tim Duncan vs. Chris Bosh HEAT ADV Duncan wins. Bosh will be looking to bounce back from a poor Indiana series, but our interior defense, plus the fact that Tim is better than he is in all areas won't help Chris. He'll still fight, though.

Matt Bonner vs Chris Andersen EVEN I called it even, because Matty B can shoot. Andersen has brought a lot more to the Heat than probably anyone thought he would, but Bonner has stepped up in these playoffs like never before.

Aron Baynes vs. Joel Anthony HEAT ADV Anthony should get some playing time, and he has playoff experience, but he shouldn't make too much splash. Baynes will only see the court in garbage time (if that ever happens), or in the same scenario I created for Blair above.

It's time, Pounders. Let's go.

Tony Parker vs. Mario Chalmers SPURS ADV Parker could prove almost unguardable in this series. Chalmers has improved this year but should be overmatched.

Cory Joseph vs. Norris Cole EVEN Cole provides more offensive punch, but Cojo's D could prove invaluable against Wade and others.

Gary Neal vs. Ray Allen HEAT ADV Allen can still hit big shots, and Neal is sometimes inconsistent. Matching up against a slower Allen could hide some of Neal's defensive shortcomings.

It's time, Pounders. Let's go.

What needs should the Spurs target in the draft?

sambunnell — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:12:52 -0000

Point Guard

Hail Cujo. Cory Joseph appears to have stabilized the backup point guard hole that had been a thorn in our side for centuries. He's young, athletic, quick, a gritty defender, and is improving offensively. Did I mention he's young? He also is under contract through next season.

Oh, and we also have the game's best poing guard, so we're good at the 1.

Shooting Guard

This one is a little less defined. We currently start Verde and bring the Argentine super sub off the bench. The question is does PATFO believe Green is a long term starter at the two? In the next few years, our front court will no longer feature Big Fun. How do we then stay relevant? Dare we try to draft, sign, or trade for a high profile big, or do we go a potentially easier route and add an elite wing?

I see SG as a very interesting position for us in draft talks. Manu is currently showing signs of slowing down, though that is not to say he can't experience a Duncan-esque revival next year. Gary Neal is filling an important, but replaceable, role on the team, and he's been doing it cheaply. Hopefully his physical shortcomings, defensive inconsistencies, and sometimes streaky shooting will keep his price reasonable.

I like Green. He's actually one of my favorite Spurs. Ideally, I'd like to see us keep him and somehow inherit a high-end PF. With the difficulties of that fantasy actually playing out, I'm not sure if Green provides enough as Tony's running mate to keep the ship afloat minus Manu and Tim.

Small Forward

The Big Future. The Kamazing One. Attempting to set aside platitudes for a moment, Kawhi Leonard is actually a great young player. His statistical contributions have been good (not great), but that's not surprising in the role he has been asked to play. On a lesser team, he reasonably could be scoring 17-18 ppg and pulling down 7-8 boards a night. His defense is years ahead of his age, and it should only get more stifling with time. In the days ahead, we'll need him to do all that.

Behind The Dunker, we have nothing. So hopefully we'll draft someone. Unless you guys think Tracy McGrady is awesome, in which case, you're right, of course, but not so much at basketball anymore.

Power Forward

Another interesting situation. We have the game's best, and not much else. I'm not sure what position Boris Diaw plays on our team, but I'm also not sure that he'll be doing it a whole lot longer. DeJuan Blair is gone, and Matt Bonner kinda does his own stretchy-4 type thing. Tell you what, though, I loved his defense while Splitter was out. Speaking of Splitter, I've got him as a center, so I'm not including him here. Centers are hard to come by, and he had a pretty good year at the position.

We've all been keeping an eye out for Tim's replacement for the last few years, but, unless Kevin Love decides to sign for Blair-money, we don't have a lot of answers. I'd love to see us sign some young depth, like Gustavo Ayon from Milwaukee, but there is no telling how it will all shake out.

Draft here? Maybe we could find a steal in the late first round, but more likely an answer would only come through a trade up.

Center

I'm a Splitter guy. I believe he will be the long-term answer at the 5 for us. I also feel Baynes could become a valuable member of our front court rotation. He's got the athleticism, strength, and coach-ability to make it on the New Spurs, as long as he can keep up with the system.

The only way I see us doing anything here is if we move Splitter in a trade. Such a thought pains me, but I've learned to trust.

In Summary

Wing. Wing wing wing wing wing.

I see that as our draft target. Primarily a backup for The Kleon, but moving up to get a future starting shooting guard is possible. Even reaching for a future power forward could be in the works, but I ridiculously predict a reserve small forward will be grabbed by RC and Co.

And now ... the Playoffs

sambunnell — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:33:58 -0000

It's time. All the regular season blogging and opining is in the past. It's playoff time. Few national analysts other than John Hollinger picked the Spurs pre-season to win the Western Conference Finals, so it could be fun to watch the Good Guys prove everybody else wrong. As the inspirational Christmas anthem proclaims, "the wrong shall fail, the right prevail." Gotta be.

Last season, our boys rolled into the playoffs on a historic winning streak, only to run out of gas in the WCF against the juggernaut of Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Iblocka, and Scotty Brooks. Now, the Spurs stumble into the postseason amid losses, injury recoveries, and the unsettling disappearance of Cap'n Jack (I can no longer type "Thanks, Cap'n" in Game Threads after he nails a long triple, which was soothing for me). Our first test? The hated Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celebrities-Who-Used-To-Be-Stern's-Darlings-Before-SouthBeach-Made-Them-Old-News struggled mightily this season. Mike Brown was the first fall guy, and probably rightfully so. But things didn't exactly take off under D'Antoni either. Could it be that throwing a gaggle of aging superstars together isn't always a recipe for instant golden basketballs? Why exactly did everyone think it would be? I hate to remind folks, but I never joined the Laker bandwagon. But this isn't a Round One Spurs-Lakers Preview, so I shan't spend too much time rehashing LA's woes. Suffice it to say, I wasn't worried until Kobe went down.

What!!! Did I just say I'm worried BECAUSE Kobe's out? Yeah. I know the Lakers aren't likely to challenge for the championship this postseason, but I believe they're a more balanced team without Bryant. With the offense running through Dwight Howard, they're basically Orlando of old, but with some better components and a winning pedigree. I don't think they will necessarily beat the Spurs, but I'm actually more concerned now with Kobe gone. SA matches up decently with them (I'll have a post up soon playing the roster v. roster matchup game like I did with the Rockets awhile back), but in the playoffs, anything can happen, and we would be remiss to call this a pending sweep, or even a sure advance.

If our lads survive the Lakers, they face a stiff test from either a deep and well-rounded Nuggets squad or Steph Curry and the rest of the explosive and improving Warriors. Neither is a championship contender, but either could knock a contender out of the dance. For once, however, Los Spurs actually seem to have drawn the easier path to the Conference Finals. The Thunder must oust the Rockets in Round One, and we can bet the indomitable James Harden will be gunning for his old team. Then OKC has to deal with the survivor of the Clippers/Grizz showdown. Either team will be smelling a chance at the Heat and will be a very tough out. If things play out as they should, the 2013 WCF is a rematch of 2012. I wouldn't be shocked to see a shake-up though.

Then comes the Heat. Oh boy. That is, unless someone on the planet truly believes the Knicks or anyone else can do anything about it. Speak up, please.

All that to say, gather up! The Silver and Black need their faithful. Because we believe. We believe until the final buzzer sounds. It's one nation now. Past doubts and disagreements are shed. We fully recognize the possibility that the very men we've supported all year could stand as champions at season's end. So we rally behind our team of ambassadors of all that is good about sport, the character that defies the modern model. And we bid them go. Go right on, go straight forward, defying time and popular opinion...just keep going, Spurs.

Go, Spurs. Go.

Sheldon McClellan to Transfer

sambunnell — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 03:25:50 -0000

That's right. Our leading scorer from most of the forgettable season that just ended is bailing. ESPN reports that McClellan's mom broke the news, and a University spokesperson has verified. The news comes close on the heels of Jaylen Bond's transfer news.

Everybody's up in the air over whether Myck Kabongo's coming back, and after also losing out to Kentucky for Julius Randle's services (though that wasn't much of a surprise), a return to the Big Dance next year is looking less and less likely. But hey, that's why they call it Madness. One never knows what might happen.

Jyaz Jones: 4 Star South Oak Cliff DB has Horns in His Top 2

sambunnell — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:55:11 -0000

Here's the story.

Notable offers are Iowa (his brother already committed there as a WR) and Texas Tech. Wescott reported that Bama has extended a Jr. Day invite. Naturally.

Jones and fellow Oak Cliffer Sylvester Hayes (DE)

Unfortunately no video on this guy yet, but he's 6'0, approx 178 lbs. Baylor, OU, and LSU could also be players. Could naturally come with HS teammates Davis' and Hayes' services, IF the WR and DE can reach 4 star ratings at some point.

Here's the story.

Notable offers are Iowa (his brother already committed there as a WR) and Texas Tech. Wescott reported that Bama has extended a Jr. Day invite. Naturally.

Jones and fellow Oak Cliffer Sylvester Hayes (DE)

Playoff Matchups: Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs

sambunnell — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 04:04:54 -0000

First Round

Matching up the Starting 5...

Jeremy Lin vs. Tony Parker (SPURS win, obviously)

As long as Lin languishes in Harden's shadow in Houston, he shan't shine brightly. He needs to be in a place like Memphis, where he can team with a Tony Allen-type in the backcourt. Tony's the best point in the country, no question.

James Harden vs. Danny Green (ROCKETS win, obviously)

Harden is otherworldly. Green is solid in our system. I'd be interested to see if his D on Harden can improve since last year's playoff debacle.

Chandler Parsons vs. Kawhi Leonard (SPURS win, obviously)

Parsons is a good player and has had a hot hand lately, but Kawhi is superlative.

Donatas Motiejunas vs. Tim Duncan (SPURS win)

This would be so much fun to watch. The slow, limited whatever-his-name-is being treated to free lessons by The Greatest.

Omer Asik vs. Tiago Splitter (ROCKETS win)

Don't hate me. Asik is averaging a daggum double-double. Plus his pick & roll D is consistently among the league's best. He's an excellent center, and Houston's lucky to have him. Splitter has obviously had a breakout year, and his future is very bright. Asik's just a little further along.

Now for key bench players...

Patty Mills vs. Patrick Beverly (SPURS win)

Yeah, our Patrick is better than their Patrick. And I believe our Patty will see meaningful postseason time this year. Not sure why Aaron Brooks hasn't been getting burn for the Rockets. Wasn't that long ago he was playing for Houston. Can't imagine why he needs to be brought along this slowly.

Francisco Garcia vs. Gary Neal (SPURS win)

Garcia never found a niche in Sac Town, and he's probably got less of an opportunity in NASAville. Will Neal show up in the playoffs?

Carlos Delfino vs. Manu Ginobili (Spurs win, obviously)

Delfino's been on a bit of a tear lately and has actually become one of Houston's best players. Hopefully Manu is Manu in the playoffs. Remember that title series against Detroit years ago? Nostalgia...

Greg Smith vs. Boris Diaw (Spurs win)

Diaw seems to have gained back some weight. Hopefully he sheds some before playoff season. I love his passing, and his size will be needed. Greg Smith is basically a body.

Thomas Robinson vs. Stephen Jackson, [because I refuse to evaluate Matt Bonner in the playoffs, because to do so would be to dwell on the fact that Bonner will likely play again in the playoffs] (Spurs win)

The rookie's got more potential than Jack, and he'll see increasing time since no one can pronounce the name of the guy in front of him (plus he's way more skilled). Jack, though, seems to be our Mr. May. Let's hope he brings the Nasty again this year.

And finally the coach...

Gregg Popovich vs. Kevin McHale

Do I need to say anything? I'll just say that if Pop costs us a series, as some say he did against OKC last year (I disagree, btw) he sure ain't gonna do it against Houston. Can you say sweep?

Prediction: Spurs win in 4

Rising Star LA DB Mattrell McGraw on UT Radar

sambunnell — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:46:44 -0000

Here's the story.

After watching this guys junior highlights, I won't be surprised when his 4th star comes. He seems to excel in run coverage, but he can pull down an occasional nice pick, as well. Very physical, almost like Vaccaro's early days. Would help out nicely on special teams too.

I, for one, hope we go after this guy and lock him up before the rest of the world does.

Get after it, coaching staff.

Here's the story.

I, for one, hope we go after this guy and lock him up before the rest of the world does.

Get after it, coaching staff.

I Don't Care

sambunnell — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 03:59:33 -0000

I don't care that we got wasted by Portland and Minnesota.

I care that we handled OKC without Tony.

Oh, and I also care that Kawhi is becoming a monster dunker.

That was all I wanted to say.

I don't care that we got wasted by Portland and Minnesota.

I care that we handled OKC without Tony.

Oh, and I also care that Kawhi is becoming a monster dunker.

That was all I wanted to say.

3-Star John Curtis (LA) DB Mattrell McGraw On the Radar

sambunnell — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 09:42:27 -0000

"I plan on visiting Texas soon. They have been talking a lot, and I think an offer could be close."

Should the Spurs make a trade or not?

sambunnell — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:09:46 -0000

Why They Will Trade

sambunnell:

I see the Spurs making a deal in one of two ways:

First, they could make a swap for a high-impact player, if they feel it necessary to be able to handle the tough seven game stretches against possible opponents OKC, LAC, and Miami. This kind of addition would most likely be a 4/5, potentially starting alongside Duncan and moving Splitter back to provide a Spark(le) off the bench. Al Jefferson's name has been floated recently, though I have serious doubts about his chances of wearing the Silver and Black, but either way, it would likely be a rental like him. Josh Smith or Pau Gasol are names that are perennially batted around the blogs. Paul Pierce could be moved. Tyreke Evans has been talked up. Oh, and Josh Childress is still out there, possibly pondering if maybe Europe wasn't so bad after all.

Second, if they decide their current roster is good enough or close to it, they could bring in a contributor, someone a la last year's Diaw who can make an immediate impact and shore up a potential weakness. Could we use an extra wing in case of injury to one or more of Green, Leonard, Manu, Neal, or Jackson? Maybe another big to give both Duncan and Splitter a break without having to rely on the Bonny Bunch of B+(being benevolent here) Big Boys (Blair/Bonner/Baynes)? Maybe a vet true point to spell Tony? Shawn Marion, and Vince Carter are names being talked about. I'd be real happy getting Timofey Mozgov from Denver if we at all could. Sam Dalembert will likely be traded, and you could say he's hot right now. Milwaukee could also move Beno Udrih, according to Brew Hoops. Wouldn't that be fun?

J. Gomez:

It definitely would, but I just don't see it happening. All those guys you mentioned would probably contribute (except Vince Carter. Shame on you), but I don't think the Spurs have the pieces to get them, especially not the true impact players. I'm not as convinced the Spurs need another point guard as others but I guess I could see them go after someone like Will Bynum or Luke Ridnour if the asking price is low enough. Blair is probably gone but what comes back might be closer to "conditional second rounder" than "playoff contributor."

What I think the Spurs might try to do is explore trading Stephen Jackson's expiring contract for a player that will surely be with them next season. Jackson wanted an extension, which means he wanted to be paid at least $8 million on his next contract. I'm assuming that's more than what the Spurs want to pay him. Letting his contract simply expire doesn't help the Spurs, since Manu Ginobili's cap hold alone will take up all the cap space the Spurs would have. Even if Manu re-signs for cheap the Spurs still have to re-sign Splitter. That leaves them with very little wiggle room in terms of improving the roster this upcoming off-season. By trading Jackson (and/or Bonner's partially guaranteed contract) now for a guy under contract next season they could secure a contributor for a couple more years.

This is not a Trade Machine post so I'll leave the details to R.C. but a guy like Amir Johnson should be solid value going forward and the Raptors might want to clear some room to re-sign Lowry. It would probably mean absorbing Linas Kleiza's contract, which would cap out the Spurs for next season, but the likelihood of the Spurs signing anyone better than Johnson using the MLE is not high. If the Wizards want to clear Ariza off their books, they might throw in someone like Vesely, Seraphin or Singleton. This type of move would, ideally, allow the Spurs to add an asset whitout seriously compromising their future. It's similar to what teams with cap space do: take on a little money short-term to add a good player. The chances of this happening probably hinge of how convinced the front office is about Jackson giving them a discount but it might be something to consider.

Why They Won't Trade

sambunnell:

More likely is a scenario where the Spurs stand pat. They are once again on track to hold the league's best record at the end of the regular season. This time, however, the young-ish nucleus of Splitter/Leonard/Green/Neal is more seasoned and proven. They have looked pressure in the eye and, well, you know. How they perform against the best of the league in a championship series can't be predicted, of course, but logic says we will see an improvement over last year's Harden-induced meltdown against the Thunder. I'm doing a piece soon breaking down each legit title contender and how they match up with the Spurs, top to bottom. Suffice it to say, for now, that I actually believe we are as good or better than anyone, but we do have weaknesses that great teams will try to exploit.

J. Gomez:

I agree here: the Spurs probably know they are one of the few true championship contenders and will not make a move that could alter team chemistry and continuity just for the hell of it. There's a case to be made for trading some of the older role player and furthering the youth movement but the team just added Baynes and has stashed prospects developing in Europe. I doubt we see Hanga, Richards or Bertans make the jump anytime soon but the franchise has some talent waiting in the pipeline, so I don't see the Spurs shipping out Neal, Bonner or Jackson just to get younger. There will be a time to worry about the post-Duncan future but this isn't it--not when the team seems like a legit contender.

As you mentioned, the Spurs do have some weaknesses (can't wait for the detailed report) but then again so does everyone else. And the prospect of creating new holes by trying to plug others through a trade scares me. I'm usually not a fan of maintaining the status quo but when a team is as good as the Spurs are right now, staying the course and seeing where the chips fall might be the best way to go.

Poll

What will the Spurs do?

Trade for an impact player

153 votes

Trade for a role player

135 votes

Trade for planning Joey Crawford's retirement party

283 votes

571 votes | Poll has closed

Could Aron Baynes be the Spurs' missing piece?

sambunnell — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 07:28:24 -0000

Researching for my series Tuesday Trade Talk, I tore apart roster after roster looking for a potential trade target for PATFO, and my profile was always the same: a defensive-minded, athletic big. If he could score a little, that was just like spreading homemade whipping cream over my tres leches. Well, speak of the devil, and he shall appear. My search ended with the big red banner at the top of the site heralding the potential arrival of the greatness of Aron Baynes. So the dear editor and I chatted a bit last night about what a deliriously happy thing it would be if the Spurs could get the Aussie Aron under contract. I will now set forth the reasons our fingers danced the late night hours away.

First, there's these obligatory big man vids:

The block...

And the dunk...

You gotta read this:

The good folks over at SBNation's Wazoo site did sterling work in an article about the Baynes buyout. Every Pounder in search of the goods on Baynes MUST check out that piece. Also, don't forget to scroll the comments. Wonderfully uplifting stuff in there. As JRW said, college fans can be brutal on their former stars, but Baynes gets nothing but love from his old Cougar rooters.

The Particulars:

Age: 26

Height: 6'10

Weight: 260 lbs.

Birthplace: Gisborne, New Zealand

Position: Center/Forward

International Production:

Baynes went undrafted out of Washington State in 2009 and promptly went to work in Europe, playing ball for four different clubs over the next four years. Since joining Olimpija in August 2012, he averaged 13.8 ppg and 9.8 rpg, accomplishing the extremely difficult task of being both an accomplished low post scorer and rebounder in the Euroleague. Last summer at the London Olympics, Aron was a very effective member of the Australian national team, averaging 7.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg in only 12 mpg, while shooting 65% from the field. Prior to 2012, Baynes developed his game while playing for Lietuvos Rytas, EWE Baskets Oldenburg, and Ikaros Kallitheas B.C.

Offensively:

Having similar numbers from his junior year of college through his latest European stint, Baynes averaged around 12-13 ppg at those levels. He shot around 60% from the field and 70% from the free throw line. Though I could find very few clips of his international play, the consensus on him seems to be that he is very solid around the basket, either facing or backing down the defender, and he can finish with either an explosive pivot for a dunk or a sweet little baby hook that he has had since college. He seems to have found a little mid-range jump shot in Europe as well. Finally, he's a 6'10 Caucasian that can rim-rattle like Jacob Marley with chains. So that helps in the areas of both mirroring Matt Bonner's stature AND cutting behind the defense and thrillingly converting a Tony/Patty/Nando lob. I have shivers.

Defensively:

Again, film is lacking. Defensive rebounding is, of course, key for Pop, and Aron Baynes seems to fit that bill just fine. His rebounding production easily trumps that of Splitter's against similar competition. Also, though he averages only around one block per game, he appears to have an appetite for a nice swat, and his numbers could see a jump in a system like San Antonio's, where defensive-minded big men have thrived in that category. At Washington State, he was a key cog in a very strong defensive unit, and his appetite for hard work paid dividends on that side of the ball.

Intangibles:

At every level, Aron Baynes has exceeded expectations. Evidently he showed up at Wazoo overweight and turnover-prone. But it didn't matter who he was, what mattered was his plan. His work ethic, determination, and teachable spirit allowed him to transform him into a team leader on and off the court and earned him All-PAC-10 postseason honors his final year. I saw a video clip of him in college clapping it up at center court to rally his teammates. He became a fan favorite and the workhorse in the middle for the best basketball teams Washington State has ever fielded. He is, indeed, a Spurs kind of guy.

Forecast:

Nobody knows yet. Mum's been the word around Spurs Sports and Entertainment, and even Patty Mills seemed to have been asked to play his cards close to the vest when asked about his former Aussie teammate. A couple of options present themselves: he could be brought along slowly as he may not be considered NBA-ready yet, or he could be packaged along with other assets in a trade (Wilco and I see this as less likely). If he is kept, he should make DeJuan Blair expendable [Inasmuch as an out-of-the rotation player can become even more so. - Ed. note]. Blair is a player, and he will be a good piece on another team, but like Malik Rose before him, he has found himself in Gregg Popovich's doghouse. Whether the undersized big can't fill the roles that Pop asks of his bigs, offensively or defensively, I'm not sure. But the evidence seems to be that The Extraneous G doesn't think he can.

So, while Baynes' future in San Antonio is still vague, we contentedly deposit ourselves into the overstuffed armchair of past and present successes and restfully wait for the development and emergence of future glories.

We're on your schedule, Coach.

Maybe an embattled but proven coach like George O'Leary could get us back on track?

sambunnell — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 17:45:47 -0000

Maybe an embattled but proven coach like George O'Leary could get us back on track?

Trade scenarios for the Spurs with half the teams in the league

sambunnell — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:40:15 -0000

In our weekly hashing about potential trade targets and scenarios, we consistently attempt to bring in an athletic, defensive-minded power forward to our team. We also wish to erase the national debt, end all wars, and create perfect harmony in Washington, D.C. Don't these all seem about the same likelihood of happening these days? Isn't just about every team in the league searching for that same Holy Grail? Why couldn't we have just traded all of our less-than-essential pieces for Josh Smith this off-season, right?

Our own dear editor, the great J.R. Wilco himself, has said he foresees a move during this season. So, he asked me to keep my bony finger as close to the pulse of the league as I can get it and to report on any remotely and/or reasonably potential trade targets.

We Spurs fans are delighted to see our boys 19-8 and already making history this season. It's a harbinger of good things to come, but what if we could hasten those things along by shoring up any weakness that may exist? What if we could make a reasonable move to acquire a big man that would bring an upgrade in strong defense and athleticism to our front court rotation? For this cause, I write on. See links below.

Target: New Orleans Hornets forward Ryan Anderson (one of the most well-rounded bigs in the league, is commanding a lot of suitors)

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2012/12/18/3757242/nba-trade-rumors-acquisitions-spurs-hornets-ryan-anderson

Target: Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (along with the rest of the world, we want him too)

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2012/12/5/3730304/nba-trade-anderson-varejao-san-antonio-spurs

Target: Bismack Biyombo (another high-potential big who could jump to a winning team)

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2012/11/27/3668346/NBA-trade-proposal-spurs-charlotte-bobcats-jackson-bonner-biyombo-gordon

Target: Gustavo Ayon (who??? check this guy out...your team may want him)

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2012/11/13/3630164/NBA-San-Antonio-Spurs-Orlando-Magic-trade-gustavo-ayon

Target: Larry Sanders (this was written before his explosive run this season...I'm sure his trade value has gone up by now)

http://www.poundingtherock.com/2012/11/6/3608326/NBA-San-Antonio-Spurs-Milwaukee-Bucks-trade-sanders

[Qualification: I am well aware that our front office shall likely never make any transaction such as I mention above, but if they do, I am entitled to months of gloating and preening over my lucky guess. Thank you for your understanding. .]

Tuesday Trade Talk: Spurs and Hornets (Pelicans)

sambunnell — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 03:14:00 -0000

Bring in an athletic, defensive-minded power forward to the Spurs. Erase the national debt, end all wars, and create perfect harmony in Washington, D.C. Do these all seem about the same likelihood of happening these days? Why couldn't we have just traded all of our less-than-essential pieces for Josh Smith this off-season, right?

We Spurs fans are delighted to see our boys 19-7 and already making history this season. It's a harbinger of good things to come, but what if we could hasten those things along by shoring up any weakness that may exist? What if we could make a reasonable move to acquire a big man that would bring strong defense and athleticism to our front court rotation? For this cause, I write on.

The Bait:

In this fifth installment of TTT, we peruse the greatness of Ryan Anderson. He is a 6'10, 240 lb. power forward, a 4 year league veteran out of Cal. This season, he is averaging 18.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, and shooting 43% from downtown, compared with his career averages of 11.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 39% on threes. Needless to say, he's having a career season.

The only problem with his future in New Orleans is a guy named Anthony Davis. Neither Davis nor Anderson is fit to play the 5, and Monty Williams doesn't seem eager to experiment in that way, especially since Robin Lopez provides a viable option at center. It would be nice to be able to keep both Anderson and Davis, no doubt, but the Hornets likely know their long-term chances are slim to be able to pay both young power forwards enough to retain both their services, knowing only one of them will start.

Who to keep, then? I say Anderson draws the short stick. Therefore, as countless front office personnel, sports writers, and other fan bloggers around the country are doing, we try to figure out a way to trade for Ryan Anderson. He is really the consummate player we PtR faithful have been pining for for some time: a long, lean, athletic, defensively active power forward. The plus with this guy is he can shoot almost at a Red Rocket clip and can score in about a hundred more ways than Matty B.

The Switch:

San Antonio sends Stephen Jackson and his 10 million dollar expiring contract, Matt Bonner, a first round draft pick, and DeJuan Blair to New Orleans for Ryan Anderson, Roger Mason Jr. (he is, in fact, still in the league), and Darius Miller. The last two guys are just to make the money work, though Mason might be able to eat that proverbial pie and sweet talk Pop into seeing some garbage minutes, just for old times' sake.

Why It Will Fly:

New Orleans is a bad team with some talented players (the glass doll of Eric Gordon, Unibrow, and Anderson) who have had some tough luck (injuries and being run for awhile by the NBA) and are struggling to gel. Problem is, they don't have much financial wiggle room to keep getting better. As it stands, they are $5.4 million over the cap and only stand to clear about 6 million off the books at season's end, which will leave them without a small forward (which is about where they are now). Adding Cap'n Jack for the remainder of the year could give them a glimpse of what life could be like with a complete frontcourt, plus he would likely show Coach Monty decent respect (assuming he deleted his Twitter account).

Bonner would replace Anderson's threes in the offense for the next couple of years, and Blair would add a tough inside presence to spell Robin Lopez (way better than Jason Smith). Building through the draft is the way to go for teams in New Orleans' position, and if they can add another top-flight college player (maybe UCLA SF Shabazz Muhammed?) to team with the latter and Eric Gordon, they have a solid nucleus. Adding the Spurs' first round pick would just help stockpile talent, while Jackson's 10 million off the books next year would allow them a chance to sign a decent FA, such as a Tyreke Evans or a Shawn Marion.

From the Spurs' angle, they add a big who can potentially fill a missing playoff ingredient and help them push for another ring or two in Duncan's final years. In doing so, they get to keep their core of the Big 3 plus Ryan Anderson, Leonard, Green, Splitter, and Neal, plus a full bench in Diaw, Mills, De Colo, James Anderson, and Joseph, with Miller and Mason Jr rounding out the 15 man roster.

Why It Won't Even Get Off the Ground:

Anderson could prove to be more valuable to the Hornets in the here and now than adding cap room and a couple of vets. The league-wide demand for the power forward could be too great and the Spurs' offer too small. Also, they could be looking for different things in a potential trade, like a point guard. Regardless, they have a very valuable chip in Anderson, and it's certain they won't part with him lightly.

* * *

A Moment of Extreme Weakness:

(In this section, we each have our roles to play: I pretend that PATFO has suddenly lost its collective senses; you wish you'd never had the following thought cross your mind...) Spurs send DeJuan Blair, Boris Diaw, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, Patty Mills, Nando De Colo, Matt Bonner, and Stephen Jackson to Hornets for Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, Robin Lopez, Roger Mason Jr, Lance Thomas, Darius Miller, and Brian Roberts. Then we go sign Jerry Stackhouse, Jermaine O'Neal, and and Vladimir Radmanovich and beat everyone in the world. At the same time. But by now you've learned to excuse my ravings in this section, right? Tune in next week for more shocking and thought-provoking madness.

[Qualification: I am well aware that PATFO shall likely never make any transaction such as I mention above, but if they do, I am entitled to months of gloating and preening over my lucky guess. Thank you for your understanding. .]

Tuesday Trade Talk: Anderson Varejao

sambunnell — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 05:56:21 -0000

Bring in an athletic, defensive-minded power forward to the Spurs. Erase the national debt, end all wars, and create perfect harmony in Washington, D.C. Do these all seem about the same likelihood of happening these days? Why couldn't we just trade all our less-than-essential pieces for Josh Smith this off-season, right?

Our own dear editor, the great J.R. Wilco himself, foresees a move during this season. So, he asked me to keep my bony finger as close to the pulse of the league as I can get it and to report on any remotely and/or reasonably potential trade targets.

We Spurs fans are delighted to see our boys 14-4 and already making history this season. It's a harbinger of good things to come, but what if we could hasten those things along by shoring up any weakness that may exist? What if we could make a reasonable move to acquire a big man that would bring strong defense and athleticism to our front court rotation? For this cause, I write on.

In this fourth installment of TTT, we take a look at Cleveland's Anderson Varejao. Untouchable? Hardly. Cleveland, though publicly dragging their feet on dealing their productive center, may be actually shopping him hard. Varejao is having the season of his life, averaging 15 ppg and 15 rpg a game. However, the 6'11, 260 lb. Brazilian is 30 and doesn't have enough years left in the tank to be the cornerstone of the Cavalier's building project for the future. Best move then? Deal him while his market is at its peak, and use what you get in return to stockpile and rebuild.

The Proposal

(I throw one out there each week. You feel free to shred it in the comments.)

Spurs trade Stephen Jackson, Tiago Splitter, and Gary Neal for Varejao and Daniel Gibson.

Here's my thinking: a team in the Cavs situation needs all the cap room they can get. If they answered honestly, their front office would have to admit that Varejao is not part of their future success. He is on the back end of his career, and he's expensive.

The problem for Cleveland is, other teams know those things too. So the Cavs probably aren't going to get equal value for him. See, If the organization is going to turn things around behind Kyrie and Tristan, then they HAVE to move their only eligible and valuable piece. Then, if they can clear even more money space in so doing, they might actually be able to lure a couple of top flight free agents, because those players see the Cavs have the dollars to bring in more real talent.

When Jackson's contract comes off Cleveland's books next year, it adds another ten million that they are under the cap. Plus they would be getting a quality sharpshooter and experienced vet in Neal and a young, talented, and improving big in Splitter.

Too little to get Varejao? Think about it. They're not getting any of the Big 3, and Kawhi is also likely off limits. Danny Green could be an option, but he isn't on the trade block yet, and regardless, he isn't going to make the Cavs attractive enough of a team to draw in a big name FA. Money could do just that, though. Jackson's expiring contract could be just enough to allow Cleveland to go get a Josh Smith or Andrew Bynum, plus a highly productive wing.

Who is available for them to sign? Cleveland's backcourt is probably set with Kyrie Irving and rookie Dion Waiters, so they should focus on their frontcourt. If they could get, say, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bynum, and Jason Maxiell to sign with all their inordinate amounts of cap space, then all of a sudden, they have a playoff team again. And it's the kind that isn't leaning on one star. They would be a collection of good to very good players, which is much, much more than they can say right now.

The question a team has to ask itself before it makes a trade is "are we better after the dust settles?" Locking up Varejao to finally give Duncan that twin tower again for his final years in the league would certainly give San Antonio a resounding yes in answer to that question. Creating extra cap space to bring in enough real talent to return to the playoffs would also leave Clevelanders answering, "Yes, we are better after such a trade."

That's all I can ask, really.

A Moment of Weakness:

(I pretend that PATFO has suddenly lost its collective senses. You wish you'd never had the thought cross your mind.)

Spurs send Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard to Cleveland for Anderson Varejao, Luke Walton, Daniel Gibson, and Omri Casspi. Since I'm even jokingly suggesting we trade Manu on PtR, I better say something along with it, so I'm not arrested... If we made the above trade, we would be clearing about 13 million extra off the books at the end of the year, to go with the possible 6 million we clear if Blair, Splitter, and Neal don't resign. Then we go sign Josh Smith, Andrei Kirilenko, and and Paul Pierce and beat everyone in the world. At the same time. But by now you've learned to excuse my ravings in this section, right?

Tune in next week for more shocking and thought-provoking madness.

Qualification: I am well aware that PATFO shall likely never make any transaction such as I mention above, but if they do, I am entitled to months of gloating and preening over my lucky guess. Thank you for your understanding.

The Popular Vote (Pop Defeats Stern)

sambunnell — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 05:24:04 -0000

http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/2453/sterns-threat-to-sanction-spurs-a-mistake

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/david-stern-threatens-san-antonio-spurs-sitting-players-170637381--nba.html

http://www.rantsports.com/nba/2012/12/01/david-stern-should-be-stripped-of-title-banned-from-nba-for-fining-san-antonio-spurs/

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/lawrence-stern-line-high-spurs-fine-article-1.1211272

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--david-stern-stumbles-again-in-his-failed-culture-war-against-the-spurs-194828970.html

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1427607-david-stern-nba-commissioner-sending-wrong-message-by-going-after-spurs

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/11/30/david-stern-would-be-wrong-to-sanction-the-spurs-for-sitting-stars/

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/backpage/post_power_rankings_stern_misguided_A9mtpWAaGolQ3pNGi4YMVN#axzz2Dm8oXUjM

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/30/david-stern-be-careful-where-you-step-in-punishing-popovich-spurs/

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/43832/san-antonio-vs-stern-making-sense-of-the-spurs-benching-controversy

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/11/29/what-got-to-stern-this-time-it%E2%80%99s-tnt/

http://nesn.com/2012/11/david-stern-steps-far-out-of-bounds-by-threatening-to-punish-coach-gregg-popovich-for-resting-spurs-players/

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/sports/basketball/spurs-coach-gregg-popovich-makes-a-point-to-commissioners-chagrin.html

http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/2012/11/30/twitter_reaction_stern_suspension_nba_san_antonio/

http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/david_stern_is_dead_wrong_for_fining_san_antonio_spurs/12333778

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/david-stern-threatens-san-antonio-spurs-sitting-players-170637381--nba.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2012/11/30/san-antonio-roster-management-david-stern-and-asinine-bullying-by-nba/

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/01/3121523/nba-commissioner-david-stern-botches.html

Tuesday Trade Talk: Spurs and Bobcats

sambunnell — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:05:44 -0000

Bring in an athletic, defensive-minded power forward to the Spurs. Erase the national debt, end all wars, and create perfect harmony in Washington, D.C. Do these all seem about the same likelihood of happening these days? Why couldn't we just trade all our less-than-essential pieces for Josh Smith this off-season, right?

We Spurs fans are delighted to see our boys 12-3 and already making history this season. It's a harbinger of good things to come, but what if we could hasten those things along by shoring up any weakness that may exist? What if we could make a reasonable move to acquire a big man that would bring strong defense and athleticism to our front court rotation? For this cause, I write on.

In this third installment of TTT, we take a look at Charlotte's Bismack Biyombo. He is a 6'9, 245 lb. power forward who has legit defensive ability, solid rebounding skills, but a limited offensive game, having scored double digits only once this season. On the Bobcats, he's currently running second at center behind our dear former Maverick friend Brendan Haywood, with Desagana Diop sharing Biyombo's minutes. Power forward really isn't an option for him in Charlotte, because the young and improving Byron Mullens is starting, with Hakim Warrick and the heavily-invested-in Tyrus Thomas spelling him. So, despite his shot-blocking and all-around defensive prowess, the Bobcats might be open to dealing the big man from Zaire, West Africa.

The Proposal:

(I throw one out there each week. You feel free to shred it in the comments.)

Spurs send Stephen Jackson, Matt Bonner, and Cory Joseph for Bismack Biyombo, Ben Gordon, and Jeffery Taylor. Ben Gordon is Old Charlotte, if there is such a thing. He is one of the holdovers from how things used to be: throw big money at less-than-deserving talent. GM Rich Cho, one of the minds behind the Thunder's rise to prominence, would likely love to unload Gordon's 12.4 million over the next two years, especially if it meant renting Captain Jack for the remainder of the season, then wiping his 10 million off the books. The Charlotte front office might see Biyombo as expendable, and they may be open enough to such a salary clearing move to include a young and cheap talent like Jeffery Taylor. Taylor is a 23 year old Sweden-born, Vanderbilt-trained 6'7, 225 lb. rookie swingman who is signed for the next three years for under 600K. He is on a scoring streak of double figures in the last five games, which includes contests against winning teams such as Milwaukee, Atlanta, and OKC. He has been given the chance to start at SG since Gerald Henderson has been out, but with Henderson's return slated for another week or so, the Bobcats will have decisions to make about playing time, with Ben Gordon and his offensive game also in the mix. SF is a possibility for Taylor, but Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the future there. Why would the Spurs do it? They get the athletic, defensive presence they could use in the front court, while adding a 29 year old gunner in Gordon for the next couple of years and a delightfully inexpensive but high-potential swingman to run behind Kawhi Leonard.

Draft Express had this to say about Taylor coming out of Vanderbilt:

Most notably, Taylor has turned into an excellent jump shooter, knocking down an outstanding 43.2% of his 5.3 attempts per 40 minutes pace adjusted while ranking as one of the best perimeter shooters amongst small forwards in our database. To put this feat in perspective, he was making 9.1% of 0.5 attempts per 40 minutes pace adjusted just two years ago. His form has improved significantly, far quicker and more fluid than in the past. Furthermore, though he is primarily a spot-up shooter at this stage in his career, his form stays relatively consistent with or without a hand in his face.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2DRbeXMuJ
http://www.draftexpress.com

Most notably, Taylor has turned into an excellent jump shooter, knocking down an outstanding 43.2% of his 5.3 attempts per 40 minutes pace adjusted while ranking as one of the best perimeter shooters amongst small forwards in our database. To put this feat in perspective, he was making 9.1% of 0.5 attempts per 40 minutes pace adjusted just two years ago. His form has improved significantly, far quicker and more fluid than in the past. Furthermore, though he is primarily a spot-up shooter at this stage in his career, his form stays relatively consistent with or without a hand in his face.

While Taylor's offensive game remains a work in progress, he is still an outstanding defender who should be able to contribute immediately in the NBA on that end of the floor. While his reported 6'6 wingspan is unimpressive to say the least, he has excellent lateral quickness to stay in front of all but the quickest point guards and the strength to guard four positions at the collegiate level. Furthermore, and as we have written before, his fundamentals are superb across the board, giving him the chance to be a real presence on this end of the floor at the next level.

Though he will be 23 years old on draft night, Taylor is one of the few players in this draft who should be ready to contribute immediately. At 6'7 with a solid 226-pound frame, a respectable perimeter jump shot, and lockdown defensive potential; Taylor has solidified his standing as a first round draft pick this season who could rise up draft boards in June if he strings together a solid NCAA Tournament run and strong individual workouts.

As to whom the Spurs are giving up, they trade Jackson, who would undoubtedly be the biggest loss in this scenario, before he becomes a free agent (forcing them to make a decision about retaining him) while getting young and cheap at his position. They unload Bonner to a team that could actually use his regular season perimeter shooting, while adding a big who plays defense the Red Rocket can only dream about when he's wearing his David Robinson pajamas. And they also lose Cory Joseph, a young and cheap PG who likely doesn't have much future in San Antonio but could find a niche on a less-talented team.

One variation of this trade could be combo guard Nando De Colo instead of Cory Joseph, since the Bobcats already have Kemba Walker and Ramon Sessions at the point.

A Moment of Weakness:

(I pretend that PATFO has suddenly lost its collective mind. You wish that you'd never had the thought cross your mind.)

Spurs send Stephen Jackson, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter, Cory Joseph, Nando De Colo, Gary Neal, and Matt Bonner to Charlotte for Bismack Biyombo, Byron Mullins, Gerald Henderson, Hakim Warrick, Jeffery Taylor, and Ben Gordon. By now you've learned to excuse my ravings in this section, right?

Tune in next week for more shocking and thought-provoking madness.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2DRatztef
http://www.draftexpress.com

While Taylor's offensive game remains a work in progress, he is still an outstanding defender who should be able to contribute immediately in the NBA on that end of the floor. While his reported 6'6 wingspan is unimpressive to say the least, he has excellent lateral quickness to stay in front of all but the quickest point guards and the strength to guard four positions at the collegiate level. Furthermore, and as we have written before, his fundamentals are superb across the board, giving him the chance to be a real presence on this end of the floor at the next level.

Though he will be 23 years old on draft night, Taylor is one of the few players in this draft who should be ready to contribute immediately. At 6'7 with a solid 226-pound frame, a respectable perimeter jump shot, and lockdown defensive potential; Taylor has solidified his standing as a first round draft pick this season who could rise up draft boards in June if he strings together a solid NCAA Tournament run and strong individual workouts.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2DRatztef
http://www.draftexpress.com

Tuesday Trade Talk: Spurs and Magic

sambunnell — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 09:07:53 -0000

Bring in an athletic, defensive-minded power forward to the Spurs. Erase the national debt, end all wars, and create perfect harmony in Washington, D.C. Do these all seem about the same likelihood of happening these days? Why couldn't we just trade all our less-than-essential pieces for Josh Smith this off-season, right?

We Spurs fans are delighted to see our boys 6-1 and already making history this season. It's a harbinger of good things to come, but what if we could hasten those things along by shoring up any weakness that may exist? What if we could make a reasonable move to acquire a big man that would bring strong defense and athleticism to our front court rotation? For this cause, I write on.

In this second edition of TTT, we take a look at the Orlando Magic's Gustavo Ayon. The Magic need help, plain and simple. That is especially true at point guard, where the oft-injured Jameer Nelson is their only legitimate option. E'Twaun Moore sees reps there, but he is undoubtedly more of a true shooting guard. Ish Smith hasn't shown much of anything yet. In the front court, Big Baby Glen Davis and Nikola Vucevic are holding things down in Al Harrington's absence,and then they have a host of warm bodies such as Josh McRoberts, Kyle O'Quinn, Andrew Nicholson, and our subject today: the Mexico-born Gustavo Ayon.

The Proposal:

(I guess I'll go ahead and throw one out there each week. You may feel free to shred it in the comments.)

Cory Joseph for Gustavo Ayon, straight up. Joseph fits the Magic's need to go young in their rebuilding efforts, he'll likely stay cheap for awhile, and he has spent time in the Spurs' system and under the tutelage of some very skilled coaches and mentors. Joseph has plenty of natural ability, and the expectations in Orlando should be comparatively easy for him to handle. Cory won't need to start right away, but should see plenty of playing time.

Ayon, on the other hand, could fit the mold of what the Spurs may be looking for. He is a young, athletic, defensive-minded power forward. He has a knack for big plays, as seen with New Orleans in his rookie year. He can be a very productive force on the boards and on occasion can have a high point game, in the range of 12-16 points. He would probably produce statistically close to DeJuan Blair, but his length and defense could make him a more valuable asset. In New Orleans last year, Ayon averaged 6 points, 5 boards, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal, and 1 turnover in 20 minutes per game under Monty Williams. This year, his production is down a bit, but then again, he is in Orlando.

An alternative, Spurs send Nando De Colo, Matt Bonner, and DeJuan Blair to the Magic for Gustavo Ayon and JJ Redick. The team doesn't give up too much and get Ayon and a legit three-point shooter in return. The Magic dump Redick's salary while getting a PG prospect, a stretch big to replace some of JJ's 3's, and a quality (by Orlando standards) big on the cheap in Blair.

A Moment of Weakness:

Spurs send Stephen Jackson, Tiago Splitter, Cory Joseph, and Gary Neal to the Magic for Hedo Turkoglu and Glen "Big Baby" Davis. Yes, that trade was also successful on Trade Machine. I'm sorry.

Tune in next week for more shocking and thought-provoking madness.

Tuesday Trade Talk: Spurs & Bucks

sambunnell — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 07:00:25 -0000

Bring in an athletic, defensive-minded power forward to the Spurs. Erase the national debt, end all wars, and create perfect harmony in Washington, D.C. Do these all seem about the same likelihood of happening these days? Why couldn't we just trade all our less-than-essential pieces for Josh Smith this off-season, right?

Our own dear editor, the great J.R. Wilco himself, foresees a move during this season. So, he asked me to keep my bony finger as close to the pulse of the league as I can get it and report on any remotely and/or reasonably potential trade targets.

We Spurs fans are delighted to see our boys 4-0 and already making history this season. It's a harbinger of good things to come, but what if we could hasten those things along by shoring up any weakness that may exist? What if we could make a reasonable move to acquire a big man that would bring strong defense and athleticism to our front court rotation? For this cause, I write on.

First up, Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks. He is a 6'11, 235 lb. power forward. Drafted fifteenth overall in 2010 by Milwaukee, he has yet to pay real dividends on that pick. Though he led the Bucks in blocks last year and they exercised his fourth year option last month, he has been thought to be the odd man out in a front court that includes Samuel Dalembert, Ekpe Udoh, Drew Gooden, Joe Przybilla, and 2012 draft pick John Henson. Enter 2012. Through the first two games, Sanders is suddenly Super Sub. He is averaging 13.5 points, 7 boards, and 3 blocks per game while shooting .813 from the field, all in 26 minutes per game off the bench. He is bringing defensive intensity (albeit sometimes overly so, racking up 11 fouls through two games) and hyper-athletic energy off the bench to a Bucks team whose starting unit often leaves something to be desired.

His trade status, then, is up in the air. Might Milwaukee see him as a piece with upside with which they can acquire a more needed asset? Or will they see him as a possible integral part of their future and hold him? With the state of their franchise (Mike Dunleavy, Jr. is their most consistent offensive threat), I see them as possibly willing to move Sanders for the right price.

So what do the Bucks need? Their front court is fairly stocked, as mentioned above, though they could have a use for a floor-stretching redhead or an undersized blue collar type (we don't have any bigs that fit those roles, do we?). When Luc Richard Mbah a Moute returns from injury, they will be four-deep on the wing, with Ersan Ilyasova, Tobias Harris and Dunleavy holding things down. At guard, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are supposedly their backcourt of the future, but the experiment hasn't quite gone according to plan as of yet. Neither are excellent shooters, and neither seems to play particularly well with the other. I'm reminded of Sacramento's Tyreke Evans/Marcus Thornton faux pas. Behind the starters, the Bucks have former Spur Beno Udrih, who has played surprisingly well, Marquis Daniels, and rookie Doron Lamb.

Sanders is scheduled to make just under 2 million this year, then just over 7 million the next 2 years, but he is also a restricted free agent in 2014. If the Bucks don't see measured success early this season, they could be willing to take deals that are offered them just to shake things up in an attempt to appease the fan base.

The Proposal: (I guess I'll go ahead and throw one out there each week. You may feel free to shred it in the comments.)

Send Gary Neal and DeJuan Blair for Larry Sanders and a future second round draft pick. Or send Nando De Colo straight up for Sanders. Either one works on the infamous Trade Machine, and either one would be a pretty good deal for Milwaukee. De Colo is one of the top Euro imports and proved enough to join Pop's minions this year, so his worth as a true combo guard off the bench for the Bucks could be invaluable. A combo of Neal and Blair would be costly for the Spurs, but filling a need with a young player like Sanders would be worth it. Plus an eventual Milwaukee second round pick probably wouldn't be too far removed from late first round, so that would ease the pain of losing two seasoned role players.

A Moment of Weakness: Spurs send Matt Bonner, DeJuan Blair, Gary Neal, Nando De Colo, and Cory Joseph to the Bucks for Larry Sanders, Drew Gooden, and Doron Lamb. Yes, that trade was also successful on Trade Machine. I'm sorry.

Tune in next week for more shocking and thought-provoking madness.

Spurs: The Only Constant

sambunnell — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 04:58:51 -0000

4.5 points, 4 assists: Steve Nash's averages through the first two games before missing the third and fourth with injury, which were basically the same stats as those of his namesake and backup, Steve Blake. And though Kobe and (except during the Clipper game) Superman are putting up typical numbers, the Lakers suddenly find themselves staring at 1-3, having only been able to beat the perennially hapless Pistons. Can they mirror the Heat's rebound from their initial struggles to find team synergy, or was that recovery due to the South Beach presence of the otherworldly Mr. James? Could it be that this collection of aging megastars might not mesh well? Could Hollywood's rendition of the SuperTeam be destined to choke on the brittle bones of Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison, Ron Artest, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, and the other 30 year-olds populating Mike Brown's squad? Of course it is early, but things are off to a less-than-intimidating start.

Thunder Up...or down??? Oklahoma City's blockbuster move of James Harden for the oft-injured Kevin Martin+others garnered lots of attention and leaves lingering questions. Whether or not the team is able to retain their dominant form of last year, will they be better off in the foreseeable future? Will the addition of rookie Lamb and the two first-round picks next year combine to pay dividends, or will Harden become a true superstar in Rocket red, while Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook find only mediocrity in their search for a new Third Musketeer, and Thunder blues echo hauntingly across the wind-swept Oklahoma! plains? Suddenly, for OKC, the once-gleaming future is suddenly far from clear.

We come to the Spurs. The historic core of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker once again led the Spurs to an age-defying and record-setting season last year, while new (and returning) faces like Leonard, Green, Neal, Jackson, Splitter, Diaw, Bonner, and Blair all contributed at varying times and levels of effectiveness to forge a unit that has now played through near-miraculous peaks and deeply disappointing lows. What do they look like now? Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker are once again joined by Leonard, Green, Neal, Jackson, Splitter, Diaw, Bonner, and Blair, not to mention the returning Mills and Joseph and the newly acquired De Colo. Part Deux of the New Spurs? 2011-2012 all over again, only this time with more seasoned, battle-tested, and championship-starved warriors?

While the other Western Conference powers face unfamiliarity, transition, and questions only time can answer, the Spurs carry on with business as usual. It wasn't broke, and they didn't try to fix it. A 20-game winning streak collapsed into a natural, but ill-timed, slump against the young and powerful three-headed Thunder of old, but PATFO knew they had found a winning, nay, dominant combination of players to unleash on this league.

Time will tell, as always. Of course I'll qualify all of this with an acknowledgement of potential Laker glory and/or OKC greatness, but in my heart, I don't believe it. I am not merely a Spurs fan. I truly believe, as a sports fan, that San Antonio is the class of this league. With unparalleled depth, improved defense, abundant offensive weapons, grounded intangibles, and legendary coaching, these Spurs should fear no one.

Just practice, play, and win.

We're coming for you, Bears. You better beat the Frogs, or it's gonna be 3 losses in a row...

sambunnell — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 09:26:42 -0000

We're coming for you, Bears. You better beat the Frogs, or it's gonna be 3 losses in a row...

My All Time Spurs Team

sambunnell — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 23:55:32 -0000

This wasn't worthy of the front page. But, I was in a weird mood, so this happened. Scream at me, if you will.

PG: Antonio Daniels

SG: Vinny Del Negro

PF: Malik Rose

SF: Sean Elliott

C: Will Perdue

6th Man: Jaren Jackson

Why the Dwight Howard Trade Won't Work for the Lakers

sambunnell — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:44:50 -0000

Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison, and Dwight Howard... Only a few years back, that would have been a nearly impossible off-season haul, especially for a team already boasting Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Ron Artest. Unfortunately, this isn't a few years back. With the exception of Superman, the 2012 version of those players is significantly different than a few years ago, and not in a good way. And even though Dwight Howard remains the most dominant center in the game, was giving away your team's most valuable piece worth a one year rental of him? Apparently, Kupchack thinks so. Time will prove him wrong. More accurately, the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder will prove him wrong.

Read on for more bubble-bursting, purple and gold-fading, doom and gloom prophecy about the team that used to be great.

Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Devean George, Trevor Ariza, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic, Lamar Odom...these were the role players, the pieces that Phil Jackson wove together so masterfully to create his intimidating championship teams. They were all either in their primes or still developing. None of them were at the end of their careers.

However, the current Laker team has failed to learn from its championship predecessors. The best young pieces on the 2012 roster are Jordan Hill and Devin Ebanks. They have a legitimate, but rented superstar, in Dwight Howard, a still dangerous but significantly less dominant Kobe Bryant, a much slower Steve Nash, an unsuccessfully reinvented Ron Artest, a visibly declining Pau Gasol, and a softer, weaker version of Antawn Jamison fresh from the bottom-feeding Cavs.

Also, they're missing Phil Jackson. If anyone could bring a group of egotistical, established superstars together and form a highly successful and cohesive basketball team out of them, the Zen Master could have done it. Mike Brown, however, simply doesn't inspire anywhere near that kind of confidence.

All the while, the Spurs have burgeoning young assets like Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, to team with their aging Big 3. The Thunder have a roster full of young guns who are no longer inexperienced. So while the Lakers MIGHT have staked a claim to third place in the West, I don't think that's necessarily what's going to warm their hearts as they crawl into bed after a disillusioning early playoff exit. It also won't help any when Superman likely finds greener pastures after said disillusioning early playoff exit.

So, again, Lakers, congrats on grabbing the headlines. Just don't expect those headlines to be friendly in May/June 2013.

Poll

How will the new-look Lakers fare this season?

Win the NBA championship

481 votes

Lose in the NBA Finals

89 votes

Lose in the Western Conference Finals

272 votes

Lose in the first or second round of the playoffs

244 votes

Miss the playoffs

55 votes

1141 votes | Poll has closed

I Commiserate With Penn State

sambunnell — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 22:03:58 -0000

I am a Texas Longhorn fan. I think what the NCAA did to you was grievous. It was out of their jurisdiction and didn't address the crimes committed in any way. I think it was a federal matter that should have been resolved by federal courts, dealing with only the guilty parties. Why on earth is the football team, the fans, the whole university, and the city being punished? I am sorry this happened. I can't imagine how I would feel if this had happened to UT. I hope you can somehow fight your way through this and still come out the respectable and competitive team and school you have been for so long. Oh, and I hope you don't lose your kicker to us. I think he ought to stay with who signed him and dance with what brung him, to quote an old Longhorn coach, Darrell Royal.

Rumors and Reports - NBA Free Agency

sambunnell — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 03:50:39 -0000

‏@WojYahooNBA

Hornets, Suns, Wolves are nearing agreement on a 3-way deal that would send Robin Lopez to the Hornets in a sign-and-trade, sources tell Y! Along with Lopez, Suns would send Hakim Warrick to Hornets. Minny would send Wesley Johnson and a 1st round pick to the Suns, sources say.

Also...

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine

Just leaving Palau Sant Jordi and just got word Delonte West has just committed to return to Mavs next season. West has always said he wanted to be back with Mavs and I'm told he'll formally sign new deal Wednesday. Story going online as we speak

And...

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

Several league executives believe Minnesota is pursuing free agent Andrei Kirilenko. He's no longer considering Brooklyn, sources say.

The Skinny on the Other Western Conference Contenders

sambunnell — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 03:07:55 -0000

We have analyzed and re-analyzed our own dear Spurs and their superb off-season (yes, it's been every bit of superb) following their historic 2011-2012 season. We've also watched with great trepidation as other Western Conference teams have made moves aplenty, trying to shake things up just enough and find that missing ingredient that could loft them to those mystical heights where arms, caps, and confetti are in the air at the end of one's season. Now then, let's peruse a few of the Western Conference teams (to be exact, just last year's playoff teams plus the Rockets, because they're from Texas, so they sorta matter to us) that have made some splashes and see just how much (or how little) they've actually improved.

Each team broken down after the jump...

Dallas Mavericks

Out: PG Jason Kidd, SG Jason Terry, SG Kelenna Azubuike, C Ian Mahinmi, C Brendan Haywood, PF Lamar Odom

In: PG Darren Collison, SG, OJ Mayo, PF Elton Brand, SF Dahntay Jones, C Chris Kaman, PG Jared Cunningham, SF Jae Crowder, C Bernard James (R)

Top Returnees: PF Dirk Nowitzki, SF Shawn Marion, SG Vince Carter, PF Brandan Wright, PG Roddy Beaubois, SG Dominique Jones

Quick Take: Might as well begin with our sweet neighbors to the North. This team is 9-11 meaningful players deep, but that's not necessarily a good thing, because there is hardly any separation from players 4-11 on the roster, meaning none of them are very good. No longer must we regularly endure Jet Terry's anti-Spurs rants or his dagger threes. I'm just thrilled about that. Also, let us breathe a collective sigh of relief that Dwight Howard and Deron Williams shall not be extending Dirk's career in the foreseeable future. No addition they made really excites me, and I think Cuban is just delaying the inevitable by swapping out retread hired guns until Dirk is gone and they rebuild. No elite offensive threat outside Dirk, and adding Dahntay Jones isn't going to transform their team D. What will they do about Delonte West?

L. A. Clippers

Out: PG Mo Williams, SG Nick Young, PF Reggie Evans

In: SF Grant Hill, PF Lamar Odom, SG Jamal Crawford, PF Furkhan Aldemir (R), PF Ryan Hollins

Top Returnees: PF Blake Griffin, PG Chris Paul, G Chauncey Billups, C DeAndre Jordan, SF Caron Butler, PG Eric Bledsoe

Quick Take: They go 8-10 deep, and there's some pretty solid playoff contributor types in there. I don't think anyone would say that the Clips did anything but get better this offseason. They were a stout playoff contender last year and should be even more so this year with Grant Hill's D and Crawford's O adding a punch off the bench. If their D improves and everyone's healthy going into the playoffs, they could make a deep run. I think a lot depends on how Vinny of the Black proves he can operate under that kind of pressure. What will they do about Randy Foye?

Los Angeles Lakers

Out: PG Ramon Sessions

In: PG Steve Nash, F Antawn Jamison, SG Darius Johnson-Odom (R), C Robert Sacre (R)

Top Returnees: SG Kobe Bryant, C Andrew Bynum, PF Pau Gasol, SF Metta World Peace, PF Josh McRoberts, SF Devin Ebanks, PG Steve Blake, PF Jordan Hill

Quick Take: They go 7-9 deep, which is a stretch. That's the biggest problem for LA, imo. I also am one who believes the Steve Nash signing won't end up doing that much to improve this team. He's at the end of his career and can't keep up with Parker, Westbrook, Paul, or even Rubio anymore. He's a heady player, obviously, but it will be similar to Kidd in Dallas, without the team chemistry and depth the Mavs had during their championship run. Now we turn to Dwight Howard. I think it would be silly for LA to trade everything away for him, especially knowing he'll be gone in the offseason. That's why I don't think they will. I think Dwight will be in Orlando until 2013, but I've been wrong plenty of times before. Moving on, what will they do about Matt Barnes?

Oklahoma City Thunder

Out: SG Royal Ivey, C Nazr Mohammed, Probably PG Derek Fisher

In: C Hasheem Thabeet, SF Hollis Thompson (R), PF Perry Jones (R)

Top Returnees: SF Kevin Durant, PG Russell Westbrook, SG James Harden, SG Thabo Sefalosha, C Kendrick Perkins, PF Serge Ibaka, PF Nick Collison, PG Eric Maynor, SF Daequan Cook

Quick Take: They go 9-11 deep, and it will be a better deep than it was this last year, which is disturbing for the rest of us. The Thunder figured out that they're really good and didn't need to do much of anything. They signed a couple of high-potential rookies and added a dead-beat who was supposed to be good in Thabeet. If he does anything good for them, they'll feel great about it. Having a healthy Maynor for a full year could be interesting. What will they do about Derek Fisher? (Come on, I had to put somebody here)

Houston Rockets

Out: SF Chase Budinger, C Samuel Dalembert, G Kyle Lowry, PF Luis Scola, C Marcus Camby, PG Goran Dragic, SG Courtney Lee

In: PG Jeremy Lin, C Omer Asik, SF Gary Forbes, PG Shaun Livingston, PF JaJuan Johnson, G E'Twan Moore, PG Toney Douglas, C Jerome James, C Josh Harrelson, PF Jon Leuer, C Sean Williams, PF Jon Brockman, SG Jeremy Lamb (R), C Donatas Motiejunas (R), SF Royce White (R), PF Terrence Jones (R)

Top Returnees: SG Kevin Martin, SF Chandler Parsons, PF Patrick Patterson, F Marcus Morris

Quick Take: Wow. This had to be one of the oddest off-seasons in this club's history. They seemed to throw everything in the Dwight basket from the draft on and came up short, which will probably save the future of their franchise. They actually have ended up with a great draft haul and some good young players. It remains to be seen how many of these guys will stay on the roster though. Oh, and as of right now, they go about 7-8 deep, which just means that we'll see guys we don't know trying to make names for themselves. Whatever will they do with Earl Boykins (lol)?

Denver Nuggets

Out: SG Rudy Fernandez

In: PF Anthony Randolph, SG Evan Fournier (R), F Quincy Miller (R), F Izzet Turkyilmaz (R)

Top Returnees: C JaVale McGee, PG Ty Lawson, PG Andre Miller, SF Danilo Gallinari, PF Kenneth Faried, C Timofey Mozgov, SG Arron Afflalo, PF Al Harrington, SF Wilson Chandler, C Kosta Koufos, SG Corey Brewer

Quick Take: This team is deep. Like 11-12 deep. They don't have a legit franchise player and haven't since Melo left, but that hasn't seemed to set them back much from what they were when they had Melo. They paid McGee like he's a superstar, so it will be interesting to see the return on that. Either way, they remain a playoff team. What will they do with Julyan Stone? (Ok, it's just comical now)

Utah Jazz

Out: PG Devin Harris, G/F C.J. Miles, probably Raja Bell

In: PG Mo Williams, SF Marvin Williams, SG Randy Foye, SG Kevin Murphy (R)

Top Returnees: C Al Jefferson, PF Paul Millsap, SF Gordon Hayward, PF Derrick Favors, PF Jeremy Evans, PG Jamaal Tinsley, PG Earl Watson, C Enes Kanter, SG Alec Burks

Quick Take: This team goes 9-10 deep. Swapping Harris for Williams probably won't make that much difference for the Jazz. They still remain stacked down low with 4 quality, if slightly undersized, big men. Rookie Murphy could fill a need if his penchant for scoring can translate from Tennessee Tech to the NBA. What will they do with Josh Howard?

Updated: Bringing in Foye won't force them to depend on Murphy. That's a big get for the Jazz and makes them a very well-rounded team, despite their bruising but vertically-challenged bigs.

Memphis Grizzlies

Out: SG O.J. Mayo, probably PG Gilbert Arenas

In: PG Jeryd Bayless, SG Tony Wroten Jr. (R)

Top Returnees: PF Zach Randolph, C Marc Gasol, PG Mike Conley, SG Tony Allen, SF Rudy Gay, PF Darrell Arthur, C Marreese Speights, SF Quincy Pondexter, SG Josh Selby

Quick Take: The Grizz go 8-9 deep. Even with some PPG lost with Mayo's departure, they are still a solid playoff team. Allen remains one of the top 3 perimeter defenders in the league. Gay should only benefit from Mayo being gone. Re-signing Arthur was big for them, imo. What will they do about Lester Hudson?

And that does it. If somebody else wants to dish on Minnesota, New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, and Golden State, they're more than welcome to. There are interesting things to say about them all, but I'm done with this piece. Y'all talk amongst yourselves.

Where Are the Top UFA's Heading?

sambunnell — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:19:08 -0000

Just an update on some of the more prominent undrafted players that could be looking at camp invites:

PG Scott Machado--Hawks, Rockets, and several bad teams want him

PF Drew Gordon--Agreed to attend Mavericks camp

PF Kevin Jones--No word yet, but should be in high demand

PF JaMychal Green--No word yet

SG Terrell Stoglin--No word yet, teams concerned about his size and past drug problem

SF Hollis Thompson--No word yet

I'm watching for more news on these and other guys. Leave your own updates in comments.

J'Covan Brown Signs With Miami Heat

sambunnell — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:44:34 -0000

J'Covan Brown Signs With Miami Heat

Our dear departed leader went ignored on Draft Day, but he landed with the defending champs, joining former teammate Dexter Pittman. He'll play summer league for them and possibly earn a roster spot, since depth has been a real issue for them.

Your Newest Spur: Marcus Denmon

sambunnell — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 03:58:40 -0000

"With the 59th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select Marcus Denmon..." I don't really know what he said after that, because my mind had frozen. Marcus Denmon???

That undersized guard from Mizzou? As a died-in-the-wool Longhorn fan, I have been exposed to Denmon for quite some time. He seems like a slightly less controlled or disciplined Gary Neal. Why, Spurs, why? No slight on Denmon, but man, another small shooting guard? Am I wrong that Neal already has that role filled? Or might we be moving him this offseason? Draft Express has Denmon's best case scenario as another Eddie House. I'd love for that to pan out. Unfortunately, he's likely not inciting a lot of excitement from the fan base upon his entry to the club, assuming he makes the club.

Here's my real turmoil about the pick. If we wanted a center, Henry Sims of Georgetown and Robert Sacre of Gonzaga were there. Power forward? Drew Gordon of New Mexico, JaMychal Green of Alabama, and Kevin Jones of West Virginia were available. Even a reserve point guard with good potential could have been had in Scott Machado of Iona. But we wanted a shooting guard, because Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, and Gary Neal aren't enough. I know, I know, it's likely that Green or Neal or both aren't back next year. But I wish they would be.

Now that I've vented, let's remember we have the best front office in sports and take a quick look at who they think ought to be a Spur.

He is a quality shooter, and that's for real. He has legit NBA three-point range and deeper. He shot 41% from deep last year. He is an excellent free throw shooter, having shot nearly 90% his senior year with the Tigers. I do like that. He also increasingly showed ability to drive to the basket and finish acrobatically on occasion. How much he is able to do that against NBA front lines remains to be seen. However, the man averaged 18 points and 5 assists in a very good Big 12 basketball league last year, while sharing the ball with another draft prospect, Kim English.

Defensively, Denmon works hard, but his size limits what he can do against bigger guards. Under Pop's tutelage, with Marcus' existing mindset of prioritizing defense, I have little doubt we will squeeze his absolute best defensive potential out of him. One outstanding attribute is his penchant for taking care of the ball. He averaged about one turnover per game. I like that too.

Many of you will dissect Marcus Denmon's game and potential throughout the days to come, so for now, I'll summarize this by simply stating that I wouldn't have taken him, but I'm not entirely disappointed. I've learned to be occasionally frustrated by ultimately pleased by our brilliant leaders as they've constructed one of the best dynasties in history. Therefore, I believe that there's at least a good chance that this latest addition will prove to be a needed addition. Whether that means Gary Neal is on his way to other pastures or not remains to be seen. Then again, free agency and trade deadlines lie ahead. A lot remains to be seen.

Poll

Simple. Do you like the pick?

Yes, I like taking Marcus Denmon with the 59th pick

302 votes

No, I think we could have done better

293 votes

595 votes | Poll has closed