Austin Toros waive Marcus Williams [Archive]

timvp

11-16-2007, 05:04 AM

:lmao :lmao

Sorry, bro, I know you thought he was awesome but this is the funniest development of the year by a mile. Marcus Williams is so bad he got waived by the Toros.

If there isn't any other explanation, like signing in Europe, Williams has cemented his place as the worst player selected in the draft. I knew he sucked but this even surprises me. The D-League is one of the worst leagues in the world as far as talent. To get cut from the D-League is a clear sign that your basketball career is over.

For Williams sake, hopefully there is an explanation to this. If not, this might very well be the end.

Bruno

11-16-2007, 05:14 AM

timvp

11-16-2007, 05:20 AM

Yes, it's really pathetic if he has been waived because he wasn't good enough for a D-League team.
Another explanation could be that Williams was pissed after Spurs because they cut him. He didn't want to play for their D-League team and asked to be released to play for another D-League that has nothing to do with Spurs.I don't think that's it. I seriously just think he's just an absolutely horrible basketball player. During summer league, he was almost always the worst player on the court. In preseason in the NBA, he just didn't look like he belonged athletically. He doesn't move like a perimeter player ... he moves more like a power forward, which is the position he played a lot in college.

It's laughably pathetic but I can seriously see a scenario in which a couple scrub D-League level talents beat him out for a roster spot. I watched Williams all summer league and all preseason and never saw anything resembling a basketball player with talent. He was young, had long arms and was a decent enough kid but he had a major flaw.

He sucked at basketball.

Kori Ellis

11-16-2007, 05:35 AM

My guess is that he took a Euro contract and that he requested waivers. I can't imagine he sucked that much.

lebomb

11-16-2007, 08:14 AM

Yep, he sucked that much.

exstatic

11-16-2007, 08:20 AM

My guess is that he took a Euro contract and that he requested waivers. I can't imagine he sucked that much.
My only question about that would be why? He was DEAD SET against Europe like 2 months ago. If he changed his mind after the Spurs cut him, he could have gone immediately, and skipped the whole DLeague thing altogether. The money is obviously better in Europe, but didn't he know that before the DLeague draft? Is he just stupid?

Bruno

11-16-2007, 09:33 AM

My only question about that would be why? He was DEAD SET against Europe like 2 months ago. If he changed his mind after the Spurs cut him, he could have gone immediately, and skipped the whole DLeague thing altogether. The money is obviously better in Europe, but didn't he know that before the DLeague draft? Is he just stupid?

An Euro team could be interested in Williams while it wasn't interested in him two weeks ago.
In November, most Euro rosters are full but teams can need a player in case of an injury or if one of its players sucks and is cut.

You can imagine this scenario :
Two weeks ago, no teams in Europe was really attractive (by considering the money, playtime and the level of competitions played) for Williams. D-League was the best solution for him.
During these last 2 weeks, a team has had a player injured or has waived a player and is looking for a new player.
This team made an offer to Williams that is more attractive than the offer he previously received and that the D-League situation. Playing in Europe become the best solution.

Last year, Darius Washington was drafted by Austin in the first round but go instead in Greece to take the spot of a player who was out of shape.
This year, Pau-Orthez (Mahinmi's former team) is struggling and has waived this week one of his players. They now look for a new player and one of the name given is Carlos Powell who was the second overall pick of the D-League draft.

Darkwaters

11-16-2007, 09:40 AM

:lmao

MrChug

11-16-2007, 09:55 AM

He was HORRIBLE and I knew that he wouldn't make it in the league...ANY league!

AFBlue

11-16-2007, 10:21 AM

So do the Spurs still own his rights?

Obviously he's got less than 1% chance of ever being a Spur, but do they still have the ability to re-sign him if he improves?

Ironically, according to timvp this would have been wanted all along. I just don't know about the draft rights thing....

Darkwaters

11-16-2007, 10:27 AM

So do the Spurs still own his rights?

No. Once a player signs with a team his rights are essentially "cashed in". Since Williams signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Spurs and was subsequently waived. His rights have been used and the contract fulfilled. He is an unrestricted free agent.

This whole bit with him joining the Toros by allocation was simply an unforseen bonus that has no bearing on his draft rights.

loveforthegame

11-16-2007, 10:59 AM

That's just sad. You hope he's got something lined up overseas and that Spurs didn't mess up this badly on a draft pick.

2centsworth

11-16-2007, 11:01 AM

The guy must have the yipps. What I mean by the yipps is what Rick Ankiel sufferred from as a pitcher.

If he really was as bad as TIMVP says, there is no way he could have ever averaged 16ppg at a top tier school like Arizona.

Something happened to this guy.

ploto

11-16-2007, 11:20 AM

While people are enjoying dumping on the guy-- how about the Spurs using this pick on him- that is even worse. It is not his fault where he got drafted- he is probably doing his best. The Spurs are the ones who are supposed to be so great at the evaluation of talent.

Darkwaters

11-16-2007, 11:22 AM

The Spurs are the ones who are supposed to be so great at the evaluation of talent.

Foreign, not domestic.

ploto

11-16-2007, 11:30 AM

Foreign, not domestic.
My point exactly.

boutons_

11-16-2007, 11:32 AM

RC is shown to be a genius? :)

Shows how hard it is in most cases to judge a player's ability to make it in the NBA.

wildbill2u

11-16-2007, 11:45 AM

There are always players who come out too soon or simply haven't developed their skills who get drafted in the 2nd round or undrafted.

Some hang 'em up, some play in minor leagues or Europe and some eventually work their way back into a slot. When we remember St. Bowen and Washington on our current roster didn't make it for a while, there's really no need to rag on the kid.

Or RC or Pop for that matter. Most GMs and Coaches 'fail' with their 2nd round picks if you somehow believe that 2nd rounders should make the team and their picks are failures if they don't.

timvp

11-16-2007, 03:15 PM

If he really was as bad as TIMVP says, there is no way he could have ever averaged 16ppg at a top tier school like Arizona.A lot of players averaged big points on top college teams and never played a second of professional basketball. There is a big difference between playing for a bad college team and playing pro ... on any level.

Something happened to this guy.I downloaded and watched a couple of his college games in which he put up big numbers about a month ago. I wanted to see how the Spurs could have been so wrong about this guy.

What I came away with was at Arizona, he basically played power forward. Defensively, Arizona used a lot of zone and Williams rarely had to defend out on the perimeter. In the rare times he defended someone on the perimeter, Arizona had help stationed at all angles.

On tape, you couldn't really get a true feel for his suckage level because his flaws were hidden well by Arizona. That said, I didn't see anything that would indicate he'd be a good pro.

The Spurs need a new domestic scout. George Felton should give back his championship ring that I'm not even sure how he earned in the first place.

ChumpDumper

11-16-2007, 03:34 PM

I had a feeling Marcus might suffer by comparison to Justin Bowen, who basically developed everything Marcus needs to develop last season. I did think they could have actually played together though. There are all kinds of possible explanations for the waiving, the problem is his simply getting beat out by other players is the most plausible.

MoSpur

11-16-2007, 03:39 PM

Poor guy. I hope he gets an opportunity somewhere and works hard to improve.

Spurs Brazil

11-16-2007, 05:45 PM

Spurs domestic scout need to get better

They drafted a guy who is so bad he can't play in NBDL

Bruno

11-19-2007, 05:00 PM

http://www.nba.com/dleague/dleague/transactions.html

November 14: AUSTIN
Waived G Ronald Blackshear, F Joseph Works, and F Marcus Williams due to injury.

I just hope for him that it isn't a big injury.

ChumpDumper

11-19-2007, 05:02 PM

The Toros will have first crack at him when he is ready to play again. They could use some size at the swing spots.

RuffnReadyOzStyle

11-19-2007, 06:08 PM

Um, how/why do you waive a player "due to injury"? Aren't you supposed to look after your players when they are injured? That doesn't make any sense.

ArgSpursFan.

11-19-2007, 06:14 PM

Great Off season for the Spurs F.O I guess
Williams wasted Pick and the Scola gift to the Rockets.
Way to go!!!!!
we're so lucky to have the best big 3 in the NBA,this kind of mistakes don't really hurt the team in the short term at all.
But I'll see what happens in the long run,once TD and Manu retire.

Darkwaters

11-19-2007, 06:34 PM

Um, how/why do you waive a player "due to injury"? Aren't you supposed to look after your players when they are injured? That doesn't make any sense.

Well, he wasn't really a member of the team. He was trying out for the team. Big difference. Obviously, you're probably not going to make a team if you can't play because of injury. They had something like 17 players and have to get it down to 10. They have to cut the fat somewhere.

ChumpDumper

11-19-2007, 06:55 PM

Um, how/why do you waive a player "due to injury"? Aren't you supposed to look after your players when they are injured? That doesn't make any sense.If they are waived due to injury, they still get paid and have their medical expenses covered. The actual waiving usually happens when a player is out for more than a couple of weeks; since rosters normally only have ten players they need to have bodies for practice and games.

Often when a Toro was waived due to injury, he would still be with the team during games in street clothes. This may or may not be true with Williams depending on his injury and living arrangements or if the Toros plan on bringing him back. Looking at the waiver wire, I can't see why they wouldn't want him back at this point.

RuffnReadyOzStyle

11-19-2007, 07:02 PM

Thanks for the responses guys. Makes more sense now.

What a wasted draft pick though...

ShoogarBear

11-19-2007, 07:54 PM

He was waived due to injury: his game is irreversibly broken.

Mr.Bottomtooth

11-19-2007, 08:04 PM

:lol

AFBlue

11-19-2007, 10:30 PM

If they are waived due to injury, they still get paid and have their medical expenses covered. The actual waiving usually happens when a player is out for more than a couple of weeks; since rosters normally only have ten players they need to have bodies for practice and games.

Often when a Toro was waived due to injury, he would still be with the team during games in street clothes. This may or may not be true with Williams depending on his injury and living arrangements or if the Toros plan on bringing him back. Looking at the waiver wire, I can't see why they wouldn't want him back at this point.

Wait, so he is still with the team?

And if the Toros brought him back in after he got healthy, would they have to waive one of the players currently on their roster?

I'm just trying to get a beat on this guy. What's the damn deal?

ChumpDumper

11-19-2007, 10:54 PM

Wait, so he is still with the team?Don't know. I'll tell you if I see him Friday, but you can't read to much into it if he's not there. Just from looking at the roster and the available players, they will probably take him back if he gets healthy in a few weeks. If some guy like Cheyne Gadson becomes available, they might take him but I think the Toros are pretty far down the line on claiming rights if they don't hold rights on him.

And if the Toros brought him back in after he got healthy, would they have to waive one of the players currently on their roster?Yes.

Mr. Body

11-20-2007, 12:01 AM

Ed Helicopter Jones

11-20-2007, 12:03 AM

Truth be told, I made an offer to Marcus Williams for him to come and play for my city rec league team, and that's why he asked the Toros for his release. There's a fair chance he'll be able to earn some minutes if he shows us he can ball, but for now we just needed someone to go get the Krispy Kremes after practice.

Darkwaters

11-20-2007, 01:54 AM

Good God, I can't believe they completely wasted a #33 draft pick. I can't believe I wasted so much goddamn time reading about and discussing who could have been selected at that spot.

Piss on their domestic scouting.

Agreed. I would have rather drafted a marginal prospect like Renaldas Seibutis or Brad Newley instead of wasting a pick on a washout like Williams.

RuffnReadyOzStyle

11-20-2007, 02:38 AM

Yeah, bring in Brad Newley for the Oz connection! The second coming of Andrew Gaze! :lol

Oh, and nice one Ed. :lmao

MaNuMaNiAc

11-20-2007, 03:22 AM

I can't say I knew anything about how the guy played 'cause, well with the limited game broadcasting over here, we didn't get to see much of anyone. Still, its got to suck having fullfilled one's dream of being drafted by the NBA, and by the champs at that, and then being waived by not only your team, but their D league team... Seriously, if I was the dude, I'd be pretty fucked up emotionally right now.

mattyc

11-20-2007, 03:35 AM

Yeowch.

Spaceman Spiff

11-20-2007, 05:07 AM

He sucked balls, but I'm surprised he didn't get a chance with the Toros.

Shoulda stayed in school, kid.

MannyIsGod

11-20-2007, 06:42 AM

Good God, I can't believe they completely wasted a #33 draft pick. I can't believe I wasted so much goddamn time reading about and discussing who could have been selected at that spot.

Piss on their domestic scouting.WTF? Did you sit by the phone draft night expecting a call from RC on your evaluation of available talent and advice on who they should pick?

:lmao

Priceless.

Mr. Body

11-20-2007, 11:45 AM

The Greek dude they selected for Toronto or whatever team it was will last in this league longer than Williams. 1 game > 0.

Mr.Bottomtooth

11-20-2007, 11:46 AM

The Greek dude they selected for Toronto or whatever team it was will last in this league longer than Williams. 1 game > 0.
Giorgios Printezis, I believe?

Mr. Body

11-20-2007, 11:48 AM

Giorgios Printezis, I believe?

There's an extra 'i' in the last name, isn't there? But yeah, whatever. At the end of draft night he had a more positive NBA future than Marcus Williams did.

Kill_Bill_Pana

11-20-2007, 12:26 PM

Accordings to Rocket fans D-League is "much much better" than Euroleague :rolleyes :depressed :drunk :blah

I glad Spurs not so stupid. Rocket fan actually say on Rocket board D-League player better than Euroleague player and this why player like Spanoulis have to go there not even can make "second best league in world D-League".

Why is Spur Amerikan fan so much smarter more about basketball than Rocket Amerikan fan?

barbacoataco

11-20-2007, 01:47 PM

Darkwaters

11-20-2007, 02:25 PM

Spurs fans are quick to blame the FO on a "wasted" pick at #33 on Williams. But who was available at that spot who could really make this team? I think the Spurs should be happy they got Splitter, considering the picks they had.

Any of these guys would have been better picks. They might not have made the team in the end, but they would have been MUCH better picks.

Dominic McGuire - Obvious gem that we missed. Future swingman.

Nick Fazekas - Instead of Matt Bonner (cheaper)

Glen Davis - Quality big

Josh McRoberts - Quality big

Kyrylo Fesenko - draft and stash bigman

Stanko Barac - draft and stash bigman (Spurs seemed high on him before draft)

Reyshawn Terry - Future swingman? Now hes in the Mavs system but playing overseas in Europe.

Sun Yue - intriguing SF prospect. Draft and stash.

Marc Gasol - draft and stash bigman

Aaron Gray - Spurs were talking about trading up into the FIRST round the year before to get him before he pulled out.

DJ Strawberry - Defensive minded swingman that can shoot. Phoenix loves his potential

Taurean Green - Before we had D-Wash I wouldn't have minded picking him up instead of Beno.

ChumpDumper

11-20-2007, 02:32 PM

The only guys I clearly would've taken over Williams are McGuire and Sun Yue, but I was really looking at filling that SF position. The only real problem I have with the pick is that they didn't get a read on his willingness to go to Europe for a year or two from his agent.

Bruno

11-20-2007, 03:23 PM

What makes the Williams mistake less flagrant for the moment is that the whole second round sucks.

RonMexico

11-20-2007, 03:31 PM

Williams has been a joke since last December at UA.

Darkwaters

11-20-2007, 03:35 PM

What makes the Williams mistake less flagrant for the moment is that the whole second round sucks.

Still though, if I were going to roll the dice on somebody...it wouldn't have been Marcus Williams. He wasn't even on our radar... I feel that any of those guys I listed would have been a better gamble than Marcus.

Spurs Brazil

11-20-2007, 04:02 PM

Cat Scratch
Blogs
Issue date: 11/20/07 Section: Sports
PrintEmail DoubleClick Any Word Page 1 of 1 Penny on Williams' thoughts

Marcus Williams thought he had it good when he left for the NBA as a projected first-round pick after two seasons with Arizona. He saw a non-scholastic future with lots of cash, and signing Rob Pelinka, Kobe Bryant's agent, didn't hurt his chances of making it big.

But the former Wildcat was waived by the Austin Toros of the NBA's Development League on Wednesday - a day before the team's first game. Fifteen days before that, Williams - the 33rd overall pick in June's NBA draft - was waived by the San Antonio Spurs after averaging 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in seven preseason games.

It's not too surprising that he was dropped from a talent-laden Spurs' squad more in need of a point guard than a small forward. Falling through the D-league is shocking.

Thirty-one players from Arizona were drafted in the Lute Olson era before Williams, and only four of them never saw floor time in an NBA regulation game.

Williams is probably the most shocked.

"People compare me to Penny Hardaway," Williams wrote on his MySpace page. "I personally think I will end up better than him."

Seeing as though Williams just turned 21 on Sunday, it's not impossible for him to end up better than Hardaway. He's got time, but he's got a way to go. A long way.

Like Williams, Hardaway played only two seasons in college - with Memphis - and was the third pick overall in the 1993 draft. He played in 82 games with Orlando the following season, averaging over 16 points in 36 minutes per game. He was an All-Star from 1995-1998 and had his own shoe line. Even the Lil' Penny puppet (with Chris Rock's voice) from the '90s Nike commercials made it big.

If we're ever going to see anything like a Lil' Williams puppet, Williams needs to step it up.
http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2007/11/20/Sports/Cat-Scratch-3111970.shtml

ChumpDumper

11-20-2007, 04:14 PM

People compare me to Penny Hardaway, so I guess I wanna meet him. I personally think I will end up better than him lol.A misquote from a myspace page that hasn't been updated in almost a year isn't terribly good source material.

Mr.Bottomtooth

11-20-2007, 04:25 PM

Thank God it's from a year ago I actually thought he said he thinks he'll be better than Hardaway although he just got waived from a D-League team. :lol

timvp

11-20-2007, 05:14 PM

The reason the pick was so bad isn't because Williams didn't make the team, it's because the Spurs drafted the worst player in the draft at 33.

RonMexico

11-20-2007, 05:36 PM

The reason the pick was so bad isn't because Williams didn't make the team, it's because the Spurs drafted the worst player in the draft at 33.

Exactly what I thought. The pick made me think RC Buford was drunker than I was by the 2nd round of the draft.

ChumpDumper

11-20-2007, 09:34 PM

Marcus injured his wrist. It's legit.

AFBlue

11-20-2007, 10:30 PM

Marcus injured his wrist. It's legit.

timetable for return?

hell, will he return?

ChumpDumper

11-20-2007, 10:49 PM

The impression I get is that it's not very long term and he will be back.

AFBlue

11-20-2007, 10:54 PM

The impression I get is that it's not very long term and he will be back.

Cool, thanks.

I get the feeling I'm the only guy in this forum that thinks this kid still has a shot to be an NBA player....even with the Spurs at some point.

Bruno

11-21-2007, 06:17 AM

If i have well understood how the D-League works, Toros waiving Williams means nothing about Williams sucking or not ?
It's just that you had to waive him to have enough healthy players for the start of the season.

AFBlue

12-01-2007, 12:56 AM

He's Baaaaaack....

12pts 5asts 3rebs in Toros debut

Darkwaters

12-01-2007, 02:00 AM

Toros Re-Acquire Marcus Williams
November 30, 2007 - 6:30 pm
RealGM Staff Report -
The Austin Toros have re-acquired forward Marcus Williams who had been injured during the preseason, and waived their seventh-round selection in this years D-League Draft, guard Daryl "Majic" Dorsey.

Williams who was in uniform today and scored 12 points against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, was the San Antonio Spurs second round selection in the 2007 NBA Draft after playing two seasons at Arizona. He averaged 13 points a game in 2005-06 and 16.6 points and 6.7 rebounds the following season for the Wildcats. In 2007 he was named to the All Pac-10 team.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/49480/20071130/toros_re_acquire_marcus_williams/