Tag: San Antonio Spurs

RJ remains, but for how long?

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

Richard Jefferson walked off the floor after the first practice of training camp Friday, took one look at the assembled media horde waiting for him and smiled.

“I feel like I just got traded here,” Jefferson joked.

Only 72 hours earlier, Jefferson’s Spurs career had been fitted for a toe tag. The Spurs had all but decided to exercise their one-time amnesty provision on him, prepared to offer him a handshake, a ticket out of town and several million dollars to chase other small forwards on the free-agent market.

The Spurs still could do all of the above.

But for now — and with that being the key phrase — Jefferson began his third Spurs training camp in the same manner he’d opened the previous two: as the team’s apparent starter at small forward.

“Things could happen, or things could stay the same,” said Jefferson, 31. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m a Spur right now.”

Jefferson, of course, has heard the rampant speculation that he was not long for the Spurs. Earlier this week, he was telling teammates that team officials had informed him he would be waived.

Then, the Spurs came up short in pursuit of their top free-agent target when Caron Butler agreed to a more lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Clippers. Grant Hill decided to return for one more go-round in Phoenix.

The Spurs appear to have little interest in pursuing 35-year-old Vince Carter, who was waived by the Suns on Friday in a cost-cutting manuever and is likely headed to Dallas.

The Spurs remain in the hunt for Washington’s Josh Howard, 31, who is still weighing interest from Chicago, New Jersey, Washington, Utah and Denver, according to a member of his camp, but hopes to decide early next week.

“San Antonio is still very much in the discussions with Josh and his agent (Derek Lafayette),” said Howard’s publicist, Crystal Howard (no relation). “A decision has not been made yet, but he’s certainly considering San Antonio as his new home.”

The Spurs would prefer a resolution sooner rather than later. They have until Dec. 16 to waive Jefferson if they plan to use amnesty on him this season, but are unlikely to do so unless a suitable replacement is found.

If the Spurs don’t use amnesty now, they could keep that card in their pocket until the summer, when the free agent crop should be substantially deeper.

For now, Jefferson remains in limbo, employed by a team that has been openly shopping for his substitute. He averaged 11.6 points in two seasons in San Antonio, and last season shot a career-best 44 percent from 3-point range, but seemed like a poor fit in the Spurs’ system.

Asked if he felt unwanted in San Antonio, Jefferson — who has three years and $30.5 million left on the deal he signed in July 2010 — said the answer was unimportant.

“We’re not little kids, where we want to feel wanted and hugged,” Jefferson said. “You want to work and enjoy your environment, not necessarily to feel wanted. You can feel wanted in a situation you don’t want to be in.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he expects Jefferson will remain professional, whether he’s with the team for another week or another season.

“He’s got a job to do,” Popovich said. “He’s a Spur just like Timmy (Duncan) or Manu (Ginobili) or (new signee) T.J. Ford or anybody else.”

In his role as team captain, Duncan likewise saw no need to engage in damage control with Jefferson.

“He’s a professional, and I don’t think any one of us knows what is going to happen with that,” Duncan said. “It’s all rumors until something happens.”

And so Jefferson will continue to show up at the Spurs practice facility everyday, until somebody tells him not to.

“I’m a Spur right now,” Jefferson said, repeating himself. “That’s pretty much the best way to describe it.”

NBA back in business

NEW YORK — Six weary figures rose from their chairs early Saturday, their expressions telegraphing the conclusion to the NBA’s five-month labor crisis: Basketball is back in business, with a new labor deal that heavily favors the owners, despite some last-minute concessions.

The league wanted an overhaul of its $4 billion-a-year enterprise, and it got it, with a nearly $300 million annual reduction in player salaries and a matrix of new restrictions on contracts and team payrolls. The changes mean a $3 billion gain for the owners over the life of the 10-year deal.

Before finally agreeing to those sacrifices, the players’ negotiators won a handful of concessions that will allow the richest teams to keep spending on players, ensuring a more competitive free-agent market.

A truncated 66-game schedule will begin on Christmas Day with three nationally televised games. For that, officials on both sides were grateful as they announced a resolution at 2:40 a.m. CDT, on the 149th day of the lockout, after a final 15-hour bargaining session at law offices in Manhattan.

“We look forward to opening on Christmas Day,” , the NBA’s deputy commissioner, said during the brief news conference. “We’re excited to bring NBA basketball back. That’s most important.”

A little more than two weeks ago, the talks appeared dead. A federal mediator had intervened twice, failing both times to bridge the divide. Commissioner had tried threats and ultimatums before declaring negotiations over on Nov. 10.

Four days later, the players dissolved their union and filed a federal antitrust lawsuit. Stern promptly predicted a “nuclear winter” for the league, amid widespread predictions that the 2011-12 season would be canceled.

The deal was finally forged by the possibility of a cancellation, the feared loss of billions of dollars to the league and its players, and, perhaps, by the uncertainty created by the looming legal battle.

The new agreement, according to a memo Hunter sent to union members, calls for players to receive a 51.2 percent split of basketball-related revenues with the owners for this season. The players had been earning 57 percent.

The loss of 16 regular-season games and the preseason cost the owners and players about $400 million each. The parties had already resolved the biggest issues, including the $300 million salary reduction, weeks ago, but were hung up on fairly minor details — mostly rules restricting the top-spending teams from adding players.

With a 66-game schedule in reach, everyone finally resolved that those items were not worth sacrificing a season and alienating fans and sponsors. The normal NBA regular season is 82 games.

“For myself, it’s great to be a part of this particular moment, in terms of giving our fans what it is that they so badly wanted and want to see,” said , president of the players’ union.

Fisher did not smile as he said it, appearing more relieved than happy.

Billy Hunter, the longtime head of the players union, sat stoically next to him. No one on the players’ side praised the deal.

League officials achieved their two broadest goals — reduced costs and a system that evens the playing field between the richest and poorest teams. The reduction in player salaries should offset the NBA’s reported $300 million in annual losses, and provide total savings of about $3 billion over the 10-year agreement.

Each side has an option to terminate the deal after six years. In addition to the significant pay cut for players, the deal includes shorter contracts, smaller raises and a more punitive tax system to rein in the top-spending teams.

“I think it will largely prevent the high-spending teams from competing in the free-agency market in a way that they have been able to in the past,” Silver said. “We feel ultimately it will give fans in every community hope that their team can compete for championships.”

Training camps will open Dec. 9. Unsigned players will be permitted to sign new contracts that day, setting up a chaotic two-week mad dash toward the 2011-12 season.

The three Christmas games are likely to be the ones that were already on the schedule: The Knicks will host the to open the day, followed by an rematch, with the visiting the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. The will visit the in the finale.

The rest of the schedule will be reconstructed and released in the coming days. The season will begin eight weeks later than originally scheduled, requiring some major contortions and stress for everyone involved.

The regular season will be extended into late April, pushing back the playoffs and the Finals by a week. To fit 66 games, teams will have to play about two more games per month.

Teams will sometimes have to play on three consecutive nights — something that has not been done since the lockout-shortened 1999 season. That season, the shortest in the modern era, is often regarded with an asterisk and was marked by sloppy play and out-of-shape players.

The 2011-12 season may need only a quarter-asterisk. Every team will play 48 in-conference games, just four fewer than normal. But teams will play only 18 out-of-conference games, meaning not every team will visit every city.

The entire collective bargaining agreement must be formally written and ratified, but both Stern and Hunter expressed confidence that the deal would be approved.

Tying up loose ends

The announcement in the wee hours of Saturday morning of a handshake agreement between the NBA’s owners and players on a deal to end the lockout doesn’t guarantee there will be a 66-game 2011-12 season that will begin on Christmas Day.

As deputy commissioner Adam Silver reminded: “We’re on an incredibly tight schedule, as you might imagine, between now and opening on Christmas.”

Express-News NBA beat writer Mike Monroe presents a tentative timeline that can turn the tentative agreement into the reality of a 66-game season:

Dismiss lawsuit: On Monday, players listed as plaintiffs in the anti-trust lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the 8th District in Minneapolis will ask the judge assigned to that case to dismiss it, removing it from the process altogether.

Reclaim interest: Also Monday, leadership of the trade association that previously was known as the National Basketball Players Association will reclaim interest in representing the players, effectively reversing the action taken two weeks ago when the union disclaimed interest.

Recertify union: After reclaiming interest, union leadership will seek a vote of all the players to approve reorganization of the union.

Address B-list: Also Monday, negotiators for both sides will meet to work on numerous “B-list” details left hanging, including the draft, D-League and drug testing.

Vote on it: Once agreement is reached on all B-list issues — hopefully in nine or 10 days — a formal document will be submitted to both sides for an up-or-down vote as a new collective bargaining agreement. The full membership of the union and all 30 teams, through the Board of Governors, must approve the deal, by a simple majority.

Begin camps: If the CBA is approved, training camps and a short free-agent signing period would begin Dec. 9.

Start season: The regular season would begin Christmas Day with a tripleheader, starting with Celtics-Knicks at the renovated Madison Square Garden. Then a rematch of the Finals with the Heat visiting the Mavericks, followed by Bulls-Lakers at Staples Center

Return of NBA has Pop pumped

Near the end of a 13½-minute Q-and-A session Friday afternoon that was heavy on the Q and light on the A, Spurs coach and noted curmudgeon Gregg Popovich stunned the assembled media with a startling confession.

So bored had he gotten during the NBA’s 149-day lockout that he even missed his daily jousting sessions with reporters.

“Actually, I do sort of enjoy this,” Popovich said, eyes twinkling. “You’ve got good senses of humor. You know I’m not going to answer anything, and you come all the way over here for nothing.”

In a heartfelt moment elsewhere during the news conference, meant to scene-set the anticipated opening of training camp next week, Popovich also admitted something unsurprising to those closest to the 62-year-old coach.

He is as happy for basketball’s return, and the beginning of his 16th season on the Spurs’ bench, as anyone.

The lengthened travel itinerary, hop-scotching through San Francisco, Colorado Springs, New York, London and Montenegro, was nice. The supersized offseason afforded time to read more books than usual.

Yet with Tim Duncan entering the last season of his contract at age 35, and Manu Ginobili no spring chicken at 34, Popovich is eager to get started on what could be the Spurs’ last chance at relevance with their championship core.

“I’m thrilled to get going,” Popovich said. “This is not just our job, but it’s something we all love. So we’re all thrilled the season is beginning.”

Popovich’s team continued its gradual reassembling Friday, with point guard Tony Parker arriving at the Spurs’ unlocked practice facility for his annual physical. Duncan, James Anderson and rookie Cory Joseph were already there, having endured their exams a day earlier.

The players’ ranks are expected to swell to something close to a full roster by the middle of next week. Center Tiago Splitter could be among the last to return, having opted to play one more game for the Spanish team Valencia on Sunday against Real Madrid before heading stateside.

In the meantime, Spurs front office officials continued to man the phones Friday setting up a battle plan for the start of free agency Dec. 9. That date coincides with the expected opening of camp, assuming no snags in the approval of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, meaning the first week could be a personnel scramble.

It’s a distinct possibility the Spurs’ roster on Day 1 of camp could look significantly different by the team’s expected post-Christmas season opener.

Among the free agents the Spurs have  reportedly contacted are a slew of small forwards: Dallas’ Caron Butler, a pair of Washington Wizards in Josh Howard and Maurice Evans and ex New Jersey Net Bostjan Nachbar, who had been playing in Europe.

“I don’t know how it’s going to look or who’s going to be here Friday,” Popovich said.

Other questions that could clarify the roster — whether Antonio McDyess intends to retire or whether the Spurs plan to use their amnesty provision on Richard Jefferson or anybody else — have yet to be answered, Popovich said.

“That’s what we’re doing now: Trying to decide who we want to sign and what free agents to go after and do we want to make any trades,” he said.

As for many of the rest of the questions lobbed from his old friends in the media, Popovich didn’t come with many answers Friday.

Will the shortened season help an older team like the Spurs? Will the compressed schedule change how Popovich handles playing and practice time? Does a shortened training camp give an advantage to veteran teams like the Spurs who have been around each other awhile? How steep a learning curve will rookies Joseph and Kawhi Leonard face, bereft of the benefit of proper summer development time?

“Those things don’t matter, because it is what it is,” Popovich said. “It’s a waste of time to worry about what isn’t.”

PRESEASON PLANS: The Spurs are working to finalize details on a two-game, home-and-home series with Houston that would constitute the entirety of an abbreviated preseason schedule. Dates for the games are still to be determined.