Haislip hungry for second chance in NBA

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...ce_in_NBA.html

Haislip hungry for second chance in NBA

By Mike Monroe - Express-News The announcement that the Spurs had signed power forward Marcus Haislip to a free-agent contract on Wednesday was lost in the excitement of veteran big man Antonio McDyess' agreement to join the club, but it wasn't the first time Haislip's NBA timing was less than ideal.

Chosen by Milwaukee in the first round of the 2002 draft, the 13th overall selection, the basketball operations staff that picked him was gone after his rookie season. Head coach George Karl was fired and general manager Ernie Grunfeld took a job with the Wizards.

“It just didn't work out for me,” Haislip said Thursday after running through drills with the Spurs' summer league team at the club's practice facility. “The coaches that drafted me left, and then everything changed.”

Haislip played in only 70 games in his two seasons with the Bucks, who declined to offer an extension of his rookie-scale contract. Signed by the Pacers to a non-guaranteed contract the next season, he played in only nine games in Indiana and was waived on Christmas Eve 2004. Four years in Europe honed skills the Spurs believe make him a useful NBA player, one eager to prove he belongs in the NBA.

“I always like people looking to prove a point,” said Spurs general manager R.C. Buford.

Haislip appreciates the chance.

“I'm definitely happy to be here,” he said. “It's nice to be on U.S. soil this season.”

Haislip signed a two-year deal for the veteran minimum salary. For his two years of experience, it begins at $825,497.

The 6-foot-9 forward credits the coaching staff of his Spanish League team, Unicaja Malaga, for recognizing his true role.

“They made me more of a perimeter player, and that's what made me the player I am right now: a player able to put it down on the floor and knock down the three,” he said.

Haislip won't play on the Spurs' entry in the Las Vegas summer league — its first game is Sunday — but will accompany the team to observe.

Happy Hairston: The Spurs renewed their relationship with Malik Hairston on Wednesday, re-signing a player who appeared in 15 Spurs games last season before being waived in April.

The 6-6 swingman signed a make-good contract and will try to earn a roster spot.

“I'm just happy the kept me a part of the family and gave me an opportunity,” he said.

Worth noting: DeJuan Blair and Jack McClinton, two of the team's three second-round draft picks, are on the summer-league roster, but the third, French guard Nando De Colo, is not. He is in training with the French national team, along with Spurs guard Tony Parker. “Les Bleus” are to compete in a tournament this month in which they will try to capture the final berth for Eurobasket 2009, scheduled to be played in Poland in September.

Nice... I'm a fan :tu

A Summer full of riches for the Spurs fans. What anticipation and excitement compared to some previous years.

why wouldn't he play in SUmmer League???

CIA Pop move?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hater

why wouldn't he play in SUmmer League???

CIA Pop move?

---

dude is just moving in from europe.. needs to find a house... give the guy a break and do not overate Pop... he also needs to settle in town etc...

he was scrimmaging with the SL team though..

Can't wait to see what he can do.:hat

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hater

why wouldn't he play in SUmmer League???

CIA Pop move?

---

Sounds like Haislip got a guaranteed deal. Spurs need the summer league to evaluate other guys like Blair, Mahinmi, and Gist.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lurker23

Sounds like Haislip got a guaranteed deal. Spurs need the summer league to evaluate other guys like Blair, Mahinmi, and Gist.

---

Agreed. We're taking a look at enough bigs in SL already. Haislip doesn't need to be a part of that and potentially limit the exposure of Blair and (especially) Mahinmi and Gist.

If Haislip is able to play a more perimeter oriented role and show range out to the 3pt line for the spurs, this defenitely makes Bonner a little less valuable and also makes the McDyess vs Wallace signing make even more sense

Haislip and Blair are going to be very good energy guys off the bench for this team. I cannot wait.

Happy Hairston? Didn't he use to play with the Lakers in the 70's.

I hope the team chef is ready to rumble. All we hear is Blair's a big guy, McClinton eats scooby snacks, Haislip is hungry....and I'm pretty sure McDyess can eat a caveman's share.

Being a Spurs fan is making me want lunch.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dbestpro

Happy Hairston? Didn't he use to play with the Lakers in the 70's.

---

Yeah, a play on words. Mike Monroe is old-school.

If they're sold on Haislip to be their long range shooting PF, then I would think they must be planning somehow to move Bonner. If they weren't sure I would think they need to put him in SL to see how he does. It seems like Blair is more of a sure thing then Haislip and yet Haislip isn't playing. Interesting.

Haislip will have to compete out on the floor (non-pivot) with Bonner and Gist. The Spurs keep only two of the three barring injury.

The other frontcourt decision will be Blair or Mahinmi in the post, at least minutes-wise. Mahinmi had better bring it, or Blair's gonna scoot him waaaaaay down the bench and into a suit.

If this article is right, and he signed for the league minimum, it's roughly the equivalent of playing in Europe for 350K Euros per season. I know he could have gotten 3 times that amount, possibly as much as 4 times. He's leaving a minimum of $1.6M per season on the table to come back to the NBA. Yeah, I think it's safe to say he's hungry for a second chance here.

I hope he gets a fair shake here. If they decide about him as quickly as they did about Gooden, he's thrown away a bunch of cash.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by urunobili

Nice... I'm a fan :tu

---

:toast

Isn't this kinda bad news for Blair if he wants to play a lot of minutes? I see this guy coming off the bench to replace Timmy.

i dont think the nba min can even land him finleys house which is on sale atm lmao...

maybe he should share accomondation with some spursfans here

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TDMVPDPOY

i dont think the nba min can even land him finleys house which is on sale atm lmao...

maybe he should share accomondation with some spursfans here

---

Yeah, he ONLY makes .857 million a year: he can't even rent a decent place for that much.

No doubt some posters here could be roommates with him, but he'd likely have to get a part-time job to afford it.

Maybe he'll work at Taco Cabana?

Hungry is good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Malice

Hungry is good.

---

Got Dinner and Wine?:whine

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by peacemaker885

Isn't this kinda bad news for Blair if he wants to play a lot of minutes? I see this guy coming off the bench to replace Timmy.

---

Playing time is earned when you're dealing with Pop...especially with regard to rookies. Blair's minutes will be there if he proves he's ready.

Besides, the two will likely fill different roles for the team. If Haislip comes out in pre-season on fire and is picking up the schemes, the guy who stands to lose PT is one Matt Bonner.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AFBlue

Playing time is earned when you're dealing with Pop...especially with regard to rookies. Blair's minutes will be there if he proves he's ready.

Besides, the two will likely fill different roles for the team. If Haislip comes out in pre-season on fire and is picking up the schemes, the guy who stands to lose PT is one Matt Bonner.

---

Agreed. They'll fill very different roles.

Haislip can shoot the three and athletic enough to drive in the paint..I feel bad for Bonner, I think Haislip may be taking his spot. Too bad red rocket cant build up his shooting confidence to impress Pop.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pawe

Haislip can shoot the three and athletic enough to drive in the paint..I feel bad for Bonner, I think Haislip may be taking his spot. Too bad red rocket cant build up his shooting confidence to impress Pop.

---

Bonner will average 17ppg on 65% 3 point shooting to avenge himself of this silly board.

Bonner FTW!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pawe

Haislip can shoot the three and athletic enough to drive in the paint..I feel bad for Bonner, I think Haislip may be taking his spot. Too bad red rocket cant build up his shooting confidence to impress Pop.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by poeticism707

Bonner will average 17ppg on 65% 3 point shooting to avenge himself of this silly board.

Bonner FTW!

---

I wouldn't be surprised if Bonner comes out on fire. The last time a player threatened to take over his role as perimeter bigman, he lit it up and the other guy (Tolliver) sucked it up.

Bonner was playing so well that he took the starting Center nod for most of the season. Alot of people forget that he shot near 50% from three for most of the season.

But hopefully Haislip can succeed where Tolliver failed. I don't think he has to hit half his threes...he just has to show alot of energy defensively (blocks, rebounds, rotations) and make the defense respect his jumpshot.

Guess we'll see come preseason.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by poeticism707

Bonner will average 17ppg on 65% 3 point shooting to avenge himself of this silly board.

Bonner FTW!

---

I wish he would brother. I will pray to the basketball gods that he would.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pawe

I wish he would brother. I will pray to the basketball gods that he would.

---

:toast

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Buddy Holly

“I always like people looking to prove a point,” said Spurs general manager R.C. Buford.

---

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/237...0822scola1.jpg
Sure you do, asshat!

well hell get his chance how much of one remains to be seen

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by slick'81

well hell get his chance how much of one remains to be seen

---

Yep.