Monore: Notebook: Mahinmi recalled for Spurs' road trip

[Bruno]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...i.2f805ee.html

Web Posted: 01/29/2008 12:22 AM CST
Mike Monroe
Express-News

SALT LAKE CITY — Ian Mahinmi was back on the roster for the Spurs for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz, called up Monday morning from the Austin Toros of the D-League.

He also was back on the inactive list, sitting behind his teammates in a black suit and tie.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Mahinmi is on the first leg of the rodeo road trip, a three-game stretch that goes from Salt Lake City to Seattle to Phoenix, strictly for the camaraderie he will gain with his teammates.

"We just wanted to bring him up and spend some time with the team," Popovich said. "He can make friends with the guys and enjoy himself a little bit. It's more that, a personality thing for him to be around the guys."

Popovich wants Mahinmi, a 21-year-old, 6-foot-10 rookie who was the team's first-round draft pick in 2005, to get all the seasoning he can in Austin. Mahinmi has played well for the Toros, and joined the Spurs after a 32-point, nine-rebound performance in Austin on Sunday.

"I was happy," Mahinmi said, "not so surprised. I've been working hard."

Mahinmi said he understands he likely will return to Austin when the first leg of the trip is complete, but he believes he has improved to the point he could help the club if called on.

"I just keep improving on my offensive game and defensive game," he said. We run a couple of Spurs sets, too, so I think my understanding of the game is better, playing a lot and getting experience. I think I have improved on every aspect of the game."

Decision time: The second of the 10-day contracts Jeremy Richardson signed will expire on Wednesday, at which time the Spurs must either sign him for the remainder of the season or let him go. The calf injury that has Brent Barry on the shelf for the next three to four weeks could factor into the decision.

Richardson has played in only five games since joining the Spurs and played only 43 minutes.

"In these situations, it's never a decision where you have all the input you'd like," Popovich said. "You just can't do it. You're torn between trying to win games and trying to see what somebody can do. It's almost unfair to the team to just play somebody new who doesn't really know what's going on at the expense of winning a game. So we won't have all the information we would like to have, but we'll still make the decision."

[timvp]

Three games? Mahinmi will suit up for all of one game ... against the Suns and he won't play.

Lame

Why not keep him down for the whole trip?

[Bruno]

Toros next game is one February 1st and the first leg of the RRT end on January 31st with a game against Suns.

I wonder what Spurs will do :
Send him back to Austin just after the Suns game? Mahinmi won't miss a single D-League game if Spurs do that.
Keep him for the practices between the two legs of the RRT? After these practices, Spurs could have a better idea to what to do with Mahinmi : send in Austin, keep him at the end of the bench or give him a try and put him in the rotation for a couple of games.