Kori Ellis
10-27-2005, 07:17 AM
Spurs release three players, set roster for season opener
Web Posted: 10/27/2005 12:35 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA102705.1C.BKNspurs.roster.b9b9146.html
The Spurs pared their roster Wednesday afternoon, with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili apparently surviving for at least one more season.
Melvin Sanders, Sharrod Ford and Stephen Graham — the team's three remaining training-camp invitees — were waived after Wednesday's practice, leaving the Spurs with 13 players, all of whom have guaranteed contracts.
Sanders may have been the most difficult player to cut. A 6-foot-5 guard who spent the previous two seasons in the CBA, he played on the Spurs' summer-league team and quickly became a favorite of the coaching and front-office staffs for his work ethic and personality. But given the Spurs' payroll situation — they are about $600,000 over the luxury-tax threshold — he didn't perform consistently enough for team officials to justify keeping him.
Ford, a 6-9 power forward from Clemson, totaled 13 points and six rebounds Oct. 13 against Washington, a performance that drew interest from Wizards officials, as well as a few other scouts. But despite showing flashes of NBA potential, neither Ford nor Graham displayed the same work habits as Sanders.
The Spurs don't have immediate plans to add another player, but will monitor who becomes available as other teams make their cuts. Ronald Dupree, an athletic 6-foot-7 swingman the Spurs tried to sign a year ago, is battling for the final roster spot in Detroit.
The Spurs, coach Gregg Popovich said last week, are "always in the market for a young (small forward) who can defend."
"Every year, the (small forward) position is really a critical position in the league, and the way we play we like that guy to be a defender," Popovich said. "So we've looked for the last couple of years, and are continuing to do so, to find another (small forward) for down the road. We thought Devin Brown might be that guy but decided otherwise."
With the Spurs' roster fairly settled now — they'll have to place one player on the inactive list no later than an hour before each game — the team can focus on its final week of preparation before Tuesday's opener against Denver. The Spurs conclude their preseason schedule tonight against Philadelphia.
"It's tougher to find the motivation you're going to have in a week," Ginobili said. "But, still, we should be playing better. We're not as sharp as we should be at this point."
The Spurs' reserves have played well the past two games, in particular Fabricio Oberto, Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley. The three newcomers totaled 56 points against New York and Indiana.
The same couldn't be said of the performance of the Spurs' starting backcourt Tuesday against Indiana. Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to miss 13 of 16 shots. The Pacers throttled the Spurs in the second quarter en route to taking a 21-point lead.
If nothing else, Tuesday's loss gave the Spurs an idea of what they should expect during the regular season.
"The whole Indiana team is tough," Ginobili said. "They play rough. So we have to get ready for that.
"We have to remember we are the champions, so everybody is going to try to come hard at us and try to prove themselves against us. Every game is going to be like that."
Web Posted: 10/27/2005 12:35 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA102705.1C.BKNspurs.roster.b9b9146.html
The Spurs pared their roster Wednesday afternoon, with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili apparently surviving for at least one more season.
Melvin Sanders, Sharrod Ford and Stephen Graham — the team's three remaining training-camp invitees — were waived after Wednesday's practice, leaving the Spurs with 13 players, all of whom have guaranteed contracts.
Sanders may have been the most difficult player to cut. A 6-foot-5 guard who spent the previous two seasons in the CBA, he played on the Spurs' summer-league team and quickly became a favorite of the coaching and front-office staffs for his work ethic and personality. But given the Spurs' payroll situation — they are about $600,000 over the luxury-tax threshold — he didn't perform consistently enough for team officials to justify keeping him.
Ford, a 6-9 power forward from Clemson, totaled 13 points and six rebounds Oct. 13 against Washington, a performance that drew interest from Wizards officials, as well as a few other scouts. But despite showing flashes of NBA potential, neither Ford nor Graham displayed the same work habits as Sanders.
The Spurs don't have immediate plans to add another player, but will monitor who becomes available as other teams make their cuts. Ronald Dupree, an athletic 6-foot-7 swingman the Spurs tried to sign a year ago, is battling for the final roster spot in Detroit.
The Spurs, coach Gregg Popovich said last week, are "always in the market for a young (small forward) who can defend."
"Every year, the (small forward) position is really a critical position in the league, and the way we play we like that guy to be a defender," Popovich said. "So we've looked for the last couple of years, and are continuing to do so, to find another (small forward) for down the road. We thought Devin Brown might be that guy but decided otherwise."
With the Spurs' roster fairly settled now — they'll have to place one player on the inactive list no later than an hour before each game — the team can focus on its final week of preparation before Tuesday's opener against Denver. The Spurs conclude their preseason schedule tonight against Philadelphia.
"It's tougher to find the motivation you're going to have in a week," Ginobili said. "But, still, we should be playing better. We're not as sharp as we should be at this point."
The Spurs' reserves have played well the past two games, in particular Fabricio Oberto, Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley. The three newcomers totaled 56 points against New York and Indiana.
The same couldn't be said of the performance of the Spurs' starting backcourt Tuesday against Indiana. Ginobili and Tony Parker combined to miss 13 of 16 shots. The Pacers throttled the Spurs in the second quarter en route to taking a 21-point lead.
If nothing else, Tuesday's loss gave the Spurs an idea of what they should expect during the regular season.
"The whole Indiana team is tough," Ginobili said. "They play rough. So we have to get ready for that.
"We have to remember we are the champions, so everybody is going to try to come hard at us and try to prove themselves against us. Every game is going to be like that."