Random Thoughts After The Spurs Pick Luka Samanic, Keldon Johnson and Quinndary Weatherspoon In The 2019 NBA Draft

[timvp]

-Whispers about San Antonio's interest in Luka Samanic have been around for a while and the end result was the Spurs selecting the Croatian with the 19th overall pick. While this was the high end of his draft range, I went on record as saying the Spurs needed to pick him at 19 if they wanted him because he played too well at the NBA combine to trust that he'd fall to 29. It turns out that's exactly what the Spurs did.

-Samanic is a really fascinating prospect. It's a bit strange but he's more of an American style prospect than a European style prospect. Usually, Europeans come over after having reasonable success overseas and you more or less know what you're getting. But that's not Samanic. His play in Europe was largely underwhelming, even though he didn't play at a particularly high competition level. Instead, Samanic was drafted by the Spurs due to his tools, athleticism and what he projects to become down the road.

-Moreover, European scouts I've talked to are pretty low on Samanic. They thought he got pushed around a lot, had inconsistent effort and questionable dedication to his teammates. American scouts, though, see his tools and athleticism on display and picture him as a perfect fit in today's NBA. And that's probably where some of the disconnect is: European basketball is just so much more physical than the NBA right now. So while Samanic might be getting manhandled by 6-foot-10, 250-pound headhunting ogres over in Slovenia, those players don't really exist in the NBA anymore. A lot of that physicality he couldn't withstand over there would be whistled as a foul over here. I tend to buy the argument I've heard from American scouts that Samanic is built much more for the NBA game than the European game.

-I'm a fan of his tools, plain and simple. He's a good ball-handler; he can grab a rebound and take it up himself without much issue. He's fluid when in motion and all signs point to him being an asset on the fast break. In the half court setting, his first step is really quick for a power forward. He is strong enough and crafty enough to score if a smaller player tries to stop him in the paint. He's also comfortable out beyond the three-point line. His three-point stroke is effortless and he's not afraid to let it fly.

-In today's NBA, bigs who are naturals out on the perimeter, who can stretch the defense with their shot and who can also take advantage of mismatches against smaller players are extremely valuable. That's what Samanic can be if his tools translate as the Spurs hope. Those three attributes are the holy trinity of bigman value going forward in the league ... and it's within his grasps.

-There's been some discussion about what position Samanic will ultimately play in the NBA but I think he's clearly a power forward. The 19-year-old is 6-foot-11 and 227 pounds so if he can gain even ten more pounds of muscle, he could eventually moonlight as a small ball center. But I don't see him a good enough rim protector to be a full-time center and he doesn't have the insane quick-twitch agility it would require for him to be a jumbo wing. Power forward is the sweet spot for his skill-set.

-His underwhelming wingspan (6-foot-10.5) is part of the reason why he's not a rim protector. More simply, he doesn't appear to have good timing in that aspect of the game. But his 8-foot-11 standing reach could allow him to eventually be better at protecting the rim as he ages. And while he's not going to be blocking shots at a high level, he's a really good rebounder who isn't bashful about throwing around his body. I've also been impressed by how his boxing out, even against older, stronger opponents.

-In addition to rebounding, Samanic's defensive value will be derived from his ability to be a switchable big. He's not going to be extraordinarily elite in terms of stopping quick guards but for a 6-foot-11 big, it appears he can be well above average. Most importantly, I don't see him being forced off the court like we see happen with a lot of bigs in today's NBA. Samanic should be able to defend pick-and-rolls well, switch off when needed and keep the vast majority of players in front of him. And as such, this is yet another area where he grades out as a future-proof, modern NBA bigman.

-So, if he has all these tools, why wasn't Samanic picked higher in the draft? He hasn't put it all together. And there's a legitimate chance that he never does. Samanic is definitely a boom or bust prospect. If he never connects all the pieces of his puzzle, he won't see a second contract in the NBA. He also has to answer the questions about his commitment and tenacity that dogged him in Europe. But if he works at it, stays mentally engaged throughout the process and figures it all out, he could become a very valuable building block for the franchise as the Spurs transition to the next generation.

-For Samanic to unlock his potential, his first step on offense is to become a unignorable three-point shooting threat. Right now, he can shoot the three but he only makes them at about a 30-33% clip. The good news is he has a quick release, a high release point and he comfortably shoots a soft ball with impressive range. Why doesn't he shoot a better percentage? It appears like he has a lot of fixable, small issues. For example, his footwork during shot preparation is sloppy and inconsistent. He also doesn't always square his shoulders up to the basket. But those are exactly the type of shooting mechanics minutiae Chip Engelland knows how to teach.

-Beyond his shooting, Samanic's offense just needs a lot of tightening up. His dribbling in the halfcourt has to be more controlled, he needs to see the floor better to make the right pass, he needs to be more patient when in traffic, he needs to better use his athleticism when finishing at the rim, etc. While it won't be an easy process, it's doable -- there don't appear to be any fatal flaws.

(-Speaking of his athleticism, his athletic testing at the NBA combine confirmed what is obvious on tape: the guy is a certified athlete. Of the players listed at power forward, he had the highest max vertical [38 inches], the third best lane agility time, the second best shuttle run time and the fifth best three quarter sprint time. Of all the players in the combine Samanic's height or taller, no one had a higher max vertical -- and that's including pogo sticks like Jaxson Hayes and Nic Claxton.)

-Defensively, Samanic just needs to work on his mental approach and his strength. On the ball, he's already solid. He seems to relish the opportunity to switch onto smaller players and fights for defensive boards. Where he struggles is when he's off the ball; he'll all too often fall asleep when on the weakside. And, as I previously stated, while he is unlikely to ever become a notable shot-blocker, adding strength should allow him to hold up better in the lane against rugged bigs and slashing smalls.

-Let's imagine a world where not only Samanic pans out but Derrick White, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV all reach close to their ceilings. What's exciting is Samanic is a perfect fit next to those three. You'd want a mobile power forward who could run, shoot, attack mismatches, spread the court and be able to stay on the floor defensively by holding up in pick-and-rolls and rebounding.

-If you want to consider Jakob Poeltl part of the young core, the excitement continues. The fully formed versions of White, Murray, Walker, Samanic and Poeltl could play together. That's even a possible starting lineup. Samanic and Poeltl, specifically, are fits next to each other. Poeltl's ability to protect the rim would allow Samanic more freedom to stick to his strengths on that end. Poeltl being a good, instinctive passer would also help if Samanic never advances to being more than adequate for a PF.

-How much time does Samanic do in Austin next season? I'm honestly not sure. Typically, players from Europe don't need as much developing -- but, again, Samanic isn't your prototypical European prospect. It's possible he could need the whole season in Austin. It wouldn't hurt him to work on his shot and correct all the issues that caused him to stutter in Europe in an environment with less pressure. But if he plays really well in summer league and continues on that level of play in training camp, he could conceivably play a bench role early in his rookie season. We'll have to wait and see.

-Oh yeah, the Spurs picked a couple of other guys in the draft. I was pleased with Keldon Johnson at 29. It wasn't a flashy pick but after going the boom or bust route with Samanic at 19, it made sense to go the safe route with Johnson.

-The more I watched him play before the draft, the more I became convinced Johnson is a small forward in the NBA. While he's only 6-foot-6 with shoes on, he has wide shoulders and frame that can add quite a bit more muscle. He's already a strong 216 pounds and, considering he's 19 years old and was somewhat of a late bloomer physically, I could imagine him pushing 230 before it's all said and done.

(-After the Spurs picked Johnson, an interesting tidbit I heard from someone who scouted him: San Antonio factored in him having a "short neck" and considered him comparably to players an inch or two taller. Looking at the combine numbers, there might be something to that. Johnson's standing reach was 8-foot-8, which is oddly impressive for someone who is 6-foot-6 with shoes with a good-but-not-great 6-foot-9.25 wingspan. To compare, that's a better standing reach than 6-foot-9 Tobias Harris, 6-foot-8 Khris Middleton or 6-foot-8 Gordon Hayward. Interesting; short neck; would never have noticed looking at pictures; huh.)

-I look at Johnson as a high floor, low ceiling player. He tries hard on defense, particularly in one-on-one matchups. He fights around screens well and he's good for his age in terms of help defense. Johnson rebounds better than expected given his height (6.9 boards per 36 minutes) and doesn't foul much (2.6 per 36 minutes). But he doesn't block shots or rack up steals ... at all. He's also a bit heavy-footed for a wing, so his individual defense potential has a cap to it.

-His defensive peak is in the neighborhood of someone like Mario Elie. Elie didn't have quick feet but he compensated with a bulldog demeanor and unrelenting effort. Johnson could potentially do that; his motor as a freshman was impressive.

-Offensively, Johnson sticks to smart shots. He'll take open threes when given the opportunity and he shot a very respectable 38.1% from deep. He drives hard to the rim and has a decent array of floaters and runners. He draws fouls at an acceptable clip and shot an okay 70.3% from the line.

-Johnson is not a ball-handler or shot creator on offense. He's an average passer at best with only middling court vision. His release is a little slow, which resulted in him shooting only 6.2 threes per 100 possessions. (In today's game, that number needs to be closer to ten.)

-All in all, he projects to be a complementary piece on offense. If he can speed up his release, he can become a three-point shooter who can attack closeouts with strong drives to the rim. Johnson is unlikely to be a bulk scorer but he has enough talent to play a supporting role on an elite offensive team.

-If you want to hold out hope for Johnson having untapped offensive upside, your hope would lie with the fact that he played for a Kentucky team who had two players go in the lottery. There's a non-zero percent chance he surprises on the offensive end; remember that Devin Booker averaged only ten points per game at Kentucky as a freshman on a team that featured three other lottery picks. But most likely, Johnson will be someone who -- if his maturation process goes as planned -- makes teams pay for ignoring him on the offensive end, a la 2006 Michael Finley.

-Like Samanic, Johnson is a really good fit next to the White, Murray and Walker potential core. The fact that he doesn't dribble well or pass particularly well isn't a big deal if he's playing next to two of those three players. Plus, his lack of size isn't as big of a deal on a team that has long, active guards like those three. I don't see a problem on defense with Johnson at small forward and any two of White, Murray and Walker at the guard positions.

(-Speaking of him being a small forward, RC Buford claimed after the draft that Johnson was the team's top ranked small forward in the entire draft. At first, I thought it was a hyperbolic claim by Buford. But after thinking about it, it's not impossible. If RJ Barrett and Jarrett Culver are classified by the Spurs as shooting guards, that leaves a rather questionable crop of small forwards. Players like Cam Reddish, Romeo Langford and Nassir Little all really struggled as freshman and all had potential red flags in their draft profiles. It's not totally unbelievable to believe that the Spurs were low on those boom or bust small forwards and had a higher floor player like Johnson rated at the top of that pile.)

-Even if he plays well in summer league, Johnson is most likely destined to a year in Austin. He's not especially raw but there are enough things for him to work on to justify keeping him in the G-League for a season. Get him plenty of touches, have him work on his shot, see if there are any hidden offensive abilities, bulk him up to defend small forwards and then reassess heading into the 2020-21 season.

-Overall, Johnson at 29 is just a solid pick any way you slice it. He's not going to be a star but if you can get a strong role player late in the first round, that's a win.

-Quinndary Weatherspoon at 49? Eh, not bad. He's a 6-foot-4.25, 207-pound combo guard with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He had a good senior season at Mississippi State and played well in the draft camps and at the NBA combine. The Spurs worked him out twice, so there's obviously some level of attraction there.

-He's closer to a shooting guard than a point guard, as he had more turnovers than assists last season. But he shot well enough (56.4% on twos, 39.6% on threes, 80.9% at the line) that it's conceivable for him to make it without developing many point guard skills. He competes on defense and is a downhill attacker on offense.

-My guess is that the Spurs drafted Weatherspoon with an agreement that he will either sign a two-way contract or sign directly with Austin. It was a smidgen of a surprise he was drafted at all, even though he had a successful college career. For the Spurs to pick him at 49 tells me there's an understanding with his agent in place.

-Will he ever make it in the NBA? Probably not. The overwhelming majority of second rounders don't and Weatherspoon doesn't look like anything more than your standard, run of the mill second round flier. The Spurs liked him enough to not trade or sell the pick ... but that's a low bar at that point in the draft.

-We'll see what Weatherspoon does in summer league. I'm not expecting much at all but, then again, it's never wise to underestimate this front office's ability to draft.

[Emperor]

Trying to find a jersery of his online that i wear to summer league but can't seem to find one yet.

[travis2]

Damn I miss this...

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

timvp Great write up like usual.

A few weeks ago I along with a few others suspected Samanic most likely would get drafted at 19 and proved to be right. I really hope he stays healthy and continues to improve his body and game. I can't wait for the Summer league

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Very nice write-up, and I feel far better about the Luka pick at 19 after reading that. Poetl, Luka, Walker, Murray, White could very well be the future starting five for the Spurs if that group continues to develop and can prove to be cohesive. If the Spurs are successful in building a cohesive and effective starting lineup out of late first and second round picks, with a trade throw-in stuck in for good measure, it will be a masterful plan by the FO, to say the least.

[Big Empty]

So we drafted a possibly better version of Danny Green. Not taking anything away from Dannys playoff clutch 3’s but its bery inconsistant all season.

[Dejounte]

If Luka is projected starter in the future, he fits real well with our young core. He's not a ball stopper like Aldridge and I think that would make a big difference for the flow of the offense. I can envision it now with him running with Dejounte. I think we should brace ourselves for fast pace Spurs basketball.

[r0drig0lac]

I tend to buy the argument I've heard from American scouts that Samanic is built much more for the NBA game than the European game.



-The more I watched him play before the draft, the more I became convinced Johnson is a small forward in the NBA. While he's only 6-foot-6 with shoes on, he has wide shoulders and frame that can add quite a bit more muscle. He's already a strong 216 pounds and, considering he's 19 years old and was somewhat of a late bloomer physically, I could imagine him pushing 230 before it's all said and done.


agree

[benefactor]

As I said in another thread, I have no problem with a boom or bust pick in this draft. This is the draft to do it with the Spurs in transition during the DeRozan/LMA mini era. I agree that Johnson at 29 is a solid complimentary piece to what the Spurs already have. If Weatherspoon becomes anything it's just icing.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

Luak Samanic.

Let's be honest. Does a 2023-2024 starting lineup of White, Murray, Walker, Samanic and Poeltl sound like a team making a run for a championship? Do they even make the playoffs?

[FireMicoHalili]

Great write up, as usual, would just like to focus on the prospects’ red flags since most of the hope is coming from the Spurs’ reputation

[Dverde]

To summarize: none of these players will help us next year, maybe good pieces in the post-LMA rebuild.

[GreekSpursfan]

:tu

[SpursBills]

That's a good point, but at the same time if anybody had told you in 2011 that the spurs just drafted a future top 3 nba player with the 15th pick you probably would've been skeptical as well

[MoSpur02]

Thanks for the input. Good stuff. I like all three picks.

[sananspursfan21]

I was not high on the Samanic pick but I like the Spurs chances on a boom or bust guy. I’m so glad we’re not Cavs fans taking about boom or bust :rollin

[Russ]

The biggest post-draft question -- would the Spurs have taken Goga at 19 over Samanic (if Goga hadn't gone one pick earlier)?

I know it doesn't matter now but I'm curious.

Any inside info from the Spurs on this?

[Dverde]

Luak Samanic.

Let's be honest. Does a 2023-2024 starting lineup of White, Murray, Walker, Samanic and Poeltl sound like a team making a run for a championship? Do they even make the playoffs?

Don’t forget Patty Mills on his new contract. I hope these rookies like coffee!

[Trill Clinton]

I was hype when we got Johnson. Dude is a straight up DAWG on defense and can create his own shot. I like Samanic's confidence and I will attribute his inconsistent motor to him just not wanting to get hurt and fuck up his NBA chances. When he went against NBA level talent in the combine he really stood out and was one of the hardest working guys on the floor.

[picnroll]

I’m very happy with this draft. Willing to bet 5 years from now they re-order the draft by outcome Luka will be considerably higher than 19. Last 4 drafts Spurs have done a very good job and are putting together complimentary pieces that fit today’s NBA. They might/likely won’t reach the heights of the Duncan Spurs but they’ll be fun to watch and could in the mid-term be title contenders again with a little luck.

[Dennis the Menace]

This is when the development division of the organization earns their salary. Our 2 first rounders are both 19 years old.

Both have great foundations to work with and be developed.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Good writeup, top to bottom. The one thing I'll say is about most late second rounders not making NBA squads. Bryn Forbes went undrafted. You can fill in the rest on that thought.

Just before the draft, Don Harris put out a VERY specific tween that the Spurs were looking to trade 19 + Bertans for a higher pick... AND that they were looking to trade 29 + ? to move up their second pick. Not either/or, but both.

The Spurs know they have to have 3P shooters on the team. So who did they want up above badly enough to get rid of Bertans, who is one of their 3P threats (like it or not)? Nobody better at knocking them down in this draft than Cam Johnson. Looking at the range Harris predicted, I think they expected Johnson to be available somewhere around 14 or 15, but not at 19. The problem with that, I think, is that they also wanted Samanic and didn't think he would be there at 29. (He wouldn't have.) So they were willing to sacrifice another player along with 29 to move up enough to get him. So when Johnson dropped at 11, they just took the other player they really wanted (Samanic) at 19. Maybe it was a few spots early for him, maybe it wasn't. But he was one of their two guys, and they got him.

I'm glad they didn't trade up and get Cam Johnson, and then someone took Samanic before they could get him. Because then the Spurs would have drafted Johnson & Johnson.

[picnroll]

I’ve thought for awhile that Spurs should use their elite skills in player development as a weapon. Develop some players and showcase them for trade bait to move up in drafts. I think Pop gets too attached to players sometimes for the teams good, doesn’t want to trade them or not trade them into a bad rebuilding team.

[CGD]

They need to look at Jontay Porter who went undrafted

[Russ]

They need to look at Jontay Porter who went undrafted

Maybe Jalen Lecque as well.

[picnroll]

Lecque signed a 4 yr deal with the Suns

[ceperez]

Thanks for the write up!

Samanic was a huge gamble and he obviously won't be ready next season.

Johnson was a safe pick for a serviceable role player. A role player who also will be serving time in Austin.

Weatherspoon likely isn't making one of the 15 roster spots. Spurs are likely to sign at least one veteran to fill the last slot.

[John B]

Thanks Timvp. Now that you explained it, makes perfect sense. Spurs don’t pick sexy but efficient and who would fit in the system. ST fans kept looking for the high flying freak, well we had that scumbag at 15 and got pretty lucky with Walker, Murray and White. ST got spoiled. Still I thought we needed a bruiser in the middle with the latest development especially in the West, Lebron/Davis, Jokic, Forzingis, Town. Does it mean we are bringing Milutinov finally? Or are we packaging sny of our guards for that veteran help?

[Killakobe81]

-Whispers about San Antonio's interest in Luka Samanic have been around for a while and the end result was the Spurs selecting the Croatian with the 19th overall pick. While this was the high end of his draft range, I went on record as saying the Spurs needed to pick him at 19 if they wanted him because he played too well at the NBA combine to trust that he'd fall to 29. It turns out that's exactly what the Spurs did.

-Samanic is a really fascinating prospect. It's a bit strange but he's more of an American style prospect than a European style prospect. Usually, Europeans come over after having reasonable success overseas and you more or less know what you're getting. But that's not Samanic. His play in Europe was largely underwhelming, even though he didn't play at a particularly high competition level. Instead, Samanic was drafted by the Spurs due to his tools, athleticism and what he projects to become down the road.

-Moreover, European scouts I've talked to are pretty low on Samanic. They thought he got pushed around a lot, had inconsistent effort and questionable dedication to his teammates. American scouts, though, see his tools and athleticism on display and picture him as a perfect fit in today's NBA. And that's probably where some of the disconnect is: European basketball is just so much more physical than the NBA right now. So while Samanic might be getting manhandled by 6-foot-10, 250-pound headhunting ogres over in Slovenia, those players don't really exist in the NBA anymore. A lot of that physicality he couldn't withstand over there would be whistled as a foul over here. I tend to buy the argument I've heard from American scouts that Samanic is built much more for the NBA game than the European game.

-I'm a fan of his tools, plain and simple. He's a good ball-handler; he can grab a rebound and take it up himself without much issue. He's fluid when in motion and all signs point to him being an asset on the fast break. In the half court setting, his first step is really quick for a power forward. He is strong enough and crafty enough to score if a smaller player tries to stop him in the paint. He's also comfortable out beyond the three-point line. His three-point stroke is effortless and he's not afraid to let it fly.

-In today's NBA, bigs who are naturals out on the perimeter, who can stretch the defense with their shot and who can also take advantage of mismatches against smaller players are extremely valuable. That's what Samanic can be if his tools translate as the Spurs hope. Those three attributes are the holy trinity of bigman value going forward in the league ... and it's within his grasps.

-There's been some discussion about what position Samanic will ultimately play in the NBA but I think he's clearly a power forward. The 19-year-old is 6-foot-11 and 227 pounds so if he can gain even ten more pounds of muscle, he could eventually moonlight as a small ball center. But I don't see him a good enough rim protector to be a full-time center and he doesn't have the insane quick-twitch agility it would require for him to be a jumbo wing. Power forward is the sweet spot for his skill-set.

-His underwhelming wingspan (6-foot-10.5) is part of the reason why he's not a rim protector. More simply, he doesn't appear to have good timing in that aspect of the game. But his 8-foot-11 standing reach could allow him to eventually be better at protecting the rim as he ages. And while he's not going to be blocking shots at a high level, he's a really good rebounder who isn't bashful about throwing around his body. I've also been impressed by how his boxing out, even against older, stronger opponents.

-In addition to rebounding, Samanic's defensive value will be derived from his ability to be a switchable big. He's not going to be extraordinarily elite in terms of stopping quick guards but for a 6-foot-11 big, it appears he can be well above average. Most importantly, I don't see him being forced off the court like we see happen with a lot of bigs in today's NBA. Samanic should be able to defend pick-and-rolls well, switch off when needed and keep the vast majority of players in front of him. And as such, this is yet another area where he grades out as a future-proof, modern NBA bigman.

-So, if he has all these tools, why wasn't Samanic picked higher in the draft? He hasn't put it all together. And there's a legitimate chance that he never does. Samanic is definitely a boom or bust prospect. If he never connects all the pieces of his puzzle, he won't see a second contract in the NBA. He also has to answer the questions about his commitment and tenacity that dogged him in Europe. But if he works at it, stays mentally engaged throughout the process and figures it all out, he could become a very valuable building block for the franchise as the Spurs transition to the next generation.

-For Samanic to unlock his potential, his first step on offense is to become a unignorable three-point shooting threat. Right now, he can shoot the three but he only makes them at about a 30-33% clip. The good news is he has a quick release, a high release point and he comfortably shoots a soft ball with impressive range. Why doesn't he shoot a better percentage? It appears like he has a lot of fixable, small issues. For example, his footwork during shot preparation is sloppy and inconsistent. He also doesn't always square his shoulders up to the basket. But those are exactly the type of shooting mechanics minutiae Chip Engelland knows how to teach.

-Beyond his shooting, Samanic's offense just needs a lot of tightening up. His dribbling in the halfcourt has to be more controlled, he needs to see the floor better to make the right pass, he needs to be more patient when in traffic, he needs to better use his athleticism when finishing at the rim, etc. While it won't be an easy process, it's doable -- there don't appear to be any fatal flaws.

(-Speaking of his athleticism, his athletic testing at the NBA combine confirmed what is obvious on tape: the guy is a certified athlete. Of the players listed at power forward, he had the highest max vertical [38 inches], the third best lane agility time, the second best shuttle run time and the fifth best three quarter sprint time. Of all the players in the combine Samanic's height or taller, no one had a higher max vertical -- and that's including pogo sticks like Jaxson Hayes and Nic Claxton.)

-Defensively, Samanic just needs to work on his mental approach and his strength. On the ball, he's already solid. He seems to relish the opportunity to switch onto smaller players and fights for defensive boards. Where he struggles is when he's off the ball; he'll all too often fall asleep when on the weakside. And, as I previously stated, while he is unlikely to ever become a notable shot-blocker, adding strength should allow him to hold up better in the lane against rugged bigs and slashing smalls.

-Let's imagine a world where not only Samanic pans out but Derrick White, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV all reach close to their ceilings. What's exciting is Samanic is a perfect fit next to those three. You'd want a mobile power forward who could run, shoot, attack mismatches, spread the court and be able to stay on the floor defensively by holding up in pick-and-rolls and rebounding.

-If you want to consider Jakob Poeltl part of the young core, the excitement continues. The fully formed versions of White, Murray, Walker, Samanic and Poeltl could play together. That's even a possible starting lineup. Samanic and Poeltl, specifically, are fits next to each other. Poeltl's ability to protect the rim would allow Samanic more freedom to stick to his strengths on that end. Poeltl being a good, instinctive passer would also help if Samanic never advances to being more than adequate for a PF.

-How much time does Samanic do in Austin next season? I'm honestly not sure. Typically, players from Europe don't need as much developing -- but, again, Samanic isn't your prototypical European prospect. It's possible he could need the whole season in Austin. It wouldn't hurt him to work on his shot and correct all the issues that caused him to stutter in Europe in an environment with less pressure. But if he plays really well in summer league and continues on that level of play in training camp, he could conceivably play a bench role early in his rookie season. We'll have to wait and see.

-Oh yeah, the Spurs picked a couple of other guys in the draft. I was pleased with Keldon Johnson at 29. It wasn't a flashy pick but after going the boom or bust route with Samanic at 19, it made sense to go the safe route with Johnson.

-The more I watched him play before the draft, the more I became convinced Johnson is a small forward in the NBA. While he's only 6-foot-6 with shoes on, he has wide shoulders and frame that can add quite a bit more muscle. He's already a strong 216 pounds and, considering he's 19 years old and was somewhat of a late bloomer physically, I could imagine him pushing 230 before it's all said and done.

(-After the Spurs picked Johnson, an interesting tidbit I heard from someone who scouted him: San Antonio factored in him having a "short neck" and considered him comparably to players an inch or two taller. Looking at the combine numbers, there might be something to that. Johnson's standing reach was 8-foot-8, which is oddly impressive for someone who is 6-foot-6 with shoes with a good-but-not-great 6-foot-9.25 wingspan. To compare, that's a better standing reach than 6-foot-9 Tobias Harris, 6-foot-8 Khris Middleton or 6-foot-8 Gordon Hayward. Interesting; short neck; would never have noticed looking at pictures; huh.)

-I look at Johnson as a high floor, low ceiling player. He tries hard on defense, particularly in one-on-one matchups. He fights around screens well and he's good for his age in terms of help defense. Johnson rebounds better than expected given his height (6.9 boards per 36 minutes) and doesn't foul much (2.6 per 36 minutes). But he doesn't block shots or rack up steals ... at all. He's also a bit heavy-footed for a wing, so his individual defense potential has a cap to it.

-His defensive peak is in the neighborhood of someone like Mario Elie. Elie didn't have quick feet but he compensated with a bulldog demeanor and unrelenting effort. Johnson could potentially do that; his motor as a freshman was impressive.

-Offensively, Johnson sticks to smart shots. He'll take open threes when given the opportunity and he shot a very respectable 38.1% from deep. He drives hard to the rim and has a decent array of floaters and runners. He draws fouls at an acceptable clip and shot an okay 70.3% from the line.

-Johnson is not a ball-handler or shot creator on offense. He's an average passer at best with only middling court vision. His release is a little slow, which resulted in him shooting only 6.2 threes per 100 possessions. (In today's game, that number needs to be closer to ten.)

-All in all, he projects to be a complementary piece on offense. If he can speed up his release, he can become a three-point shooter who can attack closeouts with strong drives to the rim. Johnson is unlikely to be a bulk scorer but he has enough talent to play a supporting role on an elite offensive team.

-If you want to hold out hope for Johnson having untapped offensive upside, your hope would lie with the fact that he played for a Kentucky team who had two players go in the lottery. There's a non-zero percent chance he surprises on the offensive end; remember that Devin Booker averaged only ten points per game at Kentucky as a freshman on a team that featured three other lottery picks. But most likely, Johnson will be someone who -- if his maturation process goes as planned -- makes teams pay for ignoring him on the offensive end, a la 2006 Michael Finley.

-Like Samanic, Johnson is a really good fit next to the White, Murray and Walker potential core. The fact that he doesn't dribble well or pass particularly well isn't a big deal if he's playing next to two of those three players. Plus, his lack of size isn't as big of a deal on a team that has long, active guards like those three. I don't see a problem on defense with Johnson at small forward and any two of White, Murray and Walker at the guard positions.

(-Speaking of him being a small forward, RC Buford claimed after the draft that Johnson was the team's top ranked small forward in the entire draft. At first, I thought it was a hyperbolic claim by Buford. But after thinking about it, it's not impossible. If RJ Barrett and Jarrett Culver are classified by the Spurs as shooting guards, that leaves a rather questionable crop of small forwards. Players like Cam Reddish, Romeo Langford and Nassir Little all really struggled as freshman and all had potential red flags in their draft profiles. It's not totally unbelievable to believe that the Spurs were low on those boom or bust small forwards and had a higher floor player like Johnson rated at the top of that pile.)

-Even if he plays well in summer league, Johnson is most likely destined to a year in Austin. He's not especially raw but there are enough things for him to work on to justify keeping him in the G-League for a season. Get him plenty of touches, have him work on his shot, see if there are any hidden offensive abilities, bulk him up to defend small forwards and then reassess heading into the 2020-21 season.

-Overall, Johnson at 29 is just a solid pick any way you slice it. He's not going to be a star but if you can get a strong role player late in the first round, that's a win.

-Quinndary Weatherspoon at 49? Eh, not bad. He's a 6-foot-4.25, 207-pound combo guard with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He had a good senior season at Mississippi State and played well in the draft camps and at the NBA combine. The Spurs worked him out twice, so there's obviously some level of attraction there.

-He's closer to a shooting guard than a point guard, as he had more turnovers than assists last season. But he shot well enough (56.4% on twos, 39.6% on threes, 80.9% at the line) that it's conceivable for him to make it without developing many point guard skills. He competes on defense and is a downhill attacker on offense.

-My guess is that the Spurs drafted Weatherspoon with an agreement that he will either sign a two-way contract or sign directly with Austin. It was a smidgen of a surprise he was drafted at all, even though he had a successful college career. For the Spurs to pick him at 49 tells me there's an understanding with his agent in place.

-Will he ever make it in the NBA? Probably not. The overwhelming majority of second rounders don't and Weatherspoon doesn't look like anything more than your standard, run of the mill second round flier. The Spurs liked him enough to not trade or sell the pick ... but that's a low bar at that point in the draft.

-We'll see what Weatherspoon does in summer league. I'm not expecting much at all but, then again, it's never wise to underestimate this front office's ability to draft.

I like both prospects.
I would only caution getting hyped on maxvert.
Dangelo Russell and other players have tested well on vert but not played that way... He has more bounce in game than Russell and other guys that are combine leapers but kjust saying I trust the tape more than the measurement...
Like both guys Spurs drafted well as usual
I'd give them a high B grade just under B plus

[Mugen]

Agreed, I don't see why Luka can't contribute right away next year if he has a good summer league and training camp.

[Floyd Pacquiao]

It's gonna suck watching beli and mills get smoked on D while Johnson is practicing in Austin.

[313]

How did we not draft Brandon Clark? he was the second best player in this draft and fell to 21.

[KobesAchilles]

As a professional scout, (looking at YouTube videos of Luka :lol ) I noticed that half his strengths clips were of him missing shots. He looked like the fastest player out there though which is nice. He can handle the ball a bit too but will he be able to do this against NBA level athletes? I’m not sure. I see a guy who has tools but doesn’t look like he can put them together. My belief is he never will. But he is young and we do have great player development and if Bryn Forbes can start a playoff game then anything is possible I guess.

Kentucky is my favorite college team for b-ball. Back in the Tubs days I loved watching them play. But Cal is horrible at teaching his players. Like really bad at it where even all world talent like AD doesn’t know how to lead and win. I’m glad that this guy is a pit bull on defense though and I hope he is hungry as hell. It seems to me like Cal didn’t focus too much on KJ and was more focused on his other lottery picks so hopefully his poisoning isn’t untreatable.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

As a professional scout, (looking at YouTube videos of Luka :lol ) I noticed that half his strengths clips were of him missing shots. He looked like the fastest player out there though which is nice. He can handle the ball a bit too but will he be able to do this against NBA level athletes? I’m not sure. I see a guy who has tools but doesn’t look like he can put them together. My belief is he never will. But he is young and we do have great player development and if Bryn Forbes can start a playoff game then anything is possible I guess.

Kentucky is my favorite college team for b-ball. Back in the Tubs days I loved watching them play. But Cal is horrible at teaching his players. Like really bad at it where even all world talent like AD doesn’t know how to lead and win. I’m glad that this guy is a pit bull on defense though and I hope he is hungry as hell. It seems to me like Cal didn’t focus too much on KJ and was more focused on his other lottery picks so hopefully his poisoning isn’t untreatable.

Luka-a pit bull on defense? Or is that a KJ ref?

[pad300]

Personally, I think this is a C draft.

Samanic is a decent prospect. My big issue with him is character/mental. When he applies himself, for example at the Chicago combine scrimmage, he's good. But he doesn't do it night to night, in a 30 game league (if he did, he'd be in the running for their league MVP and Best Young Player awards - he's not). What's he gonna do with an 82 game regular season, with playoffs afterwards? I hesitate to bet on changing a prospects character... Still, most of the 20-29 picks that I would have considered at this spot had their own question marks: Clarke - size & skill development, Williams - size & Shot , Thybulle - offense/shooting, Bazley - raw, Kabengele - passing.

Keldon is a decent pick at 29. Yet, this is probably the biggest gripe I have with this draft. Claxton screams out to me as a more valuable prospect... Hell, I would have had him ahead of Samanic at 19! He's got all of Samanic's strengths - agility, perimeter skills with a bigger, better body, and to my mind a better attitude. No picking him here just blows me away. Other maybes of Okpala and Fernando rate interchangeably (with Keldon) to me (so I give the FO benefit of the doubt - after all they have done the interviews).

Quindary is out of left field... and doesn't pop out as decent (unlike say George Hill or Derrick White) and is at a position of roster overload (small 2. No, he's not a PG to my mind, a 4 year player with more TO's than assists!). Again, I see alternatives that I would have chosen on positional fit and as much, if not more, potential as an nba player: Zoosman, Mokoka, Jordan Bone, Miye Oni... and probably more.

[313]

How did we not draft Brandon Clark? he was the second best player in this draft and fell to 21.Would've liked Grant Williams as well.

Not super disappointed with the first round picks, though. Can't wait to see what they look like in SL.

[acoelho1]

-
-Samanic is a really fascinating prospect. It's a bit strange but he's more of an American style prospect than a European style prospect. Usually, Europeans come over after having reasonable success overseas and you more or less know what you're getting. But that's not Samanic. His play in Europe was largely underwhelming, even though he didn't play at a particularly high competition level. Instead, Samanic was drafted by the Spurs due to his tools, athleticism and what he projects to become down the road.


This is pretty much in-line with what RC said in his post draft interview that Samanic has solid tools for a player his size but needs to work on a few areas to reach his potential. In fact, he also noted that if he was further along in his development, he would have gone much higher in the draft. Also, RC has scouted him extensively so they must feel he has the character to become a really good player in the Spurs developmental program. Coming out of the draft with a defensive minded wing and a versatile big is an A+ in my book. I think Keldon could be a solid rotation player and love his bulldog mentality. Another player that fell right into the Spurs lap.

[313]

Quindary is out of left field... and doesn't pop out as decent (unlike say George Hill or Derrick White) and is at a position of roster overload (small 2. No, he's not a PG to my mind, a 4 year player with more TO's than assists!). Again, I see alternatives that I would have chosen on positional fit and as much, if not more, potential as an nba player: Zoosman, Mokoka, Jordan Bone, Miye Oni... and probably more.
Really makes you think

[Ocotillo]

Thanks for the time and effort in the write up. Well done but wouldn't it have been easier to say PATFO is senile and drunk and league has passed the Spurs by tbh?

[DPG21920]

timvp who would you compare Luka to NBA wise? Seems like a more athletic Mirotic?

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

I would have liked Daquan Jeffries or Zylan Cheatham for the second round pick, but I can live with this draft.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

When does the summer league start?

[SpursBills]

timvp (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=8) who would you compare Luka to NBA wise? Seems like a more athletic Mirotic?

Wonder if he is going to be a saric type of player

[Dverde]

timvp (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=8) who would you compare Luka to NBA wise? Seems like a more athletic Mirotic?

according to Billups, Luka’s comp is Wilt Chamberlain.

[CGD]

according to Billups, Luka’s comp is Wilt Chamberlain.

LOL!! He had some funny takes last night to be sure.

[Realdeal1]

Billups was whack last night ! Comparing guys to Tyson chandler and Chicago bulls era Jalen Rose lmao

[cjw]

I was hype when we got Johnson. Dude is a straight up DAWG on defense and can create his own shot. I like Samanic's confidence and I will attribute his inconsistent motor to him just not wanting to get hurt and fuck up his NBA chances. When he went against NBA level talent in the combine he really stood out and was one of the hardest working guys on the floor.

I completely agree here. The talk of him “quitting on his team” and NBA vs. Euro scouts thinking of him differently lends himself to this. He wasn’t playing at a high level in Europe and why risk a huge payday? That’s not selfish, that’s smart.

[Mugen]

timvp (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=8) who would you compare Luka to NBA wise? Seems like a more athletic Mirotic?

Man, if the Spurs scouted him and saw more athletic Miorotic and still drafted him, I'd be damn worried. Like crazy worried.

I'm hoping for Croatian KD but I'll be pretty damn happy if he can be close to as good as Lauri Markannen was last year in a year or two.

[jjktkk]

Nice post draft analysis, thanks. :tu

[JeffDuncan]

When does the summer league start?

July 5.

[RC_Drunkford]

Good writeup, top to bottom. The one thing I'll say is about most late second rounders not making NBA squads. Bryn Forbes went undrafted. You can fill in the rest on that thought.

Just before the draft, Don Harris put out a VERY specific tween that the Spurs were looking to trade 19 + Bertans for a higher pick... AND that they were looking to trade 29 + ? to move up their second pick. Not either/or, but both.

The Spurs know they have to have 3P shooters on the team. So who did they want up above badly enough to get rid of Bertans, who is one of their 3P threats (like it or not)? Nobody better at knocking them down in this draft than Cam Johnson. Looking at the range Harris predicted, I think they expected Johnson to be available somewhere around 14 or 15, but not at 19. The problem with that, I think, is that they also wanted Samanic and didn't think he would be there at 29. (He wouldn't have.) So they were willing to sacrifice another player along with 29 to move up enough to get him. So when Johnson dropped at 11, they just took the other player they really wanted (Samanic) at 19. Maybe it was a few spots early for him, maybe it wasn't. But he was one of their two guys, and they got him.

I'm glad they didn't trade up and get Cam Johnson, and then someone took Samanic before they could get him. Because then the Spurs would have drafted Johnson & Johnson.

I also think Cam Johnson was their target. But now that I'm thinking about it, it seems that Keldon is the better pick. Cam might be the best shooter in the draft, but he's also 23 and he only had better stats than Keldon last season. So Keldon Johnson at 19 is basically on the level of a 22-year old Cam Johnson already, while also being the better defender

[Arcadian]

European basketball is just so much more physical than the NBA right now.

Damn, really? I might need to start watching Euro ball, then.

[RC_Drunkford]

It's gonna suck watching beli and mills get smoked on D while Johnson is practicing in Austin.

this tbh

[ceperez]

Good writeup, top to bottom. The one thing I'll say is about most late second rounders not making NBA squads. Bryn Forbes went undrafted. You can fill in the rest on that thought.

Just before the draft, Don Harris put out a VERY specific tween that the Spurs were looking to trade 19 + Bertans for a higher pick... AND that they were looking to trade 29 + ? to move up their second pick. Not either/or, but both.

The Spurs know they have to have 3P shooters on the team. So who did they want up above badly enough to get rid of Bertans, who is one of their 3P threats (like it or not)? Nobody better at knocking them down in this draft than Cam Johnson. Looking at the range Harris predicted, I think they expected Johnson to be available somewhere around 14 or 15, but not at 19. The problem with that, I think, is that they also wanted Samanic and didn't think he would be there at 29. (He wouldn't have.) So they were willing to sacrifice another player along with 29 to move up enough to get him. So when Johnson dropped at 11, they just took the other player they really wanted (Samanic) at 19. Maybe it was a few spots early for him, maybe it wasn't. But he was one of their two guys, and they got him.

I'm glad they didn't trade up and get Cam Johnson, and then someone took Samanic before they could get him. Because then the Spurs would have drafted Johnson & Johnson.

The Nets and 76ers had an interest in Samanic:

https://www.ridiculousupside.com/2019/6/17/18680465/nba-mock-draft-brooklyn-nets-select-luka-samanic-from-croatia

https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-nba-draft-prospect-workout-luka-samanic-20190614.html

Not likely that he would have been available at #29.

[Ditty]

Great stuff timvp. Starting to warm up to the Luka pick. Wish Johnson was taller, but I think he is young enough that he might grow an inch or two taller and be a valuable role player for us for a long time.

[rjv]

at first, i was a bit put off by the fact that the spurs took samanic at 19 but it was pretty obvious that they were certain he wouldn't be there at 29 and they were clearly enamored with his high ceiling and set of skills. some will argue that little was available, or clarke, but i think the spurs had more concerns about little than samanic and didn't think the high floor/low ceiling assessment of clarke was worth that pick. so, i'm okay with it. i was happy with the spurs acquisition of johnson at 29. that was great value for that spot. and part of me wanted the spurs to gamble on porter at 49, but i guess those knees are a major red flag. if the spurs turn their 1st rounders into solid NBA players while continuing to build up their current youth, then i think it would solidify them at the best team in the league when it comes to talent assessment and development. which, when you're a small market team and not a traditional player in the free agent market, can be your only viable path towards a title. ST posters will do their usual bitching and moaning from their vantage point as armchair GMs. but there's no way any one can emphatically state that any other picks would have been definitively better.

[Pavlov]

When does the summer league start?July 1.

[RC_Drunkford]

Gotta hope Samanic turns into Andrej Kirilenko. A guy who stuffs the stat sheet in all areas. That's the potential I see in him and if he indeed turns into that type of player the Spurs struck gold. I can see them going after Bogdanovic to mentor Luka. Croatians are usually very close with their fellow countrymen, so I think that would help his development a lot. Although I can't see how we're able to land Bojan.

Johnson is a solid 3-and-D guy who lives in the gym. At his age he has a lot of room for improvement, so he might even exceed expectations depending on what he can add to his game.

I'd love for them both to get spot minutes on the team next season, but the G-League should also help them as they both are not really supreme passers. Getting to know the plays that are being run and to make the right play, know which spot your team mates will be in and occassionally handle the ball in pick and roll situations should benefit their games

[rjv]

Agreed, I don't see why Luka can't contribute right away next year if he has a good summer league and training camp.

[Drom John]

When does the summer league start?

Salt Lake City July 1
Las Vegas July 5

[SpursDynasty85]

CIA Pop on Samanic? If Samanic stays on the roster and does not snif G League then I think we found our answer.

[KobesAchilles]

Luka-a pit bull on defense? Or is that a KJ ref?

That was a KJ reference. I’m just hoping Luka isn’t as bad as Belli on defense tbh.

[JeffDuncan]

When does the summer league start?


July 1.

There's two different "summer leagues" this year.

The Salt Lake City Summer League is from July 1st to 3rd. It's four teams playing six games. Teams are the Jazz, Spurs, Grizzlies and Cavaliers.

The NBA Summer League is from July 5th to 15th in Vegas. All 30 teams will participate, also Team China and Team Croatia.

[Gordy58]

I think an underrated skill of his is Lukas passing, Ive seen some highlights of him with some nifty no look passes, he has really good mismatch potential once he gets stronger.

[Marcus Bryant]

Huh. You mean the Spurs didn’t just have the worst draft of all time?

[FlAVaK]

Damn, really? I might need to start watching Euro ball, then.

Game 4 of Spanish Finals (Barca-Real) starts right now...

[RC_Drunkford]

I think an underrated skill of his is Lukas passing, Ive seen some highlights of him with some nifty no look passes, he has really good mismatch potential once he gets stronger.

the good thing is he already got stronger. Added about 15 pounds already

[R. DeMurre]

Nice write up, thanks! Looks to me like the Spurs are doing a good job of assembling a bunch of net-positive type players, which I think is exactly the route to go in their situation. There's no first or second team all NBA player on this squad right now, but if they can somehow acquire (or develop) one in the next few years, the supporting cast will be ready to go.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

the good thing is he already got stronger. Added about 15 pounds already

Shit, introduce him to Saturday morning Big Red and Barbacoa and he will have no problem gaining weight.

[Gordy58]

the good thing is he already got stronger. Added about 15 pounds already
Well then I’m pretty excited about him, this summer league is going to be fun since he’s going to be playing along with our other draftees, I’m just wondering what position he’ll be playing, I think he can legitimately play on the perimeter

[kobyz]

How Samanic compared with the bust TJ Leaf as a player?

[BackHome]

I really wanted Nic to I loved his defense but I also had Johnson possibility going to us at 19 so I guess I gotta trust in RC.

[Uriel]

The biggest post-draft question -- would the Spurs have taken Goga at 19 over Samanic (if Goga hadn't gone one pick earlier)?

I know it doesn't matter now but I'm curious.

Any inside info from the Spurs on this?
Yes.

https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280047&p=9847834&viewfull=1#post9847834

[Dejounte]

Yes.

https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280047&p=9847834&viewfull=1#post9847834

The way thats worded i wouldnt say the Spurs were truly into getting him. Some of yall too naive man

[slick'81]

Yes.

https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280047&p=9847834&viewfull=1#post9847834

as long as goga doesnt become great im good with luka

[Marcus Bryant]

Damn, really? I might need to start watching Euro ball, then.

:tu

[NickiRasgo]

Good to see they're following each other in IG.

[BillMc]

Because then the Spurs would have drafted Johnson & Johnson.

"We're gonna need some more FBI guys."

https://johnrieber.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/die-hard-holiday-classic.jpg?w=700&h=299

[BillMc]

according to Billups, Luka’s comp is Wilt Chamberlain.
:lol

At least Billups stayed in basketball comparisons. I half expected him to go farther afield....

"This guy reminds me of Michael Phelps."

"He's another Bruce Jenner, when he wasn't a woman."

"A natural Ron Jeremy, if I've ever seen one."

"Kinda today's Tito Jackson."

"Reminded me of a wombat."

[duncan2k5]

One of my issues is that spurs don't play their young guys unless there's no choice... Nuggets drafted Jocic in the second round... If spurs did that, he probably would just be coming from being stashed in Europe...

We rave over Siakam, but no way pop would have played his skinny behind once he made a mistake...he would benched for months...

These guys on other teams were allowed to play through the mistakes and it helped them show who they truly could be... We saw it this year with white... I was one of the only ones saying since last year white should be playing over Forbes and patty... The guy would be put into a game, then immediately pulled after a mistake, then benched... He would have gotten the same treatment this year if it wasn't for injuries, because even when the season started without Murray, he wasn't given playing time until we got another injury

[tonski17]

Thanks timvp!
They should go for bogdanovic as well.hehe

[BillMc]

-Whispers about San Antonio's interest in Luka Samanic have been around for a while and the end result was the Spurs selecting the Croatian with the 19th overall pick. While this was the high end of his draft range, I went on record as saying the Spurs needed to pick him at 19 if they wanted him because he played too well at the NBA combine to trust that he'd fall to 29. It turns out that's exactly what the Spurs did.

-Samanic is a really fascinating prospect. It's a bit strange but he's more of an American style prospect than a European style prospect. Usually, Europeans come over after having reasonable success overseas and you more or less know what you're getting. But that's not Samanic. His play in Europe was largely underwhelming, even though he didn't play at a particularly high competition level. Instead, Samanic was drafted by the Spurs due to his tools, athleticism and what he projects to become down the road.

-Moreover, European scouts I've talked to are pretty low on Samanic. They thought he got pushed around a lot, had inconsistent effort and questionable dedication to his teammates. American scouts, though, see his tools and athleticism on display and picture him as a perfect fit in today's NBA. And that's probably where some of the disconnect is: European basketball is just so much more physical than the NBA right now. So while Samanic might be getting manhandled by 6-foot-10, 250-pound headhunting ogres over in Slovenia, those players don't really exist in the NBA anymore. A lot of that physicality he couldn't withstand over there would be whistled as a foul over here. I tend to buy the argument I've heard from American scouts that Samanic is built much more for the NBA game than the European game.

-I'm a fan of his tools, plain and simple. He's a good ball-handler; he can grab a rebound and take it up himself without much issue. He's fluid when in motion and all signs point to him being an asset on the fast break. In the half court setting, his first step is really quick for a power forward. He is strong enough and crafty enough to score if a smaller player tries to stop him in the paint. He's also comfortable out beyond the three-point line. His three-point stroke is effortless and he's not afraid to let it fly.

-In today's NBA, bigs who are naturals out on the perimeter, who can stretch the defense with their shot and who can also take advantage of mismatches against smaller players are extremely valuable. That's what Samanic can be if his tools translate as the Spurs hope. Those three attributes are the holy trinity of bigman value going forward in the league ... and it's within his grasps.

-There's been some discussion about what position Samanic will ultimately play in the NBA but I think he's clearly a power forward. The 19-year-old is 6-foot-11 and 227 pounds so if he can gain even ten more pounds of muscle, he could eventually moonlight as a small ball center. But I don't see him a good enough rim protector to be a full-time center and he doesn't have the insane quick-twitch agility it would require for him to be a jumbo wing. Power forward is the sweet spot for his skill-set.

-His underwhelming wingspan (6-foot-10.5) is part of the reason why he's not a rim protector. More simply, he doesn't appear to have good timing in that aspect of the game. But his 8-foot-11 standing reach could allow him to eventually be better at protecting the rim as he ages. And while he's not going to be blocking shots at a high level, he's a really good rebounder who isn't bashful about throwing around his body. I've also been impressed by how his boxing out, even against older, stronger opponents.

-In addition to rebounding, Samanic's defensive value will be derived from his ability to be a switchable big. He's not going to be extraordinarily elite in terms of stopping quick guards but for a 6-foot-11 big, it appears he can be well above average. Most importantly, I don't see him being forced off the court like we see happen with a lot of bigs in today's NBA. Samanic should be able to defend pick-and-rolls well, switch off when needed and keep the vast majority of players in front of him. And as such, this is yet another area where he grades out as a future-proof, modern NBA bigman.

-So, if he has all these tools, why wasn't Samanic picked higher in the draft? He hasn't put it all together. And there's a legitimate chance that he never does. Samanic is definitely a boom or bust prospect. If he never connects all the pieces of his puzzle, he won't see a second contract in the NBA. He also has to answer the questions about his commitment and tenacity that dogged him in Europe. But if he works at it, stays mentally engaged throughout the process and figures it all out, he could become a very valuable building block for the franchise as the Spurs transition to the next generation.

-For Samanic to unlock his potential, his first step on offense is to become a unignorable three-point shooting threat. Right now, he can shoot the three but he only makes them at about a 30-33% clip. The good news is he has a quick release, a high release point and he comfortably shoots a soft ball with impressive range. Why doesn't he shoot a better percentage? It appears like he has a lot of fixable, small issues. For example, his footwork during shot preparation is sloppy and inconsistent. He also doesn't always square his shoulders up to the basket. But those are exactly the type of shooting mechanics minutiae Chip Engelland knows how to teach.

-Beyond his shooting, Samanic's offense just needs a lot of tightening up. His dribbling in the halfcourt has to be more controlled, he needs to see the floor better to make the right pass, he needs to be more patient when in traffic, he needs to better use his athleticism when finishing at the rim, etc. While it won't be an easy process, it's doable -- there don't appear to be any fatal flaws.

(-Speaking of his athleticism, his athletic testing at the NBA combine confirmed what is obvious on tape: the guy is a certified athlete. Of the players listed at power forward, he had the highest max vertical [38 inches], the third best lane agility time, the second best shuttle run time and the fifth best three quarter sprint time. Of all the players in the combine Samanic's height or taller, no one had a higher max vertical -- and that's including pogo sticks like Jaxson Hayes and Nic Claxton.)

-Defensively, Samanic just needs to work on his mental approach and his strength. On the ball, he's already solid. He seems to relish the opportunity to switch onto smaller players and fights for defensive boards. Where he struggles is when he's off the ball; he'll all too often fall asleep when on the weakside. And, as I previously stated, while he is unlikely to ever become a notable shot-blocker, adding strength should allow him to hold up better in the lane against rugged bigs and slashing smalls.

-Let's imagine a world where not only Samanic pans out but Derrick White, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker IV all reach close to their ceilings. What's exciting is Samanic is a perfect fit next to those three. You'd want a mobile power forward who could run, shoot, attack mismatches, spread the court and be able to stay on the floor defensively by holding up in pick-and-rolls and rebounding.

-If you want to consider Jakob Poeltl part of the young core, the excitement continues. The fully formed versions of White, Murray, Walker, Samanic and Poeltl could play together. That's even a possible starting lineup. Samanic and Poeltl, specifically, are fits next to each other. Poeltl's ability to protect the rim would allow Samanic more freedom to stick to his strengths on that end. Poeltl being a good, instinctive passer would also help if Samanic never advances to being more than adequate for a PF.

-How much time does Samanic do in Austin next season? I'm honestly not sure. Typically, players from Europe don't need as much developing -- but, again, Samanic isn't your prototypical European prospect. It's possible he could need the whole season in Austin. It wouldn't hurt him to work on his shot and correct all the issues that caused him to stutter in Europe in an environment with less pressure. But if he plays really well in summer league and continues on that level of play in training camp, he could conceivably play a bench role early in his rookie season. We'll have to wait and see.

-Oh yeah, the Spurs picked a couple of other guys in the draft. I was pleased with Keldon Johnson at 29. It wasn't a flashy pick but after going the boom or bust route with Samanic at 19, it made sense to go the safe route with Johnson.

-The more I watched him play before the draft, the more I became convinced Johnson is a small forward in the NBA. While he's only 6-foot-6 with shoes on, he has wide shoulders and frame that can add quite a bit more muscle. He's already a strong 216 pounds and, considering he's 19 years old and was somewhat of a late bloomer physically, I could imagine him pushing 230 before it's all said and done.

(-After the Spurs picked Johnson, an interesting tidbit I heard from someone who scouted him: San Antonio factored in him having a "short neck" and considered him comparably to players an inch or two taller. Looking at the combine numbers, there might be something to that. Johnson's standing reach was 8-foot-8, which is oddly impressive for someone who is 6-foot-6 with shoes with a good-but-not-great 6-foot-9.25 wingspan. To compare, that's a better standing reach than 6-foot-9 Tobias Harris, 6-foot-8 Khris Middleton or 6-foot-8 Gordon Hayward. Interesting; short neck; would never have noticed looking at pictures; huh.)

-I look at Johnson as a high floor, low ceiling player. He tries hard on defense, particularly in one-on-one matchups. He fights around screens well and he's good for his age in terms of help defense. Johnson rebounds better than expected given his height (6.9 boards per 36 minutes) and doesn't foul much (2.6 per 36 minutes). But he doesn't block shots or rack up steals ... at all. He's also a bit heavy-footed for a wing, so his individual defense potential has a cap to it.

-His defensive peak is in the neighborhood of someone like Mario Elie. Elie didn't have quick feet but he compensated with a bulldog demeanor and unrelenting effort. Johnson could potentially do that; his motor as a freshman was impressive.

-Offensively, Johnson sticks to smart shots. He'll take open threes when given the opportunity and he shot a very respectable 38.1% from deep. He drives hard to the rim and has a decent array of floaters and runners. He draws fouls at an acceptable clip and shot an okay 70.3% from the line.

-Johnson is not a ball-handler or shot creator on offense. He's an average passer at best with only middling court vision. His release is a little slow, which resulted in him shooting only 6.2 threes per 100 possessions. (In today's game, that number needs to be closer to ten.)

-All in all, he projects to be a complementary piece on offense. If he can speed up his release, he can become a three-point shooter who can attack closeouts with strong drives to the rim. Johnson is unlikely to be a bulk scorer but he has enough talent to play a supporting role on an elite offensive team.

-If you want to hold out hope for Johnson having untapped offensive upside, your hope would lie with the fact that he played for a Kentucky team who had two players go in the lottery. There's a non-zero percent chance he surprises on the offensive end; remember that Devin Booker averaged only ten points per game at Kentucky as a freshman on a team that featured three other lottery picks. But most likely, Johnson will be someone who -- if his maturation process goes as planned -- makes teams pay for ignoring him on the offensive end, a la 2006 Michael Finley.

-Like Samanic, Johnson is a really good fit next to the White, Murray and Walker potential core. The fact that he doesn't dribble well or pass particularly well isn't a big deal if he's playing next to two of those three players. Plus, his lack of size isn't as big of a deal on a team that has long, active guards like those three. I don't see a problem on defense with Johnson at small forward and any two of White, Murray and Walker at the guard positions.

(-Speaking of him being a small forward, RC Buford claimed after the draft that Johnson was the team's top ranked small forward in the entire draft. At first, I thought it was a hyperbolic claim by Buford. But after thinking about it, it's not impossible. If RJ Barrett and Jarrett Culver are classified by the Spurs as shooting guards, that leaves a rather questionable crop of small forwards. Players like Cam Reddish, Romeo Langford and Nassir Little all really struggled as freshman and all had potential red flags in their draft profiles. It's not totally unbelievable to believe that the Spurs were low on those boom or bust small forwards and had a higher floor player like Johnson rated at the top of that pile.)

-Even if he plays well in summer league, Johnson is most likely destined to a year in Austin. He's not especially raw but there are enough things for him to work on to justify keeping him in the G-League for a season. Get him plenty of touches, have him work on his shot, see if there are any hidden offensive abilities, bulk him up to defend small forwards and then reassess heading into the 2020-21 season.

-Overall, Johnson at 29 is just a solid pick any way you slice it. He's not going to be a star but if you can get a strong role player late in the first round, that's a win.

-Quinndary Weatherspoon at 49? Eh, not bad. He's a 6-foot-4.25, 207-pound combo guard with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. He had a good senior season at Mississippi State and played well in the draft camps and at the NBA combine. The Spurs worked him out twice, so there's obviously some level of attraction there.

-He's closer to a shooting guard than a point guard, as he had more turnovers than assists last season. But he shot well enough (56.4% on twos, 39.6% on threes, 80.9% at the line) that it's conceivable for him to make it without developing many point guard skills. He competes on defense and is a downhill attacker on offense.

-My guess is that the Spurs drafted Weatherspoon with an agreement that he will either sign a two-way contract or sign directly with Austin. It was a smidgen of a surprise he was drafted at all, even though he had a successful college career. For the Spurs to pick him at 49 tells me there's an understanding with his agent in place.

-Will he ever make it in the NBA? Probably not. The overwhelming majority of second rounders don't and Weatherspoon doesn't look like anything more than your standard, run of the mill second round flier. The Spurs liked him enough to not trade or sell the pick ... but that's a low bar at that point in the draft.

-We'll see what Weatherspoon does in summer league. I'm not expecting much at all but, then again, it's never wise to underestimate this front office's ability to draft.

One of the best write ups of the year. Many thanks.

[Strategic]

Nice thoughts. The Spurs definitely need a future consistent borderline All star in their youth core. They may have thought Samanic was the best bet with what was left for them at 19. Hopefully, he’s the right choice.

[GB20]

:lol

At least Billups stayed in basketball comparisons. I half expected him to go farther afield....

"This guy reminds me of Michael Phelps."

"He's another Bruce Jenner, when he wasn't a woman."

"A natural Ron Jeremy, if I've ever seen one."

"Kinda today's Tito Jackson."

"Reminded me of a wombat."

:lmao

[Darkwaters]

July 5.

That's when the Vegas Summer League starts. The Salt Lake Summer League starts on July 1st.

[Darkwaters]

There's two different "summer leagues" this year.

The Salt Lake City Summer League is from July 1st to 3rd. It's four teams playing six games. Teams are the Jazz, Spurs, Grizzlies and Cavaliers.

The NBA Summer League is from July 5th to 15th in Vegas. All 30 teams will participate, also Team China and Team Croatia.

There's actually three Summer Leagues. The Magic host one out in Orlando at their practice facility. Traditionally, however, it happens at the same time as the Salt Lake City league, but usually has more teams playing. The Vegas league is typically considered THE summer league since it features by far the most teams and doesn't have a competing event at the same time.

The Spurs always play Vegas (to my recollection) and have gone to Salt Lake a number of years as well. This year they're doing both SLC and Vegas.

[Wu36]

When does the summer league start?
When multiple web sites that are easily accessible say they start... pretty easy to look up.

[ZeusWillJudge]

LMAO. Is it possible to get a move reference past you?



"We're gonna need some more FBI guys."

https://johnrieber.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/die-hard-holiday-classic.jpg?w=700&h=299

[cutewizard]

:bobo

[SAGirl]

:lol

At least Billups stayed in basketball comparisons. I half expected him to go farther afield....

"This guy reminds me of Michael Phelps."

"He's another Bruce Jenner, when he wasn't a woman."

"A natural Ron Jeremy, if I've ever seen one."

"Kinda today's Tito Jackson."

"Reminded me of a wombat."
:rollin

[XDT76]

The reason White did not play at the start of the season is because he was injured in preseason.

[skookumchuck]

:lol

At least Billups stayed in basketball comparisons. I half expected him to go farther afield....

"This guy reminds me of Michael Phelps."

"He's another Bruce Jenner, when he wasn't a woman."

"A natural Ron Jeremy, if I've ever seen one."

"Kinda today's Tito Jackson."

"Reminded me of a wombat."

good chuckle in riga:lmao

[velik_m]

Šamanić is trash and, like any of the players in Slovenian league, he has no business being near a NBA court. Then again he is young, and Danny Green was an even bigger trash, when he was playing for Olimpija. It's obvious the Spurs are valuing raw skills over actual (current) playing ability and are hoping to mold him, like they did with Kawhi and White more recently. He has the tools to be a good player, but he's not one currently. I would be shocked if he features in any significant fashion for the Spurs in the next season.

As for his character, i wouldn't speculate, I didn't hear anything negative about him, but i'm just a basketball fan, not some insider. I assume the Spurs did their research - they have plenty of contacts in Slovenia, most notably Rasho who is Secretary-General of the Slovenian basketball federation.

[slick'81]

Šamanić is trash and, like any of the players in Slovenian league, he has no business being near a NBA court. Then again he is young, and Danny Green was an even bigger trash, when he was playing for Olimpija. It's obvious the Spurs are valuing raw skills over actual (current) playing ability and are hoping to mold him, like they did with Kawhi and White more recently. He has the tools to be a good player, but he's not one currently. I would be shocked if he features in any significant fashion for the Spurs in the next season.

As for his character, i wouldn't speculate, I didn't hear anything negative about him, but i'm just a basketball fan, not some insider. I assume the Spurs did their research - they have plenty of contacts in Slovenia, most notably Rasho who is Secretary-General of the Slovenian basketball federation.


he was def a reach but pop and co are clearly looking at the long term here

[Down Under]

Samanic has a complete offensive skillset by the looks. He can shoot, dribble, pass, post up, move his feet defensively & is an elite athlete for his size. The whole thing will be if he can put together. If he can, he'll be great, if he can't, he'll be gone.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

When multiple web sites that are easily accessible say they start... pretty easy to look up.No shit, thinks for letting me know that.

[buttsR4rebounding]

the good thing is he already got stronger. Added about 15 pounds already

Since the draft? Damn, for sure the Spurs should have taken Bol. Mexican food and Whataburger--I gained 5 pounds just typing them in.

[JeffDuncan]

Samanic officially weighed 227.2 at the combine.

[spurs10]

One of the best write ups of the year. Many thanks. This! :bobo

[RC_Drunkford]

Defense will be his calling card like with any other rookie under Pop. Play good D and you might get playing time. I expect him to be Austin bound though

[venitian navigator]

Looks like Spurs didn't draft their main targets but were more than happy with what they got.
Probably they had hope to trade up to take Hachimura who was probably their main target based just on consistency (I don't buy they were targeting Cam Johnson) and probably they preferred by a bit Doumbaya and Bitadze over Samanic, but the first went too high drafted and they had no chance to a deal for n° 9, and the others were seen quite just as an alternative to Luka (that was a better fit) as stretch bigs, but only by little.
The fact that they had KJ high considered as a sf is enough to call the draft a success.
I'm just sorry they did not draft Roby (that they scouted and nauseam and was my favourite to take based on 3 and d potential) with the second round...but probably with Luka already drafted he has been considered redundant and not worth on spending any asset to improve the second round draft position...

[Ocotillo]

I'm just sorry they did not draft Roby I was hoping for Roby too. I believe in the developmental capabilities of the Spurs and think he would have grown into a solid starter with him and the coaching put together. I wonder how many guys would have been much better players or ended up not even making it in the league due to the luck of the draw and being drafted by a team that does not develop players as well.

[MultiTroll]

Skinny Euro looks 50/50 bust / make it to me.

Hoping the Spurs have some development insight.

Hope it's not another 4 years just good enough to stay on roster but no where near Champ contributor material.

[Mugen]

Defense will be his calling card like with any other rookie under Pop. Play good D and you might get playing time. I expect him to be Austin bound though

Why can't that be Pop's mantra for veteran players too? :lol

[wildbill2u]

I watched his films to see how he moves on the court because its easy to pick out shots that go in the basket for a highlight film. But moving around the basket and up and down the court with some fluidity is pretty rare for a guy 6'11". Looks like he has a good first step and the ability to pivot when deep. Much better at this and ball handling than Bertans. If he develops a pretty good 3 shot with some consistency he will be a good all around offensive player.

That same good footwork and reaction time will be a great asset on defense out on the perimeter. I'd like to see if he can play at SF in some matchups.

[RC_Drunkford]

Why can't that be Pop's mantra for veteran players too? :lol

he has to play them to justify the retarded contract he gave to them

[Dejounte]

I watched his films to see how he moves on the court because its easy to pick out shots that go in the basket for a highlight film. But moving around the basket and up and down the court with some fluidity is pretty rare for a guy 6'11". Looks like he has a good first step and the ability to pivot when deep. Much better at this and ball handling than Bertans. If he develops a pretty good 3 shot with some consistency he will be a good all around offensive player.

That same good footwork and reaction time will be a great asset on defense out on the perimeter. I'd like to see if he can play at SF in some matchups.

Yeah I think Samanic is our SF whenever the matchup allows (bigger wings) then back to Johnson whenever theyre not so big.

[EricB]

Man, if the Spurs scouted him and saw more athletic Miorotic and still drafted him, I'd be damn worried. Like crazy worried.

I'm hoping for Croatian KD but I'll be pretty damn happy if he can be close to as good as Lauri Markannen was last year in a year or two.


Lol Kevin Durant? Good god guys it’s the 19th pick. If anything I’ve been told they see Kristaps Porzingis.

[EricB]

Looks like Spurs didn't draft their main targets but were more than happy with what they got.
Probably they had hope to trade up to take Hachimura who was probably their main target based just on consistency (I don't buy they were targeting Cam Johnson) and probably they preferred by a bit Doumbaya and Bitadze over Samanic, but the first went too high drafted and they had no chance to a deal for n° 9, and the others were seen quite just as an alternative to Luka (that was a better fit) as stretch bigs, but only by little.
The fact that they had KJ high considered as a sf is enough to call the draft a success.
I'm just sorry they did not draft Roby (that they scouted and nauseam and was my favourite to take based on 3 and d potential) with the second round...but probably with Luka already drafted he has been considered redundant and not worth on spending any asset to improve the second round draft position...


Theres a reason Rui went 9th is all I’ll say.

[Gagnrath]

Luak Samanic.

Let's be honest. Does a 2023-2024 starting lineup of White, Murray, Walker, Samanic and Poeltl sound like a team making a run for a championship? Do they even make the playoffs?

Every one of those guys projects to be a quality starter they don't necessarily come across as a championship Contender at this point they do come across as a playoff team in all likelihood. Wyatt they really seem like just from the way things look to project out is that all of them are slightly above replacement level pieces at their respective positions and while I don't know about Samick cuz I haven't seen him play as of yet each of them seems poised to be one of those guys whose name is in contention to be a All-Star every year but probably only makes one or two over the course of a 8 to 12 year career in the NBA. When you are drafting people like that and especially in their first or second year you expect 1 in 5 or 1 in 7 to end up being more than that as a player.

[Tyrone Jenkins]

Every one of those guys projects to be a quality starter they don't necessarily come across as a championship Contender at this point they do come across as a playoff team in all likelihood. Wyatt they really seem like just from the way things look to project out is that all of them are slightly above replacement level pieces at their respective positions and while I don't know about Samick cuz I haven't seen him play as of yet each of them seems poised to be one of those guys whose name is in contention to be a All-Star every year but probably only makes one or two over the course of a 8 to 12 year career in the NBA. When you are drafting people like that and especially in their first or second year you expect 1 in 5 or 1 in 7 to end up being more than that as a player.

The point about "quality starter" is well taken - and the entire problem. There are NO teams winning championships w/ 5 or even 7 or 8 quality starters only. This is a SUPERSTAR league. Maybe Samanic turns out to be KD Jr., White turns into Danny Green w/ better handles and Walker is Kawhi Jr. None of that is good enough to win a chip. None of that will be good enough to get out of the 1st round.

This team needs TWO of these guys to turn into All-NBA players.

[rjv]

after hearing jabari young say that samanic was a reach at 19, i'm more convinced that the spurs made a solid pick with luka at 19.

[exstatic]

The point about "quality starter" is well taken - and the entire problem. There are NO teams winning championships w/ 5 or even 7 or 8 quality starters only. This is a SUPERSTAR league. Maybe Samanic turns out to be KD Jr., White turns into Danny Green w/ better handles and Walker is Kawhi Jr. None of that is good enough to win a chip. None of that will be good enough to get out of the 1st round.

This team needs TWO of these guys to turn into All-NBA players.

Spurs did in 2014. No superstars. The Warriors are dead, and the league is wide open.

[pad300]

Spurs did in 2014. No superstars. The Warriors are dead, and the league is wide open.

Detroit in ?2006? is a much better example. In 2014 we had 3 guys who could put out an MVP level performance on any given night - Tim, Manu, Kawhi. None of them could do it every night, but on any given night, we had a shot at one or more MVP performances...

[DPG21920]

I don’t buy that SA didn’t get their guy. There were so many trades that it was obvious that if SA really wanted someone (especially someone like Goga) they could have EASILY moved up to get that person.

[SpursRussia]

Why didn’t Spurs take a flyer on Bol Bol? I think buying a 40+ pick is relatively easy. I know there is a slim chance he is in the league in 3-4 years, but the upside was worth it

[Dejounte]

Why didn’t Spurs take a flyer on Bol Bol? I think buying a 40+ pick is relatively easy. I know there is a slim chance he is in the league in 3-4 years, but the upside was worth it


I read there his "group" was difficult to deal with. I think after dealing with another player's group like that they didnt want to take any chances.

[buttsR4rebounding]

How about signing Jontay Porter to a G League contract and see what he looks like after rehab. It is very low risk and the Spurs evidently had interest in him last year. In 2 years you likely cut him loose because it didn't pan out, but you could have a quality big for next to nothing.

[DPG21920]

Lol Kevin Durant? Good god guys it’s the 19th pick. If anything I’ve been told they see Kristaps Porzingis.

Plus, I think a really athletic Mirotic is a VERY good player.

[SpursRussia]

I read there his "group" was difficult to deal with. I think after dealing with another player's group like that they didnt want to take any chances.

Then it’s an understandable pass, don’t want to deal any more divas with groups. Damn I miss the Big 3

[exstatic]

How about signing Jontay Porter to a G League contract and see what he looks like after rehab. It is very low risk and the Spurs evidently had interest in him last year. In 2 years you likely cut him loose because it didn't pan out, but you could have a quality big for next to nothing.

After rehab is pretty much after the g-league season is over. He blew his ACL in March, and it's a one year recovery.

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

Plus, I think a really athletic Mirotic is a VERY good player.

Yes, it is!

If he turns out like that......then he is a good NBA player

[ZeusWillJudge]

I don’t buy that SA didn’t get their guy. There were so many trades that it was obvious that if SA really wanted someone (especially someone like Goga) they could have EASILY moved up to get that person.

Don Harris made that strangely specific tweet on draft day, saying the Spurs were looking to trade Bertans + 19 to move up to the 13-16 range. Assume he knew something - what would that mean?

1. They were looking for someone that they expected to go in the 13-16 range.
2. Getting rid of Bertans means that whoever it was had to be a 3P shooter.
3. They either couldn't get a deal done, or their guy went higher than 13.

I agree with you that the Spurs could have easily moved up to get Bitadze, if they really coveted him. I agree 100%. Especially since he was still there at 18 (and Doumbouya was there at 15). What they couldn't do was swing a deal all the way up to 11.

The Spurs couldn't afford to be without a legitimate 3P threat in the New NBA. Losing Bertans would make it absolutely necessary that they have a dependable 3P shooter in the bag - they couldn't risk being without it. I don't think Samanic is a good enough 3P threat to risk (yet) to risk losing Bertans. So I don't think they were trying to trade up to get to Samanic. They wanted him, I'm sure of that. But he's not the one they were trying to use 19 + Bertans to get.

Put it all together, and it pretty much points to Cam Johnson. They thought he would go somewhere around 13-16, and he was the best 3P shooter in the draft. Harris' tweet also said that the Spurs were looking to package 29 + ? to get up to 20-24. I think that was about getting both Johnson and Samanic. Imagine what a draft night coup that would have been. Trading Bertans for Johnson's 3P shooting, plus Samanic who we've discussed to death elsewhere. In addition to the two players, the trades would have fixed the roster spot problem.

When Johnson dropped at 11, they just took the other player they wanted at 19. That's not a knock on Samanic, just recognizing that a knock-down 3P shooter is a top priority for a lot of teams. Maybe Harris made the whole thing up, or quoted a bad source, but that one had the ring of truth - even TIMVP commented on draft night that the tweet was strangely specific.



1141772337035038720

[ZeusWillJudge]

Why didn’t Spurs take a flyer on Bol Bol? I think buying a 40+ pick is relatively easy. I know there is a slim chance he is in the league in 3-4 years, but the upside was worth it


Skinny Boban. He's not as slow as Boban, but he's even more raw. If he manages to live up to his hype, it will take pretty much the whole rookie contract period to get him there, if not longer. My opinion - we'll know soon enough.

[buttsR4rebounding]

After rehab is pretty much after the g-league season is over. He blew his ACL in March, and it's a one year recovery.

And then probably a year in Austin to see where his skills are at, thus the 2 years.

[SpursRussia]

Skinny Boban. He's not as slow as Boban, but he's even more raw. If he manages to live up to his hype, it will take pretty much the whole rookie contract period to get him there, if not longer. My opinion - we'll know soon enough.

I could be wrong, cause I only watched highlights, but he looked much faster and more agile than Boban, could put the ball on the floor a little bit and had a quick release on a 3. Also he moves his feet better on defense and isn’t so foul prone. He is just really fluid in his movements for such a tall guy, while Boban is exactly what you expect him to be in terms of moving his body.

I’d like to make a bet on him, but potential locker room problems really change the perspective for such high risk prospect

[Truth4sale$]

Sorry TimVP, usually your write ups are great. I was warming up to these picks but after reading the write up, I am souring on these guys drafted again. I know it was a not a deep draft but I just feel these guys are roleplayers, and the Spurs needed someone who could emerge or develop to a superstar. The spurs currently DONT have a superstar to pair with these young role players
....,hoping for the best and that I am wrong and PATFO are right again.

[ZeusWillJudge]

I could be wrong, cause I only watched highlights, but he looked much faster and more agile than Boban, could put the ball on the floor a little bit and had a quick release on a 3. Also he moves his feet better on defense and isn’t so foul prone. He is just really fluid in his movements for such a tall guy, while Boban is exactly what you expect him to be in terms of moving his body.

I’d like to make a bet on him, but potential locker room problems really change the perspective for such high risk prospect


He's faster, no doubt. But not as smart, and not as experienced. Boban doesn't get to where he needs to be on the floor because he's slow. Bol won't get there because he won't know where to be. Different causes, but same outcome. I wasn't saying that they're the same player.

You can't teach quick, so I guess Bol will have a chance to get there. If his body holds up. He's just a lot of time investment and a lot of risk. I think that's why he fell, and why the Spurs didn't take him.

[Play Boban]

I could be wrong, cause I only watched highlights, but he looked much faster and more agile than Boban, could put the ball on the floor a little bit and had a quick release on a 3. Also he moves his feet better on defense and isn’t so foul prone. He is just really fluid in his movements for such a tall guy, while Boban is exactly what you expect him to be in terms of moving his body.

I’d like to make a bet on him, but potential locker room problems really change the perspective for such high risk prospect
Boban >>>> Ball Ball :lol

[313]

How did we not draft Brandon Clark? he was the second best player in this draft and fell to 21.

This kid is putting up video game numbers, and the spurs passed on him for Semanic :lmao

as a basketball fan I'm glad he ended up in Memphis, though. Pop would have him wasting his rookie season in the gleague.

:lmao PATFO

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Read the op again, basically everything Samanic has shown is exactly on point.

Johnson’s game has really progressed in Austin though. Timvp, have you changed some of your initial thoughts and projections about him after watching him? I’d never have expected of him to drive and finish so relentlessly at the rim, or to be given the ball in the half court to run the offense ad much as he’s been allowed to. It seems they see more in him than a 3 and D type.

[RC_Drunkford]

Read the op again, basically everything Samanic has shown is exactly on point.

Johnson’s game has really progressed in Austin though. Timvp, have you changed some of your initial thoughts and projections about him after watching him? I’d never have expected of him to drive and finish so relentlessly at the rim, or to be given the ball in the half court to run the offense ad much as he’s been allowed to. It seems they see more in him than a 3 and D type.

That's because Johnson was a 3-and-D in college. If a 19-year old player has a 3-and-D skill set that means he has a lot of room to grow into more.

[timvp]

-So, if he has all these tools, why wasn't Samanic picked higher in the draft? He hasn't put it all together. And there's a legitimate chance that he never does. Samanic is definitely a boom or bust prospect. If he never connects all the pieces of his puzzle, he won't see a second contract in the NBA. He also has to answer the questions about his commitment and tenacity that dogged him in Europe. But if he works at it, stays mentally engaged throughout the process and figures it all out, he could become a very valuable building block for the franchise as the Spurs transition to the next generation.

-For Samanic to unlock his potential, his first step on offense is to become a unignorable three-point shooting threat. Right now, he can shoot the three but he only makes them at about a 30-33% clip. The good news is he has a quick release, a high release point and he comfortably shoots a soft ball with impressive range. Why doesn't he shoot a better percentage? It appears like he has a lot of fixable, small issues. For example, his footwork during shot preparation is sloppy and inconsistent. He also doesn't always square his shoulders up to the basket. But those are exactly the type of shooting mechanics minutiae Chip Engelland knows how to teach.

-Beyond his shooting, Samanic's offense just needs a lot of tightening up. His dribbling in the halfcourt has to be more controlled, he needs to see the floor better to make the right pass, he needs to be more patient when in traffic, he needs to better use his athleticism when finishing at the rim, etc. While it won't be an easy process, it's doable -- there don't appear to be any fatal flaws.

-Defensively, Samanic just needs to work on his mental approach and his strength. On the ball, he's already solid. He seems to relish the opportunity to switch onto smaller players and fights for defensive boards. Where he struggles is when he's off the ball; he'll all too often fall asleep when on the weakside. And, as I previously stated, while he is unlikely to ever become a notable shot-blocker, adding strength should allow him to hold up better in the lane against rugged bigs and slashing smalls.

So, yeah, unfortunately Samanic didn't answer the questions about his commitment or tenacity. He didn't become a legit three-point threat; he remained a 30%-ish shooter from deep. His dribbling in halfcourt never got more controlled (to say the least, tbh :lol). His patience didn't get much better and he never learned to really use his athleticism to his advantage. His passing looked good in summer league but was underwhelming in all other levels. Defensively, I don't think his strength was ever a problem but his mental approach never really developed beyond being able to move his feet on the perimeter if he felt like it.

I still don't have a problem going with a boom or bust prospect at 19. Good try, unfortunate outcome.

[Manu&Duncan fan]

So, yeah, unfortunately Samanic didn't answer the questions about his commitment or tenacity. He didn't become a legit three-point threat; he remained a 30%-ish shooter from deep. His dribbling in halfcourt never got more controlled (to say the least, tbh :lol). His patience didn't get much better and he never learned to really use his athleticism to his advantage. His passing looked good in summer league but was underwhelming in all other levels. Defensively, I don't think his strength was ever a problem but his mental approach never really developed beyond being able to move his feet on the perimeter if he felt like it.

I still don't have a problem going with a boom or bust prospect at 19. Good try, unfortunate outcome.

Fully agree! Thank you TiMVP!

[John B]

So, yeah, unfortunately Samanic didn't answer the questions about his commitment or tenacity. He didn't become a legit three-point threat; he remained a 30%-ish shooter from deep. His dribbling in halfcourt never got more controlled (to say the least, tbh :lol). His patience didn't get much better and he never learned to really use his athleticism to his advantage. His passing looked good in summer league but was underwhelming in all other levels. Defensively, I don't think his strength was ever a problem but his mental approach never really developed beyond being able to move his feet on the perimeter if he felt like it.

I still don't have a problem going with a boom or bust prospect at 19. Good try, unfortunate outcome.

Good take on Samanic mental toughness and falling asleep on the weakside. Still I think it’s too early to cut him.

[exstatic]

Good take on Samanic mental toughness and falling asleep on the weakside. Still I think it’s too early to cut him.

If it were just the basketball stuff, I might see your point, but he’s still the same lazy, disinterested fuck that showed up two years ago. That can’t be fixed, unfortunately. My guess is, they hoped it was just immaturity, and not that he was just a jerk. They were wrong, and days away from having to commit ANOTHER $4M to him for next year, is pretty much the perfect time to cut him.

[jjspur]

If it were just the basketball stuff, I might see your point, but he’s still the same lazy, disinterested fuck that showed up two years ago. That can’t be fixed, unfortunately. My guess is, they hoped it was just immaturity, and not that he was just a jerk. They were wrong, and days away from having to commit ANOTHER $4M to him for next year, is pretty much the perfect time to cut him.
Completely agree. Some months ago I wrote something very similar saying that Samanic looked rather uninterested at times, but with your colorful descriptions, you hit it one the nail. Even with all the size and talent in the world, drive and attitude still count ... especially for players on this team.

[exstatic]

Completely agree. Some months ago I wrote something very similar saying that Samanic looked rather uninterested at times, but with your colorful descriptions, you hit it one the nail. Even with all the size and talent in the world, drive and attitude still count ... especially for players on this team.

His talent was still unrealized too, for the most part. His shot motion is pretty consistent, quick release and sound, yet, he’s still only hitting around 29-30% from long. That tells me he’s probably not putting up 500 shots a day after practice.

[talkspurs]

If it were just the basketball stuff, I might see your point, but he’s still the same lazy, disinterested fuck that showed up two years ago. That can’t be fixed, unfortunately. My guess is, they hoped it was just immaturity, and not that he was just a jerk. They were wrong, and days away from having to commit ANOTHER $4M to him for next year, is pretty much the perfect time to cut him.

So why dont you feel the same way about simmons? He does not get better every year. He may have started out better but has not really improved.

[spurraider21]

So, yeah, unfortunately Samanic didn't answer the questions about his commitment or tenacity. He didn't become a legit three-point threat; he remained a 30%-ish shooter from deep. His dribbling in halfcourt never got more controlled (to say the least, tbh :lol). His patience didn't get much better and he never learned to really use his athleticism to his advantage. His passing looked good in summer league but was underwhelming in all other levels. Defensively, I don't think his strength was ever a problem but his mental approach never really developed beyond being able to move his feet on the perimeter if he felt like it.

I still don't have a problem going with a boom or bust prospect at 19. Good try, unfortunate outcome.
good post but ended with a compulsory sniff

[exstatic]

So why dont you feel the same way about simmons? He does not get better every year. He may have started out better but has not really improved.

Because Simmons doesn’t lack the basketball stuff. He’s a three time AS. Try to keep up, and keep the awful analogies out of sight

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Maybe the next big man drafted over the next 10 year quota isn't an uncut Euro
We got more mileage outta a DeJuan Blair type pick than this

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I remember thinking Luka wasn't a great pick, but then I was thrilled we still managed to draft Keldon that far down in the first round. And I liked the choice of Q in the second round.

Timvp made me feel better about the Luka pick, and I think he was right at the time...lots of potential, just couldn't get it right between the ears.

[spurraider21]

I remember thinking Luka wasn't a great pick, but then I was thrilled we still managed to draft Keldon that far down in the first round. And I liked the choice of Q in the second round.

Timvp made me feel better about the Luka pick, and I think he was right at the time...lots of potential, just couldn't get it right between the ears.
this forum gets infatuated with our second round picks quite often tbh :lol

remember all the blossomgame love?

[talkspurs]

Because Simmons doesn’t lack the basketball stuff. He’s a three time AS. Try to keep up, and keep the awful analogies out of sight

Simmons is on the Decline and has been mostly led by hype. I notice you still have not replied to my post about usage. did you finally figure out your wrong on that. maybe one day you will see Ben is not as good as you think.

BTW I figured that would be your response. its your only response. AS games and defense teams.

[Biggems]

based on the last two seasons, who should we have taken at 19, assuming we still get Keldon where we got him at the end of the 1st?

[CGD]

^ sure Mattise was there, but I’m not sad about the pick there. I can see the reasoning: it would have been a huge pick up if dude got right between the ears over the last to season. Win some, lose some. Time to move on.

[Sugus]

^ sure Mattise was there, but I’m not sad about the pick there. I can see the reasoning: it would have been a huge pick up if dude got right between the ears over the last to season. Win some, lose some. Time to move on.

It's just Spurstalk posters that can't compute the difference between a high-risk, high-reward pick, and an outright bad pick. Probably due to being far too spoiled by such good overall drafting through the years, that the Spurs haven't had too many examples of both of them, tbh.

Thybulle is the retrospectively-looking better pick seeing as he's still in the league, albeit probably a forever negative on O and permanent bench player. I'd still take the swing on Luka and his ceiling over Mattisse's ceiling at #19 any day of the week.

[K...]

imagine knowing that it would take 4 busts to get a star. the spurs have only had a few sub 20's picks and have gotten a decent guy in vassel, and a potential star in primo and one bust. the future is bright as the tank commeth, theyre will be more busts, but the spurs are still ahead of the curve.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

this forum gets infatuated with our second round picks quite often tbh :lol

remember all the blossomgame love?

I remember the draft almost being an afterthought when this team was worth a darn. :lol. It would be watched with casual curiosity to see who the latest “draft and stash” player or roster filler was going to be. Now it’s life and death for this group in order to not to f’up the future! :lol

[Ocotillo]

If we had the advantage of foresight, we should have drafter Keldon at 19 and taken a flier later in the first round. Not sure how the draft order would shake out with KJ being taken instead of Luka.

[EricB]

So, yeah, unfortunately Samanic didn't answer the questions about his commitment or tenacity. He didn't become a legit three-point threat; he remained a 30%-ish shooter from deep. His dribbling in halfcourt never got more controlled (to say the least, tbh :lol). His patience didn't get much better and he never learned to really use his athleticism to his advantage. His passing looked good in summer league but was underwhelming in all other levels. Defensively, I don't think his strength was ever a problem but his mental approach never really developed beyond being able to move his feet on the perimeter if he felt like it.

I still don't have a problem going with a boom or bust prospect at 19. Good try, unfortunate outcome.


the whole lack of commitment also stayed and came true as well. Oh well.

[EricB]

If it were just the basketball stuff, I might see your point, but he’s still the same lazy, disinterested fuck that showed up two years ago. That can’t be fixed, unfortunately. My guess is, they hoped it was just immaturity, and not that he was just a jerk. They were wrong, and days away from having to commit ANOTHER $4M to him for next year, is pretty much the perfect time to cut him.


a little harsh man lol. Yeah you’re right calling him a. Fuck seems much 😂

[buttsR4rebounding]

In a few years we will be talking about Samanic like Scola. If Samanic was a black player with abuse in his childhood he would be playing 20 minutes a game. What a fuckin waste.

[exstatic]

In a few years we will be talking about Samanic like Scola. If Samanic was a black player with abuse in his childhood he would be playing 20 minutes a game. What a fuckin waste.

Thibs tolerates shit effort probably less than Pop does. He won’t do well in NY.

You really think a guy with a contract 1/3 of the mid level exception, who was passed on by all 29 other teams on the waiver wire is going to somehow turn into Scola, an effort guy if ever there was one? Your hatred for Pop is blinding you to the fact that he was right about this.