Quick Thoughts - 2015 Summer League Finals (Spurs vs. Suns)

[timvp]

First of all, congrats to this Spurs squad for taking home the summer league championship. After the disjointed play witnessed in Salt Lake City, it never even crossed my mind that the Spurs would be the last team standing in Vegas. But by the end of the tournament, this was by far the most entertaining Spurs summer league team I've ever watched. They didn't have much in terms of big-name talent but they played together, played hard and made the organization proud. Well done, guys.

http://i.imgur.com/4ehE7PM.jpg

-It's not hyperbolic to say Kyle Anderson was the most dominating and impactful force in Vegas. He played a smart brand of basketball throughout that was at a level above everyone else. Most of his success was due to his smarts and his precise play. When Anderson is going right, it seems like each of his moves are calculated based on information gleaned from seeing things unfold before everybody else. On offense, he did well on perimeter isolations and post-up opportunities. The Suns threw hard double-teams at him and all that did was allow him to show off his elite passing skills. Back in SLC, he was really hurting the team defensively. But by the end of the Vegas run, Anderson had actually figured out how to be an asset on that end. From smart closeouts to playing the angles to avoiding reaches to utilizing his length in the paint, he really figure it all out as the games progressed. Anderson is such an unusual player that I have no idea what he's going to do this year for the big boy Spurs but I now definitely think he deserves a legit chance, at least early in the season, to earn a permanent role in the rotation.

-The biggest difference between SLC and Vegas was the addition of Jonathon Simmons. From his first minutes on the court, he played with an insatiable hunger and it was contagious. I went from wondering why the Spurs guaranteed his entire first season of his two-year contract to thanking my lucky stars that they did. It simply can't be overstated how hard he played. On offense, he was always looking to turn the corner to get into the lane. When he wasn't expertly finishing in the paint, he was making excellent passes versus the defenses that had to collapse in order to contain him. I also thought it was really impressive that he had the wherewithal to play point guard whenever the chips were down. The number of tools he flashed, even on the summer league level, was exciting. Defensively, Simmons was also a difference-maker. He was energetic on the ball, attentive off the ball and rarely if ever lost focus. What's Simmons' future? There's a decent chance that this could go down as the highlight as his basketball life. But I'm cautiously optimistic that the Spurs may have found another diamond if he can continue to grind away the rough edges. It doesn't take much imagination to picture him as a useful 8th or 9th man at some point.

-In a bit of an ironic twist, after watching Jarell Eddie's worst shooting performance in Vegas, I'm more adamant than ever that the Spurs should offer him enough money to get him into training camp. Sure, he wasn't shooting it straight tonight, but for once he didn't play completely one-dimensional; for once he actually looked like a basketball player. His defense wasn't especially good – mostly due to his slow feet – but he competed. He did all he could to stay in front of the quick Suns perimeter players (oh, and that block at the rim was rather shocking). On offense, he dribbled effectively and exhibited an amount of athleticism and determination I had never seen out of him before. Plus, shooters who continue to fire away even while they struggle – shooter amnesia, if you will – are the type of gunners who do well under Pop. Eddie will always be a specialist but the Spurs could use another perimeter threat and I doubt they can get one better than him at the 15th man slot.

-I'm happy Treveon Graham played so well in the championship game. He's been hammering that rock since the start of the Salt Lake City league. I think he's a good defensive player and can be useful on offensive end, particularly in transition. The issue with him is that he's basically a 6-foot-4 small forward; three inches taller and Graham is probably an NBA player. I'd like to see him in Austin because it'd be worth the effort to see if he can develop guard skills.

-According to reports, Cady Lalanne has already agreed to sign directly with Austin. That's good news. While he's not a great prospect, it's possible to imagine him as a future fifth or sixth bigman. If he can add a three-point shot and work on his coordination, the rest of his tools are decent enough to give him a shot to make it in the NBA.

-Brandon Davies is pretty darn close to being an NBA player. If he can work on his body by adding bulk without losing his mobility, he'd be right there at the precipice. He fills that futuristic power forward skill-set by being as comfortable away from the basket as he does under the rim, while being able to get out and run like a small forward.

-The most underrated player on this team was Darion Atkins. While he didn't do much on the offensive end until the championship game, he's a really, really good defensive player. Atkins has great instincts and was seemingly always in the right position. For being a player fresh out of college, I was blown away by his defensive IQ. Unfortunately for him, he's probably two inches in height away from being a legit NBA prospect. That said, I hope the Spurs can keep him in Austin because the kid knows how to play the game.

-For as much as Shannon Scott and Will Cherry struggled to run the show at the point guard position, let's give them credit for their outstanding defensive play – especially in the last three or four games. They were both really good at applying pressure and scooping up loose balls. With Anderson and Simmons being able to make plays, it turned out the Spurs didn't really need them to do much on the offensive end.

-It was cool to see how Youssou Ndoye's confidence blossomed in Vegas. At first, the native of Senegal was too timid to do much of anything. By the end, he seemed to be in the middle of the fray on every play. For being 7-feet and 250 pounds, he's surprisingly nimble and it appears as if he has some burgeoning skills. I'd like for him to get on the Austin team because it appears as if there's a chance he's a late bloomer with untapped upside.

-Honestly, heading into Vegas, I wasn't even sure Becky Hammon deserved her job as assistant coach. By the end, I'm convinced she's legitimate NBA head coaching material. She masterfully tiptoed the line between trying to win these games and trying to develop the players. Her rotations always had the big picture in mind. Her playcalling was fantastic; I was especially impressed with how she milked hot hands and took advantage of mismatches. She didn't hesitate to jump on a player when needed (for excessive celebration or loafing on defense, for example). All in all, it's now obvious that she more than deserves her job and has a bright, bright future.

-Again, nice job, team. Yeah, we'll all forget about this by next week, but it was high entertainment while it last. Congrats. That was fun.

[Mikeanaro]

Its not the championship but Im glad Spurs took it and Kyle Anderson was a key player.

[808]

Thanks for all your summer observations. Looking forward to 82 more this coming season :toast

[Ice009]

What do you think Jonathon Simmons needs to work on the rest of this summer before training camp begins? I've been looking for the Spurs to get another athletic player that can get to the rim and either finish or pass it out to the open man ever since Manu started toning down his game and not going to the rack as much. Do you think he could be a Manu lite version? How do you think his ball handling would fare at the NBA level? Does that need to be tightened up to play his game on the NBA level? It looks like he can be a little loose with it at times. Not sure how that would fare on the NBA level.

What do you think he needs to do to stick with the team? Obviously defense is the number one thing all players should work on so I won't talk about that much, but on offense, do you think he needs to work on his jump shot more, or should he be looking at playing to his strengths (getting to the rim and either finishing or passing)?

Also, he does have a guaranteed contract for the first year, is the second year a team option? Even though the first year is guaranteed, does that mean he will most likely stay with the Spurs for the whole season, or could they still let him go and eat that contract if his game isn't translating to the NBA and they hypothetically needed a roster spot? Basically, I'm just asking if that first year guaranteed means that he'll be with the Spurs the whole season regardless of how he plays or is that still not a given?

I don't think I've ever seen the Spurs fully guarantee someone that isn't a first round draft pick or that hasn't even played in another high level league before training camp even begins. Have they ever done it before with someone this unknown? They must really like him to do that IMO.

[silverblackfan]

It was fun. A great way to showcase some of the upcoming talent both on the court and off.

[Macca76]

First of all, congrats to this Spurs squad for taking home the summer league championship. After the disjointed play witnessed in Salt Lake City, it never even crossed my mind that the Spurs would be the last team standing in Vegas. But by the end of the tournament, this was by far the most entertaining Spurs summer league team I've ever watched. They didn't have much in terms of big-name talent but they played together, played hard and made the organization proud. Well done, guys.



-It's not hyperbolic to say Kyle Anderson was the most dominating and impactful force in Vegas. He played a smart brand of basketball throughout that was at a level above everyone else. Most of his success was due to his smarts and his precise play. When Anderson is going right, it seems like each of his moves are calculated based on information gleaned from seeing things unfold before everybody else. On offense, he did well on perimeter isolations and post-up opportunities. The Suns threw hard double-teams at him and all that did was allow him to show off his elite passing skills. Back in SLC, he was really hurting the team defensively. But by the end of the Vegas run, Anderson had actually figured out how to be an asset on that end. From smart closeouts to playing the angles to avoiding reaches to utilizing his length in the paint, he really figure it all out as the games progressed. Anderson is such an unusual player that I have no idea what he's going to do this year for the big boy Spurs but I now definitely think he deserves a legit chance, at least early in the season, to earn a permanent role in the rotation.

-The biggest difference between SLC and Vegas was the addition of Jonathon Simmons. From his first minutes on the court, he played with an insatiable hunger and it was contagious. I went from wondering why the Spurs guaranteed his entire first season of his two-year contract to thanking my lucky stars that they did. It simply can't be overstated how hard he played. On offense, he was always looking to turn the corner to get into the lane. When he wasn't expertly finishing in the paint, he was making excellent passes versus the defenses that had to collapse in order to contain him. I also thought it was really impressive that he had the wherewithal to play point guard whenever the chips were down. The number of tools he flashed, even on the summer league level, was exciting. Defensively, Simmons was also a difference-maker. He was energetic on the ball, attentive off the ball and rarely if ever lost focus. What's Simmons' future? There's a decent chance that this could go down as the highlight as his basketball life. But I'm cautiously optimistic that the Spurs may have found another diamond if he can continue to grind away the rough edges. It doesn't take much imagination to picture him as a useful 8th or 9th man at some point.

-In a bit of an ironic twist, after watching Jarell Eddie's worst shooting performance in Vegas, I'm more adamant than ever that the Spurs should offer him enough money to get him into training camp. Sure, he wasn't shooting it straight tonight, but for once he didn't play completely one-dimensional; for once he actually looked like a basketball player. His defense wasn't especially good – mostly due to his slow feet – but he competed. He did all he could to stay in front of the quick Suns perimeter players (oh, and that block at the rim was rather shocking). On offense, he dribbled effectively and exhibited an amount of athleticism and determination I had never seen out of him before. Plus, shooters who continue to fire away even while they struggle – shooter amnesia, if you will – are the type of gunners who do well under Pop. Eddie will always be a specialist but the Spurs could use another perimeter threat and I doubt they can get one better than him at the 15th man slot.

-I'm happy Treveon Graham played so well in the championship game. He's been hammering that rock since the start of the Salt Lake City league. I think he's a good defensive player and can be useful on offensive end, particularly in transition. The issue with him is that he's basically a 6-foot-4 small forward; three inches taller and Graham is probably an NBA player. I'd like to see him in Austin because it'd be worth the effort to see if he can develop guard skills.

-According to reports, Cady Lalanne has already agreed to sign directly with Austin. That's good news. While he's not a great prospect, it's possible to imagine him as a future fifth or sixth bigman. If he can add a three-point shot and work on his coordination, the rest of his tools are decent enough to give him a shot to make it in the NBA.

-Brandon Davies is pretty darn close to being an NBA player. If he can work on his body by adding bulk without losing his mobility, he'd be right there at the precipice. He fills that futuristic power forward skill-set by being as comfortable away from the basket as he does under the rim, while being able to get out and run like a small forward.

-The most underrated player on this team was Darion Atkins. While he didn't do much on the offensive end until the championship game, he's a really, really good defensive player. Atkins has great instincts and was seemingly always in the right position. For being a player fresh out of college, I was blown away by his defensive IQ. Unfortunately for him, he's probably two inches in height away from being a legit NBA prospect. That said, I hope the Spurs can keep him in Austin because the kid knows how to play the game.

-For as much as Shannon Scott and Will Cherry struggled to run the show at the point guard position, let's give them credit for their outstanding defensive play – especially in the last three or four games. They were both really good at applying pressure and scooping up loose balls. With Anderson and Simmons being able to make plays, it turned out the Spurs didn't really need them to do much on the offensive end.

-It was cool to see how Youssou Ndoye's confidence blossomed in Vegas. At first, the native of Senegal was too timid to do much of anything. By the end, he seemed to be in the middle of the fray on every play. For being 7-feet and 250 pounds, he's surprisingly nimble and it appears as if he has some burgeoning skills. I'd like for him to get on the Austin team because it appears as if there's a chance he's a late bloomer with untapped upside.

-Honestly, heading into Vegas, I wasn't even sure Becky Hammon deserved her job as assistant coach. By the end, I'm convinced she's legitimate NBA head coaching material. She masterfully tiptoed the line between trying to win these games and trying to develop the players. Her rotations always had the big picture in mind. Her playcalling was fantastic; I was especially impressed with how she milked hot hands and took advantage of mismatches. She didn't hesitate to jump on a player when needed (for excessive celebration or loafing on defense, for example). All in all, it's now obvious that she more than deserves her job and has a bright, bright future.

-Again, nice job, team. Yeah, we'll all forget about this by next week, but it was high entertainment while it last. Congrats. That was fun.




Thanks TIMVP ! I'm pretty sure one thousand people told you this already but it's really good to have you back

As far as summer goes, it's just fantastic with the FA signatures and the great summer league :toast

[steeledl]

Timvp still sleeping on Simmons a bit .feels too good to be true but I'm on the bandwagon.
He will have his ups and downs but with Parker slowing down and ginobili on his death bed we need a guy who can break down defenses so pop will get him ready.Dudes gonna crack the rotation this year and make big plays for us.


btw, thanks for your effort in these post game write ups.

[kjhip1]

Yeah I agree about Simmons, dude looks hungry and his style of play in unorthodox. he's herky jerky and his motor is high on D. It'll be good to see him in camp and playing with the rest of the guys. That being said he could work on his J a little bit but the guy deserves that contract and it'll be awesome watching preseason this year

[mudyez]

Timvp is the champ too!

[SAGirl]

first of all, thanks Timvp for your insightful comments on the game. I agree with you in each and every observation. A credit to Becky on the development front is that, as the games in SL rolled along, guys started playing better. At first it was most noticeable with Kyle, because he was supposed to carry a heavy load from the get go, and he struggled at first. He's also the only guy that was going to be for sure in the squad this upcoming season, and his potential and prospects have been polarizing to fans, with very wide-ranging opinions. He started poorly, but got increasingly better as the games rolled along. However, besides Kyle, other guys, as you mentioned also improved. Guys who looked timid and were invisible ended up making plays. As you say, Eddie started hustling on defense, and so on and so forth. AS the games kept on rolling, guys kept improving. That is for sure a sign Becky is awesome as a coach. Besides that, there are all the wins. Coaches are always in the end evaluated by wins, Becky just announced her arrival to the scene as a legit coaching prospect. But of course, Pop already knew that. :bobo

[JMarkJohns]

First of all, congrats to this Spurs squad for taking home the summer league championship. After the disjointed play witnessed in Salt Lake City, it never even crossed my mind that the Spurs would be the last team standing in Vegas. But by the end of the tournament, this was by far the most entertaining Spurs summer league team I've ever watched. They didn't have much in terms of big-name talent but they played together, played hard and made the organization proud. Well done, guys.

http://i.imgur.com/4ehE7PM.jpg

-It's not hyperbolic to say Kyle Anderson was the most dominating and impactful force in Vegas. He played a smart brand of basketball throughout that was at a level above everyone else. Most of his success was due to his smarts and his precise play. When Anderson is going right, it seems like each of his moves are calculated based on information gleaned from seeing things unfold before everybody else. On offense, he did well on perimeter isolations and post-up opportunities. The Suns threw hard double-teams at him and all that did was allow him to show off his elite passing skills. Back in SLC, he was really hurting the team defensively. But by the end of the Vegas run, Anderson had actually figured out how to be an asset on that end. From smart closeouts to playing the angles to avoiding reaches to utilizing his length in the paint, he really figure it all out as the games progressed. Anderson is such an unusual player that I have no idea what he's going to do this year for the big boy Spurs but I now definitely think he deserves a legit chance, at least early in the season, to earn a permanent role in the rotation.

-The biggest difference between SLC and Vegas was the addition of Jonathon Simmons. From his first minutes on the court, he played with an insatiable hunger and it was contagious. I went from wondering why the Spurs guaranteed his entire first season of his two-year contract to thanking my lucky stars that they did. It simply can't be overstated how hard he played. On offense, he was always looking to turn the corner to get into the lane. When he wasn't expertly finishing in the paint, he was making excellent passes versus the defenses that had to collapse in order to contain him. I also thought it was really impressive that he had the wherewithal to play point guard whenever the chips were down. The number of tools he flashed, even on the summer league level, was exciting. Defensively, Simmons was also a difference-maker. He was energetic on the ball, attentive off the ball and rarely if ever lost focus. What's Simmons' future? There's a decent chance that this could go down as the highlight as his basketball life. But I'm cautiously optimistic that the Spurs may have found another diamond if he can continue to grind away the rough edges. It doesn't take much imagination to picture him as a useful 8th or 9th man at some point.

-In a bit of an ironic twist, after watching Jarell Eddie's worst shooting performance in Vegas, I'm more adamant than ever that the Spurs should offer him enough money to get him into training camp. Sure, he wasn't shooting it straight tonight, but for once he didn't play completely one-dimensional; for once he actually looked like a basketball player. His defense wasn't especially good – mostly due to his slow feet – but he competed. He did all he could to stay in front of the quick Suns perimeter players (oh, and that block at the rim was rather shocking). On offense, he dribbled effectively and exhibited an amount of athleticism and determination I had never seen out of him before. Plus, shooters who continue to fire away even while they struggle – shooter amnesia, if you will – are the type of gunners who do well under Pop. Eddie will always be a specialist but the Spurs could use another perimeter threat and I doubt they can get one better than him at the 15th man slot.

-I'm happy Treveon Graham played so well in the championship game. He's been hammering that rock since the start of the Salt Lake City league. I think he's a good defensive player and can be useful on offensive end, particularly in transition. The issue with him is that he's basically a 6-foot-4 small forward; three inches taller and Graham is probably an NBA player. I'd like to see him in Austin because it'd be worth the effort to see if he can develop guard skills.

-According to reports, Cady Lalanne has already agreed to sign directly with Austin. That's good news. While he's not a great prospect, it's possible to imagine him as a future fifth or sixth bigman. If he can add a three-point shot and work on his coordination, the rest of his tools are decent enough to give him a shot to make it in the NBA.

-Brandon Davies is pretty darn close to being an NBA player. If he can work on his body by adding bulk without losing his mobility, he'd be right there at the precipice. He fills that futuristic power forward skill-set by being as comfortable away from the basket as he does under the rim, while being able to get out and run like a small forward.

-The most underrated player on this team was Darion Atkins. While he didn't do much on the offensive end until the championship game, he's a really, really good defensive player. Atkins has great instincts and was seemingly always in the right position. For being a player fresh out of college, I was blown away by his defensive IQ. Unfortunately for him, he's probably two inches in height away from being a legit NBA prospect. That said, I hope the Spurs can keep him in Austin because the kid knows how to play the game.

-For as much as Shannon Scott and Will Cherry struggled to run the show at the point guard position, let's give them credit for their outstanding defensive play – especially in the last three or four games. They were both really good at applying pressure and scooping up loose balls. With Anderson and Simmons being able to make plays, it turned out the Spurs didn't really need them to do much on the offensive end.

-It was cool to see how Youssou Ndoye's confidence blossomed in Vegas. At first, the native of Senegal was too timid to do much of anything. By the end, he seemed to be in the middle of the fray on every play. For being 7-feet and 250 pounds, he's surprisingly nimble and it appears as if he has some burgeoning skills. I'd like for him to get on the Austin team because it appears as if there's a chance he's a late bloomer with untapped upside.

-Honestly, heading into Vegas, I wasn't even sure Becky Hammon deserved her job as assistant coach. By the end, I'm convinced she's legitimate NBA head coaching material. She masterfully tiptoed the line between trying to win these games and trying to develop the players. Her rotations always had the big picture in mind. Her playcalling was fantastic; I was especially impressed with how she milked hot hands and took advantage of mismatches. She didn't hesitate to jump on a player when needed (for excessive celebration or loafing on defense, for example). All in all, it's now obvious that she more than deserves her job and has a bright, bright future.

-Again, nice job, team. Yeah, we'll all forget about this by next week, but it was high entertainment while it last. Congrats. That was fun.

I'm way too blurred in vision to read this, but I suspect it is an incomplete analysis, since I doubt it admitted that while Leroy O'Bryant Trophy winners, you all, in fact, suck the big one.

#ImNotBitterImASunsFan

[Ice009]

I also agree about Jerell Eddie. I think the Spurs need to do what they can to get him to training camp and also working with their development coaches to see if they can improve other areas of his game between now and training camp. It couldn't hurt to have a shooter of his caliber as the 15th man. He's just gotta show some signs of improving other areas of his game between now and then to make it worthwhile.

[steeledl]

Hope Will Cherry makes the team... Think he is the next Chris Paul.

[BatManu20]

I agree with OP's write up on Jerrel Eddie. Today was one of his worst shooting performances but we've seen enough of him in the other games and in Austin to know he's a deadly 3-point shooter. He showed me more today than I've seen in him in the first few games combined with his ball movement, effort on D, and coming off of screens and knowing when to shoot and when to pass. He also showed some athleticism with that break away dunk. He's never going to be a good defender, but like timvp said, at the 15th spot, there's a good chance we're not going to find a better option at this point. I hope we at least get him in camp and give him a shot to improve and show he's more than the one-dimensional player he looked to be the past week. He also has better size than I realized. I thought he was a slim 6'6 but he's listed at 6'7 220 lbs at 23 years of age.

[Dro210]

Timvp still sleeping on Simmons a bit .feels too good to be true but I'm on the bandwagon.
He will have his ups and downs but with Parker slowing down and ginobili on his death bed we need a guy who can break down defenses so pop will get him ready.Dudes gonna crack the rotation this year and make big plays for us.


btw, thanks for your effort in these post game write ups.

I'm hanging out of the bandwagon hollerin out "J-Simms!", but basically there's 9 guys he has no chance of passing in the rotation this season w/o an injury. Timmy, Kawhi, LMA, DG, Manu, TP, DWest, Bobo, and Patty. They're gonna take most of the minutes in a game contested for 4 full quarters. Everybody else would be used on a matchup basis to fill out those few remaining minutes in games like that.

He's gonna play tho. On b2b nights that Manu rests, he and KA will both get nice extended run off of that. And...

Most likely we blow a shitload of teams out, and the regular season will be filled with one of my favorite things: Spurs garbage time with a win already in the bag. Set your DVRs cause Simmons is gonna be killing that. He'll be mixing up and YAMMIN on 3rd stringers just like he has for the last 10 days.

11th Man of the Year tbh.


Also, count me in on the get Eddie to camp train

[kobyz]

Is Simmons could be the answer for another wing who you could be put Patty alongside him? Cause right now Patty could play only with Manu and he may be done...

[kobyz]

Should start an "Eddie vs Graham" thread tbh! Who should get the last roster spot???

[Nathan89]

I'm hanging out of the bandwagon hollerin out "J-Simms!", but basically there's 9 guys he has no chance of passing in the rotation this season w/o an injury. Timmy, Kawhi, LMA, DG, Manu, TP, DWest, Bobo, and Patty. They're gonna take most of the minutes in a game contested for 4 full quarters. Everybody else would be used on a matchup basis to fill out those few remaining minutes in games like that.

He's gonna play tho. On b2b nights that Manu rests, he and KA will both get nice extended run off of that. And...

Most likely we blow a shitload of teams out, and the regular season will be filled with one of my favorite things: Spurs garbage time with a win already in the bag. Set your DVRs cause Simmons is gonna be killing that. He'll be mixing up and YAMMIN on 3rd stringers just like he has for the last 10 days.

11th Man of the Year tbh.


Also, count me in on the get Eddie to camp train

There will be valuable sg/sf minutes for either KA or Simmons to play every game. Doesn't really matter how many people are ahead of him on the roster.

[Nathan89]

Over hyping KA and downplaying Simmons once again in the quick thoughts. To be expected after the extended break imo. It'll take some time to get back into shape. Thanks for the blue collar effort though.

[milkyway21]

:tu inspiring look into the potentials of Spurs SL team

I really salute the emergence of Simmons all throughout the tournament. The composure in time of pressure & leadership of Kyle Anderson.
And I also have to give a thumbs up in this finals game to Graham. His defense, particularly.
His 7 of 11 fg, 3 of 4 on 3ptrs, 5-8 fts and 3 steals impressed me. Thank God he made his 3s at the right time..when Eddie was cold.

[spurs10]

Thanks for the Thoughts! That was a fun ride! Great job and moment for Becky!
:flag:

[tatteredprince]

its the offseason and we are already champions, how cool is that hey!!!!!

[tatteredprince]

great analysis as usual

[tatteredprince]

This Mr Anderson is really unique, he now deserves the Kahwi back up role

[tatteredprince]

by the way, what was Mayweather doing there in the SL, dont tell me he is scouting too?

is it possible that Floyd wants to be an owner ?????

wow

[tatteredprince]

Simmons is our baby MJ

[Dro210]

There will be valuable sg/sf minutes for either KA or Simmons to play every game. Doesn't really matter how many people are ahead of him on the roster.

Yea I agree, it's ~15 minutes, and I think it'll be more matchup based like I said. I don't think either one will outright take the majority of those minutes over the other one, but who knows right now... Again, he'll play, both of 'em will, but they'll have to really be ballin to steal any more minutes from the other guys, that's all I meant by that. If that happens I'm all for it tho, that's only good for us if they're playing that well, especially for our future.

[ceperez]

Hit the nail on the head, it is attitude that is holding back Eddie's career. If he would make the effort, he can run, dunk and block.

The SL playoff is a grueling game for players like Anderson and Simmons who had to deliver day after day without rest. Impressed at their effort. Very impressed with Simmons, he figured it out.

On the other hand, Spurs figure that they can teach Anderson and Simmons to shoot the 3 ball instead of teaching Eddie how to do everything else. They only got one spot left in the roster and that's typically going to be D-league call-ups.

[ceperez]

Yea I agree, it's ~15 minutes, and I think it'll be more matchup based like I said. I don't think either one will outright take the majority of those minutes over the other one, but who knows right now... Again, he'll play, both of 'em will, but they'll have to really be ballin to steal any more minutes from the other guys, that's all I meant by that. If that happens I'm all for it tho, that's only good for us if they're playing that well, especially for our future.

Bufford signed Bonner, that tells me that he's content with the talent in the current roster.

That also tells me that Anderson and Simmons are going to get playing time considering that there are only 3 veteran players covering SG and SF.

[TXstbobcat]

Great write up!

[Xylus]

Good game

[jyra]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Atkins and Graham signed by European teams very soon. The lack of size is a much smaller problem over there and smart defenders are always in demand.

[MVPCues]

ball washing, complete

premature ejaculation, complete

Useless post to make one feel important, complete.

[Old School 44]

-Honestly, heading into Vegas, I wasn't even sure Becky Hammon deserved her job as assistant coach. By the end, I'm convinced she's legitimate NBA head coaching material. She masterfully tiptoed the line between trying to win these games and trying to develop the players. Her rotations always had the big picture in mind. Her playcalling was fantastic; I was especially impressed with how she milked hot hands and took advantage of mismatches. She didn't hesitate to jump on a player when needed (for excessive celebration or loafing on defense, for example). All in all, it's now obvious that she more than deserves her job and has a bright, bright future.

So how long do you think it will be before she's offered a head coaching position? I think she did a fantastic job with the summer league team. Not that she's not capable, but somebody will fast track her to a head coaching spot. Coaching with the Spurs and winning the SL title will help justify the owners selection. With her ties to Colorado, maybe the Nuggets would be a good candidate.

[Dro210]

Bufford signed Bonner, that tells me that he's content with the talent in the current roster.

That also tells me that Anderson and Simmons are going to get playing time considering that there are only 3 veteran players covering SG and SF.

Yea I think they're for sure content.

Way I see it, there's 144 minutes between the 1-2-3 spots:

32 for Kawhi, 29 for Danny, 28 for Tony, 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 126 minutes. Leaving 18 for KA and Simmons, with RayRay trying to get in on the action too. Throw in some small ball lineups that have Kawhi, or even Kyle at the 4; that wouldn't happen often or for long, so you'd likely only gain a few minutes there.

You could break it down to 96 at the 2-3:

29 for Kawhi (all at 3), 29 for Danny, 13 for Manu (all at 2), 6 for Patty (all at 2).
That's 77. Leaving 19 minutes at the 2-3. I think 11 at the SF (if you gave Kawhi 3 minutes at the 4), and 8 at SG

96 min breakdown for 1-2:

28 for Tony (all at 1), 21 for Danny (all at 2), 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 88. Leaving 10 minutes at the 1-2. 8 at SG like I said, and 2 for RayRay (or even the Simmons or KA at PG experiment? Doubtful). The 2 third string PG minutes is the one that seems off since Cojo averaged so many minutes last year, but idk where I'm off. Maybe too many of Manu's minutes at point (6), but seems like that could just be adjusted to less time at 2 for Patty (also 6) and more at the 1.

I'm pulling these number out of my ass, but I think they're fairly accurate. Maybe somebody has something better?... but I think it shows that during a key game that goes the distance, where Kawhi's jumped up to 38-40 minutes and DG's at 35, there's not all that much left. LMA is gonna play more than Splitter ever did, and DWest is gonna play more than The Banga. Timmy will play slightly less than last year.

[bigfan]

Thanks for all your summer observations. Looking forward to 82 more this coming season :toast

Exactly.

[jjktkk]

Thank for the write up Tim. I wonder if Ndoye will accept a deal with Austin, or go overseas. Very intrigued with this guy.

[ceperez]

So how long do you think it will be before she's offered a head coaching position? I think she did a fantastic job with the summer league team. Not that she's not capable, but somebody will fast track her to a head coaching spot. Coaching with the Spurs and winning the SL title will help justify the owners selection. With her ties to Colorado, maybe the Nuggets would be a good candidate.

Her options are either to stay within the Spurs system (where Pop will be there for the next 5 years) or to get some experience in the D-league. Upside of the 2nd is that you learn more about being a head coach, downside is that you don't get experience with the real NBA game.

[ceperez]

Yea I think they're for sure content.

Way I see it, there's 144 minutes between the 1-2-3 spots:

32 for Kawhi, 29 for Danny, 28 for Tony, 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 126 minutes. Leaving 18 for KA and Simmons, with RayRay trying to get in on the action too. Throw in some small ball lineups that have Kawhi, or even Kyle at the 4; that wouldn't happen often or for long, so you'd likely only gain a few minutes there.

You could break it down to 96 at the 2-3:

29 for Kawhi (all at 3), 29 for Danny, 13 for Manu (all at 2), 6 for Patty (all at 2).
That's 77. Leaving 19 minutes at the 2-3. I think 11 at the SF (if you gave Kawhi 3 minutes at the 4), and 8 at SG

96 min breakdown for 1-2:

28 for Tony (all at 1), 21 for Danny (all at 2), 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 88. Leaving 10 minutes at the 1-2. 8 at SG like I said, and 2 for RayRay (or even the Simmons or KA at PG experiment? Doubtful). The 2 third string PG minutes is the one that seems off since Cojo averaged so many minutes last year, but idk where I'm off. Maybe too many of Manu's minutes at point (6), but seems like that could just be adjusted to less time at 2 for Patty (also 6) and more at the 1.

I'm pulling these number out of my ass, but I think they're fairly accurate. Maybe somebody has something better?... but I think it shows that during a key game that goes the distance, where Kawhi's jumped up to 38-40 minutes and DG's at 35, there's not all that much left. LMA is gonna play more than Splitter ever did, and DWest is gonna play more than The Banga. Timmy will play slightly less than last year.

In the regular season, I'm certain that McCallum will get a ton of minutes (similar to Cojo). Spurs are going to rest Parker to make sure he's healthy come playoff time.

I do hope though that Simmons and Anderson do get some burn in regular season.

Playoffs going to be totally different, one of either Simmons or Anderson has to step up to replace the time Belinelli spent playing. There is no way that Kawhi, Danny or Mills are receiving more minutes that they previously received. Ginobili will also have less minutes. So I am absolutely sure that one of these two will have to be on the court come playoff time. I don't expect McCallum to be in rotation come playoff (just like CoJo wasn't in the rotation)

My gut tells me that Simmons will be called in for his defense. There is an obvious deficiency in the 2nd team of not having big and quick defenders. Think about the Clippers with Stevenson and Crawford, you can't expect any of the starters to spend time guarding these two. Simmons and Ginobili may be the only two options. McCallum is too small and Anderson is too slow.

[SAGirl]

Bufford signed Bonner, that tells me that he's content with the talent in the current roster.

That also tells me that Anderson and Simmons are going to get playing time considering that there are only 3 veteran players covering SG and SF. and 1 of them is a 38 yr. Old star who has been prone to injuries throughout his career. Ppl acting like Pop will overplay other guys in order to avoid giving time to this two are ignoring all precedent. These 2 might be in the doghouse at times or Pop may be on them hard but they will play for sure. All of Marcos minutes will go to these two. I always had the thought MArco was not coming back 1. Bc he wanted to get paid this contract around, and he knew Spurs would be cash strapped after going for a markee FA; 2.. Kyle as going to get opportunities to wrestle minutes at SF away from him this yr anyways and he wanted no part of that competition.

[MVPCues]

So how long do you think it will be before she's offered a head coaching position? I think she did a fantastic job with the summer league team. Not that she's not capable, but somebody will fast track her to a head coaching spot. Coaching with the Spurs and winning the SL title will help justify the owners selection. With her ties to Colorado, maybe the Nuggets would be a good candidate.

Too optimistic. I don't believe the NBA is ready for that. Maybe in 5 years if she sticks around long term and becomes a more prominent assistant coach.

[ceperez]

Too optimistic. I don't believe the NBA is ready for that. Maybe in 5 years if she sticks around long term and becomes a more prominent assistant coach. I agree. Head coach in the NBA is like virtually running a corporation. You got to have an entire team built around you. Look at what Steve Kerr did, brought in a lot of his minions.

[ceperez]

and 1 of them is a 38 yr. Old star who has been prone to injuries throughout his career. Ppl acting like Pop will overplay other guys in order to avoid giving time to this two are ignoring all precedent. These 2 might be in the doghouse at times or Pop may be on them hard but they will play for sure. All of Marcos minutes will go to these two. I always had the thought MArco was not coming back 1. Bc he wanted to get paid this contract around, and he knew Spurs would be cash strapped after going for a markee FA; 2.. Kyle as going to get opportunities to wrestle minutes at SF away from him this yr anyways and he wanted no part of that competition.

You don't sign a 38 year old to the minimum and then expect him to take a ton of minutes. Leonard and Green are the only two veterans that are big enough for the SF and SG role. Looks like PATFO have decided to take the gamble and let Anderson or Simmons play.

[Thunder1]

Great write up!!!

[Old School 44]

Too optimistic. I don't believe the NBA is ready for that. Maybe in 5 years if she sticks around long term and becomes a more prominent assistant coach.
I think it will happen sooner than that. I'm thinking a year or two. I'm not saying whether it's deserving or not, I just think an owner will take a shot.

[Dex]

Some good quotes on Becky here: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13293099/becky-hammon-san-antonio-spurs-win-las-vegas-summer-league-championship


Jonathon Simmons scored 23 points and took home MVP honors in the championship game. Treveon Graham added 22 points for the Spurs.

"It's amazing. It was a humbling experience for all of us," Simmons told NBATV of playing for Hammon. "I really love her, and I've only known her a couple days. She's a real cool coach. She's a player coach. That's something we all like."


"You never know what your journey has in store," Hammon said, according to Sports Illustrated. "You just work hard and keep your nose to the grind. You do things the right way, you treat people the right way, and good things happen. ... I'm just thankful that [Popovich] trusted me with the guys in that locker room and that those guys trusted me back."

[Bartleby]

I think it will happen sooner than that. I'm thinking a year or two. I'm not saying whether it's deserving or not, I just think an owner will take a shot.

Agreed. Three years, tops. Obviously, one of the quickest ways to build a team around the "Spurs way" of playing ball is to hire a coach who already has that corporate knowledge, and it doesn't hurt Becky's prospects that one of Pop's former players and one of his assistant coaches (Kerr and Bud) had historically good seasons running their respective teams using the Spurs as a model.

Not to mention the PR a team would receive, which would dwarf the attention she and the Spurs got when she was hired as an assistant coach.

[Richie]

I think you're too kind on Andersons defence. He's improving in 1-on-1 defence but he's an awful team defender, getting lost regularly.

[SPURt]

It's gonna be a year to remember! Thanks for the write up, and letting us newbs in!

I'm excited:
http://media.giphy.com/media/RVQ4ZYJjKWmIg/giphy.gif

[ceperez]

Agreed. Three years, tops. Obviously, one of the quickest ways to build a team around the "Spurs way" of playing ball is to hire a coach who already has that corporate knowledge, and it doesn't hurt Becky's prospects that one of Pop's former players and one of his assistant coaches (Kerr and Bud) had historically good seasons running their respective teams using the Spurs as a model.

Not to mention the PR a team would receive, which would dwarf the attention she and the Spurs got when she was hired as an assistant coach.

THere are different kinds of coaches out there. Chip Engeland is an elite shooting coach, but I don't think he wants to be a head coach. Hammon is a good development coach and was perfect for SL type play. I would say she would also do well as a D-league coach. Hammon is able to convince players to tough it out at the same time be precise with their plays. NBA Head coach material? Unless it is an NBA franchise that already has a good system (most don't), it'll be a stretch if she's chosen to be the one to insert a new system. Too many egos in NBA organizations to allow her to come in and clean up organizations.

Well who knows, maybe the Sixers need a lot of help developing their young talent. There's also the Jazz which Quin Schneider who comes from coaching the Austin Toros. Like she said, she still needs to figure out what kind of coach she is.

[z0sa]

Thanks for the writeup. Ive never caught a summer league game, it is cool the Spurs won it though. I prefer winning championships in June :lol but hey, nothing wrong with a July title.

[apalisoc_9]

Thanks for the writeup OP.

Hard to follow the Summer league tbh.

[wildcardX]

Didn't see Deshaun Thomas in summer league this year. Any of the European Spur fans been following him? He did impress a year or two ago in summer. Jarell Eddie looks like a similar player on offense and he may get the training camp invite. Is Deshaun just not looking good in Europe?

[TheGreatYacht]

Thanks for all your summer observations. Looking forward to 82 more this coming season :toast

[daledondale]

Thanks OP, enjoying your writeup as always. :flag:

[wildbill2u]

Yea I think they're for sure content.

Way I see it, there's 144 minutes between the 1-2-3 spots:

32 for Kawhi, 29 for Danny, 28 for Tony, 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 126 minutes. Leaving 18 for KA and Simmons, with RayRay trying to get in on the action too. Throw in some small ball lineups that have Kawhi, or even Kyle at the 4; that wouldn't happen often or for long, so you'd likely only gain a few minutes there.

You could break it down to 96 at the 2-3:

29 for Kawhi (all at 3), 29 for Danny, 13 for Manu (all at 2), 6 for Patty (all at 2).
That's 77. Leaving 19 minutes at the 2-3. I think 11 at the SF (if you gave Kawhi 3 minutes at the 4), and 8 at SG

96 min breakdown for 1-2:

28 for Tony (all at 1), 21 for Danny (all at 2), 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 88. Leaving 10 minutes at the 1-2. 8 at SG like I said, and 2 for RayRay (or even the Simmons or KA at PG experiment? Doubtful). The 2 third string PG minutes is the one that seems off since Cojo averaged so many minutes last year, but idk where I'm off. Maybe too many of Manu's minutes at point (6), but seems like that could just be adjusted to less time at 2 for Patty (also 6) and more at the 1.

I'm pulling these number out of my ass, but I think they're fairly accurate. Maybe somebody has something better?... but I think it shows that during a key game that goes the distance, where Kawhi's jumped up to 38-40 minutes and DG's at 35, there's not all that much left. LMA is gonna play more than Splitter ever did, and DWest is gonna play more than The Banga. Timmy will play slightly less than last year.

You're not giving the new PG Macallum enough credit. He'll get some minutes for sure at backup. Many observers thought the trade that got him here was a real steal of the off season. We just haven't seen much of him on TV yet. RC said we couldn't have got him if he had been a FA because there would have been a lot of interest and he would have been priced out of our reach.

[Dro210]

You're not giving the new PG Macallum enough credit. He'll get some minutes for sure at backup. Many observers thought the trade that got him here was a real steal of the off season. We just haven't seen much of him on TV yet. RC said we couldn't have got him if he had been a FA because there would have been a lot of interest and he would have been priced out of our reach.

Well like I said, that was the obvious error in those numbers once I had typed it all out. I agree there's minutes for him in there somewhere, just have to make some slight adjustments.

I've seen McCallum play plenty tho. League Pass.

[ceperez]

You're not giving the new PG Macallum enough credit. He'll get some minutes for sure at backup. Many observers thought the trade that got him here was a real steal of the off season. We just haven't seen much of him on TV yet. RC said we couldn't have got him if he had been a FA because there would have been a lot of interest and he would have been priced out of our reach.

RC even mentioned that he'll be better at running Spurs offense than Cojo. So expect at least same amount of minutes that CoJo had last year.

[Ice009]

RC even mentioned that he'll be better at running Spurs offense than Cojo. So expect at least same amount of minutes that CoJo had last year.

All RC said was that's he's better at running an offense at the same stage in their careers. RC never said anything about him being better at running the Spurs offense, or that he was better at it right now.

[tesseractive]

I think it will happen sooner than that. I'm thinking a year or two. I'm not saying whether it's deserving or not, I just think an owner will take a shot.

I don't believe it for a second. There's too much bias and groupthink out there. If you're a GM and you hire a normal candidate and they fail, you can say that it was just one of those things. If you're the guy who hires the female head coach and she fails, it's your fault for sticking your neck out and doing something risky.

Don't get me wrong, I hope she succeeds. I'm a woman, and a feminist, and I'm cheering for her all the way. But I'm pessimistic about whether NB players will really accept her as a head coach.

[Old School 44]

I don't believe it for a second. There's too much bias and groupthink out there. If you're a GM and you hire a normal candidate and they fail, you can say that it was just one of those things. If you're the guy who hires the female head coach and she fails, it's your fault for sticking your neck out and doing something risky.

Don't get me wrong, I hope she succeeds. I'm a woman, and a feminist, and I'm cheering for her all the way. But I'm pessimistic about whether NB players will really accept her as a head coach.
If some team considers Becky as a head coach I'm sure the owner will be the one making the decision, not the GM. Just like a player with a less than stellar reputation, if you're talented, someone will give you a shot, because they will think the rewards far outweigh the risks.

If she fails, she fails. Almost every coach gets fired some time during their career. It's just part of being a coach.

[Chews]

I agree with OP's write up on Jerrel Eddie. Today was one of his worst shooting performances but we've seen enough of him in the other games and in Austin to know he's a deadly 3-point shooter. He showed me more today than I've seen in him in the first few games combined with his ball movement, effort on D, and coming off of screens and knowing when to shoot and when to pass. He also showed some athleticism with that break away dunk. He's never going to be a good defender, but like timvp said, at the 15th spot, there's a good chance we're not going to find a better option at this point. I hope we at least get him in camp and give him a shot to improve and show he's more than the one-dimensional player he looked to be the past week. He also has better size than I realized. I thought he was a slim 6'6 but he's listed at 6'7 220 lbs at 23 years of age.

May be me but I feel the complete opposite in regards to the bold. Feel like the dude wanted to shoot every possession of the game he was on the court. Thing that got to me the most was in transition I felt he was more worried about where on the 3 point line he could run, rather than what lane was the best to run.

Maybe it's me, I haven't looked at the stat sheets to know his FGA, but just off of feel he didn't look to be making the right decisions. $.02

[tesseractive]

If some team considers Becky as a head coach I'm sure the owner will be the one making the decision, not the GM. Just like a player with a less than stellar reputation, if you're talented, someone will give you a shot, because they will think the rewards far outweigh the risks.

If she fails, she fails. Almost every coach gets fired some time during their career. It's just part of being a coach.

You say that like you think it would mean the same thing if she got fired. When a male coach gets fired, it's just some guy getting fired. If and when the first female coach gets fired, it will provide ammunition to all the guys who say a woman has no business being there.

It would be like Jackie Robinson getting cut and released from a team. He didn't have to just prove that he was good enough to play ball, he had to prove that he was so good that he was unimpeachable. As the first female assistant coach in a major male sports league, Becky Hamlin has a similar kind of pressure in her. And if she gets a much more visible job as head coach, it will be far, far worse than it is now.

[Aztecfan03]

Yea I think they're for sure content.

Way I see it, there's 144 minutes between the 1-2-3 spots:

32 for Kawhi, 29 for Danny, 28 for Tony, 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 126 minutes. Leaving 18 for KA and Simmons, with RayRay trying to get in on the action too. Throw in some small ball lineups that have Kawhi, or even Kyle at the 4; that wouldn't happen often or for long, so you'd likely only gain a few minutes there.

You could break it down to 96 at the 2-3:

29 for Kawhi (all at 3), 29 for Danny, 13 for Manu (all at 2), 6 for Patty (all at 2).
That's 77. Leaving 19 minutes at the 2-3. I think 11 at the SF (if you gave Kawhi 3 minutes at the 4), and 8 at SG

96 min breakdown for 1-2:

28 for Tony (all at 1), 21 for Danny (all at 2), 19 for Manu, 18 for Patty.
That's 88. Leaving 10 minutes at the 1-2. 8 at SG like I said, and 2 for RayRay (or even the Simmons or KA at PG experiment? Doubtful). The 2 third string PG minutes is the one that seems off since Cojo averaged so many minutes last year, but idk where I'm off. Maybe too many of Manu's minutes at point (6), but seems like that could just be adjusted to less time at 2 for Patty (also 6) and more at the 1.

I'm pulling these number out of my ass, but I think they're fairly accurate. Maybe somebody has something better?... but I think it shows that during a key game that goes the distance, where Kawhi's jumped up to 38-40 minutes and DG's at 35, there's not all that much left. LMA is gonna play more than Splitter ever did, and DWest is gonna play more than The Banga. Timmy will play slightly less than last year.

Patty was out for at least a couple months, so cojo was 2nd string.

[Dro210]

Patty was out for at least a couple months, so cojo was 2nd string.

:tu

[Aztecfan03]

:tu
im sure you got this, but i meant 2nd string for that portion.

all in all, because of people missing games, adding up everyones mpg's will equal more than 48*5

[Dro210]

im sure you got this, but i meant 2nd string for that portion.

all in all, because of people missing games, adding up everyones mpg's will equal more than 48*5

Yea, I get all that. I guess what I was trying to say is that it seems like, everybody healthy, he would have averaged more than the ~2 minutes I had left for him in my breakdown. But it's just slight little slides from the other 1-2s, and I also wasn't accounting for him putting in minutes at the 2, it was pretty late when I made that post.

[ceperez]

You say that like you think it would mean the same thing if she got fired. When a male coach gets fired, it's just some guy getting fired. If and when the first female coach gets fired, it will provide ammunition to all the guys who say a woman has no business being there.

It would be like Jackie Robinson getting cut and released from a team. He didn't have to just prove that he was good enough to play ball, he had to prove that he was so good that he was unimpeachable. As the first female assistant coach in a major male sports league, Becky Hamlin has a similar kind of pressure in her. And if she gets a much more visible job as head coach, it will be far, far worse than it is now.

I agree.

In addition, what GM or owner would want in their reputation the fact they hired and fired the first female NBA head coach. A lot of risk involved here. Not the typical NBA coach that you can try out and fire at a whim.

[Old School 44]

You say that like you think it would mean the same thing if she got fired. When a male coach gets fired, it's just some guy getting fired. If and when the first female coach gets fired, it will provide ammunition to all the guys who say a woman has no business being there.

It would be like Jackie Robinson getting cut and released from a team. He didn't have to just prove that he was good enough to play ball, he had to prove that he was so good that he was unimpeachable. As the first female assistant coach in a major male sports league, Becky Hamlin has a similar kind of pressure in her. And if she gets a much more visible job as head coach, it will be far, far worse than it is now.

I do think it will be hard and I do think it would be different, but how will we ever get beyond that glass ceiling if no one takes the first step. In the coaching profession it is rare to become "unimpeachable". Look at some of the winningest coaches like Larry Brown, George Karl, Don Nelson to name a few, all have been fired somewhere along the line.

[tesseractive]

I do think it will be hard and I do think it would be different, but how will we ever get beyond that glass ceiling if no one takes the first step. In the coaching profession it is rare to become "unimpeachable". Look at some of the winningest coaches like Larry Brown, George Karl, Don Nelson to name a few, all have been fired somewhere along the line.

Oh no, I know. And believe me, I'm pulling for her like you wouldn't believe. I just worry about all the difficuties involved in doing this in the real world, and I don't think they should be downplayed. That's all