Nice calves.
Dude, where’s your pogo-sticking vampire squid?
The Spurs are interested in making a free-agency splash.
Those are all things you don’t hear everyday. Lucky for you, today is not everyday.
No, you don’t have nice calves. Get over it. And if you have a pogo-sticking vampire squid, hit me up on Twitter or something. We need to do lunch. But the Spurs are why we’re really here. According to the New York Daily News’ Frank Isola, they’re planning to make a play for the Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol in free agency:
Phil Jackson has made a career out of taking pot shots at the San Antonio Spurs so even if the Knicks president doesn’t respect Greg Popovich’s club he should fear them.
The Knicks’ main free-agent target, Marc Gasol, is also being targeted as a possible replacement to Tim Duncan assuming Ol’ Man Riverwalk retires this summer. The Knicks will be players for the Memphis center mainly because of the first three rules of real estate — location, location, location — and because Gasol is familiar with both Jackson and Derek Fisher since older brother Pau spent the best years of his career with the Lakers.
Otherwise, staying in Memphis will be appealing to Gasol, whose team is a legitimate championship contender. The Grizzlies can offer Gasol the most money, and he has grown to love the city, having lived there since high school when Pau broke in with the Grizzlies.
Well, then.
This is definitely out of character for the Spurs if true—and it’s probably true. Tim Duncan hasn’t come and out said he plans on retiring, but the dude is 89, he’s going to walk away sometime soon. The Spurs would do well to replace him with someone like Gasol, who is an equally talented passer, post player, scorer, shooter and defender. No, he’s not Tim Duncan. But if you’re going to lose Tim Duncan, he’s on the short list of awesome replacements.
In fact, even if Duncan isn’t planning on walking away, the Spurs should make a play for Gasol. He and Duncan can most definitely play together, and his presence would limit the number of minutes Duncan needs to play even further.
The Spurs are also going to have cap space. They didn’t sign Kawhi Leonard to an extension in order to maintain maximum financial flexibility. Both Duncan’s and Manu Ginobili’s deals are coming off the books as well. Even Danny Green’s contract will be wiped from the ledger. If the Spurs find a taker for Tiago Splitter via trade—totally possible–they’ll be even more flush. Neither Duncan nor Ginobili is one to rule out pay cuts either.
Imagine both of them returning for a last hurrah beside Tony Parker, Gregg Popoivch, Leonard, Gasol and whomever else the Spurs freaking please. That’s quite the team.
Quite obviously, we don’t know if Gasol would be interested. His brother, Pau, considered the Spurs before signing with the Bulls. But this is different. If the Grizzlies don’t win a title, he’ll have to give serious thought to leaving. And the Spurs will have to give serious thought to rebuilding from the outside. The draft has been kind to them, but there isn’t another Hall of Fame big man in their future unless they start taking.
They have the means, the hardware and, hopefully at this point, the clout. If they’re really interested in Gasol, then his other suitors—specifically the Grizzlies and Knicks—best beware.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
