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Great news!
Spurs keep 15 on opening night roster
By Mike Monroe
The Spurs are one of 18 NBA teams keeping 15 players on their opening night roster, news that came as a relief to guard-forward Malik Hairston, the only player remaining on the squad without a fully guaranteed contract.
Opening night rosters had to be set by the close of the NBA office's business day on Monday, and the Spurs scheduled a 4 p.m. practice session to give the player personnel department the entire day to examine all possibilities, including potential trade offers.
By the time the deadline arrived, the Spurs opted to stick with the 15 players who remained after Marcus Williams was waived on Sunday.
Coach Gregg Popovich had said the reality of the economy would require one of the non-guaranteed players to play so well in pre-season that the basketball staff would have to be crazy not to keep him.
Hairston apparently passed the test of Popovich's sanity.
The NBA's also required teams to project which players will be inactive for season openers, but those are subject to change.
The Spurs' projected inactives for Wednesday's regular season opener against the Hornets are forward-center Ian Mahinmi, forward Marcus Haislip and Hairston.
The Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers listed only 13 players, the league minimum, on their opening night rosters, though they can add players, up to 15, before opening night.
Great news!
He is still not safe, but obviously good news. He needs to keep playing the way he has and he will have a shot at sticking. Thanks Suns.
What a great organization the Spurs are. Even way over the salary cap we keep 15. Hats off to Holt, R.C. and Pop!
I wonder how long until Malik gets to play in a game? Maybe he can pass Bogans in the rotation sometime in the season. Either because Malik has turned out to be that good or Bogans that bad.
Truthfully, strictly from a "How well they play" POV Ian seems (to me) to be the 15th Spur. But obviously, money, potential and roster needs play into the "who is on the bubble" count.
Great news indeed. This is the chance for Hairston that most of us have been waiting for. Go get it, young man.
In my opinion, Hairston>>>Bogans=Haislip
Don't get too excited yet. Someone calculated that with his partial guarantee, Malik's effectively been paid through 3 November already. He's safe until then.
Sucks that teams might have to let a player go because of non-guarantee that might actually be better than some that are guaranteed.
Rules of the game I guess. Still sucks though for both the player and team.
That would be the case for Hairston if it boils down to that. He has made great improvements and continuing to practice and play against other top players would only make him better IMO.
And agreed with the earlier poster....Hairston>>Bogans.
If Hairston is going to be a victim of anything its going to be the premature signing of Bogans. I hope he continues to impress through this first month when he gets the chance.
Through November 3rd is only three games. If they decided they were "crazy not to keep him" then I think they would probably want a larger sample than three games.
How about the premature judging of Bogans?
But he's projected to be inactive. I guess he can impress the others with his water passing abilities?
Yeah, I get what you're saying.
Interesting that Monroe threw in that line about waiting until the trade deadline. It sounds like the Spurs were open to some sort of trade but couldn't swing it.
Ok. Now let's move on to Ian.
Do you think they were trying to make a trade?
Well, among the end of the roster crew:
Williams and Mahinmi were eligible to be traded.
Haislip and Hairston can't be traded before Dec 15th.
Bogans can't be traded before Dec 22nd.
Of course, anybody on the roster last year can also be traded.
2007-08 Darius Washington plays 18 games (plus some Toros games) before being waived by the Spurs on December 28th.
2008-09 Anthony Tolliver plays 19 games (plus some Toros games) before being waived by the Spurs on January 7th.
2009-10 Malik Hairston ???
I don't doubt that that will happen. Hairston has a major head start in that he has been groomed in the Spurs system.
Lest we forget:
2008-09 Desmon Farmer, 3 games, waived Nov 16th
I've come to learn that you shouldn't project you're own desire when assessing the likelihood of a particular player making the Spurs. But, having said that, Hairston doesn't seem to fit that particular crop of players..
Malik's got a history and a resume with the Spurs. They know he can play, he fits in the locker room and he's done nothing but prove his professionalism and step up to the plate each and every time his number has been called.
Unless we see Malik playing significant minutes early on, particularly the first three games, I think he can feel pretty confident he'll be here for the year; that's definitely my hope and, considering the void he could potentially fill, a decision they'd be wise to make.
And to the question if they were trying to make a trade, probably.
Williams' contract could've been a lux-tax helper and considering all that is Ian: the questions as they pertain to his contract and the potential he's yet to fulfill. I'm sure they definitely had their ears open and weighed all options that could help in assessing Ian's future with the Spurs..
I agree with the sentiment here. Malik has been under Spurs/Toros coaching/observation since the day he was drafted almost without interruption. I can't see them needing another week to decide whether or not he's worth the additional expense.
Malik just fits the Spurs profile so well. He graduated early, but played all four years. He played out of position in college even though it hurt his draft prospects. Like other Spurs draft picks before and since, he represents value at the position he was drafted. Consider this list of the top 100 prospects of the high school class of 2004:
http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75...pid=88&yr=2004
Hairston is a solid player, he is good, but Spurs is now in a win-now mode, so if he is going to be inactive in most games, I suspect Spurs would like to pay extra money.
And, the 1st game vs. Hornets he will probably be in inactive list.
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