Translating RC Buford's Summer League Interview

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Originally Posted by spurs50_

if deshawn thomas does not make the team, do we lose his rights? he looks
good for a rookie.

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Not necessarily. The Spurs are obligated to offer him a bare-bones non-guaranteed contract. He can choose to accept the option or decline this option and play out a season somewhere abroad. Usually this is mutually agreed upon and the team revisits a player like Deshaun Thomas the following season. If Thomas agreed to this and played somewhere else then next season he'd find himself exactly where Marcus Denmon is right now.

However, the player can opt to sign that bare-bones contract if they so choose. Jack McClinton famously did so and "forced the issue" a few years ago after he didn't like the "spend a year in Europe and we'll see" plan. He was waived during training camp that year.

But the Spurs have many examples of stashing players abroad. Marcus Denmon, Davis Bertans, Adam Hanga and Ryan Richards are all examples of currently stashed players. Livio Jean-Charles from this year's draft will also be stashed. Nando De Colo, Tiago Splitter and Manu Ginobili are all examples or players that were previously stashed and brought over at a later date. But they don't all pan out. James Gist was stashed for several seasons and never quite put it together. They finally brought him in for a make or break training camp and ended up waiving him, severing the draft rights connection.

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Originally Posted by spurs50_

if deshawn thomas does not make the team, do we lose his rights? he looks
good for a rookie.

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NO, for 2nd round picks, a team owns their rights indefinitely unless they trade them or just renounce them. Its like Lorbek a couple of years ago in the Kwahi trade, Pacers had his rights for like 6 years before trading them to the Spurs. And also like Denmon last year, where he didn't make the team and went to France to play. Spurs still own his draft rights.

Kawhi isn't what you would call fast either, don't see what the big deal is.

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Originally Posted by Cowboys_Wear_Spurs

NO, for 2nd round picks, a team owns their rights indefinitely unless they trade them or just renounce them. Its like Lorbek a couple of years ago in the Kwahi trade, Pacers had his rights for like 6 years before trading them to the Spurs. And also like Denmon last year, where he didn't make the team and went to France to play. Spurs still own his draft rights.

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The Spurs have to make Thomas a QO which he can accept at any time. If he accepts it then the draft rights are gone because he'll be under contract and the Spurs will be forced into deciding between keeping him on the roster, or making him a FA.

Edit: Or just see the post above yours.

Did anybody see what RC was drinking? I wonder if it had Vodka in it lol

I'm all for Thomas getting a spot on the roster and earning whatever minutes Pop is going to feel comfortable giving him, but I would still like to see a trade happen.

Found the full video of the RC Buford conversation:

http://watch.nba.com/nba/video/games...-interview.nba

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Originally Posted by 8FOR!3

While I'm not trying to say I disagree, I don't think it's fair to compare CoJo to DeShaun Thomas, who looks a lot more NBA ready than Cory, who should've stayed at least another year.

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I believe the two guys were the same high school class (2010) so they came in with much different expectations. Spurs also had room on the roster / Austin to develop him, and he seems to have turned a corner (plus as a first rounder was guaranteed a roster spot, unlike Thomas). DeShaun has to be more NBA-ready coming into the league based on his age alone.

If he performs like this the rest of the way through training camp, he may well find a home on the roster. As Spursfanfromafar said, would be great to upgrade Bonner's expiring + one of the excess PGs into another asset, maybe with an extra year on the back end of the deal as we won't be playing in free agency next summer either. Could then fill out the roster with player traded for + Thomas, who can spend all his time in Austin + maybe Neal at the right price.

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Originally Posted by timvp

-De Colo had a rough start to summer league but RC isn't worried about him. They've watched him all year long and they are aware of what he can do.

-Baynes is a big, physical player who the Spurs like because he goes hard after rebounds. He also has value because he matches up with Dwight Howard well.

-On DeShaun Thomas: Pop is going to put demands on him that will force him to play differently than he did at Ohio State. He can score -- and score from a lot of different places on the court.

-More Thomas: "His attitude and his eagerness to learn and grow has been overwhelming over the first week. A lot of things will need to go right for him to maximize his opportunity but there is a hole in our roster behind Kawhi right now. We're looking forward to what DeShaun brings and we like his approach so far."

-(I think it's very notable that RC admits that the team is missing a backup small forward. It'll be interesting to see if the Spurs now view Thomas as the answer to the hole or whether they'll try to bring in a veteran.)

-(The good news for Thomas is that RC is already talking about him as if he's part of the team. Coming into the summer league, the Spurs probably were leaning toward trying to convince him to go to Europe. Now after the AK47 wooing fell through and Thomas's strong start in summer league, it looks like the Spurs may view him as the answer at backup SF.)

-He hopes Belinelli will be a good fit. People who know him in the league think he will be a good fit. His skillset fits very well within the Spurs system. His relationship and familiarity with Manu and TP will help ease his transition to the team.

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?

I'd prefer to go with Thomas at this point. He's young and inexpensive, just what the Spurs need at this point. It is also important to remember that Boris Diaw can play minutes at the 3, as well as Manu. Barring injuries, our front line can do without Diaw at this point.

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Originally Posted by Raven

?

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Listening to the interview, it sounded like they took Beli in on the word of "people we respect that know his game" and that "they think his skillset will fit right in." It was a weird wording and didn't make it sound as if Pop and RC either really knew his game or were really confident that he would fit in here.

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Originally Posted by Darkwaters

Not necessarily. The Spurs are obligated to offer him a bare-bones non-guaranteed contract. He can choose to accept the option or decline this option and play out a season somewhere abroad. Usually this is mutually agreed upon and the team revisits a player like Deshaun Thomas the following season. If Thomas agreed to this and played somewhere else then next season he'd find himself exactly where Marcus Denmon is right now.

However, the player can opt to sign that bare-bones contract if they so choose. Jack McClinton famously did so and "forced the issue" a few years ago after he didn't like the "spend a year in Europe and we'll see" plan. He was waived during training camp that year.

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In a related story, McClinton has played in China and in the D League, but hasn't gotten so much as a camp invite from the NBA since then.

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Originally Posted by monkeypunk

Listening to the interview, it sounded like they took Beli in on the word of "people we respect that know his game" and that "they think his skillset will fit right in." It was a weird wording and didn't make it sound as if Pop and RC either really knew his game or were really confident that he would fit in here.

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To me it sounded more like a case of Pop & RC simply getting a good report on Belinelli from Spur FO/Coaching staff alums Dell Demps & Monty Williams.

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Originally Posted by tesseractive

In a related story, McClinton has played in China and in the D League, but hasn't gotten so much as a camp invite from the NBA since then.

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China & the D-league was probably McClinton's future from the get-go, but it is worth wondering about how things might have been different had McClinton not forced the Spurs hand by accepting the tender offer right away.

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Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

China & the D-league was probably McClinton's future from the get-go, but it is worth wondering about how things might have been different had McClinton not forced the Spurs hand by accepting the tender offer right away.

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Denmon doesn't look like an NBA player either at this point, but he has an NBA team willing to give him every chance and help him find a good situation even if it's not on the Spurs roster. McClinton burned his bridges, and he really has no one to turn to.

Speaking of ex-Spurs who didn't make it, whatever happened to Malik Hairston? He's playing in Europe, right? How's his career going over there?

Buford interview:

http://www.nba.com/spurs/video/games...nba/index.html

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Originally Posted by tesseractive

Denmon doesn't look like an NBA player either at this point, but he has an NBA team willing to give him every chance and help him find a good situation even if it's not on the Spurs roster. McClinton burned his bridges, and he really has no one to turn to.

Speaking of ex-Spurs who didn't make it, whatever happened to Malik Hairston? He's playing in Europe, right? How's his career going over there?

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I haven't kept tabs on Hairston other than to know that he's never made it back over here.

http://www.procanes.com/files/mcclintonspurs.jpg

Is it just me, or is that a "you dumb son of a bitch" expression on RC's face?

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Originally Posted by timvp

-(The good news for Thomas is that RC is already talking about him as if he's part of the team. Coming into the summer league, the Spurs probably were leaning toward trying to convince him to go to Europe. Now after the AK47 wooing fell through and Thomas's strong start in summer league, it looks like the Spurs may view him as the answer at backup SF.)

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:lol Why are people still pretending this spot is up for grabs? The Belinelli signing cliched Ginobili/Green playing backup SF.

I fully expect them to sign an SF too (probably Thomas, after they inevitably try and fail to sign Miller), but it won't be for the rotation, it'll be for insurance purposes.

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Originally Posted by TD 21

:lol Why are people still pretending this spot is up for grabs? The Belinelli signing cliched Ginobili/Green playing backup SF.

I fully expect them to sign an SF too (probably Thomas, after they inevitably try and fail to sign Miller), but it won't be for the rotation, it'll be for insurance purposes.

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Yet RC Buford says there's a hole behind Kawhi...

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Originally Posted by Baam

Yet RC Buford says there's a hole behind Kawhi...

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Yeah, in terms of depth. He didn't say anything about the rotation though, nor did he have to, because it's obvious Belinelli will be the fourth wing.

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Originally Posted by Baam

Yet RC Buford says there's a hole behind Kawhi...

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...because if RC thought there was no shot of Thomas making the team, he'd definitely tell us.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lu...37pio1_500.jpg

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Originally Posted by tesseractive

In a related story, McClinton has played in China and in the D League, but hasn't gotten so much as a camp invite from the NBA since then.

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Eh, how often does the 51st pick actually pan out anyways?

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Originally Posted by robdiaz2191

Kawhi isn't what you would call fast either, don't see what the big deal is.

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Saying it's so doesn't make it so.

Pre-draft camp

Kawhi - lane agility 11.45 3/4 court sprint 3.15
Deshaun - lane agility 12.94 (:lol) 3/4 court sprint 3.53

Thomas is a plodder. Everyone else is playing on a hard surface while he plays in quicksand. He's never even going to be an average defender, no matter how much effort he gives.

To put that into perspective, here are the numbers for a VERY fat

DeJuan Blair - lane agility 11.5 (:wow) 3/4 court sprint 3.45

Wow...didn't realize he was that slow. The only chance he has to stay on the floor is to hide him on a really bad offensive player.

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Originally Posted by exstatic

Saying it's so doesn't make it so.

Pre-draft camp

Kawhi - lane agility 11.45 3/4 court sprint 3.15
Deshaun - lane agility 12.94 (:lol) 3/4 court sprint 3.53

Thomas is a plodder. Everyone else is playing on a hard surface while he plays in quicksand. He's never even going to be an average defender, no matter how much effort he gives.

To put that into perspective, here are the numbers for a VERY fat

DeJuan Blair - lane agility 11.5 (:wow) 3/4 court sprint 3.45

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http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-...ce=All&sort=15

George Hill was timed at 12.20. One of the slower times you will see for a player his size and defense was average at worst.
Hollis Thompson was timed at 9.21. At 6'8 is one of the best agility times ever. Is on the SL team and take a look at his defense. No better than DT's at times.

My point is without a doubt quickness is only a small factor in becoming an average NBA defender. That is all DT needs to become since his scoring is his primary attribute to any team he plays for. Hustle, desire, and playing smart are bigger factors in my opinion in becoming an average defender than athletci quickness. If we were talking elite defender then yes agility is a bigger factor but with DT not so much.