I absolutely loathe tanking for a pick. I do appreciate a good roster reset, and I understand how life would change drastically for the better with Victor Wembanyama. Of course, it is such a long shot that you might as well think that skipping the mortgage payment for a couple-thousand Powerball tickets is a smart play. The thinking — at least the publicly-stated version — is that the Spurs are resetting under the young movement and it is about developing young guys. I can by that. I know it is about resetting for youth and talent after a couple of lukewarm seasons of lower-tier playoffs. It makes some sense.
The Spurs organization, whatever criticism you want to level at them, has had to do things differently for so long that doing things normally looks a little strange. The fact remains that on the business-side, fewer San Antonians were interested in Dejounte Murray-as-face-of-the-franchise. I would have preferred a trade for a Gobert, or a Collins or something. I like competing. I do not like punting on a season.
Still, I also know I do not have all of the information. The Spurs saw Dejoute Murray every day and like him but also are in the business of basketball scouting. They knew best whether DJ had peaked, and if the time spent on giving him the ball could have better returns if given to KJ/Sochan/Primo/Vassell.
The Spurs knew that Antonio Daniels wasn’t the guy and gave the reigns to Tony Parker. That worked out. They traded George Hill for the rights to Kawhi. Worked. They benched Captain Jack for Leonard. Also a positive. They know what is what for the most part.
They drafted Primo and the league’s know-it-all blogger class gave them a B-. He is showing a lot of nice things. Murray is good, and would be a great part of a more competitive Spurs squad, but at present he is taking development time away from a potential better PG, and scoring opportunities from Keldon, and Vassell. I could always see the vision, but I hoped we wouldn’t have to endure this terrible season.
As I type this, the Spurs are getting mollywopped by the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornet vets are having their way vs the rookies, and young guys. It is going to be a struggle-season now that Doug McDermott is the go-to scorer. I will say that the throw-back jerseys are sweet. I’ve been ready for the Gervin-era threads since throw-backs were a bigger deal. I mean, I am old enough that the current throwbacks (to like, the 90s Pistons) are looks that I remember debuting. So it goes.
Notes as I wait for Manu’s halftime ceremony:
Josh Richardson is playing his way to a mid-season trade to a contender.
Primo tweaked an ankle at the end of the half.
Hornets broadcast called David Robinson “the greatest left-hander in NBA history”. Then I realized that three of the retired Spurs jerseys are lefties: David, Manu, Avery.
Halftime ceremony was a little anti-climactic, as it was a rehash of the HOF ceremony and Manu had nothing else to add to the proceedings. He sort of acknowledged that by saying “I thought last time was the last time!”
Broken up running diary of the third quarter:
Spurs look motivated to start the second half, perhaps emboldened by the montage. Really it is probably because they are too young to be jaded at the normal NBA cadence.
The Hornets reassert dominance.
Vassell misses a transition three, and the Spurs are 6-23 from distance. CLT hits one on the other end. All sports at their worst can devolve into predictable patterns. The modern NBA dynamic of guys trading 23-foot shots is an ugly pattern. No less ugly than the 90s-era watching a guy dribble for ten seconds and take a fadeaway.
Spurs end the third allowing a 13-0 run to end the period. This is a non-good team.
It is the fourth quarter. intermission and NBA League Pass shows you the on-court entertainment. I remain a hater of the guys that do this. I saw one of them eating at the Palm one night before a show at the Majestic. I do not wish bad on him personally, but only professionally.
Fourth quarter:
The crowd on hand looks mighty thin. I think everyone was there for Manu and then bounced after.
Keldon Johnson drove into traffic and lost the ball. Charlotte gets a shot from the corner on the other end with only Tre Jones running at the shooter, with little real hope of making him miss. Pop gives Keldon a little coaching, while the broadcast talks about him becoming a better passer. This is the value the Spurs are hopefully getting. Johnson, for his own career prospects, needs to develop as a playmaker. The Spurs, Victor or no, will need Keldon to be a better teammate on the court for whatever version of the Spurs they have in the future.
Johnson and Vassell missed two threes badly on the same possession.
The Spurs put in the deep part of the bench in Dieng, Toby, and Langford.
Dieng airs a three after Langford gets a bucket. The spurs are down 115-84 at this point.
Here’s a thing that has been bothering me: the over valuation of the future at the expense of the present. It is something like an overcorrection. Whereas lots of teams would mortgage the future for cheap now investments with little idea for planning, the modern obsession with stocking draft picks seems bleak.
I want to watch the best team that can be assembled while balancing the future and present. Give me two solid vets, and two high-potential rookies, and a mix of the rest. Can’t you get the best of both worlds then? I can see making room for Vassell by letting Derrick White and Lonnie Walker go, but Murray seemingly enjoyed being a Spur —- well at least until he blew up at the org on instagram later.
I remember (I was a kid) watching the Spurs trudge through the 1996 season. It was awful. It worked out well, but the Spurs could have very well ended with Ron Mercer.
The Spurs are down 122-88 with 4:20 left. They are done, and so are we. Happy opening night!