Because Hill was such a good shooter last year and he was reliable in most games?
And because Parker was perfect from the get-go and never make godawful mistakes?
When Spurs didn't pick his option, Ian said that he would like to re-sign with Spurs next summer. If Spurs' plan is to hide him to re-sign him on a cheap contract, it could work.
Saying that, I don't buy this scenario at all. I fully expect to see Ian being traded before the trade deadline either as part of a package or in a salary dump trade.
It has nothing to do with that. The fact is that Ian could have assured that the Spurs picked up his option had he shown the same fire in the preseason that he's shown in his few opportunities.
Ian with ridiculous stats per minutes continue.
Pop told Ian, months ago (season irrelevant), that Spurs won't be keeping Ian after his contract is over this year.
At least he brings size - he looked like a man among boys out there - play him 5 minutes a game for awhile please Pop!
Oh, sue Pop! Parker only played (and started!) on day 5. Manu also wasn't capable of playing on day one. He was on the shelf with his NT ankle injury. When he could play, he did play, and at a 21 mpg pace.
As for faith-based cases? I give you DeJuan Blair...
“I don't know how he does it,” Popovich said. “I have no clue what his moves are. He's just a basketball player. We didn't teach him any of it.”
Yet he plays him every night, 18 minutes a game.
Play Ian more, play Ratliff more, play less, play Bonner less
Does anyone really buy the BS about working hard in practice so you'll be ready to play once every 20 games? Even in practice if you're #14-15 on the team you aren't going to get into much useful practice scrimmage time.
And that assumes that the coach actually does much scrimmaging once the season starts as opposed to walk throughs and individual skill honing.
You need to play in games to be ready to play in games.
Otherwise your adrenalin is so high and you want to do everything right and you get into foul trouble, even without the refs not giving a sub a break.
I would love for that to happen.
I would hate for that to happen.
Pops Mensah-Mahinmi!
I don't buy it. Not to be the conspirarcy theorist, but it's got to be something personal as to why Ian hasn't gotten a REAL chance. There's just no real logic behind it. Not sure if he was joking, but Timvp alluded to there possibly being more to it in another thread.
When the gag order's lifted after the trade deadline, and Mahinmi is playing along side Scola, or for Larry Brown or Nellie, all will be clear.
The difference in the two players, at least the way I see it, is that Ian looks like he understands the game and is patient. Pops just looked like he wanted to dunk. I could be wrong, but every time I have seen Ian get playing time I have been impressed.
Every reason the Spurs drafted Mahinmi is still there plus he now looks like he knows how to play. I think like others that Pop is low balling the guy so they can resign him at a reduced rate before they allow him to blossom.
man he looked good out there. Fast bigman. the only one we got. I just don't get why pop doesn't play him
I hope they play Ian after allstar
What people continue to fail to understand when comparing the two players is that the Spurs' front line was so bad and played so passively that Pops Mensah-Bonsu was an attractive option at the time. Mahinmi is a far better player than Pops and even with the improved front line is an attractive option for anyone not named Popovich.
No one is expecting this kid to light up the L, but rebounding and defending the paint are things he could do easily. , I'd be happy if he had Fransisco Elson-type impact for this team. I'm just hopeful that with all the bull he's gone through the last two years, he'd really consider coming back here. Whether this team has Splitter or not, McDyess and Duncan will be another year older, I believe 37 and 34 respectively, and depth will be a necessity.
Yes, Ian did turn the ball Over. However so does Tim, TP, and Manu. Turnovers and offensive fouls happen, it's just funny that some are allowed more slack then others.
It's pretty annoying how many people on this site openly root against Ian. Look around the NBA big men are hard to find anywhere but w/ the limited number of opportunities we have gotten to see Ian play none of us really know for sure what kind of player he is.
Last night Ian got several post up opportunities in a row to show what he can do and I was impressed. He hit a nice jump hook, high low quick pass to Blair, the he did a sweet spin move where he was about to throw it down but got a bs travel called.
I wish the Spurs would find out what they have in Ian instead of giving up on him because he may be able to help the teams biggest weakness, Interior defense.
Have to disagree with you. Mahimni does shows soft hands, speed, size, etc..., but hes showed this since his rookie year. IMO, despite his impressive skill set, hes never progressed. You would think that by now, with the Spurs rather bland group of bigs on this roster, that Mahimni would, at the very least, be in the rotation. Mahimni, if he ever realizes his potential, will probably have show it on another team. I have some doubts if he ever will become anything more than a role player in the NBA.
He's absolutely progressed. He clearly knows the defense as well or better than the other Spurs that can't seem to rotate under the basket in time, and that spinning lefty hook was not something he could do in 2006.
Even if I were to stipulate that his game is exactly the same as it's always been, all you have to do is look at how much he's progressed physically, as I think he was listed at about 220 when he was drafted. Teams will pay more than the Spurs can afford just to get a guy with his size and build on their team to see what he can do. The unteachables I listed just make it that much more certain that he's gone.
LOL
You made my point for me.
He plays Blair because Blair is ready-made. He doesn't have to coach him or develop him or give him a chance based on faith. He BRAGS to the media that he never has to say anything to him or give him any coaching AT ALL! Where have you been?
And Manu was an MVP and 25 years old coming from Europe. He was ready to play, even though he was slowed by an ankle injury. He didn't need development.
Neither did Parker in order to play. Pop could put him out there and Parker was already a good enough player instantly to take the starting job away from the guy that Pop didn't want starting in the first place.
Pop likes ready-made guys. His history proves it. His quotes to the media this season prove it. When he needed to have just a little faith that Hill could contribute more than Jacque Vaughn or Mason at back-up point guard he buried him and declared to the media that he wasn't ready! Did you miss that?
wow your an idiot.LOL
You made my point for me.
He plays Blair because Blair is ready-made. He doesn't have to coach him or develop him or give him a chance based on faith. He BRAGS to the media that he never has to say anything to him or give him any coaching AT ALL! Where have you been?
And Manu was an MVP and 25 years old coming from Europe. He was ready to play, even though he was slowed by an ankle injury. He didn't need development.
Neither did Parker in order to play. Pop could put him out there and Parker was already a good enough player instantly to take the starting job away from the guy that Pop didn't want starting in the first place.
Pop likes ready-made guys. His history proves it. His quotes to the media this season prove it. When he needed to have just a little faith that Hill could contribute more than Jacque Vaughn or Mason at back-up point guard he buried him and declared to the media that he wasn't ready! Did you miss that?
your hate for pop shows, to say he hasnt had any kind of impact on any of these players careers from a coaching standpoint is ridiculous. he helped manu tony hill all of them become better players.
no hate for pop, just the truth. it is what it is.
It's a nuanced argument about readiness vs. development. Some people can't handle it.
Parker came into the league as a wild, 3-point shooting PG with terrible court vision. Pop is one of many reasons that Tony has developed so well, both physically and psychologically. Pop had enough faith to throw him in a starting lineup with a perennial championship contender. Pop also had enough faith to give rookie Beno Udrih quality minutes during the NBA finals.
Ready-made is not an objective term.
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