Schoening: Vaughn Filling Role Well

[Solid D]

http://www.nba.com/spurs/timeout/20secondto.html

by Bill Schoening | October 24, 2006
http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/vaughn_200_061024.jpg
(Steenkeste/NBAE/Getty)

Spurs third year point guard Beno Udrih is expected to return to full workouts this week, after missing all of October with a lingering hamstring injury that has kept him out of training camp, preseason contact drills, scrimmages and the first six preseason games.

That could have caused a dilemma of sorts but the Spurs have a capable insurance policy with ten years of NBA experience: Jacque Vaughn.

Vaughn has drawn praises from head coach Gregg Popovich for his intelligence, dedication and professionalism. As he was preparing for his first start Sunday night against the Rockets (Tony Parker and three other starters were given the night off) the 31-year-old Vaughn admitted that he is still learning the Spurs system, but he said his main concern was making others on the floor comfortable.

As a point guard who has always been more about defense and distributing the ball rather than shoooting, Vaughn is still learning where his teammates like to get the ball, and the plays that best work with different combinations on the floor.

Forward Robert Horry is looking forward to sharing floor time with Vaughn. The 15-year veteran from Alabama said, "I knew Jacque was a good defender, but I didn't realize how good a passer he is." That was evidenced on Sunday night when he dished out five assists in the first ten minutes of the game.

While we all look forward to seeing a healthy Beno Udrih return to the court, it's also good to know a steady, classy veteran like Jacque Vaughn will be ready if needed.

[Mr. Body]

I've long liked Vaughn, ever since his Kansas days playing with Pierce and LaFrentz, and was happy when the Spurs signed him. Udrih has the shooting, but if our lame Slovenian doesn't work out, Vaughn is more than capable of running a team in spurts.

[ducks]

Vaughn has chip to work with now

[polandprzem]

Voughn will be the first one off the bench as a PG. Like vanX was, and last year I though that Beno will switch the places with vanx, but never happend :(
So the situation seems to be the same.

[ducks]

beno for amare

[polandprzem]

beno for amare

We do not want to make Suns happy do we?

[FromWayDowntown]

I think the Vaughn signing was a smart one, because he's capable of providing good defense and can run a ballclub, too. You don't play the point for Jerry Sloan if you aren't a decent decision-maker. Both as a defender and as an operator of the offense, I think Vaughn is a major step up from an end-of-the-road Van Exel, though he'll never be the offensive weapon that Nicky could be. I think Vaughn affords the Spurs some luxuries against teams that want to go smallish. I still think that if he needed to, Pop could play Vaughn and Parker together to try to offset some of the speed that the Mavericks try to throw at the Spurs with Harris and Terry. Parker can slide over to a functional 2 guard while Vaughn runs the show, at least for stretches of time.

[td4mvp21]

I say make him backup. Good defense and he seems to know the system.

[Solid D]

The Nets last season frequently played Vaughn and Kidd on the floor together at the end of games when they went "small".

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Didn't he have like 8 assists against the Rockets?

[FromWayDowntown]

The Nets last season frequently played Vaughn and Kidd on the floor together at the end of games when they went "small".

For the record, I'm not suggesting that the Spurs go small, just saying that Vaughn strikes me as a far better choice for doing that than Van Exel ever would have been. Flexibility, I suppose.

[yavozerb]

I think the Vaughn signing was a smart one, because he's capable of providing good defense and can run a ballclub, too. You don't play the point for Jerry Sloan if you aren't a decent decision-maker. Both as a defender and as an operator of the offense, I think Vaughn is a major step up from an end-of-the-road Van Exel, though he'll never be the offensive weapon that Nicky could be. I think Vaughn affords the Spurs some luxuries against teams that want to go smallish. I still think that if he needed to, Pop could play Vaughn and Parker together to try to offset some of the speed that the Mavericks try to throw at the Spurs with Harris and Terry. Parker can slide over to a functional 2 guard while Vaughn runs the show, at least for stretches of time.
I agree!!Vaughn I think can play Harris on the defensive end allowing Parker to remain in the game for scoring purposes against terry.

[Bruno]

While we all look forward to seeing a healthy Beno Udrih return to the court, it's also good to know a steady, classy veteran like Jacque Vaughn will be ready if needed.

agree Vaughn is a really good insurance. If Beno sucks or is injured, vaughn will be able to give 15 solid mpg to backup Parker.
People called him a 3rd stringer but he isn't :
2001 : 19.8 mpg
2002 : 22.6 mpg
2003 : 21.1 mpg
2004 : 17.9 mpg
2005 : 19.9 mpg
2006 : 15.4 mpg

[ploto]

One week to go and still no option picked up for Beno. I do not think it is going to happen and I actually don't think he wants it to be.

[ChumpDumper]

boo-hoo

[ShoogarBear]

WTF has Beno done to deserve getting his option getting picked up? Performed well in pregame stretching?

[SequSpur]

Vaughn can't hit the broadside of a barn.

[ShoogarBear]

He would kick your ass in 21.

[ploto]

WTF has Beno done to deserve getting his option getting picked up? Performed well in pregame stretching?
Hey- I'm the one who said all along it would not be picked up- even before the injury.

[bdictjames]

Not bad, but Im more concerned about his turnovers

[T Park]

I think the Vaughn signing was a smart one, because he's capable of providing good defense and can run a ballclub, too. You don't play the point for Jerry Sloan if you aren't a decent decision-maker. Both as a defender and as an operator of the offense, I think Vaughn is a major step up from an end-of-the-road Van Exel, though he'll never be the offensive weapon that Nicky could be. I think Vaughn affords the Spurs some luxuries against teams that want to go smallish. I still think that if he needed to, Pop could play Vaughn and Parker together to try to offset some of the speed that the Mavericks try to throw at the Spurs with Harris and Terry. Parker can slide over to a functional 2 guard while Vaughn runs the show, at least for stretches of time.


I think against the Mavericks you will see Vaughn and Parker out there together, against Terry and Harris.

I think Vaugh could guard Terry, but could Parker guard Harris?

If so, then you find the way to beat the Mavericks.

It wasn't Dirk that beat em.

It was Terry, Diop, and Howard.


Pray that Vaugh can stay with and guard the bhell out of Terry.

[phxspurfan]

if he can guard Devin Harris, we're set.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

He looks pretty ripped, if he is strong and quick enough and can guard (dump?) that fucking chump Terry i agree with whoever said we'd see him and parker out there against devin and jason

[Joepa]

Beno will probably be buried at the end of the bench for most of the year. I don't think we'll see him back next year. Pop is (or was) unhappy with him, and he can't want to be with a team that gives him little to no playing time.

[Kori Ellis]

One week to go and still no option picked up for Beno. I do not think it is going to happen and I actually don't think he wants it to be.



Provided Udrih doesn't have any significant setbacks, the team is expected to pick up the option, which costs only $1.75 million. Even if the Spurs later decide to trade Udrih, teams would value him more if they know he'll be under contract next season.

[dbestpro]

Vaughn would deserve the credit if he could shoot better than Ben Wallace. When he's on the floor he goes uncovered and causes an easy double down. A good point dishes assists and hits the jump shot to keep the defense honest. This guy should be called 50 cent casue he can only do half. I remember he came within two shots of setting a record for most consecutive missed shots.

[Mr. Body]

I see Udrih getting his time on the floor, given ample opportunity to prove himself either as a Spur or a player with trade value. It's as likely as not, to me, that he'll finish the year on another team. Somewhere like Philadelphia that is running only very old point guards.

[AFBlue]

Beno will probably be buried at the end of the bench for most of the year. I don't think we'll see him back next year. Pop is (or was) unhappy with him, and he can't want to be with a team that gives him little to no playing time.

That's a slight over-reaction to an early pre-season issue. Beno, for better or worse, is our second best option talent-wise and if he gets healthy enough to contribute back-up minutes, he'll be running the O when Tony's not in.

[AFBlue]

I see Udrih getting his time on the floor, given ample opportunity to prove himself either as a Spur or a player with trade value. It's as likely as not, to me, that he'll finish the year on another team. Somewhere like Philadelphia that is running only very old point guards.

I agree with your point also that he could be traded. In fact, if he plays fairly well in his limited minutes I have to think the Spurs might jump on him as a "sell high" kind of player, provided we can get a decent back-up in return for him or another of our tradeable players (williams, barry, etc.).

[Mr. Body]

I agree with your point also that he could be traded. In fact, if he plays fairly well in his limited minutes I have to think the Spurs might jump on him as a "sell high" kind of player, provided we can get a decent back-up in return for him or another of our tradeable players (williams, barry, etc.).

My thoughts, too. Problem is, looking through rosters/salaries of teams that need point guard help, or might need it, there's either not much we could use from them in return or those players we might like would be more expensive than an Udrih+Williams swap.

The player we most need - the young, athletic SF - is a top commodity it seems.

[coopdogg3]

My thoughts, too. Problem is, looking through rosters/salaries of teams that need point guard help, or might need it, there's either not much we could use from them in return or those players we might like would be more expensive than an Udrih+Williams swap.

The player we most need - the young, athletic SF - is a top commodity it seems.

We may be able to get some sort of draft pick(s) for him. With a few more 2nd rounders, the Spurs could just take over the entire round.