More on Spurs trade

This article on HoopsWorld clears up the confusion for me about the Spurs trade. Site editor Bill Ingram writes that it's all about finding a replacement for Bruce Bowen, who's getting up there in years and was noticeably a step slower this season. I think that's partly right, but I also think it's mainly about flexibility.

The Spurs recent history suggests that they've abandoned the typical NBA model for filling a need. Most teams guess at the one player they think will save the day and then overspend to get him (Hi, Orlando, I'd like you to meet Rashard Lewis). The Spurs, though, especially after the Rasho and Malik deals, have opted instead to place small bets on several players. Then they wait and see which of them pays off. In trying to find a big man to go alongside Duncan, they signed Elson, Oberto, Butler, and Bonner (and re-upped Horry) for almost the same price as Detroit paid to take Nazr Mohammed off the Spurs' hands.

A year or two later, and they know Elson, Oberto, and Bonner can all bring something different and useful to the court. They also know Butler has talent, but isn't a fit for the Spurs system, so they used him in a deal to give themselves more flexibility all over again.

Now the target is finding an athletic, defensive wing to help (and perhaps replace) Bowen. The Spurs signed James White last year, drafted Marcus Williams this year, and are said to hot on the heels of Mickael Pietrus and/or Portland's Ime Udoka. All these guys are a little different, but all four are also either 6-6 or 6-7, known for being good defenders (except maybe White), and can shoot the three (Pietrus 38% last year, Udoka 40%).

There's a good chance that three of those four guys will make the 15-man squad, on a team that already has similar players in Bowen, Barry, and Finley. Again, it's a wait-and-see approach instead of going all-in with one big signing.

Of course the key is not just cap flexibility but roster spots. You only get 15, including guys you send to the D-League. Those roster spots are more valuable than people think. Each one that isn't directly contributing to winning games should represent the chance for a young player to suddenly develop into more than you ever hoped for. In other words, every aging, unused veteran clogging the end of the bench represents a lost opportunity at finding a surprising young stud.

This flexibility-focused approach is how the Spurs found Ginobili and Stephen Jackson after looking for a reliable 2-guard for almost a decade. It's how they've finally settled on the dirt-cheap Jacque Vaughn as Tony's back-up, while letting more expensive options like Speedy Claxton, Jason Hart, and even Avery Johnson (way back when) walk to greener pastures.

All of which makes the fact that the Greek guard won't play for the Spurs an asset to San Antonio. To send over Butler, the Spurs had to take on Spanoulis's salary in return. They exchanged a player they wouldn't use anyways for cash and that coveted roster spot. That seat on the bench now likely goes to one of the young, promising wings, or perhaps toward developing Ian Mahinmi, a more athletic big man with a much higher ceiling than Butler.

And as for the Scola situation, Ingram sheds some light on that, too — namely, that he wasn't ever going to play for us anyways. "Spurs scouts were certain that Scola was never going to join San Antonio," Ingram reports. "He wants to start, and that just isn't going to happen on a team with Tim Duncan." Not to mention that Scola's agent has accused the Spurs of violating our country's founding principles: "In the country of liberty, he is being held prisoner," he once said, which isn't exactly a good point for negotiations to reach.

So, in the end, that second round pick (along with the cash) represents just one more opportunity to grab a young player who surprises everyone. It's a long shot, but at least there's a chance.