Maybe the overlooked keystone to constructing a Spurs-like roster is

[sturt]

...finding guys who ought to command a max or nearly-max salary, and yet, at negotiating time, don't demand it... and actually will take less money to play with each other.

 

You think?

Edited June 27, 2014 by sturt

[bird_dirt]

what are you, a socialist?  that's just unamerican.  i guess that's why the spurs draft all them forgieners, cause they don't know any different.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

LOL ... like Sam Mitchell says on NBA Radio ... it's not good when the best players in the league start taking pay cuts.

[Admin]

LOL ... like Sam Mitchell says on NBA Radio ... it's not good when the best players in the league start taking pay cuts.

Sam Mitchell is an idiot. Why anyone would listen to him rather than simply look at the example set forth by the Spurs is beyond me.

Far too long these decent players have gotten grossly overpaid and teams suffered because of it. Now contract amounts and their lengths are much more accurate and you're seeing deeper teams being built because of it.

[AHF]

This applies to both the Heat and the Spurs but more so the Spurs.

I think this goes back to that dreaded superstar issue. Having a stud for less than market value is a big deal.

[Diesel]

...finding guys who ought to command a max or nearly-max salary, and yet, at negotiating time, don't demand it... and actually will take less money to play with each other.

 

You think?

 

 

Nah.. I say Duncan.

[benhillboy]

Sam Mitchell is an idiot. Why anyone would listen to him rather than simply look at the example set forth by the Spurs is beyond me.

I really enjoy listening to Sam. He's one of the most candid guys you'll hear regularly in the NBA.

If I were a max guy who drove attendance, I wouldn't even entertain taking a penny less than that. On the flip, if I were a GM, I wouldn't entertain anybody asking for over 15 per, regarless if I have Milwaukee or NYs payroll.

The Spurs clearly scout personality and character first. Guys with a solid upbringing and of considersble intelligence simply don't need or desire excessive riches or attention. Nothing against the guys that do, just saying. It's the military philosophy Pop brings: recruit totally subservient and disciplined guys to mold and shape to your liking. That's simply impossible with a star's mentality who has the GM by the throat making 4 times as much as the coach.

[Gray Mule]

Question:

 

Did they or did they not agree to play for less than the best offers that were

available to become part of the Miami Heat championship team?

 

This is the type players that finding winning it all is more important than

making all the $$$ you can.

[NJHAWK]

Question:

 

Did they or did they not agree to play for less than the best offers that were

available to become part of the Miami Heat championship team?

 

This is the type players that finding winning it all is more important than

making all the $$$ you can.

They took a little less. Remember Bosh and Lebron wound up being sign and trades so the paycut wasnt that much. Nothing even close to the cuts the Spurs take. Tim Duncun making 10 mil a year, think about that for a second.

Edited June 28, 2014 by NJHAWK

[Guest]

They took a little less. Remember Bosh and Lebron wound up being sign and trades so the paycut wasnt that much. Nothing even close to the cuts the Spurs take. Tim Duncun making 10 mil a year, think about that for a second.

Tim Duncan's age 38 is also a factor in his salary amout compared to LBJ (29).

But even when TD was in his prime and a free agent (being courted hard by Orl to team up with Grant Hill) he took less. I remember the story that Pop and RC presented TD with two contracts: a max deal and a less than max deal with corresponding info about what they'll be able to do about surrounding him with players depending on which contract he took. He took the less than max deal then and has been doing it ever since.

[Randy]

It all goes back to getting Tim Duncan in the first place.  Part of the "problem' is that contracts are so long.  When free agency starts you have a handful of top tier players at most to pick from.  If every player was on a one year deal (even if only after their rookie contracts ended) players would not get paid nearly as much.  It like water - its worth a lot more in the desert than in the ocean.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Randy

[Guest]

I'm not sure that anyone on the Spurs is paid less than their market value, unless you are a nutjob team like the Pelicans and just throw money at any and everything.

 

But to entertain the thought that the Spurs players are taking less money, I find it infuriating that people (not anyone here as far as I can tell) want to cry that as collusion. The way I've seen it is they look at Miami and hear people call it collusion for taking less money (that isn't collusion) then quickly throw it over to the Spurs:

 

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Uhhh, no. Sorry but you missed the boat on this. Collusion is when two or more parties (here they need to be both sellers or buyers, this is not between buyers-sellers) collectively act as one unit. A cartel is collusion, the Teams of the NBA collude, the NCAA colludes, etc. The reason why Miami and the Big 3 is seen as collusion is because all 3 players acted as one. Taking less money is secondary to the idea of collusion.

 

I'm not seeing where Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, etc. said they would only play with those individuals. Hell, those three players have never been free agents at the same time. Parker signed his last contract in 2011, Duncan in 2012, and Manu in 2013. How can they act as one if they aren't even free agents at the same time?

 

It's not really a narrative, it is that some people do not understand concepts.