Ian Mahinmi!!!

[SequSpur]

Got dang! :smokin

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

He better not dissappoint. Everytime he gets on the floor he does well and I keep thinking to myself he could be a starter and main contributor in like 2-4 years.

[peskypesky]

Do we still miss Jackie Butler? lol

[Darkwaters]

Do we still miss Jackie Butler? lol

I don't think a lot of people were advocating Butler was better than Mahinmi (or that we should keep Butler over Mahinmi). In fact, most people were jazzed about the prospect of taking in Mahinmi, Butler and Splitter (not to mention Scola) and finding the productive ones and cutting the fat later (that was not intended as a knock on Jackie right there either... :lol )

[peskypesky]

I just have a feeling about this kid. I think he's going to be an anchor of the second team...sooner rather than later.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I just have a feeling about this kid. I think he's going to be an anchor of the second team...sooner rather than later.
We all have that feeling. :) Kinda makes you want it to be 2010 already.

[peskypesky]

We all have that feeling. :) Kinda makes you want it to be 2010 already.

Why 2010?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Why 2010?
By that time I'd assume it'll be official that Mahinmi would be a starter on the Spurs if he keeps this up. Well thats IMO.

[Darkwaters]

By that time I'd assume it'll be official that Mahinmi would be a starter on the Spurs if he keeps this up. Well thats IMO.

Whoa there...lets crack the rotation before we proclaim the messiah.

[ChumpDumper]

He has a long way to go. it'll be nice seeing him in Austin trying to develop a face up game while Pittsnogle learns how to play in the post.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Whoa there...lets crack the rotation before we proclaim the messiah.
Lol okay. Nice avatar BTW.

[AFBlue]

That Spurs FO is SOO GOOD at spotting international talent....add another notch in their belt.

Obviously Mahinmi is still raw, but he has shown a suprising level of comprehension of the game for being so new to it. His defense is already above par and that offense might not be as far behind as we originally thought.

Mahinmi might be a big reason why Elson is not retained next year and if that's the case.....

:elephant :elephant :elephant :elephant

[Darkwaters]

Lol okay. Nice avatar BTW.

Thanks, I just made it. I figured James White! needed to be retired. Sombrero and all.

[picnroll]

I'm most encouraed by the fact he's gone 7 of 7 from the line and I do't ting one of them as touched rim. Maybe portends a decent mid-range shot, that and a better understanding of defense and he's a contributor.

[AFBlue]

Do we still miss Jackie Butler? lol

I think it was still a stupid trade to give up on a young, offensively talented player....

But, the answer to your question is NO!

Mahinmi is showing better defense that Butler ever did and his offense will come in time.

Based on what little I've seen from this guy, he has the makings of a quality basketball player. I specifically like his athleticism, tenacity, and coordination. If he keeps going down this path, we're looking at a nice future piece for this team.

[Darkwaters]

I'm most encouraed by the fact he's gone 7 of 7 from the line and I do't ting one of them as touched rim. Maybe portends a decent mid-range shot, that and a better understanding of defense and he's a contributor.

Even if that never develops into a mid-range game but simply makes him a quality FT shooter, thats a quality in bigmen that we typically don't get.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

Ian Mahinmi!

[BeerIsGood!]

Is his name pronounced "e"-an or "yon"? I don't know how the French pronounce that name.

[peskypesky]

Does Mahinmi go to the Toros when Horry comes back?

[T Park]

pronounced Yan.

Looked good, but it was against the Bucks.

So recognize.

[barbacoataco]

Are Mahinmi and Splitter going to be fighting for the same minutes next year, or do they take different spots in the rotation? Spurs are loaded with bigs and Bonner's defensive limitations make him the odd man out IMO, but the Spurs will need 3-pt shooters if Horry, Barry and Finley leave at the end of the season.

[Darkwaters]

Are Mahinmi and Splitter going to be fighting for the same minutes next year, or do they take different spots in the rotation? Spurs are loaded with bigs and Bonner's defensive limitations make him the odd man out IMO, but the Spurs will need 3-pt shooters if Horry, Barry and Finley leave at the end of the season.

As a technicality, Mahinmi will likely log most of his minutes at Power Forward while Splitter will be primarily a Center. Although, generally speaking a big is a big and I doubt it will make that big of a difference (especially the deeper you reach into the rotation). Considering this, and the fact that both will be relative new-comers, I think it is highly likely that they will be fighting for the same spot in the rotation. But lets consider the matter:

Generally speaking, the Spurs carry 6 bigs. 5 are usually active with the 6th being nearly permanently IRed (ie, Sean Marks) or hopefully sent up to Austin to develop (most likely Mahinmi this season). Of the 5 active, 4 are typically in the rotation with the 5th being a fringe rotation guy or "human victory cigar" that sees time in blowouts only.

Next season, the Spurs will have the following bigs under contract:
Tim Duncan
Fabricio Oberto
Matt Bonner
Ian Mahinmi
Tiago Splitter - It is widely assumed this will be the case.

Robert Horry will likely retire and Francisco Elson will no longer be under contract. The Spurs will likely seek to fill those spots by bringing in Tiago Splitter and potentially resigning Elson if he plays well this season (and the price is right). However, considering his defensive lapses and the market value of one Mikki Moore this year (Elson's long-lost brother) Cisco's resigning might never come to fruition. So we should likely consider the contingency that a 6th big will be acquired via free agency (likely a vet).

Of the players noted it seems likely that Duncan, Oberto and Bonner will be penciled into the rotation from day one. So the 2 active spots will be up for grabs between those 3, and the more active rotation role will also be up for grabs between the 2 players that are no IRed. Splitter is probably the odds on favorite to be in the rotation next year at the moment, but he'll have to earn it. And considering that Oberto sat out a year before seeing significant time, it is very possible that Splitter could be relegated to a similar role his first year as the "lady in waiting" so to speak.

Essentially, with a year under his belt in the system, Mahinmi will have a big advantage over Splitter in several categories. But Splitter has more polish already over the raw Mahinmi. I assume that this could shape up into a fierce battle come preseason next year if Mahinmi is further advanced than we previously thought. But then again, Elson could impress this year and be brought back. If thats the case then I wouldn't be surprised to see a standard rotation of Duncan, Oberto, Elson and Bonner with Splitter on the fringe and Mahinmi in Austin. But who knows?

Regardless of how you slice it, Tiago and Ian are the future at this point. So the Spurs are likely to do what is best to nurture their development.

[SpursIndonesia]

Mahinmi & Splitter would be a nice future frontcourt duo, both are 6'11"+, Mahinmi brawn will complement Splitter brain -i know, a bit oversimplified, but get my idea.

Now Spurs FO, find us a young wing player or two which is promising enough, we'll be set for the later career of Tim Duncan.

[cherylsteele]

Do we still miss Jackie Butler? lol
Who's that??

[JPB]

Looks like people who were saying that his game was fitting better with the NBA than euro game were right.

And I don't say that because I was one of them :D

[Darkwaters]

Now Spurs FO, find us a young wing player or two which is promising enough, we'll be set for the later career of Tim Duncan.

I wanted Rudy Fernandez, but that didn't happen. So, I still think that Vassilis Spanoulis can fill that role quite well.

[mathbzh]

Of course it is meaningless given Ian's minutes... put it is still sweet to read this from NBA.com:

Regular Season Ranks

* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Free-Throw Percentage(1.0)
* Ranks #50 in the NBA in Blocks Per Game(0.8)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(15.41)
* Ranks #14 in the NBA in Field-Goal Attempts Per 48 Minutes(23.12)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Free Throws Per 48 Minutes(17.98)

* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts Per 48 Minutes(17.98)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Blocks Per 48 Minutes(10.28)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Points Per 48 Minutes(48.8)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(56.52)
* Ranks #17 in the NBA in Turnovers Per 48 Minutes(5.14)

Ian for MVP :rolleyes

[TwelveGs210]

lol @ that

[mystargtr34]

He also leads the famous PER ranking also .... but not for those who qualify...

I wouldnt say MVP though....

Just a lock for All-NBA First

[Ian Mahinmi !]

Thanks guys !

[timvp]

Regular Season Ranks

* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Free-Throw Percentage(1.0)
* Ranks #50 in the NBA in Blocks Per Game(0.8)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(15.41)
* Ranks #14 in the NBA in Field-Goal Attempts Per 48 Minutes(23.12)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Free Throws Per 48 Minutes(17.98)

* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts Per 48 Minutes(17.98)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Blocks Per 48 Minutes(10.28)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Points Per 48 Minutes(48.8)
* Ranks #1 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking Per 48 Minutes(56.52)
* Ranks #17 in the NBA in Turnovers Per 48 Minutes(5.14)
Nice :tu

Mahinmi's PER is 45. Mahinmi's PER would be the highest in NBA history if he qualified. And the funny thing is he's not that far away from being qualified.

Somewhere Hollinger's head just exploded.

[timvp]

Seriously though, Mahinmi just shows how much this team lacks in shotblocking. Mahinmi is second on the team in blocks per game. Francisco Elson, the guy who was supposed to vastly improve his shotblocking on the Spurs, is tied for third with Manu Ginobili :lol

Ian Mahinmi - .8 blocks in 3.8 minutes per game
Francisco Elson - .7 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game

:rollin

[Mr. Body]

Ian Mahinmi - .8 blocks in 3.8 minutes per game
Francisco Elson - .7 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game


Elson's rate doesn't seem that bad for a back-up center. Starters in this league don't get .7 in more minutes.

It's Mahinmi's rate that's a bit eye-popping.

[ducks]

I think tp and mahinmi will be the big guns once td retires


they are preparing tp to be the franchise player once duncan retires

[Darkwaters]

It's Mahinmi's rate that's a bit eye-popping.

Considering that many of Mahinmi's blocks have come in garbage time against garbage players I don't know how good of an indicator of skill that really is. Still, I'd rather he be stuffing the scrubs every chance he gets rather than not being able to.

[picnroll]

Considering that many of Mahinmi's blocks have come in garbage time against garbage players I don't know how good of an indicator of skill that really is. Still, I'd rather he be stuffing the scrubs every chance he gets rather than not being able to.
His blocks yesterday were against Yi and I believe it was Bogut.

[Bruno]

I'm happy that Mahinmi is playing with confidence and show some nice things even if it's only during garbage time.
He is a nice guy and was coming from a difficult year in Europe. It's nice to see that he seems to bounce back.

[Ocotillo]

Who found Mahinmi? R.C. or Shuler? Someone else?

[Darkwaters]

His blocks yesterday were against Yi and I believe it was Bogut.

Well, to be honest, Yi is still extremely raw himself despite his potential and Bogut is an underachiever. But we are talking about an overall number 1 and a high lottery pick to boot, so props Mahinmi.

[picnroll]

I'm happy that Mahinmi is playing with confidence and show some nice things even if it's only during garbage time.
He is a nice guy and was coming from a difficult year in Europe. It's nice to see that he seems to bounce back.
I think the concept of using Euroleague as a farm system is proving to be a bad concept and also so far Scola is proving again that success in FIBA doesn't equal success in the NBA.

[PM5K]

I don't care what anyone says, this kid doesn't need to develop, he's got so much natural talent, athletic ability, and size to contribute NOW.

Especially with what we've been getting from O and EL, add to that how early it is in the season...

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm going to have to get me some toros tickets pretty soon.

And do you really want him to be a rotation player right now PM5K? He's only played against scrubs in mop up duty when nobody plays defense. He'd get slaughtered in a structured set game until he figures things out a bit.

[Bruno]

I think the concept of using Euroleague as a farm system is proving to be a bad concept and also so far Scola is proving again that success in FIBA doesn't equal success in the NBA.

I agree that success in Europe doesn't always translate into success in nba. It's too soon to judge Scola but a player like Jasikevicius has proved it.
Euroleague can't be used as a D-League farm system mainly because Euroleague teams goal is to win games and not to develop players for the nba. However, playing in Europe could be interesting for the development of a player. 9 of Spurs' 14 players have played in Europe.

[wildbill2u]

The surprise is that he is holding his own against legitimate NBA players, whether they are bench players or developing potential superstars like Yi.

His performance so far is great and has to be attributed to superb self-confidence. He ain't taking shit from nobody.

Judging from the few vid clips we saw and his lack of consistent playing time on his Euro team, who would have predicted this?

[telecomguy]

The surprise is that he is holding his own against legitimate NBA players, whether they are bench players or developing potential superstars like Yi.

His performance so far is great and has to be attributed to superb self-confidence. He ain't taking shit from nobody. Judging from the few vid clips we saw and his lack of consistent playing time on his Euro team, who would have predicted this?

it certainly is a very pleasant surprise and bodes well for the future when TD isn't going to be as dominant, he will need a better sidekick on the front court than he has now. We have to remember how YOUNG and green Ian is right now!

[pad300]

Back when Mahinmi was first drafted, and all I had seen was a few video clips, I had one observation.

"He moves like Hakeem did, when he came over as a Rook at U Houston (what became Phi Slamma Jamma). I haven't a clue if he's got a good enough head, but he's got the physical ability."

Having seen him playing for the Spurs, I am impressed. He really is a freak of an athlete. He can match Hakeem's physical talents if he works hard in the weight room, and keeps training. Now, I can say that his head is at least good enough to make starter in this league ... and MAYBE much more!