Monastery of Luka Samanic

[r0drig0lac]

The whole “he was supposed to be a 2 year project” meme is already an admission that he was a big reach

Bruno Caboclo 2.0

In hindsight, which player should have been chosen in 2019?

Thybulle or Bazley

[PrimeMinister]

ginobili was picked at the end of the 2nd round. nobody cares about 2nd round picks that go nowhere. and it would be different if a player was drafted and stashed while still playing full time elsewhere, as was the case with Bertans or Splitter

Of course they keep playing, thats the idea of a draft and stash.

I just love how much crying people do about us not having found "the guy" and the one time in the last few years they swing for someone with a higher ceiling than a safe bet middle of the first rounder, like Brandon Clarke, it's the end of the world.

I'd be careful though leaving so much bad take fodder laying around for all the "Luka is a bust" doubters. He could have a lot of years in front of him.

[spurraider21]

Of course they keep playing, thats the idea of a draft and stash.

I just love how much crying people do about us not having found "the guy" and the one time in the last few years they swing for someone with a higher ceiling than a safe bet middle of the first rounder, like Brandon Clarke, it's the end of the world.

I'd be careful though leaving so much bad take fodder laying around for all the "Luka is a bust" doubters. He could have a lot of years in front of him.

a player who is drafted and stashed isn't taking a roster spot or being paid by the team, so its a bit different. and when it comes to first round picks, Tiago Splitter is the only successful first round pick who was a true "draft and stash"

otherwise, that track record includes Milutinov, LJC.

[Light]

Luka's lack of playing time is a result of the Spurs being in "playoffs or bust" mode every year and being overly reliant on vets, as much as it is anything else. I believe you could give Luka all of Lyle's minutes and some of Gay's (especially when he's off) and the team wouldn't be any worse for it. At the same time, he wouldn't raise the team's ceiling in any significant way, so if all things being equal, Pop will go with the vet. Pop has shown time and again that talent doesn't always equal playing time.

[exstatic]

I don't disagree. But usually if a player HAS to be stashed because he's unplayable, he's not considered a first-round pick.



I don't think it's obvious at all. The Spurs have drafted multiple projects over the years and have been perfectly able to get them playing time in their first two seasons. We're not talking about a guy who only gets garbage-time minutes in his first year or so. We're talking about a guy who didn't play even in blowouts when he was active. This isn't the team's normal MO, especially.
considering how high they drafted Sam. They definitely have a vested interest in developing him.



I mean, the Spurs are playing small right now because they don't feel like they have enough forwards to play bigger. That's what a ton of STers seem to think anyway. There's no rule that Vassell HAD to get minutes over Sam or that the Spurs had to go with nine guys in their rotation to start the season. There's definitely a pathway to minutes for young PF, and that's even more true of earlier in the season. Lonnie, as raw as he was, played 17 games in his first season. Sam has only played seven games total.



And that's the thing. Usually projects that work out get playing time early and "show something" even when they aren't ready for any real role. Murray, for all of his question marks, definitely showed ability to do things as a rookie. Walker showed his physical tools. And those guys and even guys like Forbes and Neal showed they had some NBA skills from jump street. Sam isn't good enough for the Spurs to even put him out there to see what they have. It's a weird red flag.

Sammich played one game as a rook that had what would be considered rotation minutes. He scored 16 points, grabbed 6 boards, and shot 2/3 beyond the arc. He’s not ready for Spurs ball, but he could play on most other teams, and put up numbers that would exceed any players picked behind him, including Clarke. Probably something like 15/7 and 36% from 3. He’d probably be on an awful team, and they wouldn’t care that he missed rotations or closed out too slowly, or at the wrong angle.

[SpursDynasty85]

Luka's lack of playing time is a result of the Spurs being in "playoffs or bust" mode every year and being overly reliant on vets, as much as it is anything else. I believe you could give Luka all of Lyle's minutes and some of Gay's (especially when he's off) and the team wouldn't be any worse for it. At the same time, he wouldn't raise the team's ceiling in any significant way, so if all things being equal, Pop will go with the vet. Pop has shown time and again that talent doesn't always equal playing time.

This is precisely why vets like to sign with the Spurs. It’s really the only way they can sign any meaningful free agents until the SA market can rival the big boys. In 10 years it should when Austin and SA will be like DFW.

[ElNono]

No one cares. I'm sorry, man, but it's true. What's going to matter is how Samanic plays, not whether a team like the Knicks or Kings would've drafted him in the top five a year later. Teams draft busts up there all the time. You don't get credit for drafting a bust later on just because he would've been a bigger bust a year later. I'm not saying that Sam is a bust. That's not yet decided. I am saying that at this point, he's a player on the Spurs, and where he was picked and where he could've been picked no longer matters.

It's not normal to be this far away. I don't think the Spurs expected it, and folks acting like this was all part of their plan are saying so without evidence. Murray was two years away, but he still played his first year and played a lot his second year. The game he's developed since his second year is way better than what he was rocking, and his body has changed a lot too. He was a project as much as Sam is, but he didn't just sit in the d-league. Giannis played. Siakam played. Jokic played. Heck, even Christian Wood played more games in his first two seasons than Sam has. It's not normal. It's not to be expected. It's a bad sign, even if it ends up working out.

This. And there's nothing wrong if he doesn't pan out. Would it suck for the Spurs? yes, but realistically these things happen all the time in this league.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Wood has always been good but never truly got a shot to prove it with real NBA minutes. I’ve vouched for him for 4 years on here. He was setting the G league on fire and produced in the few minutes he would get in Philly and Milwaukee. Detroit finally gave his shot and more than delivered. That’s not the case with Luka.

Umm...Luka was pretty dominant in the G League at the end of last year.

[buttsR4rebounding]

I personally think that Luka's banishment has more to do with the Spurs trying to get it into his head how hard he needs to work to reach his potential. This is about creating an at ude/work ethic shift in Luka that is necessary for him to become a star. I think Luka could play back-up minutes right now and be passable. The Spurs are using the stick and the stick approach. Based on his most recent interview he is at least saying the right words in that respect. It remains to be seen if actually believes it.

[John B]

I personally think that Luka's banishment has more to do with the Spurs trying to get it into his head how hard he needs to work to reach his potential. This is about creating an at ude/work ethic shift in Luka that is necessary for him to become a star. I think Luka could play back-up minutes right now and be passable. The Spurs are using the stick and the stick approach. Based on his most recent interview he is at least saying the right words in that respect. It remains to be seen if actually believes it.

Agree. My read is that he accepts the challenge and opportunity to get better at the G-League. I certainly hope he dominates and get his confidence that he could be a great player with his skills, but it takes a lot of work to get there. I hope that Keldon’s success, a player picked after him, rubs him the right way, and that hard work pays off.

[KingKev]

Yeah, I don’t know why Semanic doesn’t get more burn. He’s young. He’s long, skilled, and he can cause a lot of other small forwards havoc on the defensive end. I would play him at small forward and start him after a few game reps. With the team we have now, my lineup would be the following:

1st String:
1) White
2) Derozan
3) Semanic
4) Aldridge
5) Poetl


2nd String:
1) Murray
2) Mills
3) Johnson
4) Gay
5) Lyles

We could use Mills’ & Johnson’s energy off the bench.

crazy you aren’t an NBA level GM.

[Ocotillo]

I personally think that Luka's banishment has more to do with the Spurs trying to get it into his head how hard he needs to work to reach his potential. This is about creating an at ude/work ethic shift in Luka that is necessary for him to become a star. I think Luka could play back-up minutes right now and be passable. The Spurs are using the stick and the stick approach. Based on his most recent interview he is at least saying the right words in that respect. It remains to be seen if actually believes it.

He is saying the right things. Sometimes people even believe they are busting their ass but do not realize they are not really and it's not even they are slacking, they just don't get it. Let's hope the light bulb come on and he not only says it but does it.

[TimDunkem]

POS player and POS person, tbqfh. Their hard-ons for Euro busts not withstanding, I'm surprised they selected him. Guess we've had a brain drain in the scouting department too.

[pad300]

POS player and POS person, tbqfh. Their hard-ons for Euro busts not withstanding, I'm surprised they selected him. Guess we've had a brain drain in the scouting department too.

A psychic internet character assessment, got to love it...

[The Truth #6]

A psychic internet character assessment, got to love it...

I'm not sure where he got his impression (thin air?), BUT I do remember reading a first hand account on here of how Luka was basically a to service workers. Not sure if it's actually true, but IIRC there have been some rumblings.

[The Truth #6]

But on the balance, if I had to choose between him being nice to the service industry or be an actual NBA player, sadly, I would put my personal politics aside, and choose: actual NBA player.

[Dejounte]

I'm not sure where he got his impression (thin air?), BUT I do remember reading a first hand account on here of how Luka was basically a to service workers. Not sure if it's actually true, but IIRC there have been some rumblings.

He's (@TimDunkem) the one who shared that info. Unfortunately he won't give the full scoop.

[Gagnrath]

crazy you aren’t an NBA level GM.

Oh wow, can you imagine the pick and roll games the other teams in this league could set up with having DeRozen at 2 guard, initiate with an aldridge cover at PF?

[exstatic]

But on the balance, if I had to choose between him being nice to the service industry or be an actual NBA player, sadly, I would put my personal politics aside, and choose: actual NBA player.

He may be an NBA player, but if this is true, he’s not Spurs material, and needs to be offloaded at the earliest opportunity. This sounds like way more than just immaturity.

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

Umm...Luka was pretty dominant in the G League at the end of last year.

i wouldn’t say dominant but he definitely played a whole lot better towards the end of their season in the development league. I got to watch a couple of games live before stuff shut down

[BillMc]

He needs to dominate the G-league at least for me to get back onboard.

[The Truth #6]

He may be an NBA player, but if this is true, he’s not Spurs material, and needs to be offloaded at the earliest opportunity. This sounds like way more than just immaturity.

And it may be nothing. Also, he wouldn’t be the only Spur that locals had weird encounters with. I’ve talked to people in the service industry who thought TP was a , but that obviously didn’t hurt his career. (Sleeping with a teammate’s wife didn’t either.)

[Ocotillo]

There are always stories about players being jerks to valets and waiters and other "regular" people. Who know which ones are true and which ones are people making sh*t up.

[mo7888]

He may be an NBA player, but if this is true, he’s not Spurs material, and needs to be offloaded at the earliest opportunity. This sounds like way more than just immaturity.

True but there's no evidence that it's true....

[K...]

a foreigner with engliish as a 2nd or 3rd language struggles with social cues? oh no!