48 Minutes of Hell: Ray McCallum Gives Spurs Stability, New Point Guard To Develop

[BillMc]

Not sure if any of this has been posted but nice article on McCallum. Full text is here;

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/ray-mccallum-gives-spurs-stability-new-point-guard-to-develop

I particularly liked that a new coach really helped him:

George Karl took over at the All-Star break, at the same time McCallum took over lead point guard duties due to the Collison injury. The Kings increased their pace slightly and their offensive rating also took a slight jump. McCallum had a lot to do with that and his offensive efficiency probably benefitted most from a quicker pace. His numbers rose significantly along with his minutes, averaging 11.3 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in the final 30 games of the season. The shooting also took a big leap.

McCallum's shooting under Karl:

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Shotchart_1436487168162-300x286.png


It gives one hope that Pop and the Spurs' coaching staff can make him a useful rotation guy now that he's away from the Kings mess.

[cd98]

Karl is great at getting the best out of limited players. Some say Spurs are the same way, but I actually think they are better at player development.

[houston spurs fan]

I don't recall a team as fucked up as the Kings. Maybe Isiah's Knicks.

[21209]

A little alarming that his three point shooting% from the corners is low.

Maybe Chip can help him correct that.

[Mr. Body]

I'll go on record saying how unimpressed I am by this acquisition. But then it was literally unimpressive anyway.

[kaji157]

Blah, if he shows willing to defend ala Patty Mills he might become a player. If not, we´ll run out his contract.

[skulls138]

His assist numbers are low too, even for twenty minutes a game.

[Darkwaters]

Hes a 3rd PG with actually a fair amount of experience. One year rental also with no long-term commitment to him financially. Seems to be about as good of a fit as we could hope for.

[tatteredprince]

give the boy some time fellas

[KDKSpurs24]

Hes a 3rd PG with actually a fair amount of experience. One year rental also with no long-term commitment to him financially. Seems to be about as good of a fit as we could hope for.
This. I don't understand the people who doesn't like this move..

[TheMulletMan3000]

A little alarming that his three point shooting% from the corners is low.

Maybe Chip can help him correct that.

corner three is probably defended the most in NBA. kings ofense sucks so his % will probably be better in SAS system

[313]

I'll go on record saying how unimpressed I am by this acquisition. But then it was literally unimpressive anyway.

Who would you have liked them to sign

[spurraider21]

I'll go on record saying how unimpressed I am by this acquisition. But then it was literally unimpressive anyway.
This is argument is circular because it is a circular argument

[AFBlue]

Wow, those numbers feel like they belong to a third string PG. Oh wait...

[FkLA]

Better than Enrique's playoff numbers tbh.

[HarlemHeat37]

Better than Enrique's playoff numbers tbh.

:lol..

[Marcus Bryant]

Hes a 3rd PG with actually a fair amount of experience. One year rental also with no long-term commitment to him financially. Seems to be about as good of a fit as we could hope for.

:tu

$30MM for Cory Joseph. Let's let that sink in for a minute.

This was a nice opportunistic move. Kid has some talent and I think he'll do well in the Spurs' system.

[timvp]

:tu

$30MM for Cory Joseph. Let's let that sink in for a minute.

This was a nice opportunistic move. Kid has some talent and I think he'll do well in the Spurs' system.

Yeah, I mean with CJ getting $30 million, one would assume McCallum would be worth -- what? -- $10 million or something in that ballpark. And the Spurs got him for a second round pick while owing less than $1 million.

Great trade, IMO, even if he it doesn't pan out. There's almost zero risk and the reward is possibly a young player who could soak up minutes with some upside potential.

[Marcus Bryant]

Yeah, defense seems to be a ?

Still, for those nights when Mills is seeing minutes at the 2, you're looking at a spark-plug type of role for McCallum to come in against an opponent's bench for 8 to 10 minutes.

[HarlemHeat37]

He looks like a legit NBA player, which is essentially all you're asking for from your 3rd string PG..anything more is just a luxury..

[SpursFan86]

I'm just glad we went out and got someone young with upside rather than some old POS...was really worried we were going to go after Andre Miller or something :lol

As for his D, I read in an article (I'll try to find it again) from a Sacramento writer that he was a really solid defender early on, but his defense slipped a bit once he started having a bigger offensive role. I think he'll be a decent defender. Definitely doesn't sound like a liability on that end at least.

[ducks]

He knows Pop expects d and he will benched if no d effort
His d be ok

[FkLA]

He knows Pop expects d and he will benched if no d effort
His d be ok

Why did Pops not bench Enrique's lack of d effort then?

[Darius McCrary]

Can't wait to see the kid in action.

[tholdren]

A little alarming that his three point shooting% from the corners is low.

Maybe Chip can help him correct that.

doesn't matter. if he can attack, and shoot the ball with a high % in the paint, we be coo

[Spurtacular]

I watched McCallum a lot during his rookie season; and I can tell you that he's nothing special. A youtube vid of him making some shots does not change that reality.

The fact is that we had a great option in place with Bryce Cotton; but the Spurs were too risk averse to his size.

BC had a 60.2 TS and 22.4 ppg in 40 mpg.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/dleague/players/c/cottobr02d.html

...

To play devil's advocate to my natural line of thinking; McCallum may be more of the system player that the Spurs are looking for. The FO may want a guy who just swings the ball and not have another Cojo, who over dribbled. But from a raw talent standpoint: Cotton > McCallum

[AFBlue]

Yeah, I mean with CJ getting $30 million, one would assume McCallum would be worth -- what? -- $10 million or something in that ballpark. And the Spurs got him for a second round pick while owing less than $1 million.

Great trade, IMO, even if he it doesn't pan out. There's almost zero risk and the reward is possibly a young player who could soak up minutes with some upside potential.

RC said as much in his Q&A sitdown, that they wouldn't have been able to afford him if he were on the open market. Good value, low risk signing.

[Mr. Body]

Yeah, I mean with CJ getting $30 million, one would assume McCallum would be worth -- what? -- $10 million or something in that ballpark. And the Spurs got him for a second round pick while owing less than $1 million.

Great trade, IMO, even if he it doesn't pan out. There's almost zero risk and the reward is possibly a young player who could soak up minutes with some upside potential.

This seems like faulty thinking, IMO. Salaries at this level are exponential, not linear. It's a mistake to assume McCallum would command that much on the open market. As yet he's essentially untested, plus has the stink of Sacramento on him (while Joseph enjoyed a San Antonio premium). I think Ray would be looking at minimum offers and/or d-League berths, were he not under contract.

[Brazil]

Why did Pops not bench Enrique's lack of d effort then?

Probably to piss you off and it's working like a charm

[Kawhi_and_LMA]

I don't see any downside to the trade.

[cd98]

My guess is the Spurs like is ability to penetrate and score at the rim. Those kind of players can be more successful as teams move away from 7 footers clogging the lane and essentially replacing them with power forwards. Plus I anticipate with all the power forwards on the team being able to shoot midrange jumpers, the lane should be wide open.

[Marcus Bryant]

My guess is the Spurs like is ability to penetrate and score at the rim. Those kind of players can be more successful as teams move away from 7 footers clogging the lane and essentially replacing them with power forwards. Plus I anticipate with all the power forwards on the team being able to shoot midrange jumpers, the lane should be wide open.

Yep. Not to mention that the Spurs' top 4 bigs all have the ability to step outside and hit the jumper. The Spurs will need cutters and weak side shooters.

[FkLA]

Probably to piss you off and it's working like a charm

Shouldn't it piss off any real Spurs fan since it cost us a series? Only Enrique fans shouldn't have a problem with it tbh.

[Brazil]

Shouldn't it piss off any real Spurs fan since it cost us a series? Only Enrique fans shouldn't have a problem with it tbh.

see... It works... Dat pop is smart tbh

keep on whining it's fun

[Uriel]

This is argument is circular because it is a circular argument
There's a difference between circular reasoning and tautology.

[Doc_Holiday]

He's young and quick.... Sounds like someone I used to know.

-Doc.

[ceperez]

He's young and quick.... Sounds like someone I used to know.

-Doc.

Shouldn't McCallum be also playing in SL for the Spurs? Shouldn't he have done what Simmons did? Hop on the next plane to Vegas!

[ChumpDumper]

This seems like faulty thinking, IMO. Salaries at this level are exponential, not linear. It's a mistake to assume McCallum would command that much on the open market. As yet he's essentially untested, plus has the stink of Sacramento on him (while Joseph enjoyed a San Antonio premium). I think Ray would be looking at minimum offers and/or d-League berths, were he not under contract.Nah, anyone who can do a decent job at starting PG for 30 games is going to get a lot more than the minimum. Mere competence at this position really runs at a premium.

[tesseractive]

There's a difference between circular reasoning and tautology.

That's because circular reasoning is circular reasoning and tautology is tautology and they're different.

[tesseractive]

Nah, anyone who can do a decent job at starting PG for 30 games is going to get a lot more than the minimum. Mere competence at this position really runs at a premium.

Is starting in Sacramento evidence of competence?

[ChumpDumper]

Is starting in Sacramento evidence of competence?Yes. It's the NBA.

[Mr. Body]

Nah, anyone who can do a decent job at starting PG for 30 games is going to get a lot more than the minimum. Mere competence at this position really runs at a premium.

Really? Then why did Aaron Brooks, Shane Larkin, Ronnie Price, Jeremy Lin and others not make bank? Don't say it's because they can't do a 'decent job' at starting PG (starting wasn't the qualifier, anyway) or are demonstrably worse than Ray McCallum. No, McCallum couldn't command $10 million in the open market. Not now, maybe in the future.

[Mnky]

Hes a 3rd PG with actually a fair amount of experience. One year rental also with no long-term commitment to him financially. Seems to be about as good of a fit as we could hope for.

[ChumpDumper]

Really? Then why did Aaron Brooks, Shane Larkin, Ronnie Price, Jeremy Lin and others not make bank? Don't say it's because they can't do a 'decent job' at starting PG (starting wasn't the qualifier, anyway) or are demonstrably worse than Ray McCallum. No, McCallum couldn't command $10 million in the open market. Not now, maybe in the future.I said he would make more than the minimum. All the people you listed made more than the minimum. None of them are looking at D-League berths.

[Mr. Body]

I said he would make more than the minimum. All the people you listed made more than the minimum. None of them are looking at D-League berths.

No, you said a lot more than minimum. And I was responding to a specific post which wasn't talking about the minimum in any way.

[tmtcsc]

This is argument is circular because it is a circular argument

What you did there was very nice. Very nice was what you did there.

[ChumpDumper]

No, you said a lot more than minimum. And I was responding to a specific post which wasn't talking about the minimum in any way.What were you talking about then?

When you were talking about D-League and minimum contracts, you should probably list guys who are making D-League and minimum contracts.

I say the answer i somewhere between that and CJ's salary, which is much more than the minimum when you get right down to it.

[AFBlue]

:lol arguing market value for a third string PG.

Apparently RC thinks he's s good value for his current salary, but what does it really matter? The kid is likely not going to mean to this team what CoJo meant, but hopefully they won't be put in a position to test it. He looks good enough to give spot assignments or garbage blowout minutes, and that's all he should be called on to do. If he exceeds then it's gravy.

[SupremeGuy]

Better than Enrique's playoff numbers tbh.:lol

[Mr. Body]

What were you talking about then?

When you were talking about D-League and minimum contracts, you should probably list guys who are making D-League and minimum contracts.

I say the answer i somewhere between that and CJ's salary, which is much more than the minimum when you get right down to it.

When you reply to a post that is replying to something before it, you should read the quoted post, alright? That way you are actually likely to say something vaguely useful to the topic instead of what turns out to be unrelated nonsense.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I like the signing. I don't think the Spurs will take a step back at the 3rd string point position. I liked CoJo's toughness and aggressiveness, but I was never sold on the rest of his game like some folks were. I'm glad he had a chance to go make some money.