Spurs 2010 Free Agency

I would love to have Bell on the Spurs..........

Blondie wrote:I would love to have Bell on the Spurs..........

you and me both. I believe Tim and he are friends. Why doesn't Tim give him a call?

Unrestricted free agent Matt Barnes said in a radio interview that he has talked to the Magic, Heat, Lakers and Mavs this offseason.
No indication yet which team is the current front runner, but it's interesting to note that Barnes said in the interview that he and Kobe Bryant are friends despite their altercations in the Finals. Given that Kobe has reportedly reached out to another hard-nosed opponent recently in Raja Bell, we wouldn't rule out the possibility of Barnes ending up in L.A.
Rotoworld.com

All Right! Looks like we may be getting Bell!

Mike Monroe - Mike Monroe
Web Posted: 07/14/2010 12:00 CDT
The Spurs aren't done re-shaping their roster.

By week's end, Richard Jefferson likely will be back at a salary tolerable to Spurs fans and chairman Peter Holt. Raja Bell may also be a Spur, at last. Gregg Popovich would have kept him on his roster in 2000 if only he hadn't given in to others on his staff who liked Derrick Dial more.

Bell would be a huge defensive upgrade over Roger Mason Jr. and just as reliable a 3-point shooter.

Others understand Bell's value, too, even at age 33. Would a defensive stopper who once clothes-lined Kobe Bryant turn down Bryant's promise to welcome him to a team that has won the last two NBA titles?

More to the point: Can he forgive the Lakers for having spent all but $1.8 million of their mid-level salary cap exception on Steve Blake?

The Spurs, remember, have $2.365 million left from the mid-level salary cap exception.

Having already completed his major summer upgrade by adding the best big man from the European leagues, Gregg Popovich can go into the 2010-11 regular season knowing his plan to keep Tim Duncan fresh for the playoffs has a chance to be implemented, at long last. Tiago Splitter will need 40-50 games to get a sense of how Popovich's system works, but sitting Duncan for long stretches no longer carries the defensive risk of watching DeJuan Blair defending 7-footers.

The Spurs may lose a game or two waiting for Splitter's learning curve to flatten, but they shouldn't be scrambling from the back of the playoff pack again. They should be better equipped for a good start — Manu Ginobili, rested and ready; Tony Parker, healthy and motivated; Jefferson, schooled in a system that once puzzled him — and the Western Conference won't be as daunting as it was a year ago.

The Lakers still are the Lakers, even if they lose Shannon Brown. The Zen Master returns, and so do Bryant and Pau Gasol.

The migration of talent to the East, though, has shifted the power structure.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/offseason_moves_working_for_spurs_98387224.html

Bell is going to the Jazz

JMcDonald_SAEN

Word is Spurs, Lakers, Bulls after Raja Bell. James Jones considered fallback for #spurs only if Bell falls through.

I'm ok with not getting Bell, he is 6'5 and I'm tired of these 6'5 guys (Udoka, Bogans) that pop thinks he can use at the SF position.

We need legit 6'7 or taller guys

Well now that Bell is going to Utah why aren't the Spurs even talkingto Barnes?

Bell would have been a great addition in my opinion. He has some intangibles that would have been a nice thing to have on the team come playoffs. I like Barnes a WHOLE LOT more than James Jones, but not sure he's a fit here, nor believe he would come here. Who knows. James Jones = Roger Mason. Tough break.

Utah has done a nice job despite losing Boozer. Al Jefferson was a nice pick up and Bell is a valuable guy. Utah will be one of the top 3-4 teams in the Conference if they stay healthy.

ChrisMannixSI

Contrary to some reports, Richard Jefferson does not have any kind of deal in place with Spurs to return for more years at lesser salary

Chris Mannix ChrisMannixSI

I'm told Jefferson is open to returning to SA but his first priority is a long term deal at the best annual salary he can get.

I'm told Jefferson is open to returning to SA but his first priority is a long term deal at the best annual salary he can get.

Bye bye RJ. I guess he'll sign somewhere else.

I think RJ will end up signing with the Spurs in the end. I know they're looking at James Jones. He's not bad as a back-up. You could do worse. But I wish they would talk to Matt Barnes. Him and Jones are not that far apart in terms of size, stats and likely contribution. What I like about Barnes is that he has a little edge to him that the Spurs need, IMO. A la Elie, SJax and Horry.

Matt Barnes said on his twitter that he will make his "decision" on where he will take his talents to next season, tomorrow.

Right now he is probably the best available SF FA. He has stayed healthy over the last couple of years, he can guard bigger players like Dirk and quick enough to keep up with the smaller guards/forwards.

He has been known to bring some trouble to the locker room but the Spurs have brought in players like that before and everything has worked out.

One of the main reasons I wanted the Spurs to sign him was because the last couple of teams he has played for he was the starting SF, so if he came to SA he would create healthy competition for the starting SF spot with RJ (before he opted out).

Rasual Butler is the last on my list that is available, there will be strong competition from the Cavs (just missed out on Barnes), Clippers, and possibly the Celtics

Jeff McDonald JMcDonald_SAEN

Jawad Williams is in town now. Might be working out as we tweet. Will be hard for #spurs to make offer Cavs won't match, however.

With training camp scheduled to open in four weeks, the Spurs on Monday opened their practice facility gym to potential training camp invitees.

Among the first to participate in open gym workouts: Jawad Williams and Thomas Gardner.

Williams, a 6-foot-9, 218-pound forward who was on North Carolina's NCAA championship team in 2005, played the past two seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is a restricted free agent, which will allow the Cavaliers to match any contract offer the Spurs may elect to give him.

The Spurs' new vice-president of basketball operations, Danny Ferry, is well familiar with Williams, whom he signed when he was the Cavs' general manager.

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