McDonald: Hairston May Have Staying Power

Hairston may have staying power
Jeff McDonald

LAS VEGAS — For a player who appeared in all of 15 NBA games last season, Spurs swingman Malik Hairston certainly saw his name in the newspaper a lot.

Most of the time, it appeared in the transactions section.

Over the course of Hairston's rookie season, the Spurs waived him twice, re-signed him twice, recalled him from the NBA Development League once and assigned him there twice.

“I don't think I ever moved around so much in my life,” Hairston said. “I know where home is, though.”

Home, Hairston hopes, is in San Antonio.

The Spurs re-signed Hairston again on July 8, with designs on giving him every shot of making the team's opening day roster.

Between a stellar season in Austin, where he dominated the D-League between NBA call-ups, and a productive run at the recently completed Las Vegas summer league, Hairston seems on track to make good on that opportunity.

He was the Spurs' best shooter in Vegas, averaging 13.6 points while hitting 52.8 percent from the field, and did enough of the little things — read: guarding people — to give himself a chance to emerge from training camp with an NBA job.

“He's starting to understand who he is and where he fits,” said Spurs assistant Don Newman, who guided the summer league team. “You want to see a guy who knows the game. So far, he's proven he does.”

Summer league was kind to a number of Spurs players. George Hill solidified his standing as the Spurs' No. 2 point guard. Rookie DeJuan Blair proved he could bang and rebound with professionals. Ian Mahinmi, the team's 22-year-old enigma of a center, showed he might have a place in the Spurs' rotation yet.

Perhaps no Spurs player improved his stock more than Hairston. An athletic slasher who initially caught the Spurs' eyes due to his abilities as a perimeter defender, Hairston arrived in Las Vegas a remade man.

“He's getting to the rim, and he's reading the defense,” said Quin Snyder, who coached Hairston in Austin and helped out in Vegas. “He's scoring in a number of ways. He's being versatile. That's important.”

With a solid summer, Hairston has positioned himself to earn minutes behind Richard Jefferson and Michael Finley on the wing, and has greatly reduced the chances the Spurs will bring back free agent Ime Udoka.

Next up, training camp.

Originally obtained in a 2008 draft day trade with Phoenix — the same swap that gave the Spurs the pick they used to take the ballyhooed Blair in this year's draft — Hairston was the last cut in last year's camp.

The Spurs re-signed him Dec. 22, and he bounced between San Antonio and Austin before being waived again April 8 to create roster space for Marcus Williams, another former second-round pick whose career path has paralleled Hairston's.

All along, Hairston made fans in the Spurs' front office. Despite the serial waiving of him, the team still wanted to keep Hairston in the pipeline.

“They told me I was always in their plans,” Hairston said. “They just wanted to see me grow. There just weren't minutes up top (in the NBA) for me to get playing time.”

Hairston used his time in Austin wisely, working to add a catch-and-shoot element to his drive-heavy arsenal.

He averaged 22.9 points in 30 games and was selected to play in the D-League All-Star Game. He had to decline, however, due to a prior commitment. The game coincided with his short shift with the Spurs.

Hairston hopes all of that helps lift him to a more permanent place in the Spurs' plans. He is under contract heading into fall camp, but his deal will not become fully guaranteed unless he makes the team.

And as Hairston learned from his yo-yo rookie season, nothing is ever really guaranteed.

“I feel like I'm going to have a great opportunity,” Hairston said. “I'm going to do everything I know I can do, and hopefully it works out.”

:toast

I hope he sticks. Get the young guys some good minutes early in the season to see what they can do if really given an opportunity to go against experienced NBA players.

Good read and a good kid. We've all talked about how perfect his mentality is for this organization, now let's hope he can prove to the leadership that he deserves NBA minutes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phila_Chamberlain

I would love to see Malik make the rotation and play behind Jefferson. I have had the chance to talk to him several times and he is one of the nicest guys. I wish him luck next season and in his career.

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you have?

Hairston seems to have the perfect attitude. If he keeps it up and keeps working hard, he'll be on the Spurs roster next season. I have complete confidence in him.

I like what I have seen from him so far. Even though he doesn't have a lot of experience playing in the NBA, he did get some when he got called up. Its going to help him gain more confidence.

I like Malik, I hope he gets a chance. There is something about him, the way he plays and the build that reminds me of former Spur Mario Elie.

Nice read, I'm rooting for you! Keep up the hard work.

I hope he sticks. He can provide for the Spurs what Ime failed to do.

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Originally Posted by timtonymanu

I hope he sticks. He can provide for the Spurs what Ime failed to do.

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this would be nice

The 2008 draft was one of the better Spurs moves. At the time, it did not appear to be. When the #45 pick came around, SpursTalk went from "ho-hum" to "what just happened here?" in three picks.

THE TRADE: San Antonio traded the draft rights to #45 Goran Dragic to
Phoenix for the draft rights to #48 Malik Hairston, Golden State's 2009
2nd round draft pick (which Phoenix owned), and cash.

Dude. Goran Dragic for DeJuan Blair, Malik Hairston, cash.

Hairston is the perfect example of two things:

1) How bad of an indicator of talent Summer League can be
2) How much a year in Austin can do for a motivated guy

A lot of people talk about George Hill bouncing back from SL, but I think the better story is Hairston. He was probably only the 10th or 11th best player on that SL team but has really improved. Austin did wonders for him and whereas last season Hairston was playing the role of this year's Jack McClinton, now people are salivating at him in the rotation.

Hairston has to make the roster this year...he was already somewhat good last year and he's improved greatly now...he's hitting his shots, playing good D, and can finish with authority on his drives! :toast

gl malik keep improving that game

Quote:

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Originally Posted by duncan228

Originally obtained in a 2008 draft day trade with Phoenix — the same swap that gave the Spurs the pick they used to take the ballyhooed Blair in this year's draft

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:lmao Thanks Kerr! First Hairston and now Blair! :lmao

Even in the few minutes he got on the floor with the Spurs, you could see that Hairston could ball with the big dogs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Darkwaters

Hairston is the perfect example of two things:

1) How bad of an indicator of talent Summer League can be
2) How much a year in Austin can do for a motivated guy

A lot of people talk about George Hill bouncing back from SL, but I think the better story is Hairston. He was probably only the 10th or 11th best player on that SL team but has really improved. Austin did wonders for him and whereas last season Hairston was playing the role of this year's Jack McClinton, now people are salivating at him in the rotation.

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Hopefully time with the Toros can do the same for McClinton...

Man, I hope for nothing more than this guy making the squad. Even as a deep bench guy he would prove valuable.

Good Luck Malik!

Hairston is a big reason why Finley needs to go. One can only hope that he plays well and Pop gives him some leash length early in the season, so he can prove that Finley is no longer needed.

i recall pop had Malik Hairston guard LBJ when nothing else worked last season, and it wasn't bad actually

hairston, jefferson, hill, haislip and blair


that would be a pretty sick lineup

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Solid D

The 2008 draft was one of the better Spurs moves. At the time, it did not appear to be. When the #45 pick came around, SpursTalk went from "ho-hum" to "what just happened here?" in three picks.

THE TRADE: San Antonio traded the draft rights to #45 Goran Dragic to
Phoenix for the draft rights to #48 Malik Hairston, Golden State's 2009
2nd round draft pick (which Phoenix owned), and cash.

Dude. Goran Dragic for DeJuan Blair, Malik Hairston, cash.

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Would it be going too far to suggest that Malik Hairston's development, and the circumstances that allowed Blair to fall to the Spurs, took place because the Spurs made a trade with the Suns, as opposed to, say, the Clippers?

"The Suns are the Spurs' bitches" is right up there with "The entropy of a closed system must always increase," or "E=mc^2."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Extra Stout

Would it be going too far to suggest that Malik Hairston's development, and the circumstances that allowed Blair to fall to the Spurs, took place because the Spurs made a trade with the Suns, as opposed to, say, the Clippers?

"The Suns are the Spurs' bitches" is right up there with "The entropy of a closed system must always increase," or "E=mc^2."

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I don't think that is too much to assume. The universe can only function properly if we are owning the Suns on some level.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Solid D

Dude. Goran Dragic for DeJuan Blair, Malik Hairston, cash.

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Yeeouch.

That was $500k worth of cash too, IIRC.

Sneakily lopsided trade there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Solid D

The 2008 draft was one of the better Spurs moves. At the time, it did not appear to be. When the #45 pick came around, SpursTalk went from "ho-hum" to "what just happened here?" in three picks.

THE TRADE: San Antonio traded the draft rights to #45 Goran Dragic to
Phoenix for the draft rights to #48 Malik Hairston, Golden State's 2009
2nd round draft pick (which Phoenix owned), and cash.

Dude. Goran Dragic for DeJuan Blair, Malik Hairston, cash.

---

It is interesting how the small moves could help the Spurs in the long run. Who knew this trade with Phoenix would get them Blair and now Hairston looks like he will make the team.

The Spurs are developing a farm system in Austin and Europe. And very few NBA teams are doing that.

It reminds of the Atlanta Braves in the '90s. I know they only won one World Series in '95....but they had developed a pipeline of talent from their farm system and that's what help them win 15 division titles in that time period. Boston Red Sox are doing that in this decade.

I know it's a little different in basketball but if Spurs can develop a pipeline of talent...there could be life after the TD era (or I call the Spurs Golden Age) after all.:toast

:flag:

I'm a fan... :tu he should eat Finley's minutes this season... :wakeup

Quote:

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Originally Posted by urunobili

I'm a fan... :tu he should eat Finley's minutes this season... :wakeup

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Agreed. I don't think there should be any question about whether he makes the team or not. That looks to be a given. He will likely assume Udoka's spot.

While I expect Pop to begin the season with Finley as primary backup to RJ, I'd love to see Hairston eventually move past Finley into that role. On individual defensive abilities alone, he's already ahead of Finley. He simply needs to evolve into a good team defender. On the other side, if he demonstrates consistent outside shooting, I can see it happening. Obviously, he has the ability to get to the rim and can rebound the ball well.

I figure Hairston will either be just out of the rotation or get single digit minutes per game, but will be the first one in as soon as one of the guards or small forwards gets hurt or sent to the doghouse.

There are a lot of guys this year with something to prove. I sure hope he makes the team and does well. I appreciate Finley's timely 3's over the years, but hopefully with guys like Malik playing hard and hustling we won't be in those situations too often. Besides if we need clutch 3's we got Manu and Mason for that.

The last time I was this excited about the youth on this team was when we had guys like Stephen Jackson in the wings. Its awesome to have some youth possibilities ready to go.

I like his chances in a year from now to be full time replacement for when Mike Finley moves on to greener pastures. I loved what I saw in the SL games as his shot selection has greatly become more consistent. Also showing signs of being a top of the key defender. Good luck Malik! :flag:

One thing sticks out in my mind about Malik last season, in what limited time he saw on the floor. I remember him having a few follow slams...the situation where one guy misses a shot and his teammate crashes the boards, leaps before or above everyone else, rebounds the ball and dunks it all in one motion. An offensive rebound and a dunk all at once. I hadn't seen that on the Spurs in a long time from a wing player. That alone made me want him on the team.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fingaroll44

One thing sticks out in my mind about Malik last season, in what limited time he saw on the floor. I remember him having a few follow slams...the situation where one guy misses a shot and his teammate crashes the boards, leaps before or above everyone else, rebounds the ball and dunks it all in one motion. An offensive rebound and a dunk all at once. I hadn't seen that on the Spurs in a long time from a wing player. That alone made me want him on the team.

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:wow

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

:wow

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I was thinking the same. NO stats to look at really, but the guy has a nose for the basketball. I think its because he played PF in college.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Solid D

The 2008 draft was one of the better Spurs moves. At the time, it did not appear to be. When the #45 pick came around, SpursTalk went from "ho-hum" to "what just happened here?" in three picks.

THE TRADE: San Antonio traded the draft rights to #45 Goran Dragic to
Phoenix for the draft rights to #48 Malik Hairston, Golden State's 2009
2nd round draft pick (which Phoenix owned), and cash.

Dude. Goran Dragic for DeJuan Blair, Malik Hairston, cash.

---

Exactly, the 2008 draft was a really good one for the spurs and so is the 2009 one, whereas the expectations were really low (no 1st round pick, suposed low level of the draft, which may not be that low by the way ...)
The Blair signing is so good, and the Jefferson and Mac Dyess signings + our young players developping, I can't wait for the season to begin!

To be honest, I was expecting zero to none good news this summer, I'm really so happy !!! OK I stop now :lol

I do not think he is tall enough for the SF position. Once teams are use to him on the floor they will simply post him up with the bigger SF's. Would like to see him develop as a SG. If Hairston is the backup at SF it actually makes me glad that we still have Finley.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dbestpro

I do not think he is tall enough for the SF position. Once teams are use to him on the floor they will simply post him up with the bigger SF's. Would like to see him develop as a SG. If Hairston is the backup at SF it actually makes me glad that we still have Finley.

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Sure, Finley might hit a few three's. He'll also get scored on at will and is only getting worse every second that passes. A guy like Hairston has decent upside and could be a contributor, especially on the defensive end, a year or two down the line with steady playing time now.

And holy shit :wow now I know this is a stretch, but WHAT IF maybe Hairston shows up to play and makes waves this season? You know, since he didn't do too bad in his playing time last season? And the spurs obviously have the confidence he'll make the team since they gave him a partially guaranteed contract this early on. That's not even hanging a carrot. That's cheese at the end of a maze; All he's gotta do is keep hustling his ass off.

I like Malik. He seems like a "just get it done" type of guy on the court. He is not afraid to take it to the rim and he's got a confident shot. Sturdy build too.