Please stop whining about backup PGs

[aaronstampler]

I can see why there's concern over the center spot, and a backup for Bruce, even though they're outlawing defense anyway, but for crying out loud, can we please stop going crazy about Speedy or Bobby Jackson or god knows who else for backup point?

Beno is good. He can shoot, he can pass, he can run the offense. His only weakness is confidence. He just needs Pop to believe in him. If Beno went into the year knowing he's going to get 12+ minutes a night, come hell or highwater, by the time February rolled around, he'd easily be one of the top six or eight backup PGs in the league, I guarantee it. He's got the skills.

Tony plays more mins than any of our starters anyway, we really shouldn't freak out too much about his backup.

If we sign somebody, it should be as a 3rd PG, a complete project, or disaster insurance. But the pecking order should be clear with Beno at 2nd. Just give him one year to prove himself.

And if he absolutely stinks, you can always use Brent for the role. He did do it for Seattle for a few years.

[angel_luv]

I agree it is time to give Beno an authentic chance. Let the kid play. :)

[Borosai]

I agree...I think Beno has what it takes...all he needs is more playing time during the regular season. I feel the same way about Oberto...he isn't amazing, but if he gets playing time, he can contribute and be a solid backup center. And hell, I can be the 3rd PG..."RAINMAKER!"

[Gummi]

Beno is good enough to be our backup PG. He played better then Nick Van Exel last season and I think he'll be our backup next season.

[Bruno]

Agree at 99%. Beno is a good player, don't forget his rookie year.
Pop just need to trust him again and Beno can be one of the best backup PG in the league.


If we sign somebody, it should be as a 3rd PG, a complete project, or disaster insurance.


That's the point where I disagree. I don't want a project as 3rd PG. I want a solid vet (a guy like Mike Wilks) who can enter in the game at any moment if Beno or Tony has troubles : I go with the "disaster insurance" solution.

[Jimcs50]

:tu

[cherylsteele]

I agree wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately there are some in this forum who wish to disagree based on a couple of games. If we had done that with Tony he would have been gone before the playoffs in his rookie year.

[GrandeDavid]

I agree. Let the guy play. He needs some guaranteed minutes in order to improve and show his true potential.

[Quadzilla99]

He's fairly slow and unathletic but also a very good shooter. Just like John Paxson and Steve Kerr and they played important minutes on championship teams so I don't see why he couldn't. He is a backup pg after all, not a starting go-to guy.

[MI21]

I would much prefer Brent Barry to be the 2nd string PG.

Defensively, if he is on court with Manu, Manu can guard the Point or even Bowen.

[leemajors]

I would much prefer Brent Barry to be the 2nd string PG.

Defensively, if he is on court with Manu, Manu can guard the Point or even Bowen.

word.

[beirmeistr]

You're right......................you're right...................ManLaw?

[Obstructed_View]

I agree wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately there are some in this forum who wish to disagree based on a couple of games. If we had done that with Tony he would have been gone before the playoffs in his rookie year.
Not on a couple of games, but only the selective games where he makes a mistake. Those people completely discount or disregard anything he does that is good.

[spurschick]

Okay, let's look at the bigger picture. If Tony gets seriously injured during the first week of the season, are you all confident with Beno as our starting PG, logging 30+ minutes a night?

[Obstructed_View]

Okay, let's look at the bigger picture. If Tony gets seriously injured during the first week of the season, are you all confident with Beno as our starting PG, logging 30+ minutes a night?
That's exactly the point. How do you expect him to develop from the bench? At least if Parker gets injured Beno will actually get the PT and we'll find out if he develops or not. It's certainly better than the actual big picture, which is Parker gets banged up during the playoffs, and Pop has to keep playing him because there's no alternative other than the guy that's wasting a roster spot for a second straight year.

[CharlieMac]

I really like Beno. I was never exactly pumped about Speedy either.

[Quadzilla99]

We're talking about a backup point guard. He's not going to be great in the first place or he would be starting somewhere.

[spurschick]

That's exactly the point. How do you expect him to develop from the bench? At least if Parker gets injured Beno will actually get the PT and we'll find out if he develops or not.

You say "we'll find out", but perhaps Pop has a better handle on this than we do and already has an idea of how he'll develop.

During Presidential elections, some people ignore who the VP candidate is because they assume that nothing will happen to the President. If anything were to happen to Tony early on (knock on wood), I don't know that I'm confident with Beno at the helm. I'm willing to give him one more chance at backup, but I'd really like to have a plan B in place via a more seasoned veteran 3rd PG who wouldn't mind less minutes but is ready to fill the backup role if needed.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Face it, if Tony gets hurt Manu is playing point. Maybe Brent. For Tony's backup you need someone who is quick and can defend, and can hit the outside shot.

I'm tired of all the love for a guy who folded under the pressure of Lindsay Hunter of all people last year in the playoffs and couldn't bring the ball up the court without turning it over.

Screw the worship because he's cute (the girls' take on the forum) or because he didn't get a chance (some misguided souls).

He got a chance in 2005, and he got owned on the grandest stage of them all.

[furry_spurry]

I was a fan of Beno's game before the vast majority of the people here ever even heard of him, but I have been disappointed in one main thing-- he has got to work harder-- be more dedicated to basketball. He HAS to improve in certain areas and I did not see him improve in those areas. He needs to replace his "false" cocky self-confidence with some real self-confidence.



I would much prefer Brent Barry to be the 2nd string PG.

You and me both.

[Obstructed_View]

You say "we'll find out", but perhaps Pop has a better handle on this than we do and already has an idea of how he'll develop.
What on earth would give you that idea? He doesn't get minutes when it matters or when Parker is banged up, yet he's still on the roster. If Pop had an idea that he could play, he would be playing him. If Pop had an idea that he couldn't play, he wouldn't be tough to trade. I don't see any evidence that Pop has a clue what to do with him.

[Obstructed_View]

Face it, if Tony gets hurt Manu is playing point. Maybe Brent. For Tony's backup you need someone who is quick and can defend, and can hit the outside shot.
Yet people would rather see Speedy Claxton, who is deficient on two of the three counts listed. Hell, for most of the years I've watched the Spurs, they haven't had a point guard who fits all three of those needs. Maybe they never have.


I'm tired of all the love for a guy who folded under the pressure of Lindsay Hunter of all people last year in the playoffs and couldn't bring the ball up the court without turning it over.
I'm tired of people being happy with the fact that there's a guy wasting a roster spot who doesn't help the team. If he's so awful, he shouldn't be here for yet another season.

[Slo spurs fan]

Face it, if Tony gets hurt Manu is playing point. Maybe Brent. For Tony's backup you need someone who is quick and can defend, and can hit the outside shot.

I'm tired of all the love for a guy who folded under the pressure of Lindsay Hunter of all people last year in the playoffs and couldn't bring the ball up the court without turning it over.

Screw the worship because he's cute (the girls' take on the forum) or because he didn't get a chance (some misguided souls).

He got a chance in 2005, and he got owned on the grandest stage of them all.
Fucking yeah!!! Let´s get Billups for 2nd PG. :rolleyes
And maybe Duncan gets hurt so Spurs must go for Garnett too.
But wait! What if Manu gets hurt too? We must go for Kobe, coz Brent is not good enough...............................
You can´t have 2 allstar players for every position.

[Slo spurs fan]

I was a fan of Beno's game before the vast majority of the people here ever even heard of him, but I have been disappointed in one main thing-- he has got to work harder-- be more dedicated to basketball. He HAS to improve in certain areas and I did not see him improve in those areas. He needs to replace his "false" cocky self-confidence with some real self-confidence.


You and me both.
You must be Samo Udrih aren´t you?

[NBA Junkie]

I like Beno. He's unspectacular, but steady.

As an outsider, maybe I'm wrong about this. I think Van Exel was picked up last season after Beno struggled in the '05 Finals versus the Pistons. He seemed lost on both ends of the floor and Pop figured the team needed a veteran back-up if they were to return to the Finals while Udrih sat and was developed over time.

Now that Nick is out, perhaps Beno retains his second string status.

[Quadzilla99]

Fucking yeah!!! Let´s get Billups for 2nd PG. :rolleyes
And maybe Duncan gets hurt so Spurs must go for Garnett too.
But wait! What if Manu gets hurt too? We must go for Kobe, coz Brent is not good enough...............................
You can´t have 2 allstar players for every position.

Exactly.

[Obstructed_View]

As an outsider, maybe I'm wrong about this. I think Van Exel was picked up last season after Beno struggled in the '05 Finals versus the Pistons. He seemed lost on both ends of the floor and Pop figured the team needed a veteran back-up if they were to return to the Finals while Udrih sat and was developed over time.
If I understood what a point guard could develop over time without consistent PT, I'd love to believe that.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Fucking yeah!!! Let´s get Billups for 2nd PG.
And maybe Duncan gets hurt so Spurs must go for Garnett too.
But wait! What if Manu gets hurt too? We must go for Kobe, coz Brent is not good enough...............................
You can´t have 2 allstar players for every position.

Quit being such a homer, where did I say we needed an All-Star? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that team Slovenia showed up to support the kid.

[Slo spurs fan]

Quit being such a homer, where did I say we needed an All-Star? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that team Slovenia showed up to support the kid.
I am at home now. So it is obvious I am a homer. :spin

[Quadzilla99]

Aggie like I said we're talking about a backup point guard. He's not going to be great in the first place or he would be starting somewhere. Who in the league, as a backup, would be like what you are describing now?

[Obstructed_View]

where did I say we needed an All-Star?
You might list the NBA point guards who are "quick and can defend, and can hit the outside shot" that aren't all-stars, then list the ones that are actually available. Beno is a good shooter and he is quick on the offensive end. Most of his problems with defense and turnovers are mental, so he's either too stupid to play in the NBA or he needs repetition to learn a system that took Parker a couple of years of starting every game to figure out. His coaching staff should have known which of those is the case by now.

[spurschick]

If Pop had an idea that he could play, he would be playing him. If Pop had an idea that he couldn't play, he wouldn't be tough to trade.

From what I understand, they've tried to trade him in the past and there haven't been any takers.

Look, I agree that it's shit or get off the pot time. Beno would've gotten more minutes last season, but NVE fell in our laps and Pop saw it as an opportunity he couldn't pass up. Personally, I would've preferred Beno over NVE, but that's just me.

We seem to be in a similar situation with the bigs right now. As of this moment, we have Oberto, who hasn't proven anything, and Javtokas, who hasn't even signed yet or played in the NBA. While it's only the beginning of July, it's easy to freak out when you see other teams so active and the Spurs still sitting with the great unproven.

Beno has shown flashes of promise here and there and I'd love to think that he will shine if given the opportunity, but overall I haven't seen him do much with the minutes he's had and it's a bit disconcerting.

[Obstructed_View]

From what I understand, they've tried to trade him in the past and there haven't been any takers.
If there are no takers, then the Spurs are asking too much for him because they don't want to have to just acknowledge that their first round draft pick is a bust and get nothing for him.

I basically agree with the rest of your post.

[strangeweather]

Beno is good. He can shoot, he can pass, he can run the offense. His only weakness is confidence. He just needs Pop to believe in him. If Beno went into the year knowing he's going to get 12+ minutes a night, come hell or highwater, by the time February rolled around, he'd easily be one of the top six or eight backup PGs in the league, I guarantee it. He's got the skills.

Tony plays more mins than any of our starters anyway, we really shouldn't freak out too much about his backup.

If we sign somebody, it should be as a 3rd PG, a complete project, or disaster insurance. But the pecking order should be clear with Beno at 2nd. Just give him one year to prove himself.
Beno's confidence can bite me. The guy has proven that he deserves a shot at the job, but if his confidence is so fragile that he folds under the pressure of having another guy here, he can haul his ass back to Slovenia and play pick up ball for all I care.

I want to see someone come in like Pargo or Palacio who won't cost a fortune and won't automatically displace Beno, but has a legit shot at the backup job.

I never thought we really needed a guy like Speedy, but I think it's idiotic to not have someone here who can compete with Beno. If he reacts to the competition by playing consistent ball and proving he can handle the job, great. If he folds under the pressure, that's his problem -- at least we're covered.

[aaronstampler]

[QUOTE=
I never thought we really needed a guy like Speedy, but I think it's idiotic to not have someone here who can compete with Beno. If he reacts to the competition by playing consistent ball and proving he can handle the job, great. If he folds under the pressure, that's his problem -- at least we're covered.[/QUOTE]

I don't know how he'd react to any so-called competition. Obviously Pop never let him compete for the job last year. At absolutely no point in '05-'06 was NVE ever playing better than Beno. I mean, not one single stretch. Still, when he was healthy enough to play, Pop had NVE out there, just because of his salary and his experience. For Beno to be excited about a competition, he'd have to be convinced it's going to be fair to begin with.

[strangeweather]

I don't know how he'd react to any so-called competition. Obviously Pop never let him compete for the job last year. At absolutely no point in '05-'06 was NVE ever playing better than Beno. I mean, not one single stretch. Still, when he was healthy enough to play, Pop had NVE out there, just because of his salary and his experience. For Beno to be excited about a competition, he'd have to be convinced it's going to be fair to begin with.
I don't know what Pop's problem with Beno was last year, or if he just had a thing for Van Exel. I've heard some people say that Beno didn't put in the work behind the scenes that he should have, but I don't know whether that's true or not.

All I do know is that for whatever reason, Beno hasn't played enough minutes when the stakes are high for me to be comfortable handing him the job. That being the case, we need an alternative -- a real one, not some random guy who's going to sit on the IL all year.

[Obstructed_View]

I can't believe that Pop would keep a guy on the roster who didn't have the work ethic to show up and practice hard. Then again, I can't really understand a lot of what he's done the past year or so.

[mardigan]

Beano is what, like 24? This will probably be the year we will see if he is as good as a lot of us think he is, or as bad as the rest think he is. WE DONT NEED A BACKUP POINT! Beano is good, all we need is a crappy 3rd stringer

[ChumpDumper]

The thing is if we get the right crappy thrid stringer he'll probably push Beno for minutes.

[spurschick]

I suppose we better hope that Beno doesn't get hurt during the WCs in Japan.

[Obstructed_View]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000052WRU.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[mardigan]

The thing is if we get the right crappy thrid stringer he'll probably push Beno for minutes.
Thats pretty funny. But if we can win a title with Mike Wilks on the roster, and Brent playing a little point, I think we will be fine with Beano, he will get more confidence. My only question about him is how can you not get better at defense when you guard TP every day?

[ChumpDumper]

Mike Wilks would beat him out at this point.

[strangeweather]

The thing is if we get the right crappy thrid stringer he'll probably push Beno for minutes.
True. :lol

And I suppose it's possible RC can pull some random NBDLer out of his ass who can be a decent backup point. If that's all we can do, so be it. But I'd feel a lot better with a guy like Pargo on the bench.

[bdictjames]

Beno's still young and lacks talent.. I think Manu's gonna move into point guard position whenever needed and Finley can be the other guard. Manu can set up huge plays for Duncan and other players

[ChumpDumper]

True. :lol

And I suppose it's possible RC can pull some random NBDLer out of his ass who can be a decent backup point. If that's all we can do, so be it. But I'd feel a lot better with a guy like Pargo on the bench.I'd say there are about three D-Leaguers that could challenge Beno this coming season, but Beno is a better shooter than any of them.