ESPN: Spurs players profile

[YGWHI]

There are some interesting numbers in the article.

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/17469424/san-antonio-spurs-player-profiles-kawhi-leonard-lamarcus-aldridge-more-nba


Projected starters:

Tony Parker

Position: Guard
Experience: 15 years
Age: 34
Scouting report
+ Post-prime point guard who's no longer offensive lynchpin
+ Accurate though infrequent outside shooter
+ Weakest link in elite San Antonio defense
Analysis
Believe it or not, Parker is entering his 16th NBA season and turned 34 in May. As he has aged, the Spurs' offense has moved away from relying on Parker's penetration to featuring post-ups and isolations on the wing, a trend that will likely continue this season after he averaged just 26.4 minutes per game in the playoffs.
Parker used 21.2 percent of San Antonio's plays last season, down from 24.5 percent in 2014-15 and his lowest mark since his rookie season. While Parker has become an accurate outside shooter, he's not a prolific one, at least from 3-point range -- Parker attempted just 65 3s despite making them at better than a 40 percent clip for the second consecutive season.
Last season, Parker got to the basket somewhat more frequently, at least relative to his shot attempts. He took 31.1 percent of them inside three feet, per Basketball-Reference.com, up from 25.5 percent the previous season. Parker remains an effective finisher around the basket, but doesn't drive and dish to set up teammates as frequently as he did during his offensive prime.
Now that he no longer has the quickness to compensate for his small stature, the 6-foot-2 Parker has become a defensive target for opponents who find few other places to attack the Spurs' stout defense. San Antonio likes to cross match with Parker defending less threatening opponents off the ball.

Danny Green

Position: Guard
Experience: 7 years
Age: 29
Scouting report
+ Premier 3-and-D wing coming off down season
+ Suffered through season-long shooting slump
+ Agile wing defender who excels against PGs
Analysis
The Spurs kept waiting for Green to shake off an inexplicable shooting slump, but it never happened until the playoffs. Green hit better than 40 percent of his 3-pointers each of his first four seasons in San Antonio, but started off 2015-16 ice cold, making 30.1 percent of his 3s through December. When Green hit 49.1 percent from downtown in January, it looked like regression to the mean was finally taking hold, but he was much worse after the All-Star break, sinking to 27.7 percent beyond the arc. Just as unexpectedly as Green lost his shot, he found it in the playoffs, making half of his 48 3-point attempts.
Given that more than 60 percent of Green's shots come from 3-point range, it's especially important for him to be hitting from long distance. He struggles to create off the dribble, making just 27.4 percent of his rare pull-up attempts according to SportVU tracking on NBA.com/Stats, so there's little way for Green to compensate other than attempting fewer shots (his usage rate went down from 17.5 percent in 2014-15 to a career-low 14.6 percent).
Fortunately, Green didn't let his missed shots affect his defense. In fact, his plus-2.9 defensive rating in ESPN's real plus-minus (RPM) led all shooting guards. The 6-foot-6 Green is big enough to defend small forwards -- including occasionally Kevin Durant during the playoffs -- but really excels against point guards, using his 6-foot-10 wingspan to block passing lanes. He denies passes well off the ball and will even use verticality around the basket as the NBA's new premier shot-blocking guard (he blocked 2.4 percent of opponents' 2-point attempts, average for a power forward and best among guards), using his 6-foot-10 wingspan to block passing lanes. He denies passes well off the ball and will even use verticality around the basket as the NBA's new premier shot-blocking guard (he blocked 2.4 percent of opponents' 2-point attempts, average for a power forward and best among guards).

Kawhi Leonard

Position: Forward
Experience: 5 years
Age: 25
Scouting report
+ Elite two-way player who earned All-NBA First Team honors
+ Increased usage rate while simultaneously improving efficiency
+ Lockdown individual defender who also excels offering help
Analysis
Last season saw Leonard fully realized. (We think. He didn't turn 25 until after the season.) Healthy from day one, Leonard picked up defensively where he left off in winning his first Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014-15 while taking a major step forward as a go-to scorer. The result was Leonard doing the previously unthinkable: beating out a healthy Kevin Durant for a spot on the All-NBA First Team at forward next to LeBron James.
It's hard to believe now that Leonard was an offensive afterthought as recently as 2013-14, when he used just 18.3 percent of the Spurs' plays. That jumped to 23 percent in 2014-15, then again to 25.8 percent last season. That's still relatively low for a superstar -- aside from Leonard, the other noncenter All-NBA First Teamers since 2010-11 have averaged 30.5 percent usage, and only point guard Chris Paul has made the team with a lower usage rate in that span.
However, Leonard still creates plenty of his own shots in isolation -- just 45 percent of his made 2-pointers were assisted each of the past two seasons, per Basketball-Reference.com - allowing him to ramp up his usage. And remarkably, he didn't sacrifice efficiency to do it. In fact, by virtue of hitting a career-high 44.3 percent of his 3-pointers (a mark that led the league for much of the season), Leonard's .616 true shooting percentage was the best of his career.
Still, Leonard's greater value comes at the defensive end, where he's the NBA equivalent to a shutdown cornerback opponents dare not test. In fact, like Darrelle Revis, he welcomed his matchup to "Kawhi Island." Leonard's steal rate slipped slightly from 2014-15, when players couldn't even dribble the ball around him safely but was still elite, and he blocked nearly as many shots as Green. Now that he has won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year trophies, consider Leonard the exception to the rule that big men are generally more valuable defensively than perimeter players.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Position: Forward
Experience: 10 years
Age: 31
Scouting report
+ Accurate-shooting big man who thrives in midrange
+ Adapted to hold ball less on post-ups and isolations
+ Big power forward who's ineffective protecting the rim
Analysis
It took some time, but Aldridge found a way to marry his All-Star game with San Antonio's championship-winning system after signing with the Spurs as a free agent in the summer of 2015. Aldridge cut his average touch time from 1.94 seconds per touch in Portland to 1.63 in San Antonio, per SportVU tracking on NBA.com/Stats, making quicker decisions with the ball and moving it when he didn't have a shot. The result was the most efficient offensive season of Aldridge's career.
There were other changes to Aldridge's game. He was assisted on 66 percent of his 2-point attempts, according to Basketball-Reference.com, up from 46.8 percent with the Blazers. And while the Spurs' offense emphasized the midrange shots on which Aldridge excels, he shot fewer of them than in the past and got more easy buckets around the rim. That produced a .565 true shooting percentage, Aldridge's best to date. He got more comfortable during the season, improving his true shooting percentage (and his scoring average) each full month of the schedule. And in the playoffs, Aldridge's ability to post up smaller defenders -- where he favors turnaround jumpers -- and take slower ones to the perimeter made him San Antonio's first option on offense.
One subtle benefit of adding Aldridge was that the Spurs had two players taller than 6-foot-11 in their starting lineup while still getting the advantages of playing Tim Duncan alongside a floor-spacing power forward. Though Aldridge isn't a good enough shot-blocker to anchor an elite defense as a center, he's above average playing next to a rim protector and also defends well against the pick-and-roll.


Pau Gasol

Position: Center
Experience: 15 years
Age: 36
Scouting report
+ Aging All-Star who continues to be effective offensively
+ Elite passer and accurate outside shooter who has added 3-point range
+ Immobile defender whose teams rarely force turnovers
Analysis
At age 35, Gasol was chosen for his sixth All-Star Game as an injury replacement and averaged a double-double for the fifth time in his career. But the Chicago Bulls had a tough time finding the right fit around Gasol at both ends of the court and made no effort to retain him as an unrestricted free agent. Gasol signed in San Antonio as a replacement for the retiring Duncan, one future Hall of Famer stepping in for another.
Of course, Gasol brings a very different style to the frontcourt than Duncan did over the past two decades. He's a more skilled offensive player who used nearly a quarter of Chicago's plays last season, far more than Duncan with the Spurs (17.6 percent usage). So while that will probably go down, expect Gasol to take some shots away from San Antonio's other starters. Gasol is no longer a particularly good post option (He averaged 0.8 points per play on post-ups per Synergy Sports tracking on NBA.com/Stats, second worst among players with at least 200 such shot attempts). Instead, Gasol is best used at the elbow, where he can make plays for teammates with his outstanding court vision for a 7-footer and is an accurate midrange shooter. He has also become a pick-and-pop threat out beyond the 3-point line, making a career-high 24 triples last season at a 34.8 percent clip.
The downgrade for the Spurs will come at the defensive end. Even in his final season, Duncan ranked second in the NBA in defensive RPM on a per-possession basis. Gasol remains a capable rim protector when he's in position -- the 4.7 percent of opponents' 2-point attempts he blocked last season was a career high -- but can't always get there when he's playing away from the basket. Gasol's defenses tend not to force turnovers. Last year's Bulls had the 10th-lowest opponent turnover rate relative to league average since the ABA-NBA merger, a list with Gasol's 2011-12 L.A. Lakers at the top (or bottom). And despite the fact that Gasol is an outstanding defensive rebounder, Chicago rebounded much worse with him on the court- a consistent trend in recent years.

[YGWHI]

Reserves

Manu Ginobili

Position: Guard
Experience: 14 years
Age: 39Scouting report
+ Future Hall of Famer remains effective reserve in late 30s
+ Efficient scorer who serves as co-point guard on offense
+ Aggressive, instinctive defender with high steal rate
Analysis
Closing in on age 40 (he turned 39 in July), Ginobili remains San Antonio's top reserve and an indispensable part of the system. It's unthinkable that Ginobili could play somewhere else, but the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly came calling with a big offer for the unrestricted free agent this summer before the Spurs upped their own offer to $14 million for 2016-17.
Ginobili has proven an effective partner in the second-unit backcourt for Mills, allowing the score-first point guard to play off the ball at times, while Ginobili runs the offense. In another lifetime, on another team, Ginobili could have been a devastating lead ball handler. As it is, he averaged more assists per minute than Mills and remains capable of getting to the basket off the dribble if no longer the outstanding finisher of his heyday, making a career-low 53.7 percent of his attempts inside three feet according to Basketball-Reference.com. After a series of down years from 3-point range, Ginobili hit 39.1 percent from beyond the arc last season and was even better (42.9 percent) in the playoffs.
Defensively, Ginobili remains the wide-ranging free safety to Leonard's cornerback. His steal rate (3 per 100 team plays) ranked in the NBA's top 10 among players with at least 1,000 minutes. Ginobili has phenomenal ability to recognize plays before they're happening and is a historically great defender of inbound passes -- although he did commit a violation when pressuring Dion Waiters during the wild finish to Game 2 of the Spurs' series with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Patty Mills

Position: Guard
Experience: 7 years
Age: 28
Scouting report
+ Aggressive point guard who's a dangerous scorer
+ Fine outside shooter who likes pull-up game
+ Active defender, though vulnerable to misdirection
Analysis
Healthy last season after missing the first part of the 2014-15 season following shoulder surgery, Mills returned to being one of the league's top backup point guards. His elite performances for the Australian national team, including averaging 21.3 points on .604 true shooting percentage in the 2016 Olympics, makes one wonder what Mills could do if he got a chance to start.
Of course, one reason Mills makes more sense in a reserve role is that he's not really a point guard and gets to share ball handling duties with Ginobili off the bench. Not only is Mills' court vision limited, he's a dangerous weapon playing off the ball coming off screens -- something he does for the national team playing alongside Matthew Dellavedova- and spotting up. After hitting just 34.1 percent of his 3-point attempts in 2014-15, Mills bounced back to 38.4 percent. He's not quite as effective as a pick-and-roll ball handler because of his tendency to shoot pull-up jumpers just inside the line. He made an inefficient 39.5 percent of his 2-point attempts beyond 16 feet, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
Defensively, Mills is hyperkinetic, sprinting everywhere on the court. That generally works well to compensate for his small size (6-foot, 185) but can leave Mills going quickly the wrong direction when opponents beat him backdoor or catch him leaning the wrong way off the dribble. Mills has improved his ability to navigate screens on the ball.

Kyle Anderson

Position: Forward
Experience: 2 years
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Versatile combo forward found a role off bench
+ Most effective with the ball in his hands
+ Struggles to contain elite athletes off the dribble
Analysis
Duncan delivered one of the lines of the 2015-16 season when he told reporters that he came to a realization watching Anderson on a fast break. "I can get Kyle in a footrace," Duncan said. "I can get him. That's bad." Alas, one of the two chooses not to race, so we'll never know. Despite his well-documented lack of quickness, the man known as "Slo Mo" found a role on the Spurs' second unit in his second season as a backup small forward.
Throughout his prep career, Anderson had the ball in his hands as the focal point of an offense, but his skills don't merit that role in the NBA. So he has had to discover how to be effective without the ball. That started with improved shooting. While Anderson still made just 32.4 percent of his limited 3-point attempts, he knocked down a solid 45.2 percent of his 2-point attempts from beyond 16 feet per Basketball-Reference.com. Anderson was also able to use his playmaking as an entry passer, and of course he did get chances to play isolation basketball, where he likes to use a crossover or back down smaller opponents -- and that's nearly all of them at small forward -- from the perimeter. Anderson's isolation results suggest he might merit more opportunities. He shot 57.1 percent on such plays according to Synergy Sports tracking on NBA.com/Stats.
Defensively, Anderson is stuck somewhere between small forward and power forward. On the wing, his lateral mobility isn't good enough to deal with go-to scorers, and Anderson hasn't been able to use his size to contest from behind. Power forwards are probably more ideal matchups, but Anderson gives up strength at the position. However, he's a good enough rebounder to hold his own at the 4 and may get more minutes there with David West's departure.

DeWayne Dedmon

Position: Center
Experience: 3 years
Age: 27
Scouting report
+ Productive on per-minute basis but failed to win trust of coaches
+ Above-the-rim finisher who rolls hard to the rim
+ Mobile defender whose instincts don't match athleticism
Analysis
With only their $2.9 million room exception to sign a backup center, San Antonio did well to grab Dedmon, who brings needed athleticism to their frontcourt. Despite averaging 13 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per 36 minutes last season with the Orlando Magic, Dedmon was as likely to get a DNP-CD (22 times) as start (20 times) in Scott Skiles' rotation roulette. We'll find out this season whether Skiles knew something the rest of us didn't.
During their playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs were lacking a roll man who could expose Enes Kanter's difficulty defending the pick-and-roll. Dedmon could be that guy off the bench. He shot a robust 71.2 percent as a roll man last season, third-best among players with at least 50 such shot attempts according to Synergy Sports tracking on NBA.com/Stats. And despite concerns about his hands, Dedmon's turnover rate in the pick-and-roll (6.1 percent) was on the low side. The Magic used Dedmon at times in the high post, but that's a poor fit since he shot just 33.3 percent outside the paint, per NBA.com/Stats.
Dedmon's athleticism is a welcome addition at the defensive end as well. He moves well for a 7-foot center and can hedge against the pick-and-roll on the perimeter and successfully recover or even switch on guards without completely embarrassing himself. Dedmon's volleyball background -- raised as a Jehovah's Witness, he didn't play basketball until age 18, as Chris Ballard detailed in a wonderful Sports Illustrated feature- shows up in the way he powerfully blocks shots at an above-average rate, albeit frequently out of bounds. But Dedmon's late start also means he doesn't read plays quickly -- one reason coaches have been reluctant to turn him loose.

David Lee

Position: Forward
Experience: 11 years
Age: 33
Scouting report
+ Aging big man who remains threat diving to the basket
+ Ambidextrous finisher who shoots high percentage at rim
+ Poor defender who's too slow to play on perimeter
Analysis
Given his well-earned reputation as an all-offense, no-defense big man, Lee doesn't exactly fit the San Antonio model. But teams with only the minimum salary to offer can't be choosers, and Lee signed a two-year deal for the veteran's minimum that includes a 2017-18 player option. He's the favorite to replace West as the Spurs' backup big man.
Lee began last season as the Boston Celtics' starting power forward but lost the job after just three games. He was dreadful in Boston, shooting 45.5 percent on 2-point attempts after never having been below 50 percent before. Brad Stevens excised him from the rotation in December, and the Celtics took off while Lee worked with the training staff to improve his conditioning in anticipation of another opportunity.
That chance came after a buyout, when Lee landed with the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent as an entirely different player. He was a perfect fit for the Mavericks' pick-and-roll game, beating slower centers to the basket, where he can finish with either hand. Lee's 2-point percentage shot up to 63.6 percent in Dallas, which would have been a career high. Expect San Antonio to use him in a similar fashion, albeit more likely as a power forward than a center.
After all, the 6-foot-9 Lee offers no deterrence at the rim. While he blocked shots at a career-high rate last season, he was still only average for a center. Lee isn't much better at power forward. Guarding stretch 4s on the perimeter is too much to ask from him at age 33, so despite strong defensive rebounding Lee is a major defensive liability.

Jonathon Simmons

Position: Guard
Experience: 1 year
Age: 26 (27 on Sept. 14)
Scouting report
+ Defensive-minded wing who fell out of favor during rookie season
+ Capable secondary ball handler who shot 38.3 percent from 3-point range
+ Has necessary physical tools but not yet reliable individual defender
Analysis
For much of his rookie season, Simmons looked like the Spurs' latest D-League success story. He was a key reserve from December through February, supplying 3-and-D play on the wing and bringing needed youth and energy to the San Antonio second unit. Then, Simmons fell out of the rotation and played just 26 minutes in the playoffs, none against Oklahoma City. He'll have to battle in training camp to win his spot back.
Simmons was a pleasant surprise offensively, translating his effective play in summer league in 2015. His improved D-League 3-point shooting in 2014-15 carried over to the NBA as Simmons shot a solid 38.3 percent from beyond the arc, albeit on just 47 attempts. Nearly half of Simmons' shots came within three feet, per Basketball-Reference.com, and he proved particularly adept at generating easy scores by running the floor hard in transition. Simmons can also handle the ball -- he has played point guard in summer league -- and initiate the offense.
The coaching staff's concerns probably had more to do with the defensive end. An athletic 6-foot-6, Simmons has stopper potential he has yet to harness. He likes to play up into ball handlers and overplay in the passing lanes, but generated few steals while taking the risk of defensive breakdowns. If Simmons simply executes the scheme and stays solid, he'll find his way back into the rotation.

Davis Bertans

Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Latvian stretch 4 who will fill Matt Bonner's role
+ Accurate 3-point shooter from FIBA line
+ May struggle to find a position he can defend
Analysis
Five years after San Antonio added Bertans with a second-round pick acquired in the trade that brought them Leonard, he's finally joining the team on a two-year minimum contract that is fully guaranteed. Now 23 (he'll turn 24 in November) and fully recovered from an ACL tear suffered in 2013, Bertans takes Matt Bonner's long-time spot as the Spurs' stretch 4 off the bench. (He won't be able to replace Bonner's unique off-the-court humor. Nobody could.)
A native of Latvia, Bertans has spent the past two seasons playing for Laboral Kutxa Baskonia in Spain, where he shot 46.2 percent from 3-point range in 2015-16 between ACB and Euroleague play. My SCHOENE projection system translates that to about 36.6 percent accuracy from the NBA line, factoring in the lower percentage he shot in 2014-15 (38.7 percent) and the transition that often leads to lower 3-point percentages for international players as NBA rookies. Bertans knows his role: 130 of his 175 shots last season came from beyond the arc.
The big question with Bertans will be whether he can guard NBA opponents. At 6-foot-9, 210, he's going to give up a lot of strength to power forwards, yet doesn't appear quick enough to defend on the wing full-time. If Bertans plays with Anderson, a combination that could work well offensively, they might be able to cross match at times to hide Bertans defensively.

Dejounte Murray

Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 19 (20 on Sept. 19)
Scouting report
+ Big point guard who was inefficient in lone college season
+ Excels at getting to the basket but struggles to finish there
+ Has defensive potential if he can maintain focus on each play
Analysis
Murray's draft-night slide may ultimately prove the best thing for him. Considered a possible late lottery pick, Murray nearly ended up stuck in the green room the entire first round before San Antonio grabbed him with the No. 29 overall pick in a value play. Given the importance of improving his shooting to Murray's long-term future, he couldn't have found a better shooting coach than the Spurs' Chip Engelland.
A 6-foot-5 point guard with a wingspan measured at more than 6-foot-9 in 2014, per Draft Express, Murray has tantalizing physical tools. That starts with his ability to create off the dribble. Murray has the elusive "shake" scouts want in point guards, which allows him to beat defenders and get into the paint. The first question is whether he can actually finish there. Murray shot just 58.6 percent at the rim during his lone season at Washington according to Hoop-Match.com. Then there's the question of how much defenders will back off him given Murray shot 28.8 percent from 3-point range while firing up three-and-a-half triples per game. Murray's form isn't bad, so there's hope for improvement, but he wasn't much better at the free throw line in college (66.3 percent).
Murray's size gives him the potential to become a plus defender, but he'll have to become a lot more sound on a play-to-play basis. He had a tendency to lose focus defending on the weak side, leaving him in poor position to contest shots when the ball was reversed. Murray also doesn't contain the ball as well one-on-one as you'd expect given his athleticism. However, he's a good rebounder for a point guard who grabbed a higher percentage of defensive rebounds than teammate Marquese Chriss, a 6-foot-9 power forward drafted in the lottery.

[YGWHI]

Livio Jean-Charles

Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22Scouting report
+ San Antonio's 2013 first-round pick headed to NBA
+ Perimeter-oriented power forward who lacks 3-point range
+ Poor defensive rebounder who will be at strength disadvantage
Analysis
Months after he was drafted by San Antonio No. 28 overall in 2013 at age 19, Jean-Charles suffered a torn ACL playing for the U20 French national team. Since missing the 2013-14 season, Jean-Charles hasn't continued his upward trajectory, but the Spurs still signed him to a standard rookie-scale contract this summer. Jean-Charles will likely spend much of the season with the team's D-League affiliate in Austin.
Jean-Charles' game was built on athleticism, and while he remains a capable finisher who has a decent midrange stroke (albeit not 3-point range; he took just 14 triples from the FIBA 3-point line last season), he no longer can entirely compensate for being slight for a power forward at 6-foot-9, 217. Jean-Charles is notably weak on the defensive glass and didn't particularly look like an NBA player in summer league the past two years.

Ryan Arcidiacono

Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Steady combo guard with NCAA 3-point range
+ Will be at athletic disadvantage in NBA
Analysis
Last spring, March Madness became Arch madness (with apologies to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament) as the Villanova senior point guard with the difficult-to-pronounce surname helped his school to its first national title since 1985. Arcidiacono averaged 15.8 points per game during the tournament and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. None of that guarantees him a spot in the NBA, however, as an undrafted rookie on a partially-guaranteed contract with the Spurs for training camp.
Arcidiacono looks a lot like a quality college player whose game won't quite measure up in the NBA. He has no single obvious NBA skill except protecting the basketball, since he was a good but not great college 3-point shooter (39.4 percent as a senior, 34.8 percent career) who's not an exceptional playmaker or athletic defender. But as in college, the whole may be greater than the sum of the parts.

Bryn Forbes

Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Undersized 3-point sharpshooter with definite NBA range
+ Too small and slight to defend most NBA shooting guards
Analysis
Of the three players in the mix so far for the 15th spot on the San Antonio roster, Forbes has the most guaranteed money in his contract -- $125,000, per Eric Pincus of BasketballInsiders.com. Forbes earned that with a strong showing for the Spurs this summer, shooting 40.6 percent from the NBA 3-point line between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
There's no doubt Forbes can shoot it -- he led the Big Ten with 112 3-pointers on 48.1 percent accuracy as a senior at Michigan State -- and he flashed an unexpectedly impressive off-the-dribble game this summer. The issue remains how to hide Forbes defensively. He's not a good enough ball handler to play point guard and, at 6-foot-3, 175 is tiny for a shooting guard. Players like Ginobili and Murray could cross match with him defensively, so San Antonio is a good spot for Forbes to try to stick.

Patricio Garino

Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Tough wing defender with good feel for the game
+ Capable 3-point shooter from college/FIBA lines
Analysis
In addition to Ginobili, the Spurs also drafted Luis Scola (though his rights were traded before he could join the team) and employed Fabricio Oberto- one third of the Argentine-born players in NBA history. Garino could become the latest. The George Washington product will battle for a spot in training camp after starting alongside Ginobili in the Olympics, averaging 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.


The 6-foot-6 Garino is physical enough to defend either wing spot, though he's a poor rebounder for a shooting guard, let alone a small forward. Still, he impressed in Rio with his ability to defend one-on-one and follow his assignment through off-ball screens. A role player at the other end, Garino never used plays at much more than an average rate in college and took nearly a third of his shots from beyond the arc, where he shot 43 percent as a senior but just 36.4 percent for his career.

Nicolas Laprovittola

Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 26
Scouting report
+ Capable playmaker with high turnover rate
+ Frequent but not particularly accurate 3-point shooter
Analysis
San Antonio added another Argentine to the battle for the 15th roster spot after the Olympics, signing Laprovittola according to ESPN's Marc Stein. The only true point guard among the Spurs' invitees, Laprovittola would give them a third player at the position, though the ability of Ginobili and Simmons to run the offense means that might not be a necessity.
A 6-foot-3 point guard, Laprovittola split last season between Lithuanian club Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius and Estudiantes of the Spanish ACB, shooting just 40.1 percent between ACB and EuroCup competition. Laprovittola attempted nearly as many 3-pointers as 2-point shots, but made them at just a 34.1 percent clip combined. He'll have to be more accurate in the NBA since he doesn't project as a capable finisher.

[Supreme_Being]

Finally some good material in here tbh

[Mouth is Bleeding]

Finally some good material in here tbh

Indeed!

Thx for posting this. Always a good read.

[Old School 44]

Thanks for posting. This year kind of reminds me of 2002/2003 with youngsters Manu, Tony, Jack, Speedy and even Devin Brown. Although I'm sure most fans, myself included, will miss TD, I'm excited to see some of the young talent the Spurs signed this year, namely Murray and Bertans.

[gambit1990]

good read.

is dedmon not a jehovah's witness anymore?

[Spurtacular]

Finally some good material in here tbh

Tell your hero, apalisoc_9 to stop making threads, then.

[DeRozan m8]

Probably most excited for Dedmon tbh

[Spursfanfromafar]

Quite an intriguing set of newcomers this season for the Spurs. A most interesting squad for the Spurs (without Duncan) in a long time.

[TheDoctor]

Dijon's inability to finish at the rim could very well be a matter of strength and inexperience.

We'll see.

[Uriel]

Thanks OP :toast

[Brazil]

good read and a quite fair assessment imho

[dabom]

OP with the goods. :tu

[SAGirl]

Dijon's inability to finish at the rim could very well be a matter of strength and inexperience.

We'll see.

I saw him settle for too many bad floaters. Just doesn't have good touch on those. Hopefully something Tony can help with as he has a good touch on the floater. Becky was great as well finishing around the basket in her day using all sorts of layups, scoops and floaters. He needs to pass more too, if there was rim protection or he drew guys he'd still put up a bad floater instead of looking for a smarter play.

Anyways, all those things are fixable, but he most definitely needs work.

[cd021]

I saw him settle for too many bad floaters. Just doesn't have good touch on those. Hopefully something Tony can help with as he has a good touch on the floater. Becky was great as well finishing around the basket in her day using all sorts of layups, scoops and floaters. He needs to pass more too, if there was rim protection or he drew guys he'd still put up a bad floater instead of looking for a smarter play.

Anyways, all those things are fixable, but he most definitely needs work.

According to Draft Express, he shot 45% on floaters in college which is apparently pretty good.

[SAGirl]

According to Draft Express, he shot 45% on floaters in college which is apparently pretty good.

didn't do well at all in summer league and he tends to be inconsistent. Known as a feast or famine player: he will have the occasional star looking game where he gets to the basket and draws fouls or gets his, then follow it up with a stinker or two where he wont' stop shooting or taking bad shots taking his team out of the game. But he's young, I think it's kind of the nature of his youth and need to refine his skillset.

[BillMc]

Good read. Many thanks for posting these. :toast

[BillMc]

Just learned (from these posts) its Murray's b-day. You know he's having fun.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Reading through that list of reserves gives me reservations....a lot of weaknesses there, especially at the 4-5 spots. When David Lee and DeWayne Dedmon is all you've got coming off your bench that's not a good thing.

[SAGirl]

Reading through that list of reserves gives me reservations....a lot of weaknesses there, especially at the 4-5 spots. When David Lee and DeWayne Dedmon is all you've got coming off your bench that's not a good thing.

Yes, I have my doubts Pop will stay with those two paired up. They just don't make sense together. In the playoffs I guess it doesn't matter as Pop can always shorten the rotation.

There is also a big divide. Kawhi is 25 and Danny 29, LMA is 31, the team is in win now mode. Behind them there is a sea that has been divided like Moses:

On the one hand: HoF talent but very old, some actually past their expiration date (Pau, Tony and Manu)

On the other: a lot of youth but rookies save Anderson and Simmons. A lot of guys are green and will take time. Anderson is still as young as many of those rookies save Murray. Simmons is a question mark. He could be a difference maker or not.

There are players that are questionable in fit: Dedmon/Lee (+ Lee hasn't been healthy the past couple of seasons and started the season in Boston playing poorly and got benched. He admitted he was out of shape, but I really think what it was, aside of that is that the Boston team didn't have the floor spacing that Dallas with Nowitzky and their roster did). Lee requires a specific set of circumstances to succeed. I am sure Pop knows what they are and will try to place him in good spots (at least I hope) bc ordinarily that is what Pop does. But is that good a spot playing with Dedmon? I don't know. Don't have the answer to that one and I guess I am as intrigued as everyone to see what Pop does.

[alpha_HaZE]

Yes, I have my doubts Pop will stay with those two paired up. They just don't make sense together. In the playoffs I guess it doesn't matter as Pop can always shorten the rotation.

There is also a big divide. Kawhi is 25 and Danny 29, LMA is 31, the team is in win now mode. Behind them there is a sea that has been divided like Moses:

On the one hand: HoF talent but very old, some actually past their expiration date (Pau, Tony and Manu)

On the other: a lot of youth but rookies save Anderson and Simmons. A lot of guys are green and will take time. Anderson is still as young as many of those rookies save Murray. Simmons is a question mark. He could be a difference maker or not.

There are players that are questionable in fit: Dedmon/Lee (+ Lee hasn't been healthy the past couple of seasons and started the season in Boston playing poorly and got benched. He admitted he was out of shape, but I really think what it was, aside of that is that the Boston team didn't have the floor spacing that Dallas with Nowitzky and their roster did). Lee requires a specific set of circumstances to succeed. I am sure Pop knows what they are and will try to place him in good spots (at least I hope) bc ordinarily that is what Pop does. But is that good a spot playing with Dedmon? I don't know. Don't have the answer to that one and I guess I am as intrigued as everyone to see what Pop does.


Dedmon and Lee don't make sense to me either, one is raw and the other huge liability on D. However, one excels at O and the other at D, I would like to see them together on the court for an extended period of time, not at garbage time, against the right opponent. Say there is a game where Pop decides to sit Pau, LMA, and KL.

To give you example, having Boris to guard Lebron, is a silly idea, but Pop tried it out (at that infamous game where we got fined) and it worked!

[Ginobili3]

Great stuff OP. The defense on big men has me worried, hopefully Dedmon comes in strong for us.

[phxspurfan]

LJC does not look like an NBA player. Neither does Arci or Garino

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Yes, I have my doubts Pop will stay with those two paired up. They just don't make sense together. In the playoffs I guess it doesn't matter as Pop can always shorten the rotation.

There is also a big divide. Kawhi is 25 and Danny 29, LMA is 31, the team is in win now mode. Behind them there is a sea that has been divided like Moses:

On the one hand: HoF talent but very old, some actually past their expiration date (Pau, Tony and Manu)

On the other: a lot of youth but rookies save Anderson and Simmons. A lot of guys are green and will take time. Anderson is still as young as many of those rookies save Murray. Simmons is a question mark. He could be a difference maker or not.

There are players that are questionable in fit: Dedmon/Lee (+ Lee hasn't been healthy the past couple of seasons and started the season in Boston playing poorly and got benched. He admitted he was out of shape, but I really think what it was, aside of that is that the Boston team didn't have the floor spacing that Dallas with Nowitzky and their roster did). Lee requires a specific set of circumstances to succeed. I am sure Pop knows what they are and will try to place him in good spots (at least I hope) bc ordinarily that is what Pop does. But is that good a spot playing with Dedmon? I don't know. Don't have the answer to that one and I guess I am as intrigued as everyone to see what Pop does.


It will be interesting. I don't have any confidence in Dedmon being consistent for us. Same goes for Lee. I think they'll both look great at times and horrible at others. Mills and Ginobili will be decent at the 1/2 shared backup, but beyond the entire bench is questionable, and my comment on Manu assumes he still has something left in the tank. This might be the Spurs' weakest bench in a long time. I see more moves on the horizon if it looks like this team has a legitimate title shot once we get closer to February. We'll need Manu and Lee to turn back time and a lot of unproven talent will need to step up, big time, if the Spurs are to contend. I hope everyone does step up and I'm proven wrong.

[SAGirl]

It will be interesting. I don't have any confidence in Dedmon being consistent for us. Same goes for Lee. I think they'll both look great at times and horrible at others. Mills and Ginobili will be decent at the 1/2 shared backup, but beyond the entire bench is questionable, and my comment on Manu assumes he still has something left in the tank. This might be the Spurs' weakest bench in a long time. I see more moves on the horizon if it looks like this team has a legitimate title shot once we get closer to February. We'll need Manu and Lee to turn back time and a lot of unproven talent will need to step up, big time, if the Spurs are to contend. I hope everyone does step up and I'm proven wrong.

I haven't been following the team as long as you, but I am taking your word for it and I don't doubt it because everyone is questionable, save Mills who we know what he can do and is in a contract year. But we also know his limitations and know that he can't carry a bench on his own.

The most noticeable sign is that they need Anderson and Simmons to grow up. I also hope Bertans can help some (I know others will point out Pop distrusting rookies, but it's a possibility with him in a small role, like say Butler for example, had at times.)

I don't know Dedmon but I am hoping he plays well. Lee is not my cup of tea, but he can still do some things. Manu I am not taking for granted. I know he will play with all that he has like he always does, but I also hope others get the chance to shoulder the load and grow as players under his tutelage, more than seeing him "being the man." Like you, I could see possible moves in the horizon come February, but it would have to be some veteran picked off waivers bc all of the Spurs youngsters are in very cheap contracts and they won't net a veteran in return. The Spurs really also need to rebuild their depth and can't afford to turn these youngsters away without first discovering what they really have there, which takes time to let guys develop and grow as players. Aside from them, they really don't have assets that they can spare at this point bc the guys who have tradable contracts are not in the trade block.

I hope they don't need Manu and Lee to be turning back the clock a lot bc that is a recipe for disaster. Their hope is to have a melange of young and old, with the younger improving through the season to start shouldering more of the load. For example, I think they will rely a lot more on Manu and Lee to start than they will later in the season, whether bc of a nag, or injury or just younger guys breaking out, I prefer to remain optimistic that it won't all be on them.

[cd021]

Really hoping Dedmon starts alongside Parker-Green-Leonard and Aldridge. I think that could be an excellent two way unit.

Green, Leonard, and LMA spacing the floor while Parker runs P&R with an athletic roll man could very effective.

On the other end; based on what I've read, heard, and watched, Dedmon should be able to be effective against GSW on defense. Very good rim protector and rebounder, along with good mobility.

[HarlemHeat37]

:vomit::vomit::vomit:God, I keep forgetting that David Lee joined the Spurs

[cd021]

Great stuff OP. The defense on big men has me worried, hopefully Dedmon comes in strong for us.

I think the only poor big man defensively is Lee. Gasol's length allows him to protect the rim pretty well and defend the post. LMA can defend the rim as a second rim protector and can defend the post and P&R and Dedmon has potential to do all three.

[gambit1990]

I think the only poor big man defensively is Lee. Gasol's length allows him to protect the rim pretty well and defend the post. LMA can defend the rim as a second rim protector and can defend the post and P&R and Dedmon has potential to do all three.
that's just asking for trouble... i do think gasol can defend better than a lot people on here think... i would not say he can protect the rim pretty well, especially for being 36. lma has never been known for being a rim protector either.

[cd021]

that's just asking for trouble... i do think gasol can defend better than a lot people on here think... i would not say he can protect the rim pretty well, especially for being 36. lma has never been known for being a rim protector either.

In Portland, his last season, he was in the top 10 in rim protection %, ahead of Duncan, and M. Gasol.

He isn't known as a good defender but he clearly is, he can't anchor a defense but is an above average secondary big. I fully expect Dedmon to start by the end of the season not Gasol.

[gambit1990]

In Portland, his last season, he was in the top 10 in rim protection %, ahead of Duncan, and M. Gasol.
can i get a link? i'm assuming he was that high because of who he was starting with...

i know it's not everything but lma was 34th in blocks last season... and he's not getting any younger/athletic.

[alpha_HaZE]

Gasol not starting is an interesting idea ** I think there was a rumor going around at some point that Pau would be coming off the bench ** which is a ridiculous rumor by the way, I am pretty sure Pop doesn't know what he is going to do! Maybe when training camp start we can have that conversation again, but I doubt it.

However it makes a ton of sense. Last year our problems were two; One was rebounding against the OKC and two having a reliable third option in the post season!

Manu was 3rd in usage% last year behind only KL and LMA and was pretty darn good at it! However in the playoffs his O struggled to the point his usage% dropped below guys like D West! Pau had similar usage % with Manu, I think Pau's was a just a bit higher, but had higher assists and a lower turnover rates! Which I think Pau would be ideal to take Manu's role off the bench!

[BillMc]

Gasol not starting is an interesting idea ** I think there was a rumor going around at some point that Pau would be coming off the bench ** which is a ridiculous rumor by the way, I am pretty sure Pop doesn't know what he is going to do! Maybe when training camp start we can have that conversation again, but I doubt it.

However it makes a ton of sense. Last year our problems were two; One was rebounding against the OKC and two having a reliable third option in the post season!

Manu was 3rd in usage% last year behind only KL and LMA and was pretty darn good at it! However in the playoffs his O struggled to the point his usage% dropped below guys like D West! Pau had similar usage % with Manu, I think Pau's was a just a bit higher, but had higher assists and a lower turnover rates! Which I think Pau would be ideal to take Manu's role off the bench!

Pau balked in LA about being benched by D'Antoni. Of course he's older now and must respect Pop more than Pringles, but it still might be a hard sell. One wonders if we could simply start Pau for his ego's sake and then just manage the rotations so he spends most the time with some of the bench players? Could this work?

[gambit1990]

i suggested dedmon starting over gasol before that rumor tbh.

[gambit1990]

problem with dedmon being the starter is... (a concern i already brought up) if he gets hurt... who else on the roster will bring what he does?

[cd021]

can i get a link? i'm assuming he was that high because of who he was starting with...

i know it's not everything but lma was 34th in blocks last season... and he's not getting any younger/athletic.

I'll try and find it, it was on NBA.com stats (rim protection).
Blocks and rim protection aren't necessarily connected, LMA may contest in shots in a single game but only end up with two blocks on the five or six misses that he contested.

[Chinook]

I'll try and find it, it was on NBA.com stats (rim protection).
Blocks and rim protection aren't necessarily connected, LMA may contest in shots in a single game but only end up with two blocks on the five or six misses that he contested.

Well last year, Pau was first in estimated points saved per-36 (which is theoretically a much better rim-protection stat than just blocks or FG% at the rim). Tim was fifth. Dedmon was 15th. West was 28th. LMA was 40th. Lee and Diaw were way down there.

http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/rim-protection/

There are a lot of different ways to sort those numbers, but it seems like Pau comes out ahead of Tim pretty much any way you slice it. I don't think rim protection will be the Spurs' defensive issue.

[Chinook]

problem with dedmon being the starter is... (a concern i already brought up) if he gets hurt... who else on the roster will bring what he does?


http://i.imgur.com/jotiB7s.gif

[sasaint]

In Portland, his last season, he was in the top 10 in rim protection %, ahead of Duncan, and M. Gasol.

He isn't known as a good defender but he clearly is, he can't anchor a defense but is an above average secondary big. I fully expect Dedmon to start by the end of the season not Gasol.

Weeks ago I stated that Dedmon was my choice for the key to the Spurs' season. As Dedmon goes, so go the Spurs. The only problem with starting Dedmon is that essentially renders an entire starting unit of non-playmakers. Tony, Danny, Kawhi, LMA and Dedmon is a unit very short in playmaking (unless Kawhi also adds that skill to his arsenal, as many suggest). On the other hand, a second unit of Patty, Manu, Kyle, Pau and Bertans/Simmons could be a lot of fun to watch.

[Chinook]

Weeks ago I stated that Dedmon was my choice for the key to the Spurs' season. As Dedmon goes, so go the Spurs. The only problem with starting Dedmon is that essentially renders an entire starting unit of non-playmakers. Tony, Danny, Kawhi, LMA and Dedmon is a unit very short in playmaking (unless Kawhi also adds that skill to his arsenal, as many suggest). On the other hand, a second unit of Patty, Manu, Kyle, Pau and Bertans/Simmons could be a lot of fun to watch.

I actually think that that SL is much more balanced offensively. Pau was never going to be the lead playmaker anyway. Having Dedmon gives Parker a PnP partner who can threaten the rim, which will help make him a more effective penentrator. And that will help Green get more of the touches he's used to. Kawhi and LMA is a very solid foundation to build off, so I'm not concerned about points at all.

[dabom]

Them realgm sauces. :lol

[dabom]

Some fucking role player ain't gonna start at center. Same guy who said west was a good fit to start at center for the Spurs. :lmao

[cd021]

Well last year, Pau was first in estimated points saved per-36 (which is theoretically a much better rim-protection stat than just blocks or FG% at the rim). Tim was fifth. Dedmon was 15th. West was 28th. LMA was 40th. Lee and Diaw were way down there.

http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/rim-protection/

There are a lot of different ways to sort those numbers, but it seems like Pau comes out ahead of Tim pretty much any way you slice it. I don't think rim protection will be the Spurs' defensive issue.

I believe the stat I saw came from an article from two years ago where it compared Marc Gasol and LMA as fits in the Spurs system.

I am not concerned about rim protection either I mention LMA's rim protection along with Dedmon's defensive abilities as a reason why they should start together. DD can apparently even switch or hedge on perimeter players if necessary as well as protect the rim and crash the defensive glass.


I like the idea of DD and Parker P&R with Green, Kawhi, and LMA be able to serve as floor spacers with DD being the hard roll man. Dedmon is also effective on put backs and runs the floor very well for a 7'0 big man

Gasol makes more sense off the bench with Lee, though I would expect to see an Mills, Manu, Anderson, Gasol bench unit at some point in the playoffs with Lee falling out of the rotation. Gasol is an excellent mid range shooter, while Lee is much more effective finishing around the rim than he is from outside the paint.

[alpha_HaZE]

Pau balked in LA about being benched by D'Antoni. Of course he's older now and must respect Pop more than Pringles, but it still might be a hard sell. One wonders if we could simply start Pau for his ego's sake and then just manage the rotations so he spends most the time with some of the bench players? Could this work?

Yes that's my main concern as well, but am choosing to believe that RC and Pop have talked about it during negotiation, if think the Spurs are notorious for "telling as it is" so to speak and I don't think Pau is an exception. Or at least that's what I hope, that the Spurs told him hey look this is what's going to be, you might have to come off the bench as the 6th man. In LA I think Pau was frustrated with the situation he was in, and the poor coaching overall, and he wasn't the only player complaining and he was right to be honest.

Seeing what Dedmon can do as a starter is very intriguing. He plays solid D, and is a very capable roll man. He is foul prone, and that would make it easier for Pop to find minutes for Pau, lol. But if can stays out of foul trouble and develops chemistry with KL and LMA he could be something special. A fan can only dream, huh :)

[Brazil]

:vomit::vomit::vomit:God, I keep forgetting that David Lee joined the Spurs

:lol

[Brazil]

dedmon starter ? wut ?

:lmao

[dabom]

dedmon starter ? wut ?

:lmao

Like a quarter of these boards actually think a fucking nobody is gonna start and actually excel. :lol

[TD 21]

that's just asking for trouble... i do think gasol can defend better than a lot people on here think... i would not say he can protect the rim pretty well, especially for being 36. lma has never been known for being a rim protector either.

By virtually any metric, Gasol and Dedmon are very good rim protectors and Aldridge is a solid one.

Despite losing probably the greatest team defender in league history, there's no reason to think the Spurs won't remain stout at the rim and overall on defense.

[SAGirl]

I posted in the house of Pau Gasol a tweet that linked to an interview he gave where he,stated Pop promised him a role similar to Tim's and that he would be leading the Spurs' frontcourt rotation with LMA.
I suppose we fans can speculate but that's what he said.

It's like Bertans stating he'd be a stretch 4, despite us fans speculating sometimes that he's a 3. Those two things come straight from the players. I suppose Pop will start very traditional with guys in similar spots and roles as he's had other players in the past and go from there.

[tonight...you]

I posted in the house of Pau Gasol a tweet that linked to an interview he gave where he,stated Pop promised him a role similar to Tim's and that he would be leading the Spurs' frontcourt rotation with LMA.
I suppose we fans can speculate but that's what he said.

It's like Bertans stating he'd be a stretch 4, despite us fans speculating sometimes that he's a 3. Those two things come straight from the players. I suppose Pop will start very traditional with guys in similar spots and roles as he's had other players in the past and go from there.

I believe right now Pop and the rest of the guys, and girl, are holed up in some resort for a week, discussing strategy.
Pop, as you know, asks for dissenting voices and opinions. He has a couple of good voices that might change his mind on a few things previously stated.

I don't think Dedmon is going to start over Pau, but it might be brought up this week and, depending on how the season unfolds along the way- may become something that gains some traction.
Again: I don't think it's going to happen. Pau is still a Billy Badass on the floor and I think he'd bristle at the idea of taking on a "Ginobili" role.

Now: I also think Bertans is going to end up a 3/4 through the season, no matter what Pop told him months ago. It's inevitable. Like Anderson is going to split time between the 3 and the 4, depending on the matchups and the flow of each game.

Nothing is ever carved in stone with this team, except for TP starting and Pop experimenting the first 3/4'ths of the season.

[gambit1990]

people underrating dedmon... :lol y'all are in for nice surprise.

[gambit1990]

By virtually any metric, Gasol and Dedmon are very good rim protectors and Aldridge is a solid one.
haven't checked metrics, can agree with the assessment.

but this was gasol how many years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzxFJa6rfsg

[gambit1990]

i'm a big gasol fan too.

the clip i posted... extrapolate that for an older gasol at C and lma at PF.

you think david lee is gonna help stop blake and deandre?

dedmon panning out is crucial.

td won't be on the floor anymore.

[GSH]

First of all, an excellent article*. Thanks for posting, OP.

* Except for the comment about Manu committing a violation on the Waiters inbounds pass in Game 2 against OKC last year. Wasn't that the play where Waiters reached out with the ball and pushed Manu backwards? It's sort of tough to make a case against Manu for that.



Really hoping Dedmon starts alongside Parker-Green-Leonard and Aldridge. I think that could be an excellent two way unit.

I don't think it's what you meant, but Pop isn't going to start Dedmon unless he plays better than Pau - so if Dedmon is able to step up his game enough to start, he would bring a lot more speed and athleticism that Pau has. I don't think there's a chance in hell of it happening. But, yeah, I'd like to see the Spurs start a C who is younger and more mobile than Pau, and who does his work in the paint. Did I mention that I don't think there's a chance in hell of it happening?

[Play Boban]

Dedmon is the most overrated player in Spurs history. Wow.

[Play Boban]

problem with dedmon being the starter is... (a concern i already brought up) if he gets hurt... who else on the roster will bring what he does?

Do bench players not get hurt?

[cd021]

I don't think it's what you meant, but Pop isn't going to start Dedmon unless he plays better than Pau - so if Dedmon is able to step up his game enough to start, he would bring a lot more speed and athleticism that Pau has. I don't think there's a chance in hell of it happening. But, yeah, I'd like to see the Spurs start a C who is younger and more mobile than Pau, and who does his work in the paint. Did I mention that I don't think there's a chance in hell of it happening?

I don't think that it has to do with DD necessarily outplaying Pau and more to do with Pau being 36 and having a ton of miles on his legs. Bringing Pau off the bench makes it easier to control his minutes while also maximizing his effectiveness while on the floor. Instead of playing 28-30 mpg as a starter he could play 27 mpg off the bench. It wouldn't necessarily affect his minutes but he could be much more effective off the bench.

As for DD; he provides an athletic rim protector and defender who can board, run the floor, and roll hard to the rim in the SL. Paired with 3 floor spacers (Leonard, Green, LMA) and a play maker in Parker, he could be really good on offense too.

[dabom]

I don't think that it has to do with DD necessarily outplaying Pau and more to do with Pau being 36 and having a ton of miles on his legs. Bringing Pau off the bench makes it easier to control his minutes while also maximizing his effectiveness while on the floor. Instead of playing 28-30 mpg as a starter he could play 27 mpg off the bench. It wouldn't necessarily affect his minutes but he could be much more effective off the bench.

As for DD; he provides an athletic rim protector and defender who can board, run the floor, and roll hard to the rim in the SL. Paired with 3 floor spacers (Leonard, Green, LMA) and a play maker in Parker, he could be really good on offense too.
DD hasn't proven anything at any stage of his career. To ACTUALLY THINK he can is fucking foolish. And the guy ain't gonna start.

[gambit1990]

Do bench players not get hurt?
i meant if he plays good enough to be starting we'd be heavily reliant on him.

him being injured in general would not be good.

[TD 21]

haven't checked metrics, can agree with the assessment.

but this was gasol how many years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzxFJa6rfsg

So one random YouTube clip trumps a season's worth of numbers?

He's not pre 2016 Duncan, but rim protection is the last area of his defense to be concerned about.

[gambit1990]

So one random YouTube clip trumps a season's worth of numbers?

He's not pre 2016 Duncan, but rim protection is the last area of his defense to be concerned about.
what i'm pointing out is the clippers' frontcourt.

this is the first season i'm somewhat worried about facing the clippers in the playoffs.

clippers already beat us in the post season... and that was when tim was playing great.

lma and gasol aren't quick on the feet... they won't be capable of defending pick n rolls very well... especially if teams run them against a 34 year old tony parker.

[gambit1990]

youtubed: "david lee 2016", happy with how spry he looks. should be the most motivated he's ever been now that he's with the spurs. ... his highlights are mainly offensive though... alludes to the negative space i've been pointing out.

[TD 21]

what i'm pointing out is the clippers' frontcourt.

this is the first season i'm somewhat worried about facing the clippers in the playoffs.

clippers already beat us in the post season... and that was when tim was playing great.

lma and gasol aren't quick on the feet... they won't be capable of defending pick n rolls very well... especially if teams run them against a 34 year old tony parker.

If only you'd have listened to this genius in '15 . . . http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246853

Aldridge possesses underrated mobility and agility (of course, at 31, any season now he could lose it) and is capable of playing any kind of pick-and-roll defense.

The problem with the Clippers (and Cavaliers) isn't so much match-up related, as it is their talent, particularly having 2 better creators than anyone on the Spurs. They should also be the most desperate of the 4 elites, given their disappointing end to the last 2 seasons, inability to get past 2nd round once and 3 of 4 core players being in contract years (all likely to re-sign, but still).

[TrainOfThought5]

Dedmon is the most overrated player in Spurs history. Wow.

I see you havent been around long.

[Play Boban]

I see you havent been around long.
Richard Jefferson?

[spurraider21]

boban too :lol