We'll hear a lot of names thrown around this summer as part of the big free agent class of 2010. It's still unsure, though, if the Spurs will do much, considering the most they can offer is the mid-level exception, which some expect will go to Tiago Splitter.

Going into free agency, the Spurs' biggest need is a shot-blocking center that they can start aside Tim Duncan, so I've decided to highlight some of the free agent bigs available and list them by tier.

The "Keep Dreaming" List

Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudamire, David Lee.

Unless there's a sign and trade involving one of the big three or possibly rights to Splitter and a few other players, this is still very much a pipe dream.

The "Do We Really Want Him Back" List

Nazr Mohammed, Kurt Thomas, Francisco Elson, Rasho Nesterovic, Fabricio Oberto.

I thought Rasho was a bit underrated when he played for the Spurs and while Oberto was not the shot-blocking imposing center the Spurs needed, he did the small things that were missed this season. I might think about bringing Thomas back, but he is 37 and the Spurs could use some fresh legs in the post.

The "Modern Maturity" List

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace, Jermaine O'Neal, Brad Miller.

While Ben Wallace is no longer the imposing force he once was, he still gets work done on the boards and swats his fair of shots when given playing time. I can't see O'Neal taking that big a pay-cut.

The "Please Make It Happen" List

Joel Przybilla, Tyrus Thomas (restricted), Brendan Haywood, Kenyon Martin, Tyson Chandler.

Pryzbilla has been on my wish-list for a while now. He's a shot-blocking beast and with all of the bigs Portland has signed, I'd be surprised to see him stay with the Blazers. I've always been of fan of Thomas and I think he showed in the playoffs that he is more than potential. Haywood had some very good games with Dallas, but he'll likely stay there and I'm interested to see if Chandler is more than just a system player. Martin may not be a center, but he's a very good defensive player and he'll swat his share.

The Rest

Jason Collins, Shelden Williams, Jamaal Magloire, Joel Anthony, Primoz Brezec, Darko Milicic, Oleksiy Pecherov, Josh Boone, Jarron Collins, Channing Frye, Kyrylo Fesenko.

Or we could just keep Ian Mahinmi. But I think he may have a better chance of not fouling out of a game than getting re-signed by the Spurs.

With the San Antonio Spurs 2009-2010 season over and all the Tony Parker trade rumors, Tiago Splitter talk, etc., here is some great news we here at Project Spurs overlooked but deserves its proper recognition.  Our bad!

Alonzo Gee was named the 2010 NBDL Rookie of the Year.

"Austin Toros guard Alonzo Gee, who ranked in the top 10 in the NBA D-League in regular season scoring, has been selected by the League’s 16 coaches as the NBA Development League’s 2009-10 Rookie of the Year. Gee will be presented with the award by Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League . . ."

Here is what Toros' coach, Quin Snyder had to say on Gee winning this award:

“On behalf of the Toros and Spurs organizations, we are pleased and excited to have been able to share in Alonzo’s success this year. It has been a privilege to coach him,” said Quin Snyder, Toros head coach. “He has been relentless in his commitment to develop as a basketball player and most importantly, Alonzo is a great teammate. He is a young man that has had a positive impact on all of us, and we congratulate him on the award.”

Congratulations Alonzo!

This season, Gee was called-up to the Washington Wizards where he averaged 7.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 16.5 minutes.

The Spurs have a team option to pick up his final contract year which is set to pay him $762, 195.00. Gee was signed by the Spurs late in the 2009-2010 NBA season.

During the season, the San Antonio Spurs did not pick up Ian Mahinmi's final year on his contract. A move by the club which could possibly signal the end of Mahinmi's NBA career with the Spurs.

Currently, Mahinmi is a free-agent and though he would love to stay with the Spurs, he did make one thing clear -- he wants more playing time.

In an interview with the French radio station RTL-L'Equipe, Mahinmi had this to say about his future with the Spurs and the NBA.

“My decision will be only based on the playing time,” he said. “If a team offers me a consequent playing time, I will thus sign with it. If the Spurs offered me a good project, I will stay in San Antonio. I would love to stay in San Antonio.”

Mahinmi has not worked out as fans and perhaps the Spurs coaching staff would like. Though an athletic freak and still young, he has dealt with injuries which have stunted his development early in his NBA career, is a fouling machine, and more importantly, needs to work on his basketball IQ.

However, there is some hope. This past season when he did get considerable minutes he did have good games.  For example his 15 points and nine rebounds against the New Jersey Nets. But it's his inconsistent play which draws frustration with fans and perhaps the coaching staff.

Thoughts? Should Mahinmi be re-signed by the Spurs and be given a more playing time to prove his worth or have you seen enough from him to not care if he signs with another team which is willing to give him more time on the floor?

In an article by Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express News, the San Antonio Spurs were close to acquiring Vince Carter instead of Richard Jefferson.  But the deal broke down when the Spurs wanted the Nets' draft pick.

Before the Spurs recruited the Pistons to help them complete the pre-draft trade that brought Richard Jefferson to San Antonio late last June, they tried hard to pry Vince Carter away from the Nets.

Offering the same players who ultimately were included in the three-team deal for “R.J.” — Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto — the Spurs also were willing to send Roger Mason Jr. to the Nets to get Carter.

Trouble was, they also wanted the Nets' spot in the first round of the draft, 11th overall. That made the Nets balk.

Interestingly, with all the recent talk of Tiago Splitter coming or not coming to the Spurs next season, the Nets wanted Splitter's draft rights but the Spurs declined the request.

According to Eastern Conference insiders, the Nets countered with a request for the draft rights to Brazilian big man Tiago Splitter, the Spurs' top pick in the 2007 draft and a star in the Spanish League.

Convinced they would have a fighting chance to extract Splitter from Spain this summer, the Spurs turned their focus to Jefferson.

Here we are today with Jefferson for at least another season if he picks up his option to remain a Spur. Jefferson has said he might opt out of his contract and explore his options. Yeah right! No way does he pass up a guaranteed 15 million dollars contract in the hopes another team will give him similar money.

Let's not forget the Spurs also made efforts to acquire Corey Maggette to fill the void at the small-forward spot prior to Jefferson. Who knows how that would have worked out?

Click HERE to read the complete article by Mike Monroe.

Recently I had the privilege to interview NBA TV analyst and former Spur Brent Barry on "Boston and the Sports Babe" with John Karalis and Jackie Taylor.

In the interview, I asked Barry his thoughts on the Tony Parker trade rumors, Richard Jefferson's first year as a Spur and if Spurs fans and the media were too harsh on him. I also get his take on the Spurs being swept by the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, and if he is still doing those HEB commercials in San Antonio.

Of course leave it to Jackie, an avid Los Angeles Lakers fan, to remind him about being fouled by Derek Fisher in the 2008 playoffs right before my interview with him begins.

Thanks to John and Jackie for giving Project Spurs time to do this interview. For everything Boston Celtics, please go visit RedsArmy. The best blog on the internet for all things Celtics.

And now enjoy the interview Spurs fans:

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To hear the complete interview, click HERE.

With the firing of Mike Brown from the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cavs search for a new head coach will begin and it seems they would like to dip into the Spurs' coaching ranks yet again to fill the position.

According to Brian Windhorst of Cleveland.com, Spurs' assistant coach, Mike Budenholzer, is on the Cavs wish-list to take the head-coaching spot for the Cavs:

Nonetheless, the Cavs do have a list. Here's a look, according to sources, at who is on it.

If the Cavs consider a candidate without head coaching experience, figure Budenholzer to be at the top of that list. He's been with the San Antonio Spurs for the last 16 seasons and for the last three has been Gregg Popovich's lead assistant. He has a relationship with Ferry and other members of the Cavs organization.

The belief is that Budenholzer is the coach-in-waiting for when Popovich decides to give up coaching duties. The Spurs may not be willing to give him up.

This wouldn't be the first time the Cavs dip into the Spurs' assistant coaching ranks. Brown was an assistant coach for the Spurs for three seasons before leaving to Cleveland to take the head coaching spot in 2005. 

As much as losing Budenholzer would hurt, he does deserve a shot at a head coaching position in the NBA.

Swept.

Ousted in as short a time as possible, floundering in the final minutes of what would inevitably become a game four loss, with more of a chance than they deserved, the totality of the Spurs' loss was more apparent than the Suns' victory.

It was a fitting end, I told a friend and fellow Spurs fan after the game. Being swept is disappointing, infuriating even, but at this point no one should be surprised. It seems almost appropriate that the most inept season we've seen from the Spurs in recent memory should end with a resounding loss.

The totality of the Spurs' loss is apparent. No one can make excuses, no one can try and defend what happened. When the Spurs started the season slow we said it was a bad start to the season. When they were still struggling mid-season we said it was a slump. When they were still struggling late season, we set our sights on the playoffs. One first round upset sparked a flicker of hope, and ignited a memory of what was once considered a dynasty. Four games later reality didn't set it – it punched hope of another upset in the face.

The Spurs were not playing like a mediocre team, they were a mediocre team. Even Manu Ginobili admitted the same when he said "Everybody could tell it wasn't enough. That we were not ever, probably, a championship-caliber team." We were close. But we never made it to that level."

Too often people deal only in the way things should be, not the way they really are. The Spurs should be a title contending team; Richard Jefferson was supposed to fit, the big three were supposed to be healthy all season; the chemistry was supposed to click by mid-season. All of those things were supposed to happen, but they didn't.

You can argue all you want to the contrary, but the current Spurs team can't get past the second round. The Spurs should be a title contending team, but they're not, and until the organization accepts this fully, the necessary progress can't be made.

Changes need to be made. This team isn't built to win a title, and adding one or two more pieces, like in the case of the Jefferson's addition, isn't going to fix that. The team needs an overhaul from the core out. If "rebuilding" is the word you want to use, than use it, but I don't think a team should resign itself to losing for three years in the name of getting better. The Spurs can change personnel, get better, and win in one season, but it will require drastic changes.

Richard Jefferson (12.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.0 APG)

He didn't work out, and while we all acknowledge he's a good guy and a damn fine talent, it's better for everyone that he moves on this off-season. His stint with the Spurs has clearly hurt his stock as a player, and I'm sure he wants to be placed in a system where he can excel as much as the Spurs want a player who fits their schemes better. With the freed up cap space from his departure, the Spurs should pursue a suitable replacement on the wing that is more defensively oriented.

Roger Mason (6.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.7 APG)

Move him, now. He's under performing, and simultaneously developing an inflated view of himself. Despite what he might tell himself, he's a product of the system, and he's interchangeable with a number of similarly gifted players. Even if he were playing better, his attitude and desired salary wouldn't be worth the 12-15 points per game (max) he'd be getting.

Manu Ginobili (16.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.9 APG)

Trade him. I know we all rejoiced at the signing of his contract extension, but the amount of value – potentially long term – far outweighs the benefit of having Manu play between injuries for the next three years. He's 32-years-old in a body that's taken more damage than a 40-year-old. When healthy, he's a top tier talent, and therefore the trade value can still be considerable. If we knew he was going to play all the time in those three years, I'd feel differently, but he'll only end up playing in half of those games. The chance to get a high potential prospect or a high value veteran is too much to pass up.

Tony Parker (16.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 5.7 APG)

Parker had a down year last year, primarily due to injury. I'm all for keeping him around as a staple of the franchise, but if we can acquire maximum value for him a trade (top five positionally), we have the depth at PG to move him and balance out the roster. As highly as I regard Parker, there's a potential clog building at lead guard, and a deficiency in the front court. If the Spurs can get a high potential prospect, or already All-Star level front court player to start grooming as a Duncan replacement, they should absolutely capitalize. They shouldn't just be open to this idea, they should be actively shopping it.

George Hill (12.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.9 APG)

Hill has tremendous upside. I've already expressed that I think he's a flight risk to go elsewhere, make more bank, and be the starting PG full time. The only way the Spurs can keep him is to invest him. As long as you pay him, and ensure he has, at minimum, a Leandro Barbosa-type role, I can see Hill staying. Long term, however, I think you get the most out of moving Parker, and featuring Hill at lead guard. The Spurs can trade Parker, get massive value, and only take a minimal loss at the position. Hill is smart, tough, and fearless. He has all the necessary attributes to be a successful starting point guard on a winning team. The Spurs should sign him up for another two or three seasons at a decent rate, to see if he's really worth a big contract, and if he works out, give him his big payday to secure him long term.

Tim Duncan (17.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.2 APG)

Duncan is still the most important player on the Spurs, it may not be that way for the duration of his career, but for now it's still true. He'll operate in whatever capacity he's asked to, in whatever serves the team best, and for that reason more than anything he's indispensable. He can't carry a team for 82 games anymore, but with the right pieces around him he is still a suitable nucleus. He'll need more and more help in the front court as he continues to age, but for now he still anchors the paint for the Spurs. Not that they would ever consider it, but the Spurs would be crazy to move Duncan.

Gregg Popovich (50 wins and 32 losses)

Coach Pop has been the architect of the franchise, and produced four NBA championships. He has one of the highest winning percentages in pro sports. He's successfully groomed upcoming stars, drafted sleeper prospects, and phased out aging veterans, all seamlessly for the past decade. Pop is in the all time upper echelon of basketball coaches; he is on Hoop Mount Rushmore with Wooden, Auerbach, and Jackson. Even when I've questioned or criticized Pop, I've been wrong. He's proven me, and countless other writers, wrong on several occasions. There's a a part of me that's wants to question how much he still wants to be coaching; part of me wonders if his flippant attitude is starting to become indifference. Then I remember how many times he's proved me wrong. If things continue the way they did this past season, then yes, we might have to start questioning Pop as both a coach, and GM. For now, however, he's earned the right for us all to keep our mouths shut.

After a solid rookie campaign with the San Antonio Spurs, DeJuan Blair showed the NBA he can play at this level and contribute every night. So what will Blair work on to improve for next season?  According to him, everything.

Currently, Blair is hosting his basketball camp, the DeJuan Blair Basketball Camp, in Pittsburgh and reflected on his first NBA season. Here are some excerpts from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette.

Blair on his goal for the summer league:

He said his main goal during the summer league is to play power forward well enough to convince the Spurs that he can play that position full-time next season.

Blair on whether he had doubts:

"My favorite part of my first season was just making it," Blair said. "I didn't think I was going to make it at all. I went through all of that stuff, my name not being called [in the first round]. I had some doubts. I definitely had some doubts."

Blair on what areas of his game he wants to improve:

"I'm just trying to get better in all aspects of my game," Blair said. "I want to keep having fun and keep getting better." 

Personally, I would like to see Blair develop a nice mid-range jumper to his game. If he can start knocking that down, he will be a handful for defenders.

This is great to hear from Blair.  Spurs fans know they got a young, promising player in Silver and Black.

To read the complete interview click HERE.

On this episode of the Spurscast, I am joined by Mike De Leon who returns after being missing for weeks. Seems the Amber Alerts I sent out worked.

On the show we discuss all the news about Tiago Splitter. Is he coming to play for the Spurs or not? Go over the news about the Spurs talking with Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors, Mike tosses out a few names to fill the void at the center spot, and much more.

The Spurscast. The first and original Spurs podcast celebrating over 200 episodes!

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Music: "Unchained" by Van Halen

The busy summer continues as the San Antonio Spurs continue to look for new talent to add to the team.

According to Draft Express, the Spurs worked out Elliot Williams from Memphis. Williams is a 6'4" shooting guard who averaged 17.9 points, 3.8 assists, shot 45.9% from the field and 36.6% from the three-point line.

Currently, he is projected to be drafted late in the first-round which would fall right where the Spurs are picking at number 20.

However, during his workout, Williams injured his knee and is not in Chicago for the NBA Combine.

Elliot Williams is not in Chicago at all after suffering a minor knee injury this week. His coach at Memphis, Josh Pastner, told us via text that “he is OK” and that the injury is “nothing serious.” 

Williams’ agent, Thad Foucher told us that ""Elliot banged knees with another player in a workout in San Antonio and stayed in L.A. to rehab. It’s nothing too serious and he should be back in action by the end of the month."