HOOPSWORLD: The Jackie Butler Equation

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Spurs: The Jackie Butler Equation
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By Bill Ingram
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Dec 19, 2006, 08:50


The San Antonio Spurs had a curious solution to their center needs over the offseason. After losing Nazr Mohammed (their intended starter) to free agency they courted Alonzo Mourning and then Joel Przybilla as possible replacements. When both chose to stay with their previous teams, the Spurs didn't look to established free agents like Olowokandi, Cato, or Woods - but rather chose to go with a third string center from a lottery team. Why?

For the answer to that question we turn to Basketball News Services' experts on the New York Knicks.

Yael Shacham: I love the guy. I think he has lots of potential, he is a hard worker, which earned him some playing time with LB, and he could develop into a solid bench player. Personality wise? Not much of a talker. He was my second interview on media day last year and he basically answered with yes/no. He is very athletic for his size, strong and got a nice soft touch when he scores. He also has potential in the blocking department. I would keep him, as I think he will get better and better. Again, could be a nice backup to the center.

Wendell Maxey: Jackie found himself in an interesting situation during his first full season in the NBA and with the New York Knicks. he for sure had stretches on the inactive list. but it didn't take long for Larry Brown to realize Jackie was the perfect fit (then again coach brown used 42 different starting lineups last year). Jerome James, often injured and out of shape, really didn't fit into Larry Brown's game plan and Eddy Curry's conditioning was questionable after coming back from heart complications.

Insert Jackie.

Now 6'10 and 265, the kid isn't going to kill you with fancy footwork or be a pick and pop guy. But Brown has good hands for a big man and cleans up nicely around the boards. Basically, Jackie is "serviceable". Larry never ran plays for him. Didn't have to. Jackie got 22 points against Washington and 18 versus Detroit last season just by mopping up misses.

As a person, Jackie is pretty meek and doesn't talk a lot. But Larry always spoke highly of him and loved having him in the second rotation with Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee. Jackie fit Coach Brown's 'play the right way' motto and became someone Larry went to early and often off the bench, while not even giving Jerome James a thought.

CBA Cinderella story or overpaid-overweight free agent? The choice was pretty clear for Coach Brown.

So much, in fact, that it was a bit of a shock that Knicks management (read Isiah Thomas) decided not to keep Jackie Butler around. When the offseason hit and the Spurs came calling, Thomas really didn't even think twice about it. He let him go.

Considering Jerome James is the same Jerome James of last year and Kelvin Cato....well....he's Kelvin Cato....something tells me Jackie Butler would be the perfect player to back up Eddy Curry this season in New York.

He did last year.

It took Butler most of last season to finally get significant playing time, and that was only after the Knick were well beyond playing games that meant anything. What he did show all season was that he was a very efficient player, and that trend continued when he started to get more minutes. He shoots a very high percentage from the field, he's a solid rebounder, and he even hits a high percentage of his free throws. These are all attributes that should make him someone who would earn minutes in Gregg Popovich's rotation. The Spurs' scouts were very high on him this summer - now it's just up to his coach to have some confidence in him, as well.

Neither Fabricio Oberto nor Francisco Elson has shown a particular knack for starting at the center position. They can hold down the middle, but that's about all. Popovich seems to be over the Oberto scenario, choosing lately to start Elson, but Elson isn't doing any better. In four starts he's averaging just 5.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game - not much better than his numbers in ten fewer minutes per contest off the bench: 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Time to give Jackie a chance?

He can't be any worse than the two players who are in the rotation now.

Key Newslines

James White was sent down to the NBDL's Austin Toros on Friday and appeared in his first game on Sunday. He logged 24 minutes, scoring nine points to go with three rebounds and two assists in the Toros' 94-99 loss to the Skyforce.

I'm looking forward to seeing more PT from Jackie Butler when the time is ripe. Hopefully he'll be a contributor to some degree come playoff time.

Pop says Butler isn't going to really play this season, unless there are injuries.

I hope to see it too, but only if the Spurs are going to benefit from it. I do like seeing Elson starting though, but I think he is going to have to produce a little more on the rebounding and block more shots to really be effective.

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Originally Posted by Dirties Robbed Me

Spurs always have some over hyped pine rider. LJ3 ring a bell. I doubt he'll even see significant minutes next season if he's even around.

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I don't think Butler is overhyped at all. This is just a Hoopsworld article. Everyone knows he's just a project. He's under contract next year; I think he'll be here and contribute.

He really can't do worse, but when Elson/Oberto are thought of as a tandem their numbers are very respectable, and I'm sure we all know the center position is not the position we run the most plays for...

The only thing worse than a Hoopsworld article is a Hoopsworld article written by Bill Ingram.

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Originally Posted by timvp

The only thing worse than a Hoopsworld article is a Hoopsworld article written by Bill Ingram.

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What about a Hoopsworld article written by Bill Ingram about Bill Ingram?

Stupid Article! I think Elson & Oberto are doing a fantastic job, considering they play with 3 all-stars and a talented bench, all shooting a high %. I would figure rebounds and shooting opportunities would be hard to come by.

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Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

Pop says Butler isn't going to really play this season, unless there are injuries.

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Yeah but Pop is stupid. After all, this is the same idiot that travelled to the hills of Serbia to 'lure' the great Rasho Nesterovic to San Antonio. Butler is a great rebounder, the Spurs can't rebound worth shit...hmmmm let me see, wait too complicated.

When Dallas beats us again this year, hopefully Holt will realize that the only thing standing in the way of a Spurs dynasty is the dumb asshole they call coach. Don't bet on it though because I think Holt is about as familiar with basketball as Carmelo Anthony is with manhood.

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Originally Posted by Dirties Robbed Me

I think some have pretty high expectations for him. I laugh because people thought he could be potentially starting this year.

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Most of that wasn't optimism. Most of it was widely shared assumption that Oberto never was going to offer much and Elson was a bad signing. We were wrong on both counts. Otherwise we'd be seeing a lot of Butler already and/or wearing out Horry and trying to go with Bonner.

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Originally Posted by Dirties Robbed Me

I think some have pretty high expectations for him. I laugh because people thought he could be potentially starting this year. If he give us 6 and 5 off the bench I think he'll be a great assest. Especially since Horry as the end of the rope.

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I think if he would have arrived in shape, then he could have started by year's end. But since he arrived fat (he's since lost 25 pounds and still getting in shape) and he's so young, then they are just Stephen Jackson-ing him this year and having him learn the system. Elson/Oberto/Butler are so different that it would be cool if they could all get minutes to provide different things. In the end, if they can all combine for 14/14, the Spurs should be in great shape.

in numbers: Oberto+Elson 5.5 million $/year
38.6 MPG; 11.2 PPG (54% FG); 10.5 RPG; 2.4 APG; 1.2 BPG.

this numbers are not out of this world, but this are numbers most teams would love to get from their starting center and they would love it even more, if he did it for only 5.5 million per.

just for the fun of comparison:
Spurs center (plan A) + Spurs center (plan B)
Przybilla+Mourning (combine for 7.7 million$ per)

41.1 MPG; 11.6 PPG; (57% FG); 11.4 RPG; 0.7 APG; 4.3 BPG.

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The only thing worse than a Hoopsworld article is a Hoopsworld article written by Bill Ingram.

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No shit.

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Now 6'10 and 265, the kid isn't going to kill you with fancy footwork or be a pick and pop guy. But Brown has good hands for a big man and cleans up nicely around the boards.

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:lol Larry Brown gained some weight ... and height.

damn i wish he has game like amare....:(

Can't Hoopsworld find a Spurfan to write for them for free?

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Originally Posted by ChumpDumper

Can't Hoopsworld find a Spurfan to write for them for free?

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They had Emmett Shaw last year but he moved on.

I know, I just can't stand seeing Rocketfan trying to act knowledgeable about this team.

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Originally Posted by rocketfanspurexpert

He can't be any worse than the two players who are in the rotation now.

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This guy could not have actually watched Butler play as a Spur.

No shit, as if the 2 centers are actually playing poorly. What an idiot.

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Can't Hoopsworld find a Spurfan to write for them for free?

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Emmett Shaw was really good. They had somebody else a few years back like in 03 who was pretty good but he left too.

Where is Emmett Shaw now?

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Originally Posted by ShoogarBear

Where is Emmett Shaw now?

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Last year in the playoffs, he told me that he was considering going back into the work force (he had been retired). And I don't know what happened after that, I haven't talked to him.

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Originally Posted by GrandeDavid

I'm looking forward to seeing more PT from Jackie Butler when the time is ripe. Hopefully he'll be a contributor to some degree come playoff time.

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Like James White, I think the guy needs some PT. Maybe now that the several days of practice are over they'll send him down to join White for a couple of weeks.

Butler has been in the league too long to be sent down.

the oberto/elson hate is amazing. what the hell do these guys have to do to get some respect. 10 and 10 between the two of them is more than just good. maybe if pop gave these guys some consistent minutes and quit messing w/ his lineup every 5 days we'd get even better output.