Mickael Pietrus

[SenorSpur]

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...ndos_x_factor/

Pietrus Emerges As Orlando's X-Factor

Magic guard Mickael Pietrus has been the "X-Factor" in the Eastern Conference Finals through the first three games.

"Their wild-card is Pietrus," Cavs guard Mo Williams said. "He's the X-Factor. It has been like that all three games."

Pietrus had 16 points in Game 3, doubling the total of Cleveland's reserves (eight).

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy is happy to finally have Pietrus back on the court after missing 28 games during the regular season with a number of injures.

"It was frustrating at the time," Van Gundy said. "But at this point, it doesn't matter. It's good to have him back. I think he's in a good rhythm. He's looking more comfortable on the floor, and I think our guys are more comfortable with him. He's playing spectacular in this series."

[Brazil]

Bruno, any comment on the so so player performance tonight ?

[lefty]

Low BBIQ

[TJastal]

Bruno, any comment on the so so player performance tonight ?

Seems the Pietrus haters have all but dissappeared.

He was once again clutch as in game 4 and IMO hit two of the biggest momentum changing shots for the magic. First one was that 3 from the corner in the 1st quarter to end the cavalier surge and get the stuck magic out of park and then also one from the top of the key in the 4th quarter with a few minutes left which was HUGE because it gave the magic just enough of a cushion to withstand the inevitable attempt by James and the officials to snatch the game in the last minute.

Alston however deserves the largest chunk of credit, he was simply magnificent. If I'm Jameer Nelson, I'm really starting to wonder if my job might be in jeapordy next year.

[Bruno]

Bruno, any comment on the so so player performance tonight ?

First, unlike what you seems to hint, I've never think that Pietrus was a scrub. I considered him as an average player who wasn't worth at all a $5M salary.

Now, he is playing great since the Boston series. Huge props to him. He is showing that I was wrong about him. Before admitting that I was wrong, I will to see him playing at a good level for a full year. Consistency has always been one of his main flaws and he could easily be again next year the average player he has been this year before the second round.

[TJastal]

First, unlike what you seems to hint, I've never think that Pietrus was a scrub. I considered him as an average player who wasn't worth at all a $5M salary.

Now, he is playing great since the Boston series. Huge props to him. He is showing that I was wrong about him. Before admitting that I was wrong, I will to see him playing at a good level for a full year. Consistency has always been one of his main flaws and he could easily be again next year the average player he has been this year before the second round.

I think Pietrus' problems in the past were due to his reckless abandon he played with, which carried over to mental lapses. Not so nowadays.

Alot of his injuries were due to his all or nothing reckless drives to the basket trying to make the spectacular dunk. You don't see him trying to dunk every time he takes the ball to the rim now. He's under control now, and doesn't try to be a hero every play.

He still makes an occassional bone headed play like a travel or dumb foul but for the most part those have dissappeared. the transformation from shaky to solid has been because of the excellent coach SVG is. His patient approach with Pietrus has paid HUGE dividends for the magic.

SVG deserves half the credit for tapping Pietrus' potential, but you also have to give the other half to Pietrus himself, who has proven his detractors wrong by showing he has smarts and saavy to go along with the talent.

[Brazil]

First, unlike what you seems to hint, I've never think that Pietrus was a scrub. I considered him as an average player who wasn't worth at all a $5M salary.

Now, he is playing great since the Boston series. Huge props to him. He is showing that I was wrong about him. Before admitting that I was wrong, I will to see him playing at a good level for a full year. Consistency has always been one of his main flaws and he could easily be again next year the average player he has been this year before the second round.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I think Pietrus' problems in the past were due to his reckless abandon he played with, which carried over to mental lapses. Not so nowadays.

Alot of his injuries were due to his all or nothing reckless drives to the basket trying to make the spectacular dunk. You don't see him trying to dunk every time he takes the ball to the rim now. He's under control now, and doesn't try to be a hero every play.

He still makes an occassional bone headed play like a travel or dumb foul but for the most part those have dissappeared. the transformation from shaky to solid has been because of the excellent coach SVG is. His patient approach with Pietrus has paid HUGE dividends for the magic.

SVG deserves half the credit for tapping Pietrus' potential, but you also have to give the other half to Pietrus himself, who has proven his detractors wrong by showing he has smarts and saavy to go along with the talent.

Just to chime in, SVG is a very underrated coach. JVG too.

[urunobili]

Yesterday's rushed three attempt in the 4th quarter was silly... Pop would not play him for the rest ofr the series for trying to be a hero if he was with us...

[to21]

At this point I'd take any damn body who would show up in the playoffs.

Orlando is not letting him go anyways.

[SenorSpur]

At this point I'd take any damn body who would show up in the playoffs.

Orlando is not letting him go anyways.

No one is suggesting that Pietrus would be made available, the point was the guy could've been had the past 2 summers and the Spurs passed over him. In fact, Pietrus was forced to wait most of the summer until Maggette decided what he wanted to do. He didn't have many suitors knocking on his door. Orlando got him late for the full MLE.

[to21]

No one is suggesting that Pietrus would be made available, the point was the guy could've been had the past 2 summers and the Spurs passed over him. In fact, Pietrus was forced to wait most of the summer until Maggette decided what he wanted to do. He didn't have many suitors knocking on his door. Orlando got him late for the full MLE.

I thought we already covered why he wasn't brought in.......he has a low baskeball IQ.

You 'member?

[bobbybob0]

I'm mostly impress by his defense at the moment.

I knew he was a good defender but what he is doing defending Lebron is impressive.
He's not locking the guy down or anything but I'm impressed how he manages to take away LBJ penetrations even though he must be giving something like 30lbs to James.

For most of this series it seems James is settling for a jump shot or passing the ball whenever Pietrus is guarding him.

[Ginobilly]

I thought we already covered why he wasn't brought in.......he has a low baskeball IQ.

You 'member?

I think the only ones with "low BBIQ" turned out to be Pop/RC and the front office, and all the Pop/RC/front office homers who think they know basketball but have never dribbled a basketball in their lives.

[DPG21920]

I do not care if players make mistakes here and there as long as they are aggressive mistakes in moments that can be made up. Especially in the playoffs. Spurs need players who elevate their game in the playoffs, not regular season Bonners.

[DPG21920]

I think the only ones with "low BBIQ" turned out to be Pop/RC and the front office, and all the Pop/RC/front office homers who think they know basketball but have never dribbled a basketball in their lives.

Not true. Pop went to the United States Air Force Academy. He played basketball for four seasons at the Academy.


Popovich next served his required five years of active duty in the United States Air Force, during which he toured eastern Europe and the Soviet Union with the U.S. Armed Forces Basketball Team. In 1972, he was selected as the Captain of the Armed Forces Team, which won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championship. This earned him an invitation to the 1972 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team trials

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Popovich

[Chomag]

It just seems to me that some fans expect every player to have the BB IQ of Tim Dunkan(which is god like) And the abilities of Kobe. Or else they can't help the team and are not worth going after.

News flash! No NBA team has 12 NBA all-stars.

[Ginobilly]

Not true. Pop went to the United States Air Force Academy. He played basketball for four seasons at the Academy.


Popovich next served his required five years of active duty in the United States Air Force, during which he toured eastern Europe and the Soviet Union with the U.S. Armed Forces Basketball Team. In 1972, he was selected as the Captain of the Armed Forces Team, which won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championship. This earned him an invitation to the 1972 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team trials

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_Popovich

I meant the ST posters and Spurs fans there with that quote. I know a lot of people here were saying that "Pietrus no vale verga". "He's a pendejo on and off the court". "He too black" etc.

[DPG21920]

It was a money issue though, that is what most are getting at. Yes MP has played well, yes he would help, but is the gain to the team worth the price paid?

[DPG21920]

I meant the ST posters and Spurs fans there with that quote. I know a lot of people here were saying that "Pietrus no vale verga". "He's a pendejo on and off the court". "He too black" etc.

Oh, my bad. Thought you meant all of the people mentioned in the statement.

[SenorSpur]

I think the only ones with "low BBIQ" turned out to be Pop/RC and the front office, and all the Pop/RC/front office homers who think they know basketball but have never dribbled a basketball in their lives.

You beat me to it.

[TJastal]

Well at this point talking about Pietrus is just the proverbial . He's locked up on the magic now, spurs need to focus on the future free agency. *cough cough* Bosh *cough*.

[Mel_13]

No one is suggesting that Pietrus would be made available, the point was the guy could've been had the past 2 summers and the Spurs passed over him. In fact, Pietrus was forced to wait most of the summer until Maggette decided what he wanted to do. He didn't have many suitors knocking on his door. Orlando got him late for the full MLE.

Pietrus was passed over by the entire the NBA in the summer of 2007 and finally signed the QO from GS. In the summer of 2008, he reached agreement with Orlando during the July moratorium and signed immediately thereafter (on the same date as Maggette). He didn't wait to see if there would be better offers, perhaps because he had been left empty handed in 2007. This article has the details with the interesting piece of info that the Orlando GM was in charge of the draft for GS in 2003 when Pietrus was the 11th pick.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3482043

With Orlando sitting at 3-1, the risks of signing Lewis for $118M and Pietrus for almost the full MLE are not being discussed much, but they were both serious gambles. Even if they work out for this year, payroll is pretty much a zero-sum game for teams like Orlando. By signing Pietrus they chose not to shore up their PG situation, which led to the Alston trade when Nelson went down. They had to give up their 1st rounder to get Alston and now have his $5M salary and Pietrus' $5M salary on the books this summer when they have to deal with Hedo and Gortat as FAs. Assuming that Hedo will be the priority, the Pietrus decision may cost them Gortat.

MLE signings are huge gambles with a very low success rate. Pietrus right now appears to have a good chance to be one of the exceptions. The decision on Pietrus had to made based on potential, not on the ability he has now shown to fit in on a first class team. As you said in your OP:

Perhaps he wasn't worth the full MLE.

[SenorSpur]

Pietrus was passed over by the entire the NBA in the summer of 2007 and finally signed the QO from GS. In the summer of 2008, he reached agreement with Orlando during the July moratorium and signed immediately thereafter (on the same date as Maggette). He didn't wait to see if there would be better offers, perhaps because he had been left empty handed in 2007. This article has the details with the interesting piece of info that the Orlando GM was in charge of the draft for GS in 2003 when Pietrus was the 11th pick.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3482043

With Orlando sitting at 3-1, the risks of signing Lewis for $118M and Pietrus for almost the full MLE are not being discussed much, but they were both serious gambles. Even if they work out for this year, payroll is pretty much a zero-sum game for teams like Orlando. By signing Pietrus they chose not to shore up their PG situation, which led to the Alston trade when Nelson went down. They had to give up their 1st rounder to get Alston and now have his $5M salary and Pietrus' $5M salary on the books this summer when they have to deal with Hedo and Gortat as FAs. Assuming that Hedo will be the priority, the Pietrus decision may cost them Gortat.

MLE signings are huge gambles with a very low success rate. Pietrus right now appears to have a good chance to be one of the exceptions. The decision on Pietrus had to made based on potential, not on the ability he has now shown to fit in on a first class team. As you said in your OP:

Good points and a solid case. The Spurs smartly and historically gamble low. Be that as it may, the Spurs, and much of the NBA, all agreed that a player like Corey Maggette is worth at least the MLE. I was one of the biggest proponents of that possible acquisition. Of course, the Warriors overpaid for him last summer in FA and effectively took him away from the Spurs.

Pietrus, on the other hand, was a cheaper option, and, as you say, a bigger gamble. He certainly had some warts, but looks like he's coming around. However, he's certainly developing the type of all-around game that Maggette lacks. Whether Pietrus could've been had for a portion of the MLE is uncertain. I just would've liked to have seen them try.

[Mel_13]

Good points and a solid case. The Spurs smartly and historically gamble low. Be that as it may, the Spurs, and much of the NBA, all agreed that a player like Corey Maggette is worth at least the MLE. I was one of the biggest proponents of that possible acquisition. Of course, the Warriors overpaid for him last summer in FA and effectively took him away from the Spurs.

Pietrus, on the other hand, was a cheaper option, and, as you say, a bigger gamble. He certainly had some warts, but looks like he's coming around. However, he's certainly developing the type of all-around game that Maggette lacks. Whether Pietrus could've been had for a portion of the MLE is uncertain. I just would've liked to have seen them try.

I would not be surprised to see this begin to change this summer. Since securing the services of TD, TP, and Manu in 2003 and 2004, the Spurs entered every summer until 2008 with a reasonable expectation that the total production of the Big 3 would remain very high. TD would have a gentle decline from an absurdly high level, while TP and Manu would add to their games. Thus they could afford to be extremely conservative with their role player choices.

In the summer of 2008, the Spurs bet that Manu could play 60 games and a full postseason. They lost. This summer the uncertainties over TD and Manu mean that the Spurs can no longer reasonably assume anything about total Big 3 production. If they can clear enough room for a full MLE offer this summer, I think it is possible they will use it on player with great potential and a short resume. They might even target a financially stretched team like Orlando and go after Gortat.