.png&w=244&h=193&zc=1 "By the numbers: A quick look at the Grizzlies")
Nuggets' Nene is a free agent
Well this is interesting.
Denver Nuggets center Nene has opted out of his contract, passing up nearly $12 million to become an unrestricted free agent.
Denver did try to sign him before today but Nene stuck to his guns and is free to sign with any NBA team. So with the San Antonio Spurs desperately needing a big man, could the Spurs target him?
The 6'11" Nene posted 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds, shot 61.5% from the field, and 71.1% from the free-throw this past season and is exactly what the Spurs need. But with the Spurs and their salary cap issues, there is no way they can sign him out right.
The Spurs would have to do a sign and trade to bring the big man from Brazil to San Antonio but that would mean giving up either Tony Parker, packaging a deal some of the Spurs younger players, or convincing Denver to take Richard Jefferson and his ungodly contract. However, Denver does have Ty Lawson on board at point and Parker would be an upgrade which could prove attractive for Denver. But will Denver send a conference rival a high-caliber player like Nene?
Making issues a bit more tenuous for San Antonio is the fact Tim Duncan exercised his ETO for $21 million which severely hurts the Spurs' financial flexibility to get a player like Nene who will be looking for a long-term deal and a pay day.
In the end, I'm sure the Spurs will do their due diligence and see if anything can be done to add Nene but it will be a bit tough.
What do you have to say Spurs fans?
We can't give up Parker as he is our only true point guard who thoroughly understands the Spurs offensive system. Remember, we just got rid of the other point who understood our system second best. Can't take a one-two punch like that at any position. Besides, he is the engine of our offense. It is his speed and penetrating ability that gets all of our shooters their shots. I was really hoping that Tim would opt out of his contract and do a David Robinson by signing a new contract for arount 10M a year X 3. This would have given us just enough to go get a guy like Nene. Unfortunately, I don't see the Spurs making any more very significant moves in free agency due to financial constraints. Maybe a second or third tier free agent who isn't too expensive. However, I think our preparedness for the upcoming season is vastly underrated. We should have Tiago fairly well integrated into the team next year, and I think that Ryan Richards will be joining the team next year as well. That will give us two more servicable, if not viable threats, big men than we really had at our disposal last year as Tiago missed training camp and the early season due to injury. I also hope that the verly long and freakishly athletic former draft pick James Gist will come to training camp again, if there is one, and finally make the squad. He probably would of last year if he hadn't hurt his wrist. He's also a very high motor player and seems like a very good person as well. Unless someone like Nene falls in our lap through some very fortunate circumstance, our young guys are likely goint to have to step-up and shoulder a fair amount of the load as, with McDyess gone, there will be many minutes to be allocated.
I can't see giving up another point guard,we need TP Hill would have been a good starting point guard but he's gone don't feel Lawson could be that guy. What about Bonner and some other player's or future draft picks they could make it happen without losing TP it's the NBA anything is possible.
nene turned down 12 mil, the spurs are officially out of the running without a sign and trade, but who do you trade to get him? can the spurs win it all with nene and lawson coming over for parker and say blair? tim took less money last time, we could not expect him to do it again but he knows as well as we do that it would have been nice to have the cash. i think the lockout is the reason he didnt opt out, and i honestly believe had the labor talks been completed 3 months ago we would be talking about a very real possibility of signing nene because duncan surely would have opted out. IMO nene is a pipe dream as of now.
The free agents available in the summer of 2012 are so much better than 2011. That 21.2 mil will be a gigantic number coming off the books next year.
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i understand that tim duncan has earned every penny of that contract, but i would think that if he really wanted to win another championship before he's gone, he would of took less this year and brought in a nice fee agent to the team.
Lets see what the CBA looks like. If they consider paying what is now luxury tax the 1st yr, TD would likely be resign for less than half or what he now makes. 1 lux. yr and whatever max is for 3-4 yrs could work. If Spurs have mid level and money for McDyess retiring, they could only be over may 2 mil. He has Tiago to hang with and likely others like Manu who is great non English speaking guys. Maybe it isn't about the money. Hope,,,,,,,
