# Scenario: Spurs sign J-Kidd and Zo



## NYCbballFan (Jun 8, 2003)

Scenario: Kidd signs with the Spurs while they take a chance on Alonzo Mourning. 

Kidd is the world's best PG, makes his teammates better and influences almost every phase of the game, but he is not a shooting PG, the kind of guard best suited to play with Duncan. Whether Kidd joins the Spurs will depend on how much TD wants him as a teammate.

O'Neal is by far the most talented FA big and a hard worker, but I don't know if he has the winning attitude/approach to the game that the Spurs would like in Duncan's sidekick. Also, O'Neal wants to be The Man and he'll get his money regardless, probably from the Pacers, where he is already The Man. Is he willing to take the money from the Spurs to be Duncan's sidekick?

Olowakandi is enigmatic, stigmatized from his Clippers days, but he is big and talented. He's a bit of a gamble, but he can blossom playing with Duncan and a winning organization.

Brand is a legit PF who can shotblock some, but do the Spurs want to retain their Twin Towers alignment? I don't see Brand as a F/C who can play together with Rose or give TD the flexibility to shift between the 4 and 5. 

Brown is 2 months older than Mourning (33 yrs old) and may be overpriced (bidding war) for what he actually delivers. He's a solid role-player comparable to a less rugged Dale Davis, and I wonder if the Spurs would want more than a role player to replace Robinson. 

Miller seems to be a good pick, in that he goes from O'Neal's sidekick to TD's sidekick. But is he good enough to keep up with the bigs of the West? In particular, Brad Miller has never struck me as a good defender (eg, .59 bpg).

Mourning is a gamble with his kidney problems, but he still is only 33 with a year less wear and tear on his body. Obviously, the Spurs would need medical assurance that Zo can play. His last year (01-02) yielded solid numbers. Most teams won't gamble on Zo, and I have no doubt he'd sign for less to get a shot at the championship. Zo is a prototype Popovich-type player. His professionalism, intensity, and attitude/approach - not to mention his hunger to win - would be a perfect fit with the Spurs. Zo can't play 35-40 mpg anymore, but Robinson's 25-30 mpg would be perfect. Signing Zo makes Kidd affordable, and if Zo plays to 70% of what he used to be, TD has a perfect sidekick to replace Robinson, along with the world's best PG. If Zo's health problems are in the past, he can easily play alongside TD for the next 2 to 4 years. If the Zo experiment fails, the Spurs go shopping again next year or in the big FA boon of 2005. 

In my mind, with this scenario, the Spurs can reasonably sign Kidd if they want him.

As far as Parker and Kidd, I don't think Parker has established himself as a PG. He's a shooting point. When Parker isn't hitting shots, he disappears on the court. I would either play Kidd at PG and shift Parker to SG or give Parker 3rd guard duties in the Van Exel/B-Jax mold. Kidd would do wonders for Parker's game in terms of running the point. Say Kidd plays 4-6 years for the Spurs, and then goes home to the Bay area to finish out his career. Parker will have learned from the best PG in the world for that long, he'd be in his mid-20s and ready to take over full-time PG duties as a top-tier star.


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## SpursDuncanMVP1421 (Apr 24, 2003)

I do like this scenario!  I hope and pray it goes through.


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## ludz74 (Jun 4, 2003)

Can someone please explain the Spurs fascination with Kidd... surely the old rule 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' has to come in here. TP helped bring a championship at the point, why change??? Mourning (as a replacement for DR) I can understand, but Kidd?, surely a good SG/SF is a better option here, say Odom...


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## SpursDuncanMVP1421 (Apr 24, 2003)

As shocked and dismayed I am, I am sad to see that Kidd and Zo won't be making their way to Texas.


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## Ghiman (May 19, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>NYCbballFan</b>!
> Scenario: Kidd signs with the Spurs while they take a chance on Alonzo Mourning.


I do not see that scenario happenning next season :no:


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## Petey (Aug 23, 2002)

Maybe the topic needs to be changed to... *Nets sign J-Kidd and Zo* now!

-Petey


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## NYCbballFan (Jun 8, 2003)

*DC*

The Spurs went for Zo and Kidd and didn't get them. The Nets did a great job of keeping Kidd and grabbing Zo, too. Nets GM Rod Thorn deserves a raise.

It's looking more and more like the Spurs best chance will be to sign some cheaper talent this summer and go hard after KG next summer. 

The best (unrestricted) big still available is Nesterovic. Don't know much about him except what I've read on-line and watching his play against the Lakers in round one. He didn't look competent playing against Shaq.

I think the Spurs best bet is to sign Derrick Coleman and bring back Kevin Willis. They're old, but they can do the job until KG is a FA.


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## 1 Penny (Jul 11, 2003)

*IF* and the key word there is *IF*, I was Spurs player management. I would do everything to acquire Elton Brand.

Clippers will match, but Spurs should stay there with the deal. Brand can simply say he doesnt want to play for Clippers (although he has to, coz of his contract). 

Brand should convince Clippers that he's not gonna sign a multi-year deal with Clippers this season or the next. Clippers will eventually give up on Brand.


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

Kidd already said he's going for a title in NJ, so it's over.

If I controlled the Spurs (and liked them :devil: ) I would...

Plan 1
A) Pick up Coleman
B) Sign Piatowski sort of as a younger Steve Kerr. SA needs offense! 30 points a half doesn't cut it!
C) Get Claxton this year and Manu next year

Plan 2
A) Next year go after a monster FA *LIKELY* to leave and maybe come to SA. Hmm, nobody's really talked about him, but how about Allen Iverson?!?


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