He has only been in the league one year. He has played a total of 9 NBA games. How many players can you name that had a polished, NBA level game after only one year in the league?
We're at an impasse because of perspectives. You're concentrating on his available skill set (the polish) while I'm saying why is there so little polish? In other words, we're talking past one another because I'm concerned with his rawness and your concerned with what has begun to take shape. My guess is that our comprehensive evaluations of Watkins are more or less the same.
I'd like a longer look too.
Who do you want to develop on spurs roster at position number 14th and 15th?
Those two positions should be locked for vets. IMO
I completely disagree. In most cases, I think that those two spots best serve the Spurs interests if they are reserved for Austin assignees. This year that could mean Hairston and Watkins, or some player that doesn't make another squad. Having Damon Stoudamire and Steve Smith at the end of the bench doesn't help the team short or long term.
Hairston and Watkins
Are they gonna be in the 8-man rotation for a le contender?
You always can dump Smiths and Stoudamire contracts and make a run at somebody better.
You probably talking about surviving regular season, I'm talking about helping team in the playoffs.
watkins is insurance in case ian is a fukn BUSTS waitin to happen
Exactly. That's why I don't believe it's in the Spurs best interest to give up on Watkins. Teams aren't exactly turning loose big, true centers that can rebound, defend and block shots. There are many spare bigs that are at the end of the bench and at the bottom of various NBA rosters.
The Spurs need to keep this guy and develop him. He may be a project player, but he's obviously got some skills that could mean him turning into a productive player over the long haul. He may even be able to provide some meaningful minutes against some of the bigger frontline teams in the short term.
Add to that the fact that even if Ian is decent this year, he's still known to be foul prone. Having bigs that are quick and long can really help our frequent defensive lapses on quick guards. 3 point shooting is part of our scheme (sometimes unfortunately,) but one of our glaring weaknesses is interior defense outside of Duncan.
Watkins is just as foul prone as Mahinmi. That is an area of Ian's game wherein he really improved this past year. George Hill will be a better help to slow quick guards.
The idea that Watkins is more game-ready than Mahinmi is far-fetched. They both played NBDL last season, and Ian was much better.
I'd go for Hairston and Watkins, but I can't shake the feeling that Tolliver is almost guarenteed. If I had to choose between Hairston and Watkins, I'd have to go with Hairston, since Ian is Watkins 1.5.
I'm not suggesting Watkins over Ian. I'm just saying he would provide an extra athletic big man if Ian were to get in foul trouble. Maybe I'm overestimating the benefit of a long athletic big man against some of the teams we play that get to the rim at will, but having 2 is better than one. Thomas and Oberto seem to be liabilities against those types of teams/situations.
Just to make things clear, Iowa holds the rights to Watkins in the D-League.
I don't see many scenarios in which both Ian and Watkins would be on the active roster at the same time.
I'm really unclear on how the technicalities of all of this work so don't jump on me if I get this wrong, just clarify.
So, Salim, Wright, Ian, Tolliver, and a couple others aren't guaranteed correct?
Now, Wright is 24 and a physically more imposing defender, but not a great scorer and he hasn't developed that much offensively. Furthermore, basketball isn't a relatively new sport for him.
Ian is recovering from an injury, but had a better shotblocking statistic per game last year than Wright and is more developed offensively than Wright. He also started playing basketball later than Wright.
Tolliver shot well in preseason, but not in the first couple of preseason games. However, the Spurs believe in his shot and he is similar to the type of 4 that Horry was, a 4 who can stretch the defense by knocking down the 3.
Salim has had at ude problems in the past and is small for a shooting guard, but in college was a stellar shooter.
And it has basically come down to picking two of those four, right?
I would pick Salim and Ian. This may seem short-sighted and it may even be short-sighted, but here's why:
The Tim Duncan window and Manu Ginobili window won't stay open that much longer. A year or two at most. Probably this year and then we need a new superstar on our team.
Last year, when Manu was injured, we had major problems getting more production! We needed more scoring, but couldn't get it.
And our path just to get to the Western Conference Finals was tenuous and difficult because of the standings.
With Manu's current injury causing him to be out at least 6 weeks and the likelihood that it will take several weeks after that for Manu to be making a major contribution to the team again, we will need every bit of scoring help that we can get.
We will struggle to score 90 points a game if we do the arithmetic, it looks like we don't get there.
Also, if we fall way behind and way only half or less than half of our games, we will be facing an unphill challenge the entire playoffs, assuming we make it.
Furthermore, if Manu is injured again in the playoffs and can't score (even if he is playing), then we will need that extra scoring punch.
If this were early on in Tim Duncan's career and his numbers weren't on the decline or if Manu did not have a history of injuries costing us playoffs (along with a history of great play causing us to win trophies), then we could afford to take a long view. We can't.
Therefore, I would elect to pick Salim and Ian.
Salim was described by college basketball analysts I respect as one of the best shooters in college there is on draft day, just at ude issues were the only concern. His numbers were great.
He may not pan out, but it is a low risk, high reward. It is possible that he could put up a lot of points for us and we need that. None of the other nonguaranteed contract players even have that remotely in their potential.
As a backup to Tony Parker or if we went small for some reason, he could really add to our scoring, potentially.
Furthermore, Ian's athleticism and improved scoring ability could really help us. I don't know the extent of his current injury and how long it will take for him to heal and the impact of it upon his play, but we could really benefit from any offense that he could bring.
For those reasons, I would choose Ian and Salim for the last two nonguaranteed spots.
No one signed as 14th or 15th men will even be active. That's why you sign Toros. 8 man rotation? No one is talking about an 8 man rotation.
None of the people we're talking will be active in the post season.
You're all over the map here. Read this thread and a few others if you want answers to your questions, but the short answer is that Mahinmi is on the team regardless.I'm really unclear on how the technicalities of all of this work so don't jump on me if I get this wrong, just clarify.
So, Salim, Wright, Ian, Tolliver, and a couple others aren't guaranteed correct?
Now, Wright is 24 and a physically more imposing defender, but not a great scorer and he hasn't developed that much offensively. Furthermore, basketball isn't a relatively new sport for him.
Ian is recovering from an injury, but had a better shotblocking statistic per game last year than Wright and is more developed offensively than Wright. He also started playing basketball later than Wright.
Tolliver shot well in preseason, but not in the first couple of preseason games. However, the Spurs believe in his shot and he is similar to the type of 4 that Horry was, a 4 who can stretch the defense by knocking down the 3.
Salim has had at ude problems in the past and is small for a shooting guard, but in college was a stellar shooter.
And it has basically come down to picking two of those four, right?
I would pick Salim and Ian. This may seem short-sighted and it may even be short-sighted, but here's why:
The Tim Duncan window and Manu Ginobili window won't stay open that much longer. A year or two at most. Probably this year and then we need a new superstar on our team.
Last year, when Manu was injured, we had major problems getting more production! We needed more scoring, but couldn't get it.
And our path just to get to the Western Conference Finals was tenuous and difficult because of the standings.
With Manu's current injury causing him to be out at least 6 weeks and the likelihood that it will take several weeks after that for Manu to be making a major contribution to the team again, we will need every bit of scoring help that we can get.
We will struggle to score 90 points a game if we do the arithmetic, it looks like we don't get there.
Also, if we fall way behind and way only half or less than half of our games, we will be facing an unphill challenge the entire playoffs, assuming we make it.
Furthermore, if Manu is injured again in the playoffs and can't score (even if he is playing), then we will need that extra scoring punch.
If this were early on in Tim Duncan's career and his numbers weren't on the decline or if Manu did not have a history of injuries costing us playoffs (along with a history of great play causing us to win trophies), then we could afford to take a long view. We can't.
Therefore, I would elect to pick Salim and Ian.
Salim was described by college basketball analysts I respect as one of the best shooters in college there is on draft day, just at ude issues were the only concern. His numbers were great.
He may not pan out, but it is a low risk, high reward. It is possible that he could put up a lot of points for us and we need that. None of the other nonguaranteed contract players even have that remotely in their potential.
As a backup to Tony Parker or if we went small for some reason, he could really add to our scoring, potentially.
Furthermore, Ian's athleticism and improved scoring ability could really help us. I don't know the extent of his current injury and how long it will take for him to heal and the impact of it upon his play, but we could really benefit from any offense that he could bring.
For those reasons, I would choose Ian and Salim for the last two nonguaranteed spots.
Ian's deal is guaranteed this season.For those reasons, I would choose Ian and Salim for the last two nonguaranteed spots.
Sorry for the mistake.
Maybe I misread the comments, but it appeared that some people were talking about Wright or Ian and as if Ian weren't guaranteed a spot on the roster.
But if Ian is already here and that is the case, then Wright is gone.
Why does Ian's presence mean Wright must go? Too many bigs or another reason?
Tolliver doesn't count as a big? Because the article sounded like he was in.
Finally, if there is even a 2 % chance Salim could be a scorer, don't we need to put him on the team?
By Wright, I assume you mean Darryl Wright Watkins?
Tolliver is a big. He's the red-headed guy. Can't miss him.
Who in the heck is Wright? Do you even know what's going on here?
explaion it to him.
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