Jazz awaiting Spurs decision on Brown

By Linda Hamilton
Deseret Morning News

"Utah Jazz senior vice president of basketball operations said Monday evening he has not heard yet if the San Antonio Spurs will match his offer sheet for restricted free-agent guard Devin Brown.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had told the San Antonio Express-News on Friday that he planned to discuss the matter with general manager R.C. Buford over the weekend and have a decision by Monday morning, but a public announcement was not made Monday.

O'Connor said he doubted the Spurs would do anything prior to the deadline — seven days from when they received a copy of the signed offer sheet — because another team might offer a trade over the next few days that would mean the Spurs would want to hold onto Brown. Or a Spurs player could sustain an injury.

Utah's two-year offer is apparently for $2.5 million this season, a bit more next season, with the second year at the option of the team.

O'Connor said he's not sure exactly when San Antonio received a copy of the offer sheet but guessed it was last Friday morning, meaning the Spurs have until this Friday morning to match it. Official NBA transactions list the date as Friday.

If there are no trades or injuries to complicate things, it seems unlikely San Antonio would be able to keep Brown as it has recently signed guards Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley and already has a 13-man roster, the NBA minimum. Also, the Spurs would likely go over the salary cap threshold, so matching on Brown might cost them nearly double the contract in luxury tax, according to the Express-News.

Brown, 26, was born in Ogden but has lived most of his life in San Antonio. He played 67 regular-season games for San Antonio last season, missing the last 15 with a herniated disk, He played limited minutes during the Spurs’ championship playoff run due to the back injury."

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"Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down"...Jimmy Durante

After signing Finley, Nick the Quick and Fabri, Pop offered a refresher course about our recent playoff history in Express-news. He said: If you think about it and look back at the Detroit series NBA Finals 2005 which the Spurs won with a shortened playing rotation, we played 7 people, period. You have to be pretty fortunate to play just 7 people in a series like that, so we can use more players, without a doubt.

Spurs knew they were up against a great team, and they were lucky to win. I sure hope Detroit wins the east, and beats Miami. Shaq called spurs a WNBA team, really.

Hey, G-Man thanks for starting Spurs thread.

barbara SanAntone,

Most of us have plenty of respect for the Spurs. It would be great to see a rematch this year.

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To all of my friends, comrades and companions at PF.com

Thank you for another great season!

Just heard on news Spurs will be coming home early from Virgin Islands
(that's where they are right now) to play Miami Heat in game to benefit Katrina victims on October 10. All proceeds to go to survivors.

I'd love to see a Spurs - Pistons rematch. However, I'd like the outcome to be a bit different this time around. The Spurs are starting to get a bit selfish with all of these Championships (or "Ships" if you prefer).

The Spurs are becoming a little bit like the Patiots. Sort of boring, but better than everyone else. Hopefully the Pistons can throw more players at the problem this year. Getting out of the East will be draining though.

These 2 teams have taken the necessary steps to get back to the Finals! Major difference is the 'Stones will have home court this time!

I don't know if the Pistons are going to have home court during the finals. I think we are going to see some growing pains early in the season maybe the first 20-25 games or so. I think we might see a Pistons team hovering around .500 out of the gate. I think this time though we will be fully prepared if we face them again. No short bench and no coach looking to jump ship.

SA Express News reported today that a new NBDL team, the Toros, are in Austin (70 miles from SA) and the Spurs players as well as Nuggets, Rockets and Clippers will go there. Team is owned by former Pacers GM David Kahn and will be coached by former Celtic star Dennis Johnson. They are going to try it out and re-evaluate it at end of 06-07.

BTW, some guy Adriano from Albuquerque who writes for some Hoops (?) said he doesn't think Spurs will win 05-06, too much star power. He thinks Indiana will win east. I emailed him and asked him why he would pick Indiana over Pistons, who I think have the best team in east. He didnt answer. Oh, well.

The guy writes for Hoops?

That says it all. Looks like the Pistons and Spurs again if Hoops says it's gonna be other teams.