In Vegas: Mahinmi Is Next (Hoopsworld)

[angelbelow]

i think hes only got room to improve on one aspect. i think people who expect him to be great or at least decent and well rounded are going to be disappointed. hes needs to either work on defense, or offense, i dont see him as a scorer/gun ho defender.

i would rather him turn into a scorer rebounder than a defender rebounder. with his skills he could choose either and refine it for a couple of seasons but i really think hes either going to be a offensive force with no D (amare) or poor scorer with D (ben wallace). and i know im using allstars for comparison but i thought using well known players will be easier to understand what im trying to say.

[Spuradicator]

Ian will be a "rookie" this year. I am just hoping he can provide some solid minutes off the bench. But it would be awesome if he can really turn it on in coming years.

[Bruno]

I don't know why but I don't have the feeling that Mahinmi is playing at 100% on the defensive end. He is committing few PFs when you consider that he is usually quite foul prone and that SL's refs whistles a lot of PFs.
Maybe he doesn't really care about SL or Spurs have told him that his first priority was not to commit fouls.

[mystargtr34]

At this point... i would like to bring Finley back from what ive seen in the Summer League and losing Brent. I just dont see who else we can resign to replace him.

If we bring him back in a reduced role off the bench, given that Mason can become an adequte starter, im fine with that.

Mahinmi, i didnt think he would be ready to earn consistant rotation minutes this season, but i still thought he would do a bit better in SL, so whatever.

It would be nice if he could make an impact.

[Gino2882]

Mahinmi definitely isn't ready as a starter or first big off the bench. His size and athleticism will allow him to play and possibly play well in small doses this coming season.

Lower the hype on Mahinmi.

[milkyway21]

I did not on Mahinmi when I watched their game against the Knicks BUT I was NOT disappointed either.

I really like to have have sitting on the bench and earn minutes to know the Spurs system this yr.

I was waiting for Pop's comments of Mahinmi's progress because I saw him on the bench watching his new recruits and Ian, and I like that he made few good feedbacks..

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...oin_Spurs.html

MAHINMI WANTS TO SHOW WHY HE CAN JOIN THE SPURS
Mike Monroe

LAS VEGAS — When the Spurs’ Ian Mahinmi heard reports that Tiago Splitter, the 7-footer the Spurs took in the first round in 2007, was going to stay in Spain, his emotions were mixed.

“That was bad for the Spurs,” Mahinmi said, a trace of a smile creeping up on the corners of his mouth, “but a big opportunity for me.”

What Mahinmi, a 21-year-old, 6-foot-11 center-forward, does this summer is vital for a team that hopes to build a future foundation while retaining its status as one of the NBA’s elite.

Indeed, nothing is quite as important for the Spurs in the summer league as getting a feel for what they can expect next season from Mahinmi, their first-round pick in the 2005 draft.

Mahinmi remains a work in progress. He has the size and athleticism to become a solid contributor in the NBA, but still has much to learn. Though he played four seasons with pro teams in France before signing a rookie-scale contract with the Spurs last summer, his NBA résumé consists of six games, during which he scored 21 points and grabbed five rebounds.

A season with the Austin Toros of the NBA’s Development League was encouraging. Mahinmi averaged 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds and helped the Toros reach the D-League’s championship series.

This summer, with regular-rotation big men Kurt Thomas and Robert Horry both unrestricted free agents, the Spurs hope to learn enough about Mahinmi to know whether he merits a spot on the 12-man roster or needs more development in Austin.

Thus far, coach Gregg Popovich likes what Mahinmi has shown in Las Vegas.

“I continue to be impressed with his progress,” Popovich said after the Spurs defeated the New York Knicks in a Wednesday afternoon game here. “The first day I saw him here, up to now, I’d say he’s made significant progress. His understanding of the game, his physical body, his skill set, and his ability to understand  team defense have improved.”

Mahinmi and 2008 first-round pick George Hill were the only Spurs summer leaguers who averaged more than 30 minutes in the first three games. Popovich and summer league head coach Mike Budenholzer held both players out of Thursday’s game against the Suns.

In his three games in Las Vegas, Mahinmi averaged 14.0 points, but the Spurs didn’t travel to the desert hoping to see offense.

“His role for us, whether he plays a lot now, or in the future, is going to be running the floor, rebounding the basketball at both ends, and blocking shots,” Popovich said.
Mahinmi improved with the Toros, and Austin’s proximity to San Antonio allowed him occasional visits to the Spurs’ practice facility to work out with his NBA teammates.

Now Mahinmi has high expectations for the 2008-09 season, understanding he has not yet guaranteed his spot on the 12-man roster.

“Yes, I have high expectations,” he said. “I want to try to be a big rotation guy for that team. That’s what I want: to come out and bring high energy, my young blood. I want to bring defense, running, blocked shots and defensive presence.”

Quin Snyder, the Toros’ head coach, said he watched Mahinmi improve in each of those areas during 45 regular season games, and four playoff games, he played for Austin.

“I think the biggest thing was that he got to play a lot of minutes,” Snyder said. “It’s that, more than anything, that allowed him to learn at udes about the game. He got to experience both success and failure, and how to handle them.”

Mahinmi admits he will be disappointed() if the Spurs coaches don’t deem him ready for prime time. Yet he understands he must earn his chance.

“I’m so much more prepared,” he said. “Two years ago I thought I was ready, but I was definitely not ready then. Playing all those games in D-League, and being with the (Spurs) at the end of the season, seeing how you’ve really, really got to adjust yourself for those 82 games and that it’s really, really, really tough, that helped me know what I must do.”

[mystargtr34]

I did not on Mahinmi when I watched their game against the Knicks BUT I was NOT disappointed either.

I really like to have have sitting on the bench and earn minutes to know the Spurs system this yr.

I was waiting for Pop's comments of Mahinmi's progress because I saw him on the bench watching his new recruits and Ian, and I like that he made few good feedbacks..

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...oin_Spurs.html

MAHINMI WANTS TO KNOW WHY HE CAN JOIN THE SPURS
Mike Monroe

LAS VEGAS — When the Spurs’ Ian Mahinmi heard reports that Tiago Splitter, the 7-footer the Spurs took in the first round in 2007, was going to stay in Spain, his emotions were mixed.

“That was bad for the Spurs,” Mahinmi said, a trace of a smile creeping up on the corners of his mouth, “but a big opportunity for me.”

What Mahinmi, a 21-year-old, 6-foot-11 center-forward, does this summer is vital for a team that hopes to build a future foundation while retaining its status as one of the NBA’s elite.

Indeed, nothing is quite as important for the Spurs in the summer league as getting a feel for what they can expect next season from Mahinmi, their first-round pick in the 2005 draft.

Mahinmi remains a work in progress. He has the size and athleticism to become a solid contributor in the NBA, but still has much to learn. Though he played four seasons with pro teams in France before signing a rookie-scale contract with the Spurs last summer, his NBA résumé consists of six games, during which he scored 21 points and grabbed five rebounds.

A season with the Austin Toros of the NBA’s Development League was encouraging. Mahinmi averaged 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds and helped the Toros reach the D-League’s championship series.

This summer, with regular-rotation big men Kurt Thomas and Robert Horry both unrestricted free agents, the Spurs hope to learn enough about Mahinmi to know whether he merits a spot on the 12-man roster or needs more development in Austin.

Thus far, coach Gregg Popovich likes what Mahinmi has shown in Las Vegas.

“I continue to be impressed with his progress,” Popovich said after the Spurs defeated the New York Knicks in a Wednesday afternoon game here. “The first day I saw him here, up to now, I’d say he’s made significant progress. His understanding of the game, his physical body, his skill set, and his ability to understand  team defense have improved.”

Mahinmi and 2008 first-round pick George Hill were the only Spurs summer leaguers who averaged more than 30 minutes in the first three games. Popovich and summer league head coach Mike Budenholzer held both players out of Thursday’s game against the Suns.

In his three games in Las Vegas, Mahinmi averaged 14.0 points, but the Spurs didn’t travel to the desert hoping to see offense.

“His role for us, whether he plays a lot now, or in the future, is going to be running the floor, rebounding the basketball at both ends, and blocking shots,” Popovich said.
Mahinmi improved with the Toros, and Austin’s proximity to San Antonio allowed him occasional visits to the Spurs’ practice facility to work out with his NBA teammates.

Now Mahinmi has high expectations for the 2008-09 season, understanding he has not yet guaranteed his spot on the 12-man roster.

“Yes, I have high expectations,” he said. “I want to try to be a big rotation guy for that team. That’s what I want: to come out and bring high energy, my young blood. I want to bring defense, running, blocked shots and defensive presence.”

Quin Snyder, the Toros’ head coach, said he watched Mahinmi improve in each of those areas during 45 regular season games, and four playoff games, he played for Austin.

“I think the biggest thing was that he got to play a lot of minutes,” Snyder said. “It’s that, more than anything, that allowed him to learn at udes about the game. He got to experience both success and failure, and how to handle them.”

Mahinmi admits he will be disappointed() if the Spurs coaches don’t deem him ready for prime time. Yet he understands he must earn his chance.

“I’m so much more prepared,” he said. “Two years ago I thought I was ready, but I was definitely not ready then. Playing all those games in D-League, and being with the (Spurs) at the end of the season, seeing how you’ve really, really got to adjust yourself for those 82 games and that it’s really, really, really tough, that helped me know what I must do.”

I admire Ian's confidence, and hope he proves me dead wrong - but i cant see him being a vital role player this season. He seems too raw still, although the potential is there.

Having said that, its time to sink or swim... i dont think we have any other choice but to let him play, the FO decided against bigs in the draft, and could have had some bigs with a LLE deal and decided against it.

A Thomas/Oberto/Bonner combination wont get it done, alongside Duncan.

On a side note, what other bigs are still available for our LLE or the vet minimum....

Alonzo Mourning - Long shot but another guy who can protect the rim... but i dont think hes leaving Miami if he decides to play another year.

Francisco Elson - Live with the good and the bad, someone who can run the floor.

Theo Ratliff - Rim protector, still more athletic than Oberto and Thomas combined, good for 10-15 minutes as the 5th big

Maybe the Spurs look at Randolph Morris from the Knicks as a Mahinmi replacement in the D-League... project player and see how he pans out in the future... obviously right now theres more important things for the FO to consider.