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Various reports from around the interwebs and blogospheres in recent weeks have frothed Spurs fans into a tizzy over the possibility of PATFO trading for or signing "the missing piece" that could push us over the summit we fell just shy of last year. We hoped for Evan Turner or Thaddeus Young, but the former went to the Pacers, and the latter stayed put. I won't even address all of that Beno Udrih nonsense.
More recently, legitimate sources informed us the Spurs would try to sign one of the free agent buyouts that surface after the trade deadline passes nowadays, a la Boris Diaw in 2012.
Here's the latest on those would-be targets:
- Danny Granger - Adrian Woj and ESPN are reporting that the former All-star wing will sign with the Clippers. The Spurs were reportedly in hot contention for his services, but we don't know if LA won the sweepstakes or if PATFO just decided to move on without him.
- Glen Davis - Big Baby didn't garner as many Spurs rumors as others, but he still grabbed more attention than his play is likely worth. In the end, the power forward chose the Clippers over the Nets. No brainer.
- Caron Butler - The Spurs and Heat were said to be in the mix for the veteran swingman, but he will play in OKC. It remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank for their playoff run.
- Metta World Peace - We might start thinking about calling him what he wants us to call him, as painful as it may be. Ron Artest is still out there, and unless the Heat really want him, we may end up entering the era of World Peace in San Antonio. Not predicting anything, but it's possible.
- Earl Clark - He was a guy many Spurs fans wanted in the fold. In theory, the combo forward provides length, defensive intensity, and some scoring and rebounding. The problem is, he's never quite lived up to his potential in any of his stops. The sad truth is, though he's still young, he's gone to where roundballers go to die: the New York Knickerbockers.
Verdict: The Clippers made the biggest splash, but did it help them? Big Baby makes their front court four-deep, but are he and Ryan Hollins difference-makers in the playoffs? If Granger takes off in LA, they could be a serious foe. Jared Dudley has dropped out of the rotation, and Matt Barnes won't get them far. They need JJ Redick to return in a big way to quit depending on Crawford's volume shooting as the sole provider of offense outside of Paul and Griffin.