Why Jackie Butler isn't playing yet

[flipcritic]

Found this in the NYTimes today. So take heart.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/sports/basketball/07knicks.html

"... Jackie Butler, who left the Knicks for the Spurs over the summer, has yet to play this season. “His time is ahead of him, he’s only 20 years old,” Popovich said. “Our main concern with Jackie is that we want to get him in shape and show him what it takes to compete at the highest level.” The Knicks declined to match the Spurs’ 3-year, $7 million offer to Butler, because they had made major investments in Eddy Curry and Jerome James."

[Brutalis]

No kidding.

[gospursgojas]

Damn, I'm glad someone cleared that one up...

[TDMVPDPOY]

still......fuck i hate waitin for this shit, we need his reb.

[Texas_Ranger]

Because he is too young.:lol

[Bruno]

I've found that Elson+Oberto wasn't enough to play against Curry last night. Both were in foul trouble. I hope that Butler will be ready for the playoff because I think that Spurs will need him against centers like Shaq or Yao.

[TurkishTimDuncan]

I agree this idea. I think Butler is better better than oberto. Maybe he can t star line 5 up.But we need in the bench.

[JamStone]

Actually, Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade are MVPs right now.

[Chris Childs]

Believe me, he's not playing because he is terrible nuff said. And he kind of remind me of Nazr Mohammed by the way.

[Bruno]

Another article about Butler :
http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-sbkside074965114nov07,0,2168595.story?coll=ny-knicks-print


Popovich also made reference to the Knicks' situation when he was asked about Jackie Butler, the young center the Knicks opted to let go to San Antonio over the summer. Butler, whom Isiah Thomas found in the CBA, was on the inactive list last night. Popovich said the 20-year-old needs to improve his conditioning.

"We want to get him in shape," Popovich said, 'and show him what it takes to compete at the highest level."

Butler is 'buying in," Popovich added. "He came to us at about 28 percent body fat. He's 19 1/2 now. He's listening and working. We all know he's a talented kid. It's the other side of it that's important."

The Spurs, who have had the good fortune to draft David Robinson and Tim Duncan, know they have time to develop Butler. They also have the right environment.

[Kori Ellis]

Both articles think he's 20-years-old.

Not that it's important, but he's 21.

[ShoogarBear]

It's damn sure important to him, I bet.
:drunk

[AFBlue]

Both articles think he's 20-years-old.

Not that it's important, but he's 21.

Actually the first article was a direct quote from Pop, and the second article is most-likely paraphrasing Pop's comments, so it's Pop who is mis-informed. Not that it matters much, he still drives home the point that JB is young and that he has to improve his conditioning to be a consistent factor for the team in the future. I'm glad he's "buying in" as Pop said.

[Kori Ellis]

I wonder if he ever gave that girl her jacket back :drunk

[ShoogarBear]

:lol, was there ever any followup to that?

[midgetonadonkey]

He will play when the Spurs are up 25 with 5 minutes left in the game.

[Mr. Body]

I wonder if he ever gave that girl her jacket back :drunk

He used it to wipe his mouth after a humongous meal.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

^ :lmao

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

28 percent body fat??? Fat, fat fatty fat.

[Kori Ellis]

Hopefully Eric Williams and Bonner are on Butler's training program. Butler is advancing quickly and those two still seem very out of shape.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

We should keep eric williams fat. He's already old and slow. What harm can some bulk do to him? He can use his girth to bully people around.

[Kori Ellis]

We should keep eric williams fat. He's already old and slow. What harm can some bulk do to him? He can use his girth to bully people around.

He's not that old, so he probably doesn't need to be slow. Having another small forward who could actually play sometimes can't be a bad thing.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

If Butler's already lost roughly 9% of his body fat he's slimming down pretty darn quick. Must mean he wants to prove himself. 28% is amazingly high for an NBA player not named Barkley.

Bruce Bowen probably plays the game at around 5-7% I'd think. He doesn't appear to have an ounce of fat on him.

[ChumpDumper]

He's not that old, so he probably doesn't need to be slow. Having another small forward who could actually play sometimes can't be a bad thing.Yeah, if Eric doesn't lose some weight, we should buy him out and bring back Jamar or start another SF project.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Isn't he like 40?

[SenorSpur]

Hopefully Eric Williams and Bonner are on Butler's training program. Butler is advancing quickly and those two still seem very out of shape.

No kidding. Bonner has probably got one of the worst bodies this side of Zarko Paspaji - and I don't believe he even smokes.

I hope EWill get into enough shape to be able to contribute on a regular basis. I've not seen him play in a few years, so I don't know what he brings to the table.

[Kori Ellis]

Isn't he like 40?

34

[ShoogarBear]

A 40 yr. old small forward in the NBA would be a freakin' miracle.

I'm trying to recall one. If you want to count MJ, he turned 40 his last year.

[CaptainLate]

He will play when the Spurs are up 25 with 5 minutes left in the game.

Not when he is sitting on the Inactive list.

[Mr. Body]

Too bad we can't slather James White with some of Butler's lost fat. Maybe then he could dunk in traffic. And slather some of Oberto's excess basketball brains over him, too.

And, I'm all for stapling Eric Williams to the IR. If we ever need him, we're screwed. I'd rather give White any time he'd ever get.

[coopdogg3]

Yeah, I'm all for Williams on the IR as well. Maybe alternating the other 2 slots with Vaughn, Butler, Bonner, and White. I would like White OR Butler to be available for every game. Try to give them some garbage minutes. Guess we need to start blowing people out though.