Former Spur(D.Brown) has been a blessing for Hornets

[ArgSpursFan]

It's not like Devin Brown was some YMCA-level player, or a delusional streetball wizard. And, it's not like he was somebody who could tell you all the things he'd have done against LeBron on a given night, while holding court with a cold one in his left hand, a remote in his right and a full complement of friends surrounding him to add their two cents -- which escalated to about a quarter when they charted their strategies for stopping Kobe and Vince Carter.

No, Brown was a lot better than a dreamer.

He was a had-done-it rather than a never-will, an NBA champion in 2004-05 who averaged 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 21.1 minutes in 67 games for the San Antonio Spurs.

Still, though, what he has done this season is pretty impressive, bordering on miraculous.

Before signing with the Hornets as a free agent on Dec. 21, Brown was on the street, unneeded and unemployed. Now, he's a starter for a team that's 26-29 and making a playoff run.

Before, like you and me, he watched games on television. Now, he plays in them, posting career highs in points (12.1), rebounds (4.9), assists (3.3) and minutes (29.7). "I can't remember a guy that has come in (off the street) and been that big of a contributor to a team," Hornets Coach Byron Scott said. "But you've got to give Devin a lot of credit for staying ready and being prepared to come in and held a team if he was called on."

With the Hornets, it was more like a distress signal.

Virtually all of the players representing the core of the team's scoring, leadership and toughness (Chris Paul, David West, Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson) were on the bench, injured.

When Brown was added, he gave the Hornets a little of all those things -- scoring, defense, a scratch-and-claw player who was willing to do the dirty work and then some. Probably, he gave the team a little more than anyone had any idea it would be getting.

After winning eight of its first 15 games, including its first four, New Orleans lost seven of its first nine in December before signing Brown. It dropped four of the first six games he played, then began turning around things with a 7-8 record in January and, so far, a 7-3 mark in February. That's 10-14 without Brown, 16-15 with him; not Dallas-like, but not Memphis copycats, either.

"The thing about New Orleans, there had been some interest in the past," Brown said. "But the team had a lot of guards. Then, they had so many injuries, they decided to pull me in.

"I just came in, saw the record at the time and said, 'Do anything you can to get these guys in a situation to make the playoffs.' Now, we're in a great situation."

The Hornets, and Brown.

The Hornets because they're in position to make the playoffs despite being decimated by injury at one point, and Brown because no matter what happens the rest of this season, he should be in position to cash in on his play.

The rest-of-the-season deal he has with the Hornets should turn into a multiyear pact with someone -- probably, the Hornets, who will be able to point to Brown as one of the major reasons, if not the major reason, if they wriggle into the playoffs.

"Devin has been great for us," Paul said. "He's a guy who can shoot, pass, make all the right decisions. He has been on a world championship team, (so) he's been in more situations than I have."

Said Scott: "He gives us another ballhandler, another guy that can make shots, he plays very good defense. He gives us a better opportunity to win ballgames, and he has just done an unbelievable job."

That's an understatement.

Before he made a triumphant return to the NBA, Brown was playing five to six league games a night and hitting golf balls two to three hours per day in the Texas heat in San Antonio. Short of playing pickup ball with actual NBA players, it was as much activity as he could find.

Now, you find him in the starting lineup at shooting guard.

"It was close to three months I was out," Brown said. "It's a blessing."

One that flows both ways, the perfect melding of a team that desperately needed a player and a player who desperately needed a team.

[boutons_]

"Brown was playing five to six league games a night"

huh?

[Louae]

I still wonder why we never brought him in.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I still wonder why we never brought him in.

back problems i heard

[SequSpur]

frickin told ya... over and over and over and over again.

[SequSpur]

back problems i heard

its all bs.

[ArgSpursFan]

I still wonder why we never brought him in.

Work ethics.but it looks like he´s change after that.

[Ocotillo]

It's a bit ironic. Byron Scott soured on Stephen Jackson and the Spurs picked up his cast off and nutured him into an integral part of Spurs team.

Now Scott returns the favor and picks up one of our cast offs and he has evolved to an important part of what they are doing in New Orleans.

What goes around comes around I guess.

[samikeyp]

the other night I saw a fast break with Devin Brown passing to Linton Johnson for a dunk.... nice to know the Spurs are a farm system! :)

[Darkwaters]

Both Linton and Devin have been absolute blessings. Linton is the backup PF on the team and playing very well. Devin is starting at the off-guard slot and also plays exceptionally. He has a knack for hitting quite a few 3's and playing solid D. With Desmond Mason likely to walk at season's end, Devin seems to be the heir apparent for his old job.

[ShoogarBear]

All Hail the 2008 Master Plan!

[lebomb]

Tons of people in here SHIT on Devin when he was let go. All the haters came out saying he wasnt that good and he was just average......well, we sure could use his AVERAGE ass now. He is better than anyone we have coming off our bench right now period.

[GoSpurs21]

anyone here who still wants Fin over Devin is just plain crazy

two biggest mistakes last year where Fin and NVE...and the Spurs are still paying for those mistakes

[hater]

He is better than anyone we have coming off our bench right now period.

bettern than Manu?

[timvp]

Not bad for an "unnecessary fifth swingman". You sure don't hear much out of the anti-Devin clan these days.

[SenorSpur]

the other night I saw a fast break with Devin Brown passing to Linton Johnson for a dunk.... nice to know the Spurs are a farm system! :)


Something's wrong with this picture.

Perhaps the Spurs brass want us to believe that the roster chocked full of so much talent that these two were simply "squeezed out" in a numbers game.

Looking at the cast around the Big Three, perhaps they simply made a mistake in their evaluation on these two.

[lebomb]

bettern than Manu?


LOL, Ok you got me.......maybe not better than Manu. I still consider Manu a starter, because he plays starter minutes.

[Kori Ellis]

Something's wrong with this picture.

Perhaps the Spurs brass want us to believe that the roster chocked full of so much talent that these two were simply "squeezed out" in a numbers game.

Looking at the cast around the Big Three, perhaps they simply made a mistake in their evaluation on these two.

Devin was lazy when he was here. Linton Johnson had all the tools but didn't translate that into anything - even in practice.

[ChumpDumper]

Good for Devin. Shouldn't have slept in so much while he was here.

[lebomb]

Devin was lazy when he was here.


Sorry, I just dont buy that.....guy is leading scorer in Saytown HS history and college.......gave us alot when he was a SPUR and then all this lazy crap comes out of nowhere. NO/OKC says he does all the dirty work for the team.....that sure in the hell doesnt sound lazy. I think the SPURS used that as excuse as to why they let a decent player go. They have been known to do that. :rolleyes

[Pugglekicker_21]

Simply The SPurs FO at its greatest. (or is that worst?)

[ArgSpursFan]

Brown=another FO´s mistake

[Kori Ellis]

Sorry, I just dont buy that.....guy is leading scorer in Saytown HS history and college.......gave us alot when he was a SPUR and then all this lazy crap comes out of nowhere. NO/OKC says he does all the dirty work for the team.....that sure in the hell doesnt sound lazy. I think the SPURS used that as excuse as to why they let a decent player go. They have been known to do that. :rolleyes

It did not come out of no where. They talked about it all the time while he was here. In fact, the day after the Spurs signed him for the season the first year, the next day he called into practice late and said he was sick and wasn't coming. (Mind you he called after the practice had already started).

He had a rep of being late/flaky the whole time he was here in regards to practice.

[ggoose25]

i think devin might have been lazy because there were not many minutes to go around. he was buried on the bench with manu, bones, bowen, and hedo ahead of him in the rotation. I think being unempolyed may have lit a fire under his ass

[Peter]

A slimmer payroll was certainly worth it. :jack

[Kori Ellis]

A slimmer payroll was certainly worth it. :jack

Was the payroll slimmer for passing on Devin?

They chose to pay Finley $3M a year instead of giving that same money or less to Devin.

[Peter]

Could've had him as well.

[Mark in Austin]

Was the payroll slimmer for passing on Devin?

They chose to pay Finley $3M a year instead of giving that same money or less to Devin.


Stop trying to confuse us with the facts, Kori.

Why do we need somebody who witnessed this stuff to tell us what went down when we can be perfectly happy just making shit up ourselves.

[timvp]

The Spurs became the first team in NBA history to lose a restricted free-agent who was only tendered a one-year deal. And then followed that up by not even offering Devin a training camp invite.

Olu Fatimabamimi, Charles Lee, Richard Belzer, Jared Reiner > Devin Brown.

Puro San Antonio.

[T Park]

yeah lets beat some more dead horses.

[Peter]

Oh well, at least ownership doesn't have to starve.

[Peter]

yeah lets beat some more dead horses.

Better to beat dead horses than beat your meat.

[boutons_]

His work ethic (talent is useless without work) as a Spur AND his back problems lessened his attractiveness.

Sitting out NBA for 3 months (a "blessing" delivered by the Spurs, among others) seems to have scared him into working (for now. we'll see after/if lands a big contract), and his back is holding up (for now).

Who's to say if he would have worked as hard for the Spurs without the sit-out as he has for the Hornets with the sit-out?

That's a big if.

It takes 2 parties to make a contract, and both SJax and Devin didn't play their end of he contract well (apart from how the Spurs played their end).

[exstatic]

Trust me: when you get cut loose, you're INDUSTRIOUS in your next gig. Nothing like missing a raft of paychecks to adjust your attitude.

[MannyIsGod]

Not bad for an "unnecessary fifth swingman". You sure don't hear much out of the anti-Devin clan these days.You don't need to hear much. Devin said it himself. If things didn't go the way they did, he probably woudln't work as hard as he does now. He said that very thing, so why do people keep acting as though keeping him automaticaly means that he would have developed into what he's doing now?

People need changes of scenery to make things work for them sometimes, and Devin Brown himself has acknowledged as much.

[Darkwaters]

Devin had a horrible shooting night tonight (1-11) but was perfect from the line (5-5). Devin did however, play some good defense on Ray Allen and has been getting additional praise tonight.

[Capt Bringdown]

Perhaps he could have worked harder here, or maybe something to do with Pop's reluctance to recognize and nurture young talent?
Excuse me, I guess I should have said US talent.
Maybe we should have stashed him somewhere, like in Pop's wine cellar.

[Tom_Foolery]

I've always liked Devin & was sad to see him go. On the topic of most of the Spurs fan here, yeah, they are quite comical. Probably 85% of the people said "absolutely no" to the idea of Elson starting over Oberto earlier in the season. Well, we all know how that ended up;)

When Devin left, people here didn't question the move at all, passing it off as Devin as a "liability" and said he "took a step back". Well, we know how that's turning out;) I love seeing it though. Alot of blind Pop followers who refuse to accept the remote possibility that RC or Pop could ever in their lives make a mistake.

I would say that Pop has made just as many mistakes as he's made great choices.

[ducks]

It did not come out of no where. They talked about it all the time while he was here. In fact, the day after the Spurs signed him for the season the first year, the next day he called into practice late and said he was sick and wasn't coming. (Mind you he called after the practice had already started).

He had a rep of being late/flaky the whole time he was here in regards to practice.


it was in the press awhile ago
he said in the article that when he was here he was lazy

[ArgSpursFan]

Hey,He was younger back them,He learned from his mistakes man,and besides ,he´s only human.

[Ocotillo]

It did not come out of no where. They talked about it all the time while he was here. In fact, the day after the Spurs signed him for the season the first year, the next day he called into practice late and said he was sick and wasn't coming. (Mind you he called after the practice had already started).

He had a rep of being late/flaky the whole time he was here in regards to practice.

http://espn-ak.starwave.com/i/nba/profiles/players/65x90/3094.jpg

Practice? We talkin' 'bout practice. Practice!?!

[ArgSpursFan]

http://espn-ak.starwave.com/i/nba/profiles/players/65x90/3094.jpg

Practice? We talkin' 'bout practice. Practice!?!
I like D Brown and I´m happy he is doing good,but The thing is that AI would last a week under Pop´s coaching.

[Tom_Foolery]

It did not come out of no where. They talked about it all the time while he was here. In fact, the day after the Spurs signed him for the season the first year, the next day he called into practice late and said he was sick and wasn't coming. (Mind you he called after the practice had already started).

He had a rep of being late/flaky the whole time he was here in regards to practice.


I'm not sure about that one. Pop has a history of not taking any kind of excuses and cr@p from players and Devin got more playing time than I thought he would. If he really was late and Pop was not very pleased with his attitude, guaranteed he would not have any playing time.

From what I remember, the Jazz were willing to pay more for Devin than the Spurs because the Spurs were concerned about his back. We also have to remember that the Spurs also had interest in an injured Grant Hill years ago, and with DRob having back problems as well, I think it really came down to one thing and one thing only: Pop most likely didn't think Devin's back would hold up.

What I also liked about Devin was his defense. He played Kobe pretty good.

[doldrums]

I have nba season pass and watched last night's game. He was horrible on o and merely ok on D.

[Kori Ellis]

I'm not sure about that one. Pop has a history of not taking any kind of excuses and cr@p from players and Devin got more playing time than I thought he would. If he really was late and Pop was not very pleased with his attitude, guaranteed he would not have any playing time.

...

If you want to search back, there's an E-N article I remember that came out when Devin was in summer league in 2004 talking about how he was flaky/late for practices, etc. Again, this was in 2004 - way before the Spurs made any decision about not keeping him in the summer of 2005.

Devin himself admits he wasn't a hard worker when he was here.

[objective]

pretty sad that someone who was seen as lazy as Brown was could still straight up take Barry's spot as the 6th man and be a huge part of the Spurs rotation before the injury.

He'd have already taken all of Finley's minutes by now, lazy or not.

[timvp]

You don't need to hear much. Devin said it himself. If things didn't go the way they did, he probably woudln't work as hard as he does now. He said that very thing, so why do people keep acting as though keeping him automaticaly means that he would have developed into what he's doing now?

People need changes of scenery to make things work for them sometimes, and Devin Brown himself has acknowledged as much.

I don't necessarily think that the change of scenery was what got Devin working hard. Being without a job from the beginning of July to the end of December probably did the trick.

How could it have hurt the Spurs to invite Devin to training camp? You tell him if he's late to one practice or shows any signs of immaturity, he's cut.

Or how about at some point in December when it was already obvious that the Spurs' perimeter was too old? You don't bring Devin in for a 10-day contract to see if he has changed? That makes no sense. You risk nothing, while the reward could be getting a player who'd be in the rotation.

To me it never made any sense and still doesn't. As I said all along, just give him a look. A lot can change in a year and a half ... especially playing under Jerry Sloan and then getting traded and getting cut.

Devin would currently be the fourth best player on the team. Yet Spurs fans still make excuses for the front office in fumbling away a no risk opportunity to get a look at a player that might've helped.

[timvp]

pretty sad that someone who was seen as lazy as Brown was could still straight up take Barry's spot as the 6th man and be a huge part of the Spurs rotation before the injury.

He'd have already taken all of Finley's minutes by now, lazy or not.

Exactly :lol

The lazy, out of shape, golf obsessed version of Devin Brown still beat out Brent Barry the last time he was with the Spurs. To not take a look at him for free earlier this year has to go down as one of the dumbest things I've seen this front office do.

I can live with the argument that the Spurs were justified in letting Devin go to Utah even though that was the first time in NBA history that a team lost a restricted free agent to a one-year contract offer. But to say the Spurs shouldn't have invited him to training camp this season or at least taken a look at him in December is crazy.

[objective]

Exactly :lol

The lazy, out of shape, golf obsessed version of Devin Brown still beat out Brent Barry the last time he was with the Spurs. To not take a look at him for free earlier this year has to go down as one of the dumbest things I've seen this front office do.

I can live with the argument that the Spurs were justified in letting Devin go to Utah even though that was the first time in NBA history that a team lost a restricted free agent to a one-year contract offer. But to say the Spurs shouldn't have invited him to training camp this season or at least taken a look at him in December is crazy.

I think Devin signed a two year deal with Utah, after the first year he was traded to GS and they cut him. So it wasn't a 1-year offer that got him.

Still, you and I are in agreement.

[timvp]

I think Devin signed a two year deal with Utah, after the first year he was traded to GS and they cut him. So it wasn't a 1-year offer that got him.

Still, you and I are in agreement.

The second year was only like 15% guaranteed. So yeah, it was basically a one-year deal with a team option for a second year. But like when Danny Ferry signed a similar contract with the Spurs, the second year was setup in a way that gave the contract high trade value.

[SequSpur]

Popovich is to much of a puss to let anyone go.. now he has more talent and potential on the inactive list than he has in his usual rotation. His youth is getting better by watching Finley, Horry and Bowen play... What a fuckin joke.

[objective]

Popovich is to much of a puss to let anyone go.. now he has more talent and potential on the inactive list than he has in his usual rotation. His youth is getting better by watching Finley, Horry and Bowen play... What a fuckin joke.

there's a lot to learn from watching Finley shoot 25% or less from the field, which he does quite often.

[YODA]

Look folks , the FO isnt always gonan make the right move, but they have brung us Manu and TP. Weve also have gotton guys like Mario ellie, Kersey, Stephen Jackson, Speedy Claxton. Over all they have done better then fantastic. Saying this, I can now say they obviosly dropped the ball with not getting Divin back in here. The excuse I heard was that we were overloaded at gaurd (Finley, Beno, Parker, Barry, ) And we had no room for him. Still doesnt mean you cant at least give him a try in camp correcT?
Ive had Devin on my fastasy bb team and he has held his own most of seaon. A few bad games here and there, but overall a solid performer.

On a another note, maybe Finley wouldnt be 25% or so if he wouldnt jack up so many three's. Sheesh, havent you ever heard of driving to the basket? He is a gaurd isnt he? Hell, Even Barry is driving now.

On one last note, Has anyone noticed that Barry and Bowens shotting slump started in Jan, which happens to be when the old leather ball was put back in place??? There has to be a corilation betweent he 2. As for Finley and Horry, seems like with or without the old ball, they still are shooting bricks.


Yoda :blah