48MoH: Roger Mason Jr.: An unfinished portrait

[Blackjack]

Roger Mason Jr.: An unfinished portrait
by Jesse Blanchard

Whether through a series of unfortunate circumstances or simply misplaced expectations, The Legacy of Big Shot Rog (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/21/AR2009022101820.html) will likely end as one of the most regrettably unfinished chapters in recent San Antonio Spurs history.

Roger Mason Jr. came to San Antonio with little expectations from Spurs fans but quickly endeared himself to the AT&T Center crowds with clutch shot after clutch shot. There was the Clippers game. The Phoenix Suns on Christmas. The Lakers and Celtics. He was Big Shot Rog:



His shot is so elegant. He is the essence of a pure shooter. His feet are square. His hands are high. His body and the floor form a perfect right angle. He can stop on a dime and still go straight up. And even when being fouled, which obviously limits his ability to maintain such idyllic physical composition, the mangled forms of his shot shine through. You see each little puzzle piece working tirelessly to make sure the shot remains on target. Some might call it “focus” but I think it comes from something slightly different. It radiates from his confidence. Not just confidence. Charisma. Roger Mason Jr.’s late game heroics are like an unexpected baptism.

That portrait of Roger Mason Jr., written over a year ago by Graydon (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/01/15/the-notebook-breathing-easy/), was everything the San Antonio Spurs needed this season. Because of that first impression, head coach Gregg Popovich stuck with Mason through all of his struggles. But even given every opportunity, Mason never had a chance.

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2010/05/25/roger-mason-jr-an-unfinished-portrait/#more-8506)

[cantthinkofanything]

God. That is sooooo true. After those big shots last year, I think we were all on the RMJ bandwaggon. Even as late as halfway through this year, I was waiting for him to return to that player that beat the Lakers, Suns, etc. And for the rest of the year I kept thinking that he would get hot somewhere, sometime. And now that he says he was injured the whole time, I'm wondering again. Anyone still think he has something?

[dbestpro]

He can get back to where he was by getting away from Pop and by not having to play PG. Pop has a way of helping some players reach their potential while destroying others by playing them out of position.

[cantthinkofanything]

He can get back to where he was by getting away from Pop and by not having to play PG. Pop has a way of helping some players reach their potential while destroying others by playing them out of position.

I don't know about that. It seems like whenever he gets the ball, he is looking for a 3 point shot and not necessarily the best bball play. I have no idea of the stats but it seemed like when he dribbled into the lane and took the 15 foot jumper, he was pretty accurate.

[ChumpDumper]

He would have been better had he not retired in February.

[Shastafarian]

He would have been better had he not retired in April 2009.

fify

[koriwhat]

haha an unfinished portrait...

http://i48.tinypic.com/f20bgl.jpg

[BadOne]

The guys wasn't injured during last year's playoffs. No excuses, he just fell off. Can't say why. Had he kept that deadly shooting touch, who knows how this season would've turned out.

[Parker2112]

I would say his portrait is VERY finished at this point. He was a shooter who came into our system with confidence and looking to contribute. He leaves as a guy who lost his shot, his confidence and who never recovered.

Some stories finish with a whimper.

[Parker2112]

The guys wasn't injured during last year's playoffs. No excuses, he just fell off. Can't say why. Had he kept that deadly shooting touch, who knows how this season would've turned out.

It is quite simple: Some guys have a terminal case of small balls. It prevents them from coming through in the clutch. Not to be confused with small ball, which keeps you from getting out of the second round. lol. :(

[DesignatedT]

He can get back to where he was by getting away from Pop and by not having to play PG. Pop has a way of helping some players reach their potential while destroying others by playing them out of position.

Lol How people keep blaming pop for this bum is beyond me. This dude had so many chances this year. I don't remember him playing PG at all either... He was always out there with Tony or Hill or Manu. The guy lost it (or maybe it was his hurt hand) but it wasn't pop who made him miss wide open shot after wide open shot and missed rotation after missed rotation.

[Mel_13]

I would say his portrait is VERY finished at this point. He was a shooter who came into our system with confidence and looking to contribute. He leaves as a guy who lost his shot, his confidence and who never recovered.

Some stories finish with a whimper.

Yes. Time to move on.

[Blackjack]

Blanchard just had to find a way to show off his watercolor skills:

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Roger-Mason1-756x1024.jpg

Not bad, Jesse. :tu

[Agloco]

He can get back to where he was by getting away from Pop and by not having to play PG. Pop has a way of helping some players reach their potential while destroying others by playing them out of position.

This. The whole PG experiment was a lesson in futility. He was never the same after that fiasco. He needs to be shooting the rock, not pounding it.

[Spurs Brazil]

Mason was decent in his first two months since January of 2009 he's one the worst players I ever see in a Spurs uniform

[cd98]

I try to feel sorry for him, but he's just been too disappointing in the playoffs.

[MaNu4Tres]

Time to move on. Even though it's way overdue.

One of the worst players I've seen in the NBA in a long time that consistently received quality minutes throughout the regular season.

[Riverwalkman]

Are we talking about a free agent that can‘t help us at all？

[mingus]

i think a lot of people tend to diminish just how much of a fuck up RMJ was in his second year as a spur in light of how shitty RJ was as well. still, i think a year equal to what he did last year could've, perhaps, pushed this team to a Finals' appearance and maybe more. a royal dissapointment. and there's no excuse for him. RJ at least has the excuse that his skillset doesn't fit with our offense, but that can't be said for RMJ.

[blkroadrunners]

It's obvious that his hand injury affected his shooting touch, but his defense was beyond horrid.

[EricB]

Yes its all Pop's fault that RMJ couldn't hit an open jump shot.

Quite clearly.

[silverblackfan]

Hey I went from one of RMJ's biggest fans to dreading when he hit the court almost as much as Finely. He just could not make up for his lost shot. Shame about his contract and he always seemed to be a good character. I wish him well, but it is time to move on. If only to give our young guys more time.

[hater]

Just get rid of Mason and Bonner in the offseason. Dammit, it's so simple.

[Mel_13]

Just get rid of Mason and Bonner in the offseason. Dammit, it's so simple.

Trade request plus poor performance means there's almost no chance we see Mason next year.

Bonner returning with a significant pay cut remains, unfortunately, a possibility.

Corporate knowledge, stretch 4, sandwiches....

[lefty]

He can get back to where he was by getting away from Pop and by not having to play PG. Pop has a way of helping some players reach their potential while destroying others by playing them out of position.

This


I don't know about that. It seems like whenever he gets the ball, he is looking for a 3 point shot and not necessarily the best bball play. I have no idea of the stats but it seemed like when he dribbled into the lane and took the 15 foot jumper, he was pretty accurate.

He used to be a better decision maker before the PG experiment

[ElNono]

Is he even going to find another job in the L? I guess the T-Pups always have a spot open for scrubs like him.

[sabar]

Funny how he did small times of PG before being coached under Pop without having a total meltdown in shooting ability.

[Mel_13]

Is he even going to find another job in the L? I guess the T-Pups always have a spot open for scrubs like him.

Assuming that he's willing to take the vet min, he'll get a job with some lux tax team that needs to fill required roster spots on the cheap.

[koriwhat]

out with the old... hopefully in with the new.

[carina_gino20]

While it was painful to see Mason's open shots bounce out of the rim time after time, what really pissed me off was his piss poor effort on defense. That was the main reason why I didn't want to see him on the floor late in the season. Missing open shots while dealing with a hand injury, I can deal with. Merely watching as your man blows by you to the basket, nope.

[TD 21]

Trade request plus poor performance means there's almost no chance we see Mason next year.

Bonner returning with a significant pay cut remains, unfortunately, a possibility.

Corporate knowledge, stretch 4, sandwiches....

Assuming Splitter signs and McDyess isn't traded, I don't see it. He's not young, not athletic, but is in the prime of his career and his performance hasn't significantly tailed off. So to expect him to accept being a fifth big and taking a drastically reduced salary is unrealistic. Maybe, because of the financial climate of the league, he has to take a slight pay cut, but I can't see the Spurs paying much more (if any more) than the minimum for their fifth big and Bonner's not going to make the minimum or in the vicinity of it.

The more likely scenario, as I see it, would see the Spurs looking for a cheaper option to fill this role. At this writing, I can't come up with a more likely candidate than Tolliver, even though he's a mediocre three-point shooter. But he probably will make in the vicinity of the minimum, probably will accept being a fifth big, plus he's relatively young and the Spurs are obviously familiar with him.

Sure, the Warriors probably want to retain him, but so did the Wizards with Gee. The reality is the Warriors already have five bigs ahead of him (though two can play SF), often play small and are probably going to look into acquiring a front line big. So there's a good chance opportunity will be more limited their than it may seem on the surface.

[Mel_13]

Assuming Splitter signs and McDyess isn't traded, I don't see it. He's not young, not athletic, but is in the prime of his career and his performance hasn't significantly tailed off. So to expect him to accept being a fifth big and taking a drastically reduced salary is unrealistic. Maybe, because of the financial climate of the league, he has to take a slight pay cut, but I can't see the Spurs paying much more (if any more) than the minimum for their fifth big and Bonner's not going to make the minimum or in the vicinity of it.

The more likely scenario, as I see it, would see the Spurs looking for a cheaper option to fill this role. At this writing, I can't come up with a more likely candidate than Tolliver, even though he's a mediocre three-point shooter. But he probably will make in the vicinity of the minimum, probably will accept being a fifth big, plus he's relatively young and the Spurs are obviously familiar with him.

Sure, the Warriors probably want to retain him, but so did the Wizards with Gee. The reality is the Warriors already have five bigs ahead of him (though two can play SF), often play small and are probably going to look into acquiring a front line big. So there's a good chance opportunity will be more limited their than it may seem on the surface.

Well, you're not going to get me to make a case for Bonner. My point was merely that I view the chance of Mason returning as very close to zero. While I view the chance of Bonner returning as small, it is greater than Mason's.

As for how much of a pay cut, if any, Bonner has to accept, I guess we'll see. It is a little noted truth in the NBA that a number of proven NBA vets are involuntarily retired every year. You see that article in late September about vets without a job and how few roster spots are left unfilled in the NBA. It's a brutal numbers game and there are losers every year. Bonner's a smart guy and I think he'll cut a deal quickly and not risk getting into that situation. He still has ties to Toronto so maybe that's where he ends up. I'm ready for the end of the Bonner era in San Antonio.

Finally, the Tolliver and Gee situations are not really comparable. Washington had no rights to Gee. The two teams were on an equal playing field and the Spurs offered a better deal. IF Golden State wants to keep Tolliver, they can make him a restricted FA by tendering a qualifying offer of just under 1.1M. If they do that, they would have the right to match any offer he receives. I don't have any idea how much the Ws value him or whether the Spurs would consider the idea of a second chance for Tolliver. We'll see.

[TD 21]

Well, you're not going to get me to make a case for Bonner. My point was merely that I view the chance of Mason returning as very close to zero. While I view the chance of Bonner returning as small, it is greater than Mason's.

As for how much of a pay cut, if any, Bonner has to accept, I guess we'll see. It is a little noted truth in the NBA that a number of proven NBA vets are involuntarily retired every year. You see that article in late September about vets without a job and how few roster spots are left unfilled in the NBA. It's a brutal numbers game and there are losers every year. Bonner's a smart guy and I think he'll cut a deal quickly and not risk getting into that situation. He still has ties to Toronto so maybe that's where he ends up. I'm ready for the end of the Bonner era in San Antonio.

Finally, the Tolliver and Gee situations are not really comparable. Washington had no rights to Gee. The two teams were on an equal playing field and the Spurs offered a better deal. IF Golden State wants to keep Tolliver, they can make him a restricted FA by tendering a qualifying offer of just under 1.1M. If they do that, they would have the right to match any offer he receives. I don't have any idea how much the Ws value him or whether the Spurs would consider the idea of a second chance for Tolliver. We'll see.

Agreed.

It is, but Bonner will be a commodity on a team that can cover up his glaring weaknesses better than the Spurs can. Stretch four's are all the rage and in terms of three-point percentage, Bonner is one of the best. Plus, he's significantly cheaper than a lot of others filling this role (Murphy, Lewis, etc.). The Raptors have no use for Bonner and I'd be surprised if he returned their, even though he probably wants to.

Right and I think that's what they'll do with Tolliver. I have no information on this, just a guess.