Looks like the Spurs are getting Udoka

[tlongII]

http://mikebarrettsblog.blogspot.com...courtside.html

About 9 million over 3 years. He's a great guy and deserves the money. The Blazers won't want to spend that much to keep him as he is older than their core players. He's a great pickup for the Spurs though!

[Marcus Bryant]

Thank God.

[timvp]

Nice.

[L.I.T]

Ok, I hope this turns official.

[picnroll]

Nahhh. Holt will never spend that money. - Marcus Bryant

[Solid D]

Thanks, tlong. Good times.

[Marcus Bryant]

MB's ass smells good. - picnroll

[Budkin]

Maybe there was something else to the bull trade we just made then. I don't know much about this guy. How do people here feel about him?

[MoSpur]

Good. They must not have that much trust in Marcus Williams and James White. I'm glad to hear this. I would have liked Outlaw better, but this is nice.

[Kori Ellis]

Last year the Spurs thought about this guy and chose Melvin Sanders over him. This year, they are paying him $9M.

"Ime Udoka received a workout and a hard look from the Spurs before they decided to go with Melvin Sanders."

[El_Mago]

I know TIMVP and I have been supporting this move.

I firmly believed the Spurs would stand pat and not sign any huge free agent, but if they did, I figured it would of been Udoka.

Spurs tend to sign players on the cheap, under the radar, and hope they blossom.

Should be a good move.

[Marcus Bryant]

Maybe there was something else to the bull trade we just made then. I don't know much about this guy. How do people here feel about him?

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73697

[Dingle Barry]

I've never even heard of this guy.

[timvp]

3-years, $9M is a nice contract for Udoka. For a guy who started most games last year who fits almost exactly where Bowen fits on the court, it's a great move.

He was my first option this summer as far as players who could be had for a reasonable contract.

[objective]

nothing like a 6'5" guy to add to the roster.

War Udoka!

[MoSpur]

What about Blake as a backup?

[tlongII]

Maybe there was something else to the bull trade we just made then. I don't know much about this guy. How do people here feel about him?

He plays great defense and he can nail the corner three. Perfect replacement for Bowen when he hangs it up.

[timvp]

As far as unrestricted free agents, the two I like most for the Spurs are James Posey and Ime Udoka. Posey for a starting salary at around $3M would be nice. However, he probably gets more.

Udoka would be an absolutely perfect Bowen replacement ... except for the fact that he's 6-foot-5. Udoka can defend, rebound a little bit, decent pass, doesn't turn the ball over and is a +40% three point shooter. He's had the same type of career that Bowen had before joining the Spurs and he's the same age that Bowen was when the Spurs signed him.

Portland has said they want him back but after they drafted like 38 players, I'm not sure they have the room. If the Spurs could get him for a couple million, he'd be a pretty decent signing. His only drawback is his height, but if he were 6-foot-7 he'd cost two or three times as much.

Another thing about Udoka is he shoots most of his shots from the corner threes just like Bowen ... and Udoka hit those shots at a 42% clip this past season.

[Solid D]

3-years, $9M is a nice contract for Udoka. For a guy who started most games last year who fits almost exactly where Bowen fits on the court, it's a great move.

He was my first option this summer as far as players who could be had for a reasonable contract.

True and it's the only thing that flagged at making sense out of the dumping of Butler and Scola...per our discussions on this last night.

[Kori Ellis]

He's a good defender and has long arms for his height. But he's about 6'5, I think. He's not the coveted "long 3" but he'd be a good younger swing player in the mix.

[Dingle Barry]

I'd be really excited about this guy if he weren't already 30 years old

[Marcus Bryant]

Ime goes to San Antonio to learn the art under the Master.

[timvp]

Although the Spurs still need a long three, I think the search for a replacement of what Bowen does ends if the Spurs sign Udoka. Of course Bowen is a legendary defender and it'd be a joke to compare Udoka's D to Bowen's, but this is the only player I saw available this summer who could become the next Bowen and not cost $20M+.

[EVAY]

Let's hope the deal is not final. Let's hope that Portland requires $3mil. AND BENO. Now THAT would be a good off-season move. I can't believe we're gonna hang on to Beno, no matter WHAT he has promised the FO. He has made lots of promises (like a signing a contract that requires him to play basketball whenever asked to) before and never made good on them. This is a guy who simply doesn't seem to want to pay attention to what he is doing when he is put into a game.

[tlongII]

I'd be really excited about this guy if he weren't already 30 years old

I think the Spurs are concentrating on winning a couple more les NOW. Not the future. That's what I would do if I were them as well.