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just make vaugh a coach
Spurs' three bubble players fight for two roster spots
By Jeff McDonald
Desmon Farmer had just slipped his gray sweater over his head and was heading out of the Spurs’ locker room Wednesday night when he heard the news.
Three more players had been cut.
Farmer left the arena that night with conflicting emotions.
He felt bad for Salim Stoudamire, Devin Green and Darryl Watkins, players he had grown close to over the past few weeks who were now gone. But, mostly, he was just glad he wasn’t them.
“I understand what they’re going through,” Farmer said. “I’ve gone through that, being cut, being one of the last cuts. At the same time, that’s just how it goes.”
New Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr., who has sweated out more than one cut day in his five-year professional career, compares the task of making an NBA team to winning a game of musical chairs.
After their latest round of dismissals, the Spurs are down to two seats, with three players still standing and the music about to stop.
Farmer, fellow guard Malik Hairston and forward Anthony Tolliver are vying for the two remaining spots. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has until Monday to jettison one of them and get his roster down to 15.
It is unpleasant business, but it is also serious business.
“There’s nobody here that’s going to beat out Bruce Bowen for the (small forward) spot or Tony Parker at the point,” Popovich said. “But every team has got a plan for the future, and wants to bring in guys that can develop and hopefully take over at some point.”
The prospect of deciding which guys are those guys and which guys aren’t, Popovich said, “is not fun.”
“We spend a lot of time discussing, arguing, going back and forth, projecting the future,” he said.
The three remaining bubble players will play in tonight’s preseason finale against Miami and the AT&T Center, with each hoping to make his closing argument.
Tolliver, a 6-foot-8 shooting big man, would seem to have a bead on one of the open slots. He plays a different position, and fills a different role, than would either Farmer or Hairston.
Tolliver, billed as a long-range marksman, has hit on just 23.1 percent of his 3-pointers (6 of 26) this preseason. However, he has impressed with his energy and a surprising knack for making plays around the basket.
If anybody knows how quickly the rug can be pulled out from under a player in training camp, it’s Tolliver. He made it all the way through camp in Cleveland last year, only to be waived on opening day.
“There’s not too much that’s in my hands anymore,” Tolliver said. “The coaches have given our young guys a chance out there on the court. I can’t ask for anything more.”
Farmer, who spent eight games with Seattle in 2006 in between twice being cut from camp with the Pacers, has been the most explosive scorer of the bunch. A 6-5 gunner, Farmer has connected on 52 percent of his 3-pointers (13-25).
In Wednesday’s 100-95 loss to Washington, Farmer nearly brought the Spurs back from a double-digit deficit with four second-half 3-pointers.
Hairston hasn’t been as singularly prolific as Farmer, but he has been a better defender — which never hurts a player trying to make the Spurs. A rookie from Oregon acquired in a draft-day trade with Phoenix, Hairston has averaged 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in six preseason games.
There is some pressure for Hairston to make the most of his shot in San Antonio. The player the Spurs dealt for him, Slovenian point guard Goran Dragic, appears poised to make the Suns’ roster.
“All you can do is ask for a chance,” Hairston said. “That’s what coach Pop has given me — a great opportunity. I think I’ve done some good things with it.”
So have many of the non-roster invitees the Spurs brought in this fall. That’s what has made Popovich’s job so difficult.
Standing in the locker room made emptier by three Wednesday night, Tolliver could have been speaking for any of three young players who remain.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Tolliver said. “But hopefully everything works in my favor.”
THE FINAL THREE
Here is a glance at the three players vying for the final two slots on the Spurs’ roster before Monday’s cut deadline:
ANTHONY TOLLIVER
6-foot-8, Forward
Age: 23
College: Creighton (2007)
NBA experience: None
Preseason stats: 7.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg in 20.5 minutes; shooting 32.1 percent
MALIK HAIRSTON
6-foot-6, Guard/Forward
Age: 21
College: Oregon (2008)
NBA experience: None
Preseason stats: 5.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg in 21.5 minutes; seven blocks
DESMON FARMER
6-foot-5, Guard
Age: 27
College: USC (2004)
NBA experience: Eight games with Seattle in 2006-07
Preseason stats: 9.2 ppg in 18 minutes; 13 of 25 from 3-point
just make vaugh a coach
Keep Vaughan, ship Bonner, sign all three.
That would be the ideal case now.
What i can see happening is Hairston being sent to the D-League, then Steve Kerr making room for Hairston.
And for what its worth, Dragic hasnt been that great at all for the Suns.
I wonder how long it took for him to come up with that one.
It's dumb to compare Dragic with Malik. The Spurs never wanted Dragic. Essentially, they could have picked Malik straight-up, but instead they got a good future pick, cash, and THEN Hairston as well. It didn't matter who the player was that they picked for someone else at that point.
That quote sounds like a pro-Hairston quote.“There’s nobody here that’s going to beat out Bruce Bowen for the (small forward) spot or Tony Parker at the point,” Popovich said. “But every team has got a plan for the future, and wants to bring in guys that can develop and hopefully take over at some point.”
Man Farmer is shooting 52% from three point range. That is great in any league, anywhere, any time. Tolliver's percentage is putrid. Horry can outdo that right now.
Malik is rebounding, playing defense, blocking shots and bringing an all around game.
Tolliver so far is a Matt Bonner clone with better bball IQ and hustle.
I was about to say that TiMVP, but you always beat us to it.
If they're talking about the future, it sounds like they're leaning towards Malik.
Just cut Bonner or Vaughn. PLEASE.
I sure hope so.
I take hairson
he is the youngest most upside
I believe so, and it should go to him if Vaughn and Bonner stay aboard. He's six years younger, better defender, better rebounder, more size, and more athletic. Same with Tolliver, even though he hasn't shot lights out, he his young and has potential.
Farmer has basically hit his peak. He isn't replacing anybody.
Everyone agrees that Hairston has more potential or upside than Farmer. I'm not sure if I completely agree.
I would say Hairston has a better all around game and does the 'little things' better. Farmer, however, really only does on thing, which is hit shots, but in my mind, for this team, that's always been a BIG thing.
I don't think we can keep filling the team with role players who only do little things and feed off everyone else. We need players who can occasionally step up and take over a game. I'm not sure if Farmer can do that but those 3 threes he hit last game seemed quite impressive to me. Yes, it was only pre-season but to Farmer, who is fighting for his career, that may as well have been the playoffs.
The potential to hit big, clutch shots can be just as important as doing lots of little things well.
I take hairson and farmer
farmer is needed for scoring only
or you keep all three and cut vaugh (make him coach) or put booner on waivers
It also sounds like a pro-Gist quote.
After having some time to sleep on it, I just don't see any way Hairston doesn't make the team. I'm having a hard time seeing how Farmer doesn't warrant a shot if Pop really believes that the Spurs need someone that can score the basketball. He doesn't need a lights out three point shooter, he needs someone that can put points on the board, and Farmer can do that. If the Spurs have a problem at Bonner's position, there's not anyone on the radar that's going to be able to step in. I know I'm raging against the dying of the light, but I just can't wrap my pea brain around the idea that Tolliver is actually Pop's number one choice.
The Spurs are going to eat three million dollars and just get rid...
, why am I replying to ducks?
booner
It shocks me how few people understand that teams can't trade picks. As though the Mavericks ever would have picked Robert Traylor for themselves.
You're right we seriously lack guys that can fill up the scoreboard quickly.
Even though Farmer does only one thing well, we need that one thing he does well.
it, I'm saying it go with Farmer and Hairston. Forget about Tolliver. Tolliver hasn't shown me anything really. The only reason I went with it is because I thought he's a lock. Well, I say unlock him if you have to dump either Farmer or Hairston to make room for him.
Like Obstructed_view said I just can't believe Tolliver is Pop's number one choice. I say dump him, Bonner or Vaughn. Keep Farmer and Hairston.
Farmer's fighting for a spot on the team and he's shooting 52% from three point range. Tolliver is fighting for a spot on the team and he's shooting 23%. Did Michael Finley even have a percentage that low when he was in a bad slump? That's really awful shooting from someone who is supposed to be a deadly three point shooter.
Last edited by Ice009; 10-24-2008 at 12:28 AM.
spurs paid how muchThe Spurs are going to eat three million dollars and just get rid...
, why am I replying to ducks?
booner
to let steve smith SIT ON THE BENCH
I've got another analogy, but I can't take credit the idea as I got it from somewhere else. I should have though of this myself though as I was a big RAMS fan.
You guys remember Kurt Warner back when he first played for the Rams? He was 27 years old, bagging groceries then someone was injured and he got his chance to play for the Rams and went on one of the greatest 3 year runs in NFL history. The thing is Kurt had the skills before, he was lighting up the minor leagues, but why wasn't he given the chance? Is it because he was a "no name" player?
Now Farmer has been lighting up the minor leagues too for a few seasons. Why not give him a shot to see if he can do it in the big league? 27 is not too old to get started.
Last edited by Ice009; 10-24-2008 at 01:01 AM.
, why couldn't Pop keep Gist!?! I'd take him over any of these three. That makes no sense, what if he realizes just like Splitter, that the money's just too good to pass up over in Europe. Plus, Italian chicks are FINE.
At least the Spurs have a chance of getting Gist back on the team. If Hairston or Farmer gets cut they're going to be on an NBA roster somewhere.
It's a shame Farmer and Hairston are both guards cus they are way better than Tolliver is...
I think if Gist could shoot the ball he'd be on the team right now. I'd say they want him to work on his shooting. Of course they've got someone shooting the ball great, but it looks like they wanna take someone like Tolliver who hasn't hit in the preseason while sending away a guy like Gist for being an average shooter. lol.
Gist probably would have out rebounded, out hustled, out shot Tolliver if he got to play in the preseason. Weird stuff from the Spurs FO.
I know, but that's what makes me skeptical about Farmer. He is, without question, an accomplished scorer. However, I don't see him taking over games or even earning "crunch time" minutes, so long as the Big Three are intact and Bruce is still doing his thing. Besides, Farmer has been trying to break into the league since '04. At this point, I don't see Farmer developing into a decent defender, focusing on rebounding and ball movement. For now, he is what he is. All that said, means Hairston has the upside edge and could turn out to be the better player.
Don't see that happening
Agreed.
Maybe, but we also cannot keep going back in the draft and selecting the same positional player over and over, year after year. The Spurs have tried, abeit unsuccessfully, to identify a young swingman for a couple of years now. Now that they've found one in Hairston, who seemingly has some of the tools and talen they've been looking for, they can ill-afford to cut him loose.
If the Spurs are in a state where they need instant offense from their 14th-15th man, they shouldn't be considered as contenders.
Which, by most analysts' estimates, isn't really the case.
As such, if it came down to Hairston or Farmer, I'd go with Hairston.
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