Spurs sign Robinson for stretch run dog days

[whottt]

I wasn't sure if this has been posted yet...It's got some quotes by Pop...

ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2030303)



SAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs wanted the Mailman, but they'll settle for the Big Dog.


Robinson

The Spurs signed former All-Star forward Glenn Robinson to a free-agent contract for the rest of the season. Terms of the contract, announced late Monday, were not released.

The hope is that Robinson, a proven scorer in 10 NBA seasons, will provide some offense for a team that at times has struggled to score since star forward Tim Duncan and swingman Devin Brown got hurt in late March.

"He's a heck of a shooter," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said, "and we have some nights where we have trouble getting it in the hole."

Earlier this season the Spurs made a run at signing Karl Malone, but in February the Mailman said he lost the zeal for the game and retired instead.

Robinson, who hasn't played in more than a year due to injuries, was cut by New Orleans in early March, a week after he was acquired from Philadelphia.

The 6-foot-7 Robinson said going to the Spurs gives him a chance to resurrect his flagging career and contend for a title.

"This is one of the best teams in the NBA," he said. "All I have to do is to come in and help out. ... This is a new beginning."

The Spurs are 4-3 since Duncan was sidelined with a right ankle sprain in a March 20 loss at Detroit. Their scoring over that seven-game span is six points lower than their season average of 96.2 points per game, and only twice have they topped 46 percent shooting.

It's still not clear whether Duncan will return during the final nine regular-season games, which include three back-to-backs in eight days.

Brown, who averaged 15 points in his last eight games, has been out for six games with a lower back strain.

Popovich said Brown's injury raised the Spurs' interest in Robinson's shooting, as well as a defensive option when opponents go with small lineups.

Robinson is not known for his defense, but Popovich said they can work around that.

"The good thing is that he's intelligent and he understands the game," Popovich said. "He'll pick up the team-defense concept, so he won't have to be the best individual defender."

Robinson, who played college ball at Purdue, was the league's No. 1 draft pick by Milwaukee in 1994. He has averaged 20.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in his career, most of it with the Bucks, and was a two-time All-Star.


With the 76ers last season, Robinson averaged 16.6 points and 4.5 rebounds in 42 games before undergoing surgery on his right elbow in March 2004. He played in five preseason games before Philadelphia put him on the injured list Nov. 1 with left ankle tendinitis.

San Antonio waived guard Dion Glover to make room for Robinson.

[whottt]

Robinson is not known for his defense, but Popovich said they can work around that.

"The good thing is that he's intelligent and he understands the game," Popovich said. "He'll pick up the team-defense concept, so he won't have to be the best individual defender."


Those were the last words Brent Barry heard in his career as a respected NBA player...Famoust last words....

[whottt]

It does sound like Robinson wants to turn over a new leaf...

I honestly don't hold it against the guy that he doesn't like Ray Allen, George Karl, or AI...

[timvp]

Sounds pretty good. If he can come in and work hard, the Spurs potentially have a steal.

The thing is, he hasn't worked hard in I don't know how many years.

[Jimcs50]

Pop=Karl

He won't like Pop either.

They are both disciplinarians, who expect players to all play hard and do not dog it.(no pun intended)

[whottt]

That's not true....Pop does not equal Karl...

Gerge Karl is a real dickhead...there's a lot of players that don't like Karl.

He publicly chides his players and scapegoats them in the media in childish ways.....None of Karl's ex players really like playing for him...

Karl not only does that to his own players, but he does it to his opponents as well...

Pop doesn't seem to have the short shelf life that Larry Brown and George Karl have.

You need to apologize to Pop for saying that Jimbo...he's much >>>>>>>>>> Karl

Pop can be a dick but he doesn't go in for the public humiliation via the media like Karl does...that's what Karl does that pisses players off.

[ducks]

big dog might want to play for a few years
he might think he can use the spurs for a little bit and get a big payday soon on another team
I think he will be ok
I think he signed knowing he will get a chance to atleast prove he can still play
I doubt pop promsied much more

[FromWayDowntown]

Like I said in the other thread, this strikes me as a no-lose situation for the Spurs. The Spurs are getting a very low-priced look at a guy with All-Star talent (even if he can be a knucklehead). If Robinson can still play (and mostly, on the offensive end) he has the possibility of being a tremendous bench player in the present who can sustain the offense. He should be playing primarily with guys who aren't great shooters, so even if he becomes a better version of Ron Mercer, the group should be a bit better, at least on the offensive end. If he can still play, he might be available to the Spurs for a reduced price next year, or he may give the Spurs a chip in some sort of sign-and-trade scenario to get something without really giving up much.

Meanwhile, the Spurs can basically keep the Big Dog on a short leash, so to speak. He's on a minimum contract and he's basically playing for his NBA life. If he gets out of line with complaints or proves to be a bad citizen, the Spurs lose nothing (other than maybe a bit of time) by releasing him.

It's markedly different, IMO, than if you had acquired him by trade when he was still under that huge contract he got from the Bucks -- in Robinson's case, there will be no worry about eating a huge salary or tying up capspace in a bad dude.

If he works out, that's great. If he doesn't, his ass will be out of here about as quickly as Mercer's was last year.

[gospursgojas]

I think he will find out soon though, that since he is not a 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd option, and the Spurs don't really need him for them to be title contenders (if they are healthy), he better not dogg it or he is out of here.

[whottt]

FWDT speaketh the truth....

Right now our bench is Brent Barry...that's it...and if he doesn't have big game then our bench doesn't do anything...

Lukcily for us Barry has lead the team in scoring, off the bench no less, in 4 of the 6 games since Duncan went out.


This guy will help...I think he'll help even if he isn't in shape...He's much better than Nazr.

[ducks]

he is also much better then rose

[ducks]

some of complained lately that the spurs bench was work
it has been weak tell barry recently stepped up
he adds a spark of o on the bench

[Kori Ellis]

he is also much better then rose

Don't be a hater, or start something that doesn't need to be started. You can't compare two players that play completely different positions and styles of game.

Get back on topic.

[Jimcs50]

Karl is not a dickhead.

He is a great coach...just look at the way Denver started playing after he took over...it was not magic.

Karl is an ex favorite Spur of mine and he can do no wrong.

[wildbill2u]

I think this seals it that Devin won't be back. Whether Robinson can get into shape is a question. They better give him as many minutes as they can to get him used to playing again and to sharpen up his shooting.

[Solid D]

if you give a job and a meal to a homeless guy...you hope he squares up and uses his opportunity. You hope...

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

if you give a job and a meal to a homeless guy...you hope he squares up and uses his opportunity. You hope...

More often than not, though, you'll find them back on the streets within a few days. It depends on how much that person really wants to work.

[Solid D]

More often than not, though, you'll find them back on the streets within a few days. It depends on how much that person really wants to work.

So true, Ed.

and every once in a while, you get lucky and find that diamond in the rough.

http://www.bowfinger.com/images/bowinger_1.jpg

Bowfinger (Steve Martin): Do you have any experience in motion pictures?

Jiff (Eddie Murphy): Well, yeah. Quite a bit actually. I have quite a bit of experience. I'm, uh, active, uh, renter at Blockbuster.

[whottt]

Jim and GiG...if you guys had been basketball fans prior to this season you would know of Karl's reputation...Obviously you weren't since you can only judge him by his recent Nuggets stint...

And by the way...the Nuggets are not playing the best baksetball right now..the Suns are...including a win over the Nuggets.

And if you could read you would see that I never claimed he wasn't a good coach...only that he wears on his players with time.

[FromWayDowntown]

I don't think this is about George Karl, though. It's really about whether Glenn Robinson wants to resurrect his career; to put to rest the demons that have kept him from being what he could have been.

If you want to make this about George Karl and Gregg Popovich, you can try to equate the two, but there's a monumental difference between them inasmuch as Pop has almost never had a player point a finger at him publicly -- even guys who go elsewhere still have a warm embrace and rave reviews for Pop as a man. Remember Pop's big hug for SJax last year at center court after the Hawks came in -- Pop sought him out and Jax reciprocated. Pop and Speedy Claxton always seem to have a nice moment when the schedule brings them together. Even guys who have just marginally been involved with Pop seek him out and give him respect -- Mike Bibby, Jermaine O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant have all had glowing things to say about Pop in just the last couple of years. He rants and raves sometimes, but he must be able to gain the trust and (as importantly) the respect of his players, because the reactions he gets from most players in the NBA are unique. Whatever else you think about Pop, he seems to get through to most guys. And those he doesn't reach aren't here long enough to develop much acrimony for him.

[whottt]

Don't forget that Pop is boys with Latrell Sprewell...who would think that possible either?

Pop is just as much of a disciplinarian as most of the old school coaches...but he doesn't seem to have the personality conflicts with players that most of these guys do...Including Larry Brown. I think that's because that's not all there is to him and he is honest with guys...Pop does make mistakes with players but he doesn't seem to generate animosity like a lot of disciplinarians's do...there's seems to be an underlying respect there...

Pop>Karl

[Jimcs50]

Pop>Karl as coach, but Karl is not a dickhead.

Alot of athletes are assholes, and he has has his share of them over the years.

[boutons]

Let's see how well Karl and the Nuggets get along after this honeymoon is over, sooner or later.

[ChumpDumper]

Calling out one of your players in the press without talking to that player first is pure dickhead behavior. There are times when Karl thinks he's still 25, playing in the league with a full head of hair.

[ChumpDumper]

http://www.remembertheaba.com/AlumniPhotos/KarlCloseupHair.JPG

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

He's worth it if for no other reason than if we play Seattle we have someone who finish with Ray Allen what Bruce Bowen has started.

[leemajors]

you can't deny the fact that karl wears on his players after a time.

[milkyway21]

Stephen Jackson was a perfect example of Pops' success in disciplining his players. He was a problem in Atlanta, sometime in Indiana just after he got back back from that suspension after the brawl. He was not popular in New Jersey either. Of course, Timmy had something to do with that, (they purposely placed Jackson next to Timmy's locker when he signed in S.A).:angel

So, I don't see why a veteran like Big Dog can't be contained, as well. He shows a lot of respect for this team, he seemed eager to show the world what he can do to help this team and prove "something" to his detractors, including our favorite Ray Allen:D.

BTW, I wanna know when he can start playing for this team. Will it be the next game? Hope he can contribute soon enough.

[Jimcs50]

Pop will whip him in shape, but the track history of this team is to get good shooters and have them try too hard and shoot horribly both from the arc and the FT line.

Hope Glen is an exception.

[Manu20]

What number will Glenn wear? Perhaps 31????