Popovich wants D-League change
Jeff McDonald
MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Spurs recently assigned swingman Malik Hairston to their Development League affiliate in Austin, hoping to find him more playing time there than he could get in San Antonio.
They would have liked to do the same with third-year center Ian Mahinmi, but the NBA's collective bargaining agreement prohibits it.
Players cease to be eligible for the D-League two seasons after signing an NBA contract. Mahinmi squandered all but 10 minutes of his second season while on the injured list with a variety of ankle woes.
Popovich said before Saturday's loss at Memphis he would like to see the rule changed, perhaps to award an injury waiver to young players such as Mahinmi who lose a full season to factors beyond their control.
I don't see any downside for a player to be able to go play, Popovich said. It just seems to be a good thing. This is a real good start, what we've done (with the D-League). Perhaps we can refine it a little more now moving forward.
Ineligible to return to the D-League, Mahinmi has played in two games for the Spurs. He played nearly 14 minutes against Memphis, posting a point and four rebounds and committing four fouls.
Clank-a-thon: Saturday was a forgettable shooting night for four of the Spurs' top five scorers. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson and George Hill combined to go 7 of 32 and total 20 points in the loss to the Grizzlies.
Parker managed just four points. Ginobili had nine on 3-of-10 shooting, his third straight off night. Hill was 2 of 8 for four points.
Jefferson, meanwhile, had three points, all on foul shots. He was 0 of 6 from the field, marking the first time he had been held without a basket since Jan. 6, 2006, when he logged just two minutes for the Nets in a game against Toronto.
McDyess hurt: Forward/center Antonio McDyess was unavailable Saturday after suffering a pinched nerve in his neck Friday in Charlotte. He will be listed as day-to-day.
McDyess suited up, but only due to a technicality in NBA rules. He did not have a jacket at the arena so he had to wear his uniform to sit on the bench.
Southwest rising: Memphis improved to 21-18, ensuring each of the five teams in the Southwest Division have a record at least three games above .500.
Wow, just wow... I miss the days when Manu & Tony could score 20 points each everyday !Clank-a-thon: Saturday was a forgettable shooting night for four of the Spurs' top five scorers. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson and George Hill combined to go 7 of 32 and total 20 points in the loss to the Grizzlies.
I mean, Tony + Manu + Jeff + George = 20 points and the Spurs lost the game ? I wonder why.
It's really painfull to watch the Spurs games these days.
Fatigue...that is all.Wow, just wow... I miss the days when Manu & Tony could score 20 points each everyday !
I mean, Tony + Manu + Jeff + George = 20 points and the Spurs lost the game ? I wonder why.
It's really painfull to watch the Spurs games these days.
I'd send Haislip down too if everyone was healthy. It should be an option as long as there is no negative consequence to a player's refusing to go down.
Had there been such a rule, the Spurs very well might've picked up his option. But since there's not, and the expectation of having Duncan, 'Dyess, Blair, Bonner and Splitter in front of him next year (even if Splitter is wishful thinking given recent history), Mahinmi would most likely ride the bench without having the opportunity to get the all important court time to develop; his spot will be filled with a veteran big or draft pick that is D-League eligible.
It'd be great if the rule was changed and Mahinmi wanted to come back with the Spurs after this year, but I just can't see it happening. The guy wants to be a legitimate NBA player and there's bound to be an up-and-comer team out there that's willing to give him the opportunity to play and develop; hate to see potential like that go, but I wish the guy nothing but the best.
what little i've seen of the video the team looks tired.
4 games in 5 nights will do that.
I'm sure thats looked upon as an excuse, but sorry, fatigue is what it is.
Yeah and Pop playing an eight man rotation is just plain stupid when you got five games in a row.
Yeah that Marcus Haislip should be oh so much more integrated cause he's such a jewel....
Yeah, but don't dare question the guy who's shortening up rotations and resting Timmy when all those jump shots are clanging.
Link to where I said don't question the coach?
Thanks, I'll be waiting.
NBA should could down the schedule to 70 games. Watching a tired team ain't watching quality hoops.
What about in the 2008 playoffs when Tim, Tony and Manu were scoring something like 80 points between them some games.Wow, just wow... I miss the days when Manu & Tony could score 20 points each everyday !
I mean, Tony + Manu + Jeff + George = 20 points and the Spurs lost the game ? I wonder why.
It's really painfull to watch the Spurs games these days.
Yeah I can't find one anywhere.
Oh wait, I thought you were asking me for a link to where you've ever questioned the coach. You mean you want me to find you a quote from you that says something about how Pop has won 4 championships and nobody on a message board has the skins to be able to question his decisions? You mean you failed to type that today? Odds are of you just open Notepad and press Ctrl+V something similar to that will appear.
How would knocking twelve games off the end of the season help a team that looks tired in game 39? The only thing that might even the playing field is to require all the other teams to only play 8 guys every night lke the Spurs do.
I still can't believe that 8-man rotation, including a lineup where Roger Mason was playing PF..just unbelievable and it ends up hurting the team in these last 2 games..who would have thought?..obviously we're all idiots though, you know, since we don't have 4 rings and all..
I'm just curious why your such a vile person.
I've tried to talk to you straight up and you continue with this childish hate.
Again, I'm waiting for the link to where I said "You shouldn't nor ever question the coach"
You avoided the question the first time, please answer if you can.
Thank you.
once again tpark has said it best
That team like you said +Blair +Mason +Hill +Jefferson +Dice...
And Manu was injured against the Lakers, so i don't understand what you mean.
The 2008 playoffs Tim, Tony & Manu + the new additions would be a championship team !
But Tony & Manu are the shadows of themselves right now.
Just 3 months before the playoffs, the clock is ticking.
D-League wouldn't really help Mahinmi.
In his rookie year, he was the best D-League center and was as dominant as you can as the end of the season. I don't see how learning to play when you're double or triple team will help him for the NBA.
Pop is one of the coach that is the most ready to makes some sacrifices short term wise for the big picture. When he limits Duncan playing time or when he postponed the come back of an injured player,it hurts the team "today" to help it for "tomorrow".
If Pop liked Mahinmi, he should have given him some consistent playing time even if it would have hurt Spurs at first. He decided that he wasn't worth that investment. If Ian turn out as good player with another NBA team, Pop will be the one to blame. It won't be because of D-League rules.
Can we send Jefferson to Austin for a spell too?
i wonder if we can send pop to the d league.
?? I count 9 guys who have played at least 34 of the 39 games, and at least 17 minutes (Blair). That completely excludes players like Finley and Bonner who have only played 20-something games, but rotation minutes. Pop is NOT playing only 8 players per game. No one has more than 32.1 minutes per game. You people are acting like he's Nellie or D'Antoni, and it's just not true.
Yeah, it's the D-League's fault.
Yeah.
If Mahinmi blossoms elsewhere, Pop is going to have egg on his face. How do you not even suit him up for first half of the season? Even Haislip got some trash minutes early on. Mahinmi is the much, much better prospect.
Like I said earlier, I think the right move would have been to start Mahinmi for about a dozen games early in the season. That would have allowed the Spurs to get a look at him and evaluate their asset.
Now I don't see a winning outcome with Mahinmi. It's too late to legitimately work him back into the rotation. Especially with the Spurs struggling, they can't afford to have a young big learning the game of basketball on the fly. November? Yeah. Halfway into January? Too late.
I guess the best outcome would be to have a team get desperate for a big with a high ceiling and the Spurs trade Mahinmi and actually get an asset in return.
I would think at this point that for Ian's development even just practicing with an NBA team and going up in practice against Tim Duncan would be more beneficial than playing in games in the D-League. If Pop really wanted to find minutes for Ian, he would have.
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