Friday, June 25th, 2010...9:32 am
On the R.C. Buford rumor
Plenty of discussion to come regarding James Anderson and Ryan Richards, but we would be remiss not to address reports that R.C. Buford is a target in Paul Allen’s search to replace Kevin Pritchard.
We should start with what this isn’t.
If Buford is a target, or, as a friend pointed out, even if he’s been contacted by Allen’s headhunter, this is an entirely different thing than having interviewed for the position. The current reports deal in potentiality, not actuality. R.C. Buford’s only statement regarding the Blazers search for a new GM sends a clear signal that his interest in the Blazers job, if there is any, is trumped by his desire to extend professional courtesy to Kevin Pritchard.
“Kevin still has a job, and I don’t think people should interfere,” Buford said Wednesday.
Reading between the lines, it’s doubtful that Buford has had a formal interview with Portland.
Nevertheless, it’s not a great secret that R.C. Buford is one of the best GMs in the NBA. He’s a major force behind the best run team in sports. It’s hard to imagine a better candidate for the Blazers GM position than R.C. Buford. Interestingly, former Spurs front-office personnel Sam Presti and Danny Ferry are rumored to be in the mix, as well.
If I’m R.C. Buford, I’m very curious to hear Paul Allen’s offer. The Blazers will spend to win, and have one of the best young rosters in the NBA. San Antonio is one kind of basketball paradise, and Portland another. If the Blazers make a formal pitch to Buford, it’s like selling a citizen of Nassau on the beauty of Barbados. If a beach is a beach, Paul Allen’s strategy might simply mean offering Buford a bigger house.
From a Spurs fan perspective, these rumors introduce a surprising layer of anxiety to the offseason. Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey is a lead candidate for the Suns’ vacant GM position. And although Gregg Popovich is the President of Basketball Operations, he’s long since left the grind of front office work in the capable hands of Buford.
In an unexpected offseason twist, the Spurs’ lauded front office could turnover this summer. It’s premature to speculate whether the Spurs would lean more heavily on Popovich, turn to a current assistant such as Dell Demps (Mike Budenholzer?) or look to hire from without. Probably something else entirely. But the revolving door will have gone full-circle if Danny Ferry, Steve Kerr or Kevin Pritchard were suddenly in the conversation to replace Buford and/or Lindsey.
We’ll have entered a new era of Spurs basketball-one not ushered into existence by the retirement of Tim Duncan-if Buford takes another job. He’s at the center of all that the San Antonio Spurs do well.
47 Comments
June 25th, 2010 at 9:44 am
As Peter Holt is unfortunately one the “poorest” owners in the league, I figure RC salary isn’t the richest around.
So what if Allen doubles it?
Scary prospect, but hey, we could swap GMs and hire Pritchard back…
June 25th, 2010 at 9:47 am
The Big Three in San Antonio are really Duncan, Pop and Buford. He would be very tough to replace.
June 25th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Keep in mind, though, that Pritchard is part of the Spurs family. The fact that RC won’t even talk to them until they actually fire Pritchard is evidence of that.
Given how they’ve treated KP so abysmally after all he’s done to turn that team around, I doubt that RC is going to be really eager to sign up for that kind of treatment.
June 25th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Very true, but for all we know Pritchard may have bonked Allen’s teenage daughter…
As much as the whole saga make the Blazers look bad, you have to wonder what was the cause really.
June 25th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Partially off topic: not sure if anyone has posted this already, but in this NBA.com video they talk quite a lot about Anderson.
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/draft/2010/06/25/20100624_review_picks16_20.nba/
If Anderson is worth half what Granger is, we all need to contribute to Buford’s salary next year.
June 25th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Francesco - what makes you think he was RC’s pick?
June 25th, 2010 at 11:03 am
@Alger Hiss
Pop is the coach.
Buford does the scouting.
Come draft time Buford presents to Pop a series of possible prospect, making a case for each.
Pop then decides who to pick, but he does so based on Buford’ work.
June 25th, 2010 at 11:56 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andrew A. McNeill, Timothy Varner. Timothy Varner said: Quick take on Buford rumor http://bit.ly/9qq2en [...]
June 25th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
If Hairston wants to get playing time he is going to have to shoot the 3 ball better.
Re: Parker’s longevity. Kevin Johnson, who TP’s game is most compared to, broke down at age 31.
Parker will turn 31 the 2nd year of his new contract. Something to consider.
June 25th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
3 pt shooting, or lack thereof, is a huge concern for the Spurs next season.
We have four (five if you count Temple) 3 pt shooter currently on the roster. If Boner doesn’t come back, it will be the first time in quite a while, we don’t have a big that shoots the 3. RJ, Hill, Manu & Anderson is not enough firepower from deep. We desperately need the backup SF to be able to shoot the 3 ball.
June 25th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
@Lenneezz - If RJ, Hill and Manu (+ the rookie) are the only 3 pt shooters in this team, then Spurs are doomed or will need to change their in-game strategy significantly. Hell I wouldn’t even call any of them a good 3 pt shooter.
June 25th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Yeah Ian I know,
Splitter, Blair, Dice, Duncan = No 3 pt shot
Parker, Hairston = Worse than Avg 3 pt shot
RJ, Temple = Average 3 pt shot
Manu, Hill = Only real 3 pt threat
Anderson = Good shooter but a rookie
Scary bad 3 pt shooting as the roster stands now.
June 25th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
@Ian
Reguardless of the talent of three point shooting, last season showed one thing. It is time to switch the inside-out strategy. The spurs can’t throw it in to the post all game long and play off of duncan. He is not that kind of player anymore. I havent watched enough on splittler to determine if he could be. But when duncan is in, this is a pick and roll team with gaurds penetration being the main focus. The question is can the gaurds and SFs in the game hit open jump shots or slash.
There are some good 3 pt shooting Free agents the spurs could sign. Question is will the free agents have an interest in the spurs
June 25th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
The Spurs will incorporate more hi/lo passing, especially with Splitter. Remember when Robinson when dart out to the free throw line and then have a clear pass to Duncan who would seal his defender.
June 25th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
“There are some good 3 pt shooting Free agents the spurs could sign. Question is will the free agents have an interest in the spurs”
And what money will they get paid with?
June 25th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
@Renato - with most of MLE going to Splitter, I doubt whether there’ll be anyone (other than vet minimum players) Spurs can use. FAs from other leagues that are itching to get a chance into the NBA and willing to settle for vet. minimum might be an alternative option.
Who knows? Tony might still be on the block to trade for a shooter, young talent, etc.
June 25th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
(Possibly) losing Buford won’t help with Spurs roster either. They need all the help they can get from low-cost players with all the cap issues, and Buford did a fantastic job at finding nobodies and washed-up veterans that could help the franchise with limited salary flexibility.
June 25th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
all this conjecture re:Buford’s status.
has the man himself said he is leaving?
has he signed and been introduced as the new Portland GM?
until those two things happen, I think its meaningless to speculate.
June 25th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Lenneezz
June 25th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
KJ/TP comparison not a good example. Johnson had a much more persistent string of injuries that first showed up at age 21, and then clearly solidified by at age 26. Parker has no such injury history.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n1_v92/ai_19468225/
“His early retirement was prompted by a string of injuries. He played 70 of 82 regular season games this season. However, he missed 109 games in the previous four seasons due to numerous ailments.”
It is complete and utter speculation that Tony could ever come close to KJ’s injury-plagued career.
June 25th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
annie
June 25th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
“all this conjecture re:Buford’s status.
has the man himself said he is leaving?
has he signed and been introduced as the new Portland GM?
until those two things happen, I think its meaningless to speculate.”
I agree, Annie. Plus, I don’t find it particularly likely that RC would want the opportunity, even the unlikely opportunity, to be treated as Pritchard was in Portland. He’s had great success here, loves the people he works with, and enjoys tremendous stability. I think he’s happy with that. The idea of him leaving is too unlikely for me to want to bother spending the time to speculate on, and it involves issues that we as fans are utterly not privy to. Thus, it’s a waste of time, in my view.
June 25th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
I don’t know about Kevin Johnson, but many people do believe (myself included) Parker will decline quicker than other guards and thus might have a shorter career. There are few reasons why such speculation is made:
1. Parker relies too much on his quickness, which is bound to decline rapidly with age
2. Parker’s jumpers are average, and his court vision and passing skills aren’t the greatest in the league
3. Parker’s playing style creates a lot of contact - will he still be the premier finisher at the age of 30+ when he is declining physically?
4. Parker has a lot of mileage on his legs - ever since he was drafted, he played most of the reg. seasons, post seasons (including 3 Championship runs) and also for his national team on multiple occasions. With the injuries he had in the past few years, one can only assume all that mileage is starting to wear Parker down.
June 25th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Ian
June 25th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
“…….his quickness, which is bound to decline rapidly with age”
Quickness does not decline rapidly at age 28. On the contrary, it decline more gradually, and typically starts to become a bit more perceptible around the age of 30-31.
“Parker’s jumpers are average, and his court vision and passing skills aren’t the greatest in the league”
Number one, that’s YOUR assessment of his skills compared to other point guards around the league, and you did not tie it to the bone of contention at hand: “decline with age”. Secondly, in my view, Parker is above average in all of those skills, and shooting, passing, & “court vision” are the last things to go in an aging player.
“Parker’s playing style creates a lot of contact – will he still be the premier finisher at the age of 30+ when he is declining physically?”
All great, savvy players find creative ways to adapt to different styles of play as they compensate for the gradual decline in their functional skills. I see no reason that Parker will not do the same. Parker is a very resilient and crafty guy in the way he absorbs contact. He’ll learn to take the ball to the rack a little less often & aggressively in due time, and still manage to make other very valuable contributions, through smarts, will, and creativity.
“Parker has a lot of mileage on his legs – ever since he was drafted, he played most of the reg. seasons, post seasons (including 3 Championship runs) and also for his national team on multiple occasions.”
Well, Kobe Bryant, also with a very aggressive style over his career, has more mileage on his legs than Parker, and he looked pretty spry in the playoffs this year, at age 31. And Kobe, known for being one of the most durable players in the game, has missed 12% of his games over the past 10 seasons, compared to Parker, who has missed 9.5% of his games over the past 9 seasons.
“With the injuries he had in the past few years, one can only assume all that mileage is starting to wear Parker down.”
That statement calls for a good deal of speculation, without making a compelling case (e.g., Parker’s injury history is VERY modest).
I’m not saying your points are completely invalid. Nevertheless, in my estimation, you have not made a very compelling case.
June 25th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
In an attempt to stay on topic, local news tonight was saying RC has not talked to Portland and “will not”. FWIW.
June 25th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
@doggydogworld - that’s a good news, although I have to wonder if RC intends to stick around when his current contract expires.
June 25th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
don’t we also have the bi-annual exception?
June 26th, 2010 at 5:42 am
@ ali
No we already used it last year. I can’t remember on who-I think McDyess-but I remember articles discussing us using the bi-annual.
June 26th, 2010 at 7:42 am
McDyess was signed with part (most) of the the mid-level exception. There was talk at the time that we used the bi-annual exception on Haislip, but it seems that we actually used the remainder of the MLE for him and did not use the bi-annual. So we should still have it, but it’s not worth much. I don’t know if the Spurs have ever used it.
June 26th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Sup guys! So yesterday, the day after the draft, Ryan Richards was working out in my gym (East Bank Club) in Chicago.
I have to say.. the kid is filled with potential (ooooh… that word). He was hitting shots from every part of the court, showcased some decent ball handling, and went at every drill with intensity. Physically, one can tell his body is still developing. A year or two in Austin and this kid will blossom with hard work. The talent is definitely there.
June 27th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Crickets chirping…. Damn I hate baseball season!
June 27th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
actually from youtube vids I watched of ryan richards, he’s actually a decent three point shooter, but he’s still a rook. I think we might be able to get a decent three point shooter because many players just love to play for winners.
June 28th, 2010 at 7:41 am
IAN-
Buford did a fantastic job at finding nobodies and washed-up veterans that could help the franchise with limited salary flexibility
Like… Bonner, McDoosh?
Your speculation on Parker is a good one.
June 28th, 2010 at 8:21 am
Hi, I’m new here. I love what the Spurs are about, and I really feel Pop has the best job in the NBA. I also get a lot of flack from Laker fans because I’m from LA, but I’m sticking with the silver and grey.
Can the Spurs acquire Michael Redd in a restructured deal? Spurs pay part of his salary to relieve the Bucks (I mean like a couple mil at most with a future first-round draft pick) and sign him to a long-term cheaper deal. Redd is approaching the twilight of his career with question marks about his health and the imminent lockout. Hopefully we can score him the way the Spurs did with Finley. I don’t think the Bucks want to hold onto him. With this stealthy move, the Spurs go back to being instant contenders with Splitter in the mix.
June 28th, 2010 at 8:49 am
After listening to Chad Ford and what he had to say about Portland and its ownership, I seriously doubt RC, a total class act in what can be a pretty cut throat business, would even entertain the idea of working for Paul Allen and Vulcan Inc.
As soon as the owner starts meddling in the player personel, that’s a bad sign. I doubt RC would/could tolerate that.
June 28th, 2010 at 9:01 am
I also have a ton of respect for Kevin Pritchard (a former Spurs guy). To get fired before the draft and still conduct a pretty good draft says a lot about his character.
Another thing: Pritchard, Presti, Ferry, RC, and all the other members/former members of the Spurs organization most likely talk pretty frequently.
How appealing do you think Portland’s job looks to them?
I seriously doubt any member or former member of the Spurs FO will take the Portland job. Sure, looks like a great situation on the court, but off the court? With a meddling owner/ownership group? I think it’s thanks, but no thanks.
June 28th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
I was just at Freebirds today, and ran into RC Buford who was ahead of me in line. He was with some of his staff for lunch. While the others ate, he was on the phone incessantly. Man, this must be a crazy time for him…Was it a call dealing with Splitter? Who knows. But with the draft just done, free agency around the corner, and multiple organizations desperate to obtain his services, the man clearly has a lot on his plate.
June 28th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Damn you SPICY!!!
I live in Houston, so I dont have the ability to run into my team that often…
Although I have met Scola and Battier…
June 28th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
@Spicy
Did you hear anything good?
June 28th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
GINOBILI Assist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp0QYJW2gXQ
June 28th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Ginobili Offense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RUUlE9nRBQ
June 28th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Ginobili defense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCerawsZg90
June 28th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Dejuan Blair
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3zmUQbdiJk
June 28th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Tony Parker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK_CK_mddeE
June 28th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
TP will play his last season in SA, and leave as a free agent (according to himself)
http://www.lequipe.fr/Basket/breves2010/20100629_090011_la-mise-au-point-de-tony-parker.html
”
By the end of next year, I’ll have ten years playing in San Antonio. that’s a nice loop and a good challenge for me to go somewhere else. If I leave, I can have another career, eight or nine years in another franchise.
”
Although my traduction might not be the most accurate, these are pretty clear words. It seems TP prepares himself for a good year. So TP will definitively be a big asset, whether on the court or in trading talks.
June 29th, 2010 at 5:21 am
Since there is not much more to talk about with the spurs that we already haven’t all harped on about, I suggest starting a free agent prediction post with relevant comments about how it will affect the spurs.
Here is my first contribution:
Lets say Bosh is keen on following Lebron wherever he decides….I think this is most likely because Wade I think will stay in Miami, so I think it comes down to which team these two choose….I believe Bosh will go for a sign and trade through toronto as good will and more money for him, meaning assets will be dished out. How this affects the league I have yet to comprehend, but would welcome some thoughts and insights into possible scenarios. It would be quite straight forward for Lebron to resign with the cavs and bosh sign and trade for Jamison and parts…..but it seems Lebron is following Shaq’s footsteps career wise, and will probably end up in a big market team. Ny,NJ,CHi frontrunners…Houston, Dallas, Cleveland outsiders. Can’t see any other team in it. No way Lebron and Wade will end up playing together. One thing I can think of: If an east team land Lebron and Bosh, or bosh and Johnson, or Wade and Bosh…its gonna make some teams think very hard about dropping some assets cheaply, as they might see themselves falling out of playoff contention ( and the millions that go with it), and so start trying to gear for the draft and next free agent class. This could aid the spurs in either dropping RJ, or picking up a veteran in a 3 way trade.
June 29th, 2010 at 6:21 am
The question really is: will the rest of the league wait for LeBron to decide?
June 29th, 2010 at 7:16 am
I think it’d be funny as hell if the teams with cap space made their pitch to James, but instead of waiting (i’m guessing) a long time for James to decide, they take what they can get and sign Bosh, Johnson, Wade, and the other good free agents available. It’s better to take one of them then to wait for Lebron and miss out on everyone, right?
So because of his own actions Lebron is stuck staying in Cleveland, or going to a craphole team like the Knicks.
June 29th, 2010 at 7:48 am
If LeBron leaves Cleveland he will be as big of a pussy as anyone on the Celtics not named Paul Pierce.
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