tekdragon
12-19-2006, 10:28 AM
Linky (http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_19956.shtml)
Spurs: The Jackie Butler Equation
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By Bill Ingram
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Dec 19, 2006, 08:50
The San Antonio Spurs had a curious solution to their center needs over the offseason. After losing Nazr Mohammed (their intended starter) to free agency they courted Alonzo Mourning and then Joel Przybilla as possible replacements. When both chose to stay with their previous teams, the Spurs didn't look to established free agents like Olowokandi, Cato, or Woods - but rather chose to go with a third string center from a lottery team. Why?
For the answer to that question we turn to Basketball News Services' experts on the New York Knicks.
Yael Shacham: I love the guy. I think he has lots of potential, he is a hard worker, which earned him some playing time with LB, and he could develop into a solid bench player. Personality wise? Not much of a talker. He was my second interview on media day last year and he basically answered with yes/no. He is very athletic for his size, strong and got a nice soft touch when he scores. He also has potential in the blocking department. I would keep him, as I think he will get better and better. Again, could be a nice backup to the center.
Wendell Maxey: Jackie found himself in an interesting situation during his first full season in the NBA and with the New York Knicks. he for sure had stretches on the inactive list. but it didn't take long for Larry Brown to realize Jackie was the perfect fit (then again coach brown used 42 different starting lineups last year). Jerome James, often injured and out of shape, really didn't fit into Larry Brown's game plan and Eddy Curry's conditioning was questionable after coming back from heart complications.
Insert Jackie.
Now 6'10 and 265, the kid isn't going to kill you with fancy footwork or be a pick and pop guy. But Brown has good hands for a big man and cleans up nicely around the boards. Basically, Jackie is "serviceable". Larry never ran plays for him. Didn't have to. Jackie got 22 points against Washington and 18 versus Detroit last season just by mopping up misses.
As a person, Jackie is pretty meek and doesn't talk a lot. But Larry always spoke highly of him and loved having him in the second rotation with Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee. Jackie fit Coach Brown's 'play the right way' motto and became someone Larry went to early and often off the bench, while not even giving Jerome James a thought.
CBA Cinderella story or overpaid-overweight free agent? The choice was pretty clear for Coach Brown.
So much, in fact, that it was a bit of a shock that Knicks management (read Isiah Thomas) decided not to keep Jackie Butler around. When the offseason hit and the Spurs came calling, Thomas really didn't even think twice about it. He let him go.
Considering Jerome James is the same Jerome James of last year and Kelvin Cato....well....he's Kelvin Cato....something tells me Jackie Butler would be the perfect player to back up Eddy Curry this season in New York.
He did last year.
It took Butler most of last season to finally get significant playing time, and that was only after the Knick were well beyond playing games that meant anything. What he did show all season was that he was a very efficient player, and that trend continued when he started to get more minutes. He shoots a very high percentage from the field, he's a solid rebounder, and he even hits a high percentage of his free throws. These are all attributes that should make him someone who would earn minutes in Gregg Popovich's rotation. The Spurs' scouts were very high on him this summer - now it's just up to his coach to have some confidence in him, as well.
Neither Fabricio Oberto nor Francisco Elson has shown a particular knack for starting at the center position. They can hold down the middle, but that's about all. Popovich seems to be over the Oberto scenario, choosing lately to start Elson, but Elson isn't doing any better. In four starts he's averaging just 5.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game - not much better than his numbers in ten fewer minutes per contest off the bench: 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Time to give Jackie a chance?
He can't be any worse than the two players who are in the rotation now.
Key Newslines
James White was sent down to the NBDL's Austin Toros on Friday and appeared in his first game on Sunday. He logged 24 minutes, scoring nine points to go with three rebounds and two assists in the Toros' 94-99 loss to the Skyforce.
Spurs: The Jackie Butler Equation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Bill Ingram
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Dec 19, 2006, 08:50
The San Antonio Spurs had a curious solution to their center needs over the offseason. After losing Nazr Mohammed (their intended starter) to free agency they courted Alonzo Mourning and then Joel Przybilla as possible replacements. When both chose to stay with their previous teams, the Spurs didn't look to established free agents like Olowokandi, Cato, or Woods - but rather chose to go with a third string center from a lottery team. Why?
For the answer to that question we turn to Basketball News Services' experts on the New York Knicks.
Yael Shacham: I love the guy. I think he has lots of potential, he is a hard worker, which earned him some playing time with LB, and he could develop into a solid bench player. Personality wise? Not much of a talker. He was my second interview on media day last year and he basically answered with yes/no. He is very athletic for his size, strong and got a nice soft touch when he scores. He also has potential in the blocking department. I would keep him, as I think he will get better and better. Again, could be a nice backup to the center.
Wendell Maxey: Jackie found himself in an interesting situation during his first full season in the NBA and with the New York Knicks. he for sure had stretches on the inactive list. but it didn't take long for Larry Brown to realize Jackie was the perfect fit (then again coach brown used 42 different starting lineups last year). Jerome James, often injured and out of shape, really didn't fit into Larry Brown's game plan and Eddy Curry's conditioning was questionable after coming back from heart complications.
Insert Jackie.
Now 6'10 and 265, the kid isn't going to kill you with fancy footwork or be a pick and pop guy. But Brown has good hands for a big man and cleans up nicely around the boards. Basically, Jackie is "serviceable". Larry never ran plays for him. Didn't have to. Jackie got 22 points against Washington and 18 versus Detroit last season just by mopping up misses.
As a person, Jackie is pretty meek and doesn't talk a lot. But Larry always spoke highly of him and loved having him in the second rotation with Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee. Jackie fit Coach Brown's 'play the right way' motto and became someone Larry went to early and often off the bench, while not even giving Jerome James a thought.
CBA Cinderella story or overpaid-overweight free agent? The choice was pretty clear for Coach Brown.
So much, in fact, that it was a bit of a shock that Knicks management (read Isiah Thomas) decided not to keep Jackie Butler around. When the offseason hit and the Spurs came calling, Thomas really didn't even think twice about it. He let him go.
Considering Jerome James is the same Jerome James of last year and Kelvin Cato....well....he's Kelvin Cato....something tells me Jackie Butler would be the perfect player to back up Eddy Curry this season in New York.
He did last year.
It took Butler most of last season to finally get significant playing time, and that was only after the Knick were well beyond playing games that meant anything. What he did show all season was that he was a very efficient player, and that trend continued when he started to get more minutes. He shoots a very high percentage from the field, he's a solid rebounder, and he even hits a high percentage of his free throws. These are all attributes that should make him someone who would earn minutes in Gregg Popovich's rotation. The Spurs' scouts were very high on him this summer - now it's just up to his coach to have some confidence in him, as well.
Neither Fabricio Oberto nor Francisco Elson has shown a particular knack for starting at the center position. They can hold down the middle, but that's about all. Popovich seems to be over the Oberto scenario, choosing lately to start Elson, but Elson isn't doing any better. In four starts he's averaging just 5.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game - not much better than his numbers in ten fewer minutes per contest off the bench: 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Time to give Jackie a chance?
He can't be any worse than the two players who are in the rotation now.
Key Newslines
James White was sent down to the NBDL's Austin Toros on Friday and appeared in his first game on Sunday. He logged 24 minutes, scoring nine points to go with three rebounds and two assists in the Toros' 94-99 loss to the Skyforce.