Brett Brown on back up PG position re Mills

[benfti]

Found this on Australian Yahoo Sports, thought i would share


Brown expected Mills to have greater responsibilities next season.

“I think he is and more importantly I think Pop (Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich) thinks he is (ready for bigger role),” Brown said.

“When you watch him grab a game and have 39 points (against Great Britain) when we’re down 15 against the host nation about to bumped out of the tournament (it’s impressive).

“His level of commitment is tremendous. He dropped weight. He wasn’t overweight to begin with but his skin folds and fitness level went to a higher level. We thought it would increase his speed and pace and enable him to pick up the ball full court.

“I think he had a great tournament, I think he is learning how to be a point-guard and a leader.

“I feel like he can contribute at a higher level in San Antonio after really only three months with us last year. To come back for a full season next year I know he is looking to that and I know Parker is looking forward to giving him that opportunity.”

full article here

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/14507081/ingles-ready-for-nba-call-up/

[Dex]

Will Parker pass him the ball?

[DesignatedT]

Are you implying that Parker doesn't pass??

[keywester]

Is Mills tradable



Is Mills tradable? If he is, his value must have increased dramatically after his Olympic performance.

[urunobili]

Awesome news! can't wait for Patty to play 20 min and have Parker rested for crunch time and games :tu

[wildbill2u]

Will Parker pass him the ball?

Not from the bench while resting and Mills is playing PG

[TheCerebral1]

I love Patty Mills, I am glad he's back on the team. He played great with his limited minutes. Not the greatest defensive player but he's got touch at the rim and from "goggles" deep.

[eric365]

Battle for the backup PG minutes next year after theses olympics :
Mills 1 - De Colo 0

[MR-Clutch]

I love patty and was a fan before he even joined the team. He's quick, he has unlimited range and could become a better defender because of his quickness.I think he needs to work on his court vision and passing, because at this point in time all I see him as a SG in a pgs body. In a way he reminds me of Neal, he can just destroy an opposing bench, or he could shoot the team out of an offensive rythmn.

It will be interesting to see what happens between Cory Joseph who went from being a but to having the the potential to be starter (I never gave up on him like some). Cory should such good improvement on his feel for the PG position in the spurs system, and anyone who watched summer leagues could tell you he could have easily averaged 8 or more assists if his teamates just made open shots. CJs shot looks incredible, his ability to get into the lane improved, his defense excellent and his leadership skills as well. It was clear he needed to work on his actual ball handling though. Not to mention it was all against pretty poor competition.

Then there is Nando also. I admit I havent seen much of him, but he obviously creative, and looks like he will be pretty solid in the Pick N Roll. He also has a decent pull up jumper which defenses will have to respect. Ive heard the knock on him is his defense, and that it is unkown how his athleticism will transfer. He's big though and has experience in big games.

Clearly theres a log jam at the back up point guard especially with Neal still around as well. The way I think it will play out is with Neal being traded and Mills getting the back up spot. DeColo will be the 3rd string backup of SG/PG or possibly playing in a small ball line up in the second unit. Cory will be allowed another year to marinate in the D-league. Hopefully Richards will be put on the D-legauge team and those 2 could get some chemistry going between them with Cojo showing him the ropes. Right now our two lines ups probably look like this.

Starters:
Tony Parker
Danny Green
Kawhi Leonard
Boris Diaw
Tim Dincan

Bench:
Patty Mills
Manu Ginobili
Stephen Jackson
Bonner/
Tiago Splitter

With the way the league is moving, I would prefer a small ball line up in the 2nd unit like such.

Patty Mills
Nando De Colo
Manu Ginobili
Stephen Jackson
Tiago Spitter.

Either way its gonna be interesting to see what the spurs do with the lineup. One thing is clear though WE STACKED:hat.

[AFBlue]

Considering his role last year was "towel boy", it's not a stretch to assume a larger one next year.

[bigfan]

Still think Joseph is the odd man out on all this and should plan on a long stay in Austin.

[Bruno]

Mills should be the favorite to get the backup PG spot and the consistent 15 mpg associated with it.

[DPG21920]

Mills has a lot of scoring talent, but there are still things to work on for him to be a consistent contributor on an NBA team that has title hopes.

[Tuddy]

There's no way Patty will be the backup PG come playoff time. For a team that relies on such a team oriented approach as the spurs offense it's just not gonna happen. The offense for the boomers as a team often stagnated when he was on the court. He played at least as well in Beijing as now and just won't ever have the court vision to be a good distributor. Ideal for the regular season to eat minutes or if you're behind and need someone who can fill it up quickly.

[Tuddy]

Also think the trading Neal stuff is overblown. As bad as his D is there as so few players in the league who can consistently score under real pressure in the playoffs and he seems to be one of them

[AussieFanKurt]

I hope he does get more minutes. Love seeing an Aussie on the spurs roster

[Keepin' it real]

Battle for the backup PG minutes next year after theses olympics :
Mills 1 - De Colo 0

That's not a very big lead.

[G-Dawgg]

Good. Parker has never been a clutch performer, we need somebody in there to close out our 4th qtrs tbh....

[gee]

Mills shouldnt be competing with Neal for playing time as backup PG - I really think that at this point everyone has cringed enough at Neal struggling to bring the ball up the court and the guy can't run the offence at all, while Mills is capable.

Sure, Neal's a great shooter but he's also completely one dimensional and often takes dumbass shots and on a team stacked with great shooters he needs more than just his shooting to be entitled to big minutes when the other aspects of his game are really hurting the team.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Also think the trading Neal stuff is overblown. As bad as his D is there as so few players in the league who can consistently score under real pressure in the playoffs and he seems to be one of them

The problem is, he can't bring the ball up the court under any pressure at all. He is a catch and shoot guard who Pop thinks can run the offense. He can't. Hell, I've seen him lose the ball on a behind the back dribble and NO pressure. He also couldn't defend my mom. That will ultimately punch his ticket off the Spurs.

[Sean Cagney]

The problem is, he can't bring the ball up the court under any pressure at all. He is a catch and shoot guard who Pop thinks can run the offense. He can't. Hell, I've seen him lose the ball on a behind the back dribble and NO pressure. He also couldn't defend my mom. That will ultimately punch his ticket off the Spurs.

Yeah Pop is great but I really don't get him sometimes, how can he not see stuff like that which is plain as day.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

Neal is one of the most clutch shooters in the league and makes the minimum. There is nothing wrong with having him on the team. He will just get less minutes next year.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Not sure how I feel about him losing weight. I had three concerns about him watching him play last season.

1) Passing
2) Understanding of Pick and roll angles/spacing
3) size

As it was he simply got pushed around. His lateral quickness is elite. From side to side he is at least as quick as Parker. Saw him beat guys to screens and the like. The issue was fighting through screens or just going right at him.

Still love what he brings to the table and teams having to chase him and Parker is going to do help the transition game.

[8FOR!3]

The lighter he is, the faster he is. And he's already incredibly fast. So I can't complain.

[8FOR!3]

The lighter he is, the faster he is. And he's already incredibly fast. So I can't complain.

[AussieFanKurt]

The lighter he is, the faster he is. And he's already incredibly fast. So I can't complain.

Is there necessarily a correlation between weight and speed?

[Tuddy]

How many more decades till the saints win it all? Should trade riewoldt

[lakerhaterade]

Is there necessarily a correlation between weight and speed?

yes, unless you're lebron james.


smh

[AussieFanKurt]

How many more decades till the saints win it all? Should trade riewoldt

I've been saying it for years, if we had of before 2009 and got someone who could kick goals, we'd have won the last 3 flags

[AussieFanKurt]

yes, unless you're lebron james.


smh

Fastest man on earth is 200+ lbs..

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Neal is one of the most clutch shooters in the league and makes the minimum. There is nothing wrong with having him on the team. He will just get less minutes next year.

The Problems is nothing or something, which is what you get for him WHEN he walks (they won't pay him market next summer) or if he is traded.

[racm]

And PATFO is the kind of FO that never wants to let a guy simply walk in free agency when they could get something in return.

[Manu-of-steel]

IMO, the spurs can now use Neal without worrying too much about ball pressure because De Colo can do the ball handling. The only problem is that the defense might suffer because i think both are not good at defending.

[venitian navigator]

IMO, the spurs can now use Neal without worrying too much about ball pressure because De Colo can do the ball handling. The only problem is that the defense might suffer because i think both are not good at defending.

They (Neal and De Colo) can't play together just 'cause of their defensive liabilities...also if De Colo is more than decent at stealing the ball.

The real value of De Colo, as seen at the olimpics, is that he's a "natural" carrying the ball...and having a better defense than Neal and a decent shooting ability he looked to me the exact kind of player that was going to replace Neal as our main back up play maker.

As of now (and avoiding any consideration about the CJ mistery) I see our rotation at play making like Parker (28 minutes per game) - De Colo/Mills (sharing 20 minutes per game).

Neal is gonna be part of our rotation at shooting guard that, as of now, looks like this : Green (20 minutes per game), Manu (20 minutes per game) Neal (8 minutes per game).

Point is that Neal :

1) has too much value to be a third string shooting guard : he's one of the best shooters and probably one of the top three clutch shooters in the entire nba;
2) however, as for now, he has too many defensive liabilities (see his defense on Fisher) to be considered a rotation player against a top nba offensive team a la OKC (and in no way he can guard for any minute players like Westbrook, Harden, Durant...).

The ideal thing to do for both him and the team, could be a trade of him packaged with the other young player with supposed market value, an above average skill and an above than wonderful contract for a rebuilding team (last year of a cheap contract carrying restricted free agency rights), I mean Blair.

But if no offers arrive, both Neal and Blair are players deserving the chance to improve their defensive liabilities on the first complete training camp with the team...and so enhancing their chances to play more minutes and became part of a still championship contending team.

[Obstructed_View]

DeColo's lack of speed and defense is going to kill him in the NBA. By the end of the season he's either going to become an end-of-the-bench guy or someone that Spurs fans outright wish ill upon.

( I also predicted that Gary Neal would wash out in the NBA, so I have to keep the streak alive)

[racm]

Eh, De Colo should be good for catch and shoot and a bit of ball-handling.

[Bruno]

My guess on how the backcourt situation will unfold:
Mills: backup PG will get 15mpg for every game.
De Colo: 12th man, will get some minutes over the year especially if a perimeter player is injured.
Neal: will be traded.
Joseph: will spend the year in Austin. If Spurs don't pick their option for 2013-2014, he might be traded too.

[dbestpro]

If given the green light, Mills will average double figures and give major headaches to opposing teams.

[therealtruth]

DeColo's lack of speed and defense is going to kill him in the NBA. By the end of the season he's either going to become an end-of-the-bench guy or someone that Spurs fans outright wish ill upon.

( I also predicted that Gary Neal would wash out in the NBA, so I have to keep the streak alive)

I think what put the nail in the coffin for me against Neal was Derrick Fisher outplaying him.

[therealtruth]

We really need a TJ ford replacement. I guy that is quick on defense and with the ball and doesn't need shots. The guy also has to be able to get guys shots and get their confidence going when they are struggling.

[therealtruth]

They (Neal and De Colo) can't play together just 'cause of their defensive liabilities...also if De Colo is more than decent at stealing the ball.

The real value of De Colo, as seen at the olimpics, is that he's a "natural" carrying the ball...and having a better defense than Neal and a decent shooting ability he looked to me the exact kind of player that was going to replace Neal as our main back up play maker.

As of now (and avoiding any consideration about the CJ mistery) I see our rotation at play making like Parker (28 minutes per game) - De Colo/Mills (sharing 20 minutes per game).

Neal is gonna be part of our rotation at shooting guard that, as of now, looks like this : Green (20 minutes per game), Manu (20 minutes per game) Neal (8 minutes per game).

Point is that Neal :

1) has too much value to be a third string shooting guard : he's one of the best shooters and probably one of the top three clutch shooters in the entire nba;
2) however, as for now, he has too many defensive liabilities (see his defense on Fisher) to be considered a rotation player against a top nba offensive team a la OKC (and in no way he can guard for any minute players like Westbrook, Harden, Durant...).

The ideal thing to do for both him and the team, could be a trade of him packaged with the other young player with supposed market value, an above average skill and an above than wonderful contract for a rebuilding team (last year of a cheap contract carrying restricted free agency rights), I mean Blair.

But if no offers arrive, both Neal and Blair are players deserving the chance to improve their defensive liabilities on the first complete training camp with the team...and so enhancing their chances to play more minutes and became part of a still championship contending team.

D. Cook in OKC is probably as good or better a shooter as Neal and he never plays because of his lack of defense. Pop needs to move away from offense only. You need balance. We've got to get much better to have a chance at competing otherwise we're stuck in Phoenix Suns mode.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

D. Cook in OKC is probably as good or better a shooter as Neal and he never plays because of his lack of defense. Pop needs to move away from offense only. You need balance. We've got to get much better to have a chance at competing otherwise we're stuck in Phoenix Suns mode.

Cook is just lazy. He's super athletic and should be able to play lock down defense. If you put Neal's brain, heart, and balls into Cook's body, you'd have an All NBA player. Neal's issue is lack of physical attributes, not lack of effort.

[ducks]

wonder if patty and tp will play at the same time

[lmbebo]

wonder if patty and tp will play at the same time

dunno. Would be interesting to see. Probably one of the quickest back courts if it happened. Would need some good defenders though in the middle.

[Obstructed_View]

I think what put the nail in the coffin for me against Neal was Derrick Fisher outplaying him.

Oh, I need to clarify: I predicted Neal was going to wash out when he was a rookie. I couldn't really have been more wrong about that. :lol

I was trying to keep my streak going.