CURSE OF THE NEAR-SPUR

CURSE OF THE NEAR-SPUR

How many times have we seen a major free agent consider the San Antonio Spurs, then not make the compromises they need to get on the team? Or just blow it badly as a team member?

Then their career plummets.

How many times? Let's count:

• Jason Kidd - forget the title, and Vince Carter saved that franchise from permanently losing postseason aspirations, at least as long as Kidd would be there. Face it, the Nets are a mediocre team with decent guards in the worst division. K-Mart went bankrupt, and they will do just well enough to get ousted quickly but get no decent draft pick.
  
• Derek "Loyalty" Anderson - yes, Derek, when you stooge in the playoffs, management will mention that in contract negotiations. Back to the Clippers yet? No, even they wouldn't take you back.
  
• "Warm" Karl Malone - true, I'm glad the Spurs never signed him, but it wasn't for lack of effort. I can't stand the child molester turned cougar poacher myself. He's a supercreep. But choosing the Flakers and retirement = no rings. ycagelnikcufecin !
  
• Grant Hill - Spurs had cash and Tim about to sign again, and Grant chose Orlando instead. Has he finished a season yet with the Tragic? How are their championship plans going? McGreedy left and Duncan won rings in San Antonio, where you could have come Grant? How's the ankle? Glad this guy never made it either, and he did the Pistons dirty when he left. Oh, and they also went on to win a championship and are the only team that threatens the Spurs.
  
• Jermaine O'Neal - true, the Spurs would have had to give away everyone not named Tim Duncan in a S+T to get Jermaine. Or he could have accepted less and been a 1/2 Dynasty alongside Tim. He chose cash and Ron "Punchy" Artest instead, now the Pacers are dead.

From Time to tinker is gone; trade O'Neal, rebuild (Indy Star):

Today marks exactly one month before the NBA trading deadline, or 42 days since Ron Artest was put into permanent timeout. And the Indiana Pacers, now a bland, mediocre franchise doomed to middling status in the Eastern Conference, have left themselves with only two real choices: Start the rebuilding process now, or wait until this summer?Because unless somebody has a debilitating brain cramp and opts to send Kevin Garnett here for Ron Artest and a nail clipper, the Pacers are going absolutely nowhere. Fifty wins, at best. A second-round playoff ouster, at best. What?? You think Pacers president Larry Bird and team CEO Donnie Walsh, who so thoroughly botched the Artest situation from the start, are going to make a season-saving trade sometime in these next few weeks? No. Blow it up.

Start over.