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San Antonio Spurs '23-'24: Hoops, Hype, Hair Dye


ztejas

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I don't like KJ and I wish we'd move on from him. I don't think he impacts the modern game positively on either end of the court. 

I kind of worry that Pop is getting a little old and letting the game pass him by in certain respects. He clearly loves KJ. I think the Pop of 15 years ago would have shipped his ass already. 

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1 hour ago, ztejas said:

I don't like KJ and I wish we'd move on from him. I don't think he impacts the modern game positively on either end of the court. 

I kind of worry that Pop is getting a little old and letting the game pass him by in certain respects. He clearly loves KJ. I think the Pop of 15 years ago would have shipped his ass already. 

I like him.

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32 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Yeah I think he's a great guy. I wish him the best. I'm 90% convinced he isn't a good NBA player and that we'd be better off without him. 

This team isn’t exactly overflowing with talent and he’s in the upper tier of the roster while being on a team friendly deal.  He definitely brings some value as an energy guy who can knock down an open three with a physical presence. As long as he’s not your number one option creating offense - and he definitely had to be that for long stretches last year - then I think he can be an effective complementary piece. He’s probably my number one guy to have his game elevated in the presence of Wemby. He should get more spacing on offense for both open shots and drives, and Wemby can protect the rim behind him so he doesn’t get as exposed defensively. 

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42 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

This team isn’t exactly overflowing with talent and he’s in the upper tier of the roster while being on a team friendly deal.  He definitely brings some value as an energy guy who can knock down an open three with a physical presence. As long as he’s not your number one option creating offense - and he definitely had to be that for long stretches last year - then I think he can be an effective complementary piece. He’s probably my number one guy to have his game elevated in the presence of Wemby. He should get more spacing on offense for both open shots and drives, and Wemby can protect the rim behind him so he doesn’t get as exposed defensively. 

Meh. I don't like his build or his game for the modern NBA. He doesn't fill any significant positions of need. 

I'd love for him to develop into a great role guy I just don't see it. I think he's going to hang around benches for another 4-5 years then be out of the league.

I think we overrate him because he's gotten a lot of possessions on some bad Spurs teams. 

Hope I'm wrong doubt I am. YMMV.

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In a completely unsurprising move, vaya con dios Khem Birch. We will always have those 11 minutes that he played against the Rockets on Monday to remember him by. Can't wait for his tribute video. 

I believe this gets the roster down to 15:

  1. Keldon Johnson
  2. Doug McDermott
  3. Victor Wembanyama
  4. Devonte Graham
  5. Tre Jones
  6. Zach Collins
  7. Cedi Osman
  8. Devin Vassell
  9. Jeremy Sochan
  10. Malaki Branham
  11. Julian Champagnie
  12. Charles Bassey
  13. Blake Wesley
  14. Sandro Mamukelashvili
  15. Sidy Cissoko

Two way players: Dominick Barlow, Sir'Jabari Rice

I think they still officially have Charles Bediako, the Center from Alabama, on the roster. He might get that last two way contract or just get cut. But this is what we're rolling with this season.

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17 hours ago, Bookman said:

I don't want to get ahead of things, and I don't know what I'm talking about, but it seems to me that Wemby is going to be an extremely, extremely popular player in perhaps the near future. He's going to be must-see TV, even for the casual fan.

Is Wemby playing tonight?

Edited by Irieguy
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On 10/18/2023 at 9:41 PM, Radical Larry said:

 

 

 


 

 

 

I can see after some games it becomes apparent Johnson should come off the bench to give the bench some scoring punch and give Johnson more touches. With both Wembanyama and Vassell I'm the starting lineup I don't see many shots for Johnson. It seems a guy like Osman that isn't a volume scorer but is very good at moving the ball and doing some dirty work would fit better in the starting 5 and Johnson could get more time against bench units. 

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He's got the exact mature polished game a KD had at his age but with natural passing overall feel as well. 

Also has more hustle and will to play D than KD seemed to have at that age. 

 

Only thing makes me nervous is the way his feet go all sideways on some of those shots

Edited by BurgleBro
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13 minutes ago, Hate said:

If Pop were still alive his head would explode from watching all these horrible shots being jacked up.

That's just the no contact nature of the game now. It is hard to watch. Last year the Spurs had the worst defensive rating of all time but something like 6 of the top 10 worst ratings of all time happened last season. The team with the best defensive rating in the league last year would have been second to last in 2014. 

But that benefits Wembanyama. 

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9 hours ago, BurgleBro said:

He's got the exact mature polished game a KD had at his age but with natural passing overall feel as well. 

Also has more hustle and will to play D than KD seemed to have at that age. 

He isn't nearly as aggressive going to the rack as KD was. I wish he'd settle less for jumpers and jack less 3s but it may help his long-term durability to stay out of the paint a little bit. He'll figure that stuff out as he gets older.

He also seems to have stamina issues that Durant never had. Not sure if that's his size or what. I'm hoping he can get in better shape and it isn't something that's prohibitive due to his frame.

But - yes - his offensive game reminds me a lot of KD - and actually more like a more polished KD and not a 19 year old KD. And he's fucking 7'4". It's so easy for him to score around the hoop when he's down there and he can get his shot off whenever he wants. 

The play on the break where he waited for the trailer was hysterical. He's like "I'm dunking this, the fuck are you gonna do about it?"

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1 hour ago, ztejas said:

He isn't nearly as aggressive going to the rack as KD was. I wish he'd settle less for jumpers and jack less 3s but it may help his long-term durability to stay out of the paint a little bit. He'll figure that stuff out as he gets older.

He also seems to have stamina issues that Durant never had. Not sure if that's his size or what. I'm hoping he can get in better shape and it isn't something that's prohibitive due to his frame.

But - yes - his offensive game reminds me a lot of KD - and actually more like a more polished KD and not a 19 year old KD. And he's fucking 7'4". It's so easy for him to score around the hoop when he's down there and he can get his shot off whenever he wants. 

The play on the break where he waited for the trailer was hysterical. He's like "I'm dunking this, the fuck are you gonna do about it?"

Credit pro Euro Ball for developing his overall game IQ and awareness as well

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I’m trying to not be a homer about this dude 3 fucking preseason games in. I’m really, really, really trying. And I apologize for the hyperbole and idiotic hot take, but if he can stay healthy, he has a better than decent chance be the best player in the history of basketball.

This cat is 19 years old. What the fuck are you going to do with him when he’s a grown ass man?

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I don't know what to think. Does he look this good because it's the preseason and everyone is half-assing it? The Spurs are "supposed" to be terrible, they don't look terrible. He is a human cheat-code on defense. Seriously! How the fuck do you attack this guy? I'm with Mitch in that homerism starts to creep in, but HOW THE FUCK DO YOU ATTACK THIS GUY? The obvious answer is, you get into his body and be psychical with him, but the Spurs are not allowing him to bang down low. That's Zach's job. He's the help defense, and he is staying with guards and forwards of all levels of skill on the perimeter. What he did to Andrew Wiggins last night is illegal in  22 states. You say that this team was the absolute worst defensive team in NBA history last season? Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. I don't think that's going to be the case this season. Fucking appointment television, boys. Hop in, water is warm. LETS FUCKING GO. Fuck the Mavs, this season can't start soon enough. I'm drinking the goddamn Kool-Aid. 

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26 minutes ago, Kermit said:

I don't know what to think. Does he look this good because it's the preseason and everyone is half-assing it? The Spurs are "supposed" to be terrible, they don't look terrible. He is a human cheat-code on defense. Seriously! How the fuck do you attack this guy? I'm with Mitch in that homerism starts to creep in, but HOW THE FUCK DO YOU ATTACK THIS GUY? The obvious answer is, you get into his body and be psychical with him, but the Spurs are not allowing him to bang down low. That's Zach's job. He's the help defense, and he is staying with guards and forwards of all levels of skill on the perimeter. What he did to Andrew Wiggins last night is illegal in  22 states. You say that this team was the absolute worst defensive team in NBA history last season? Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. I don't think that's going to be the case this season. Fucking appointment television, boys. Hop in, water is warm. LETS FUCKING GO. Fuck the Mavs, this season can't start soon enough. I'm drinking the goddamn Kool-Aid. 

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I've only seen a few preseason highlights because I'm a Rangers fan and therefore a masochist.

But the Spurs are my hometown team and first sports love and those highlights are uncut basketball heroin.

Along with the Mavs I'd throw in the Lakers. My begrudging respect for LeBron doesn't nearly erase the mid 2000s and all their bitchassedness. But really fuck all the usual suspects.

Assuming the upcoming picks they get shake out well the Spurs are primed for another 15 year run, or more.

It'll be interesting to watch the management/coaching transition but I'm 100% sure the Spurs already have plans a, b and c in place.

In Spurs Culture and Wemby we trust.

Edited by gofuckyourself
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His timing really couldn’t have been better. If he were born 15 years earlier he’d have struggled to find a spot where he could have any chance of surviving a season, much less thriving. But for today’s game? He’s basically the player every kid creates when they find that option in NBA2K. He just shouldn’t be able to do all those things at that size.

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1 hour ago, Kermit said:

Also, there’s Jeremy who is so not a point guard, but whatever.

Pre-season don't mean shit and small sample size but...

Trying to talk myself into this... do you really need a point guard any more? Just about anyone can bring the ball up the court these days. Just about anybody can initiate offense off the dribble into a pick and roll. We even saw Tre Jones set a pick for Wemby the other night. And on defense, everybody is switching so you might as well get as many mid-size guys as you can on the floor who can guard multiple positions. In this pace and space era where everybody can move and shoot from the perimeter, maybe the true point guard is a dinosaur? Now watch them go commit about 25 turnovers per night.

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32 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Pre-season don't mean shit and small sample size but...

Trying to talk myself into this... do you really need a point guard any more? Just about anyone can bring the ball up the court these days. Just about anybody can initiate offense off the dribble into a pick and roll. We even saw Tre Jones set a pick for Wemby the other night. And on defense, everybody is switching so you might as well get as many mid-size guys as you can on the floor who can guard multiple positions. In this pace and space era where everybody can move and shoot from the perimeter, maybe the true point guard is a dinosaur? Now watch them go commit about 25 turnovers per night.

I Didnt Know That No Idea GIF by BuzzFeed
 

Fuck it. Let’s roll with the all arms quintet.

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2 hours ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Pre-season don't mean shit and small sample size but...

Trying to talk myself into this... do you really need a point guard any more? Just about anyone can bring the ball up the court these days. Just about anybody can initiate offense off the dribble into a pick and roll. We even saw Tre Jones set a pick for Wemby the other night. And on defense, everybody is switching so you might as well get as many mid-size guys as you can on the floor who can guard multiple positions. In this pace and space era where everybody can move and shoot from the perimeter, maybe the true point guard is a dinosaur? Now watch them go commit about 25 turnovers per night.

Yeah. I thought Sochan didnt look great or anything but did the job fine. And the defense with that starting unit was noticably pretty awesome. There will be plenty of playmaking on the floor.

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21 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Apparently the Mavs left scouting reports under their player's hotel room doors and didn't push them in all the way. Somebody found it, took pictures and posted it on Reddit.

 

I know Leach is gone now, but watch out for the "fake scouting report" left in plain view trick.

 

Except no one in the Mavericks organization is that clever.

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