The 4-Down Podcast, episode 26: Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com

by

We’ve touched on the Spurs salary cap situation and the end of the current collective bargaining agreement between the players’ association and NBA owners, but it’s been a while. Really, Varner touched on all that stuff and I read along with the rest of you. To get a little more proactive, I had Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com, the go-to resource for NBA team salary info for most of us bloggers, on the 4-Down Podcast.

Mark and I talked about the Spurs cap flexibility heading into eventual free agency. What options do they have? Can it get better? We also talk a little bit about the latest news on the next collective bargaining agreement and the possible/probable/ensuing hard cap.

Then, Deeks and I get to someone not yet covered much on this here blog, but we’ll probably talk more about in the future: Ryan Richards. Deeks lives in the UK, so he has a little more information on Richards than many. Mark talks about Richards’ game and the possibilities of seeing Richards play in Texas next season.

Subscribe to the 4-Down Podcast via iTunes. Or you can can keep up using the RSS feed. You can also download the audio file (40:10, 55.2 mb) or listen below.  Please leave us good feedback and ratings in iTunes, I hear that’s what all the cool kids are doing these days.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

  • Levy_tribe

    Interesting podcast with the English guy. I follow him on Twitter and frequent his excellent website so it made for a captivating chat, to me at least.

  • PlumbLBW, from England

    ROFL - “35, lefty, shoots jumpshots and nothing else. A bit like Mike Bibby, except he’s older and worse”

  • Rob

    Great interview again.

    Interesting, I didn’t know teams could start trading once the season is over for that team.

    It’s getting apparent that there are seemingly no more Ginobili’s or Parker’s over seas and time to start paying closer attention to who the best available that can (in the least) start playing sooner rather than later.

    And I couldn’t agree more about Jefferson and Bonner. It would be nice that another might think they could use Jefferson as one of it’s main players in return for the Spurs, if not getting talent in return, at least part with some of that salary to be applied to getting another player.

    Also, I noticed that the Spurs still have Robert Horry listed at a little over 7mil in cap hold. What is a “Cap Hold”? How does that apply (doesn’t apply) to salary?

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    Rob, I e-mailed Mark with your question about cap holds and he shot over a couple of links to help clarify:

    http://www.shamsports.com/whatthedeuce.htm
    http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/freeagentcapholds.jsp

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    I forgot to link to Mark’s twitter account in the body of the post, but for those who frequent the twittersphere, Deeks’ handle is @shamsports:twitterÂ

  • Rob

    To anyone in the know…

    From http://www.shamsports.com/whatthedeuce.htm
    “These cap holds can stick around for years if the team remains over the
    salary cap in that time. And, as you’ll see below, they do. There’s some
    players from the late 90’s on here, for God’s sake. However, when teams
    have set themelves up for cap room, they renounce these basically useless
    free agent amounts to maximize how much room they have.”

    So if the Spurs could (after knowing the new cba) and if Duncan opt’s to restructure…can somehow set themselves up for cap room…then Horry’s 7mil. could be renounced from the team’s books to help in getting other players? And if I’m understanding correctly…the team has almost 11 mil. total in cap hold. Side note…Orlando has almost 15 mil. in cap hold.

  • MrNiko

    Gotta say, the themesong on the podcast is awesome, any chance of a full length version being out there somewheres?

  • the little o

    It sounds like Andrew conducted this interview in a tub, and farted while in it at the 37:06 mark. Great Podcast nonetheless though.Â

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    You caught me.

  • Tyler

    I disagree with the idea that more money doesn’t equal an advantage. Obviously, if a team is managed incompetently, all the money in the world doesn’t matter (see Knicks under Isaiah Thomas). But all things being equal, having a larger budget is an advantage. Not only do you have more money to entice FA’s, but it’s easier to cover up mistakes. Simply look at baseball. It’s no coincidence that the highest payroll teams are consistently at the top of the standing year in, year out.Â

    I really hope there isn’t another Allan Houston exception (leave it to Isaiah not to release the player the exception was named after). As it stands, teams like Orlando, Atlanta, and to a lesser extent the LA Lakers, have very little flexibility. Allowing them a free pass on their mistakes (Arenas, Artest/Walton, etc) would be a boon for those teams, and by default, bad for the Spurs. I would surmise that most teams that have been financially responsible like the Spurs will be against it.Â

  • http://48minutesofhell.com Andrew A. McNeill

    Don’t tell anyone, but I ripped it from the old NBA on NBC video game. Shhhhh.

  • Lvmainman

    I think that amnesty is the best way for the Spurs to improve, ala Michael Finley. Rashard Lewis, Brandon Roy, Elton Brand, Ben Gordon, Andris Biedrins, Jose Calderon might be interested in becoming Spurs. Rashard Lewis would be the best fit. That way Bonner could be a trade chip.

  • Tyler

    If my memory is correct, you still have to have the cap space to sign those players, and with no cap room this offseason and a harder cap coming down the pipe, all the players you name are beyond our budget.

    And I keep hearing Bonner referred to as a “trade chip.” How is that? What about his game or contract screams “value”? In order to get rid of Bonner, you’re going to have to package him with something of value, be it a player or a pick.

  • Pingback: Spurs Nation » Blog brother wonders if Manu’s grit or Spurs’ stealth was more amazing()

  • Lvmainman

    If the new CBA has exceptions which I believe it will, we’ll sign one of those players, like we did Splitter/McDyess etc. when over the cap.
    Â
    When I say trade chip, I mean the Spurs will feel comfortable getting rid of Bonner and not having him on the team. Not in reference to other teams wanting Bonner. The Spurs and Pop love of a stretch 4, insist that Bonner be on the team and play significant minutes, as evidenced by resigning him and giving him more playing time than Splitter. So, until there are players to take Bonner’s place, he won’t be a trade chip.

  • Tyler

    Well, thats what I mean by a hard(er) cap - exceptions could be reduced or eliminated entirely (similar to the NFL, that has very few exceptions), but we’ll just have to wait and see.Â

  • andy

    “it becomes more possible if you can find a home for matt bonner, but good luck with that.”

    love the bluntness of the english, and thanks for rubbing it in mark.

    as much as i love the midi nba on nbc, might want to cut the intro down from 50 seconds.

  • Chefbesaw

    Bonner is a deadly 3pt shooter, has veteran leadership, and because of his style of play his production will not decrease. for a team like the spurs trying to rededicate to defense; Bonner is useless, but to a team like the, grizzles, nix, Miami trying to push for a NBA title, Bonner’s offense of the bench could be very enticing, and at four mil a year, he really dose not cost that much. it would nice if we could package Bonner, Jefferson, and blair for first round draft picks.

  • idahospur

    I like the shorter podcasts myself.
    What should’ve been asked: Can Ryan Richards play better defense than Matt Bonner and play 20 minutes? If so, send him over. We’ll work on the rest later.

  • Pingback: Will a new amnesty provision help the Spurs get rid of RJ?()