Cory Joseph is the second best point guard on the Spurs

[Boomersgold]

Parker exact words answering at a question on whether or not De Colo would get more playing time with his injury:
"I don't know what is inside Pop's head. I know that he was little disappointed by the outings of the 2 backup PG, Patty and Nando, so he called up Cory Joseph. There are about 20 games remaining and I think the backup PG slot is opento the three players. The three have a true opportunity even more that I' wont play for three weeks. So the three will have a true opportunity to show Pop that they deserves to be in our rotation and earn playing for the playoffs because in the playoffs, rotation will tighten and only 8/9 players will play. According to me, Pop hasn't made his choice and they have three weeks to convince."

Thanks for the translation. Still don't know how pop was disappointed with Patty's performance considering that he's had very little time as the backup guard these past few weeks.

[AFBlue]

I was the biggest hater on CoJo last year come on the dude could dribble without looking like a Hunchback troll. But gotta say the dude took my advice and worked very hard this off season an to his credit does not look like a Hunchback Troll when he dribbles. We will see how he performs against good teams but as much as I was hating on him I would love for him to prove me wrong. I will happily eat all the crow possible......Yummmy...

I don't know what smoothed out more, the jumpshot or the arch in his back? The crazy thing is that he became a completely different person athletically when he fixed his posture. The big knock on his upside was his so-so athleticism, but he seems pretty solid in that aspect since he learned to stand up straight.

[Darius McCrary]

That was my first reaction last night after seeing CJ play so well. But, honestly, CJ needed minutes. He bounced around in different systems in high school. In college he played in probably the worst developmental situation in the country. Last season, he didn't get summer league or even that abbreviated training camp (visa issues).

CJ needed minutes and got 1,000+ minutes in the D-League. Mills, to compare, has played only about half that many minutes with the Spurs. Even if the compe ion was lower, CJ was in major need of repe ions. He's probably better off now than if he was used in that Patty/Nando/Gary timeshare.

Besides, it's really not that late in the season. Seven weeks is PLENTY of time to work in a new player. Especially one who knows the plays and is familiar with his teammates/surroundings.

Looking back, Jacque Vaughn didn't win the job in 2007 until around the All-Star break. This would be a similar move in which Pop forfeits some offensive explosiveness for better defense and a steadier hand.

on the surface i don't agree with you that it's not too late, but I'd appreciate if you save us mobile St Surfers the trouble and hook us up with a link supporting the Vaughn statement. And not to take anything away from him, IMO he was the best backup PG of the Tony Parker era, i just don't remember him not winning the job until when you say.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

I dunno, Vaughn moved past Beno for the backup PG spot by the All-Star break in 2007. Nazr didn't secure the starting spot until the playoffs.

Regarding Vaughn, he was an old-as-dirt veteran, and so I'm assuming that in the eyes of Pop he could be trusted. Cojo still has very little experience, though the potential is clearly there.

[DJR210]

word cojo haters its ok to come out now ................... same posters who hated on cojo hated on blair ...........................

Wow get off Blair's piece already.

[therealtruth]

at making an MVP candidate expendable

I've always felt the Spurs could be successful without the PG being a ball dominant scorer and I think 2010 proved that when George Hill manned the point.

[spurraider21]

I've always felt the Spurs could be successful without the PG being a ball dominant scorer and I think 2010 proved that when George Hill manned the point.

We got swept that year. Didn't prove too much

[pgardn]

Yeah he's 20, clearly too late to do anything with him.

Again, this board took him to be an immediate backup. Pop... I dunno.

He might have been 2 years old, the above was the perceived expectation for a first rounder IMO.

[pgardn]

In hindsight people underrated the 2011 draft. Then again no draft will be as weak as 2000, even the 2006 draft where the Raps drafted Bustnani instead of Aldridge or Roy.

Would any team picking in the late first round give up a hypothetical pick for him right now?

Guess this is the best way to assess value. Do they see all the upside this board does?

(personally I find it fun to see what becomes of all this by getting to watch him more often)

[jjktkk]

Have you considered that Pop might also just be trying to motivate the other "point guards" by starting a D league player? Not that the Spurs don't have long term hopes for Cojo, clearly they do, but in my heart I still have difficulty seeing Pop rolling the dice with an unknown player this late in the season, especially considering the playoffs.

Tbh, I see this as a classic "Poptease". Spurstalk gets worked up with a new prospect...only to see Cojo sent back to the Toros next week.

I'm not saying Cojo doesn't have a chance to make it stick this year, but history seems to be against him.

Cojo is not an "unknown player". The only thing holding Cojo back, is his lack of expierence.

[Seventyniner]

Parker exact words answering at a question on whether or not De Colo would get more playing time with his injury:
"I don't know what is inside Pop's head. I know that he was little disappointed by the outings of the 2 backup PG, Patty and Nando, so he called up Cory Joseph. There are about 20 games remaining and I think the backup PG slot is open to the three players. The three have a true opportunity even more that I wont play for three weeks. So the three will have a true opportunity to show Pop that they deserves to be in our rotation and earn playing for the playoffs because in the playoffs, rotation will tighten and only 8/9 players will play. According to me, Pop hasn't made his choice and they have three weeks to convince."

Some things stand out here:
1) Neal isn't listed as a backup PG. Is that experiment finally over? Also interesting that Mills is listed and Neal isn't; their roles seem to be nearly identical.
2) Pop seems to want to shorten the rotation before the WCF this year. It's hard to cut the rotation to 8; of the 8 best players on the team, only one is a PG (Parker). It will be necessary to either give a player outside the top 9 minutes at backup PG (Joseph, De Colo, Mills, Neal), or have one of Manu and Tony on the court at all times. If Manu can handle the minutes, I'd be all for that.

[Pop]

Some things stand out here:
1) Neal isn't listed as a backup PG. Is that experiment finally over? Also interesting that Mills is listed and Neal isn't; their roles seem to be nearly identical.
2) Pop seems to want to shorten the rotation before the WCF this year. It's hard to cut the rotation to 8; of the 8 best players on the team, only one is a PG (Parker). It will be necessary to either give a player outside the top 9 minutes at backup PG (Joseph, De Colo, Mills, Neal), or have one of Manu and Tony on the court at all times. If Manu can handle the minutes, I'd be all for that.

You think Manu can bring up the ball vs a Bledsoe? You're all for that??

Yeah ok...

[jhfenton]

What were his shooting splits in the D-League this season?

45.8% shooting overall, but 47.9% (35-73) on 3's.

http://www.nba.com/dleague/playerfile/cory_joseph/

YR TEAM G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
12-13 AUS 26 26 38.5 0.458 0.479 0.804 1.2 3.7 4.8 5.5 1.9 0.4 2.58 2.46 19.4

[Pasta Batman]

Some things stand out here:
1) Neal isn't listed as a backup PG. Is that experiment finally over? Also interesting that Mills is listed and Neal isn't; their roles seem to be nearly identical.
2) Pop seems to want to shorten the rotation before the WCF this year. It's hard to cut the rotation to 8; of the 8 best players on the team, only one is a PG (Parker). It will be necessary to either give a player outside the top 9 minutes at backup PG (Joseph, De Colo, Mills, Neal), or have one of Manu and Tony on the court at all times. If Manu can handle the minutes, I'd be all for that.

The last thing you want is Manu exerting all his energy on both ends of the floor to make up for a lousy ball handler (when defenses actually play D) and defender like Neal, for example. He's not young enough to do big minutes and give that same Manu-like energy he used to for 35+ minutes.

[Pasta Batman]

Except that the playoffs can be a different beast. CoJo will have only been with the varsity for a month and a half when the playoffs start, so we'll have to see how he looks, and also what Pop's comfort level is with giving him run.

We've all see what Neal has done against The Grizz, OKC and Clippers in the past few post seasons. All other guys are unknowns, so CJ's not at that much of a disadvantage compared to Mills/Nando. He probably knows the PG plays the best out of all the guards.

[therealtruth]

We got swept that year. Didn't prove too much

That had more to do with our lack of defense. But we were pretty good after Parker went down with the injury.

[FireMicoHalili]

Sample size too small. Is he this forum's shiny new toy? *scoffs*

[tesseractive]

We've all see what Neal has done against The Grizz, OKC and Clippers in the past few post seasons. All other guys are unknowns, so CJ's not at that much of a disadvantage compared to Mills/Nando. He probably knows the PG plays the best out of all the guards.

True. But while CoJo isn't considered a rookie in the NBA sense, he's one by the MLB definition, and basically 2 1/2 seasons removed from high school. All I'm saying -- and this applies to NDC as well -- is that you never know what will happen with rookies in the playoffs. We've had some guys that were great in their first playoffs, but not every good player is.

[racm]

True. But while CoJo isn't considered a rookie in the NBA sense, he's one by the MLB definition, and basically 2 1/2 seasons removed from high school. All I'm saying -- and this applies to NDC as well -- is that you never know what will happen with rookies in the playoffs. We've had some guys that were great in their first playoffs, but not every good player is.

Tony blew in his first four playoff runs. Good thing prime Timmy covered for him.

[Ice009]

Tony blew in his first four playoff runs. Good thing prime Timmy covered for him.

TP shredded Gary Payton, a legend, in his first playoff series. Then he played very well against LA in the second round. I disagree with you completely. He might have been the Spurs second best player in his first ever playoffs.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Cojo is not an "unknown player". The only thing holding Cojo back, is his lack of expierence.

His lack of experience in the playoffs makes him "unknown".

[Whisky Dog]

That was my first reaction last night after seeing CJ play so well. But, honestly, CJ needed minutes. He bounced around in different systems in high school. In college he played in probably the worst developmental situation in the country.

Just curious timvp, but why do you feel Rick Barnes coaches the worst developmental situation in the country? What makes you believe that?

Curious to see the evidence that gives you that opinion

[thOOdee]

cory so far looking really good........

[thOOdee]

damn this kid is pesty

[SequSpur]

I have a question..did timvp say kawhi was going to be an all-star?