Mason Wants Out?

[itzsoweezee]

Bonner plays now because he plays well in the regular season.

Totally different example.

oh, so bonner's not going to get playing time in the playoffs? that is genius coaching. play guys that aren't going to play when it counts. yeah right. we both know bonner is going to get major minutes when the playoffs come around. popovich is just full of .

[Ice009]

LOL is this thread a waste of time after reading that?

Marcus Bryant really piling it on.

[EricB]

I thought he was 'Spider-Man'?

People from the board here in 2001 2002 will remember that...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Mason's number are down across the board this season and he didn't do himself any favors in the playoffs last year when he shot only 0.375% from the field and 0.368% from 3pt. range (and only three free throws).

Mason played great for us last year until Pop channeled Larry Brown and benched Hill for being a rookie and tried to turn a solid SG in Mason into his backup PG for the stretch run and post-season.

Roger has never been the same since. I blame his deteriorating play last year solely on Pop for being a dumbass with how he handled the Hill/Mason situation.

[EricB]

As long as we are talking about the past, the Spurs not giving DA a contract turned out to be one of the best moves this FO ever did. 2001 was his absolute peak and he was pretty damn horrible the rest of his career. The Spurs had to suffer through 2002 but not having DA's bloated contract on the books was a big help ... not to mention it allowed room for Manu to step in and play right away.

At the time I thought letting DA go and getting so little in return was a mistake. But the FO turned out to be 100% right.

Then trading AD to make room for Manu ended up being a winner too...

[Mel_13]

Scola? (2007)

I don't think any of those stories were either confirmed or denied, no one has the balls in SA to challenge the Spurs on it. Nationally, the press just didn't care.

OK.

When I read these comments about how the Spurs treated this or that player poorly, I always come back to the same question.

Where are stories/interviews from former players complaining about their time with the team or their interactions with management? There have been plenty of public expressions from disgruntled athletes in all professional sports, but the only former Spur I can recall making such complaints after the fact is Beno.

It's entirely possible there have been others, but I don't recall any. It seems to me that if a player was the subject of false accusations or rumors, they would comment publicly on that.

[scottspurs]

Mason's agent: 'It's not a trade demand'
By Jeff McDonald

Mark Bartelstein, the agent for Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr., has clarified comments about Mason's desire to be traded to a team that could offer more playing time.

"It's not a trade demand," Bartelstein told the Express-News on Monday night. "It's simply, if there's an answer to the problem of not enough minutes, and everybody can come out good, they should look at that. That's all that's going on."

Bartelstein said Mason was "happy playing for (Gregg Popovich) and San Antonio has been good to him."

"It's just that players like to play," Bartelstein said.

Bartelstein insisted Mason would be comfortable finishing the season with the Spurs, should a suitable trading partner not be found.

"One of the things I really enjoy about working with the Spurs is you can have conversations like this, where you can find something that is good for everyone," Bartelstein said. "They really try to do the right thing by players."

The bottom line is he is whining and he was brought in to be role player and serve his role as a shooter. This team, playing as they are right now, doesn't have room for crying.

Mason must be traded.

[EricB]

Mason played great for us last year until Pop channeled Larry Brown and benched Hill for being a rookie and tried to turn a solid SG in Mason into his backup PG for the stretch run and post-season.

Roger has never been the same since. I blame his deteriorating play last year solely on Pop for being a dumbass with how he handled the Hill/Mason situation.

Mason holds zero blame in his bad play?

Wow thats amazing..

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I don't mind the decision made on DA, though one thinks the Spurs should have at least been able to get a draft pick or some cash out of the situation.

Anderson was held up more as example of the post-Spur, Spurs organization led media crucifixion of players leaving the organization via trade or free agency.

[EricB]

I don't mind the decision made on DA, though one thinks the Spurs should have at least been able to get a draft pick or some cash out of the situation.

Anderson was held up more as example of the post-Spur, Spurs organization led media crucifixion of players leaving the organization via trade or free agency.

Yeah the whole thing about him being greedy and all that was totally unfounded.
Yeah.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

OK.

When I read these comments about how the Spurs treated this or that player poorly, I always come back to the same question.

Where are stories/interviews from former players complaining about their time with the team or their interactions with management? There have been plenty of public expressions from disgruntled athletes in all professional sports, but the only former Spur I can recall making such complaints after the fact is Beno.

It's entirely possible there have been others, but I don't recall any. It seems to me that if a player was the subject of false accusations or rumors, they would comment publicly on that.

With the exception of Scola, the majority of players who got the treatment either got a ring out of the situation, or got a ring and a fat deal somewhere else and were trashed after signing said fat deal.

At that point, why ? Like I said - the only place the player was trashed was in the SA media and the national press could have given a damn.

Just typical Spurs organization/SA Excuse for News hometown media propaganda for jettisoning one of the favorite sons of the fans.

Scola did speak up, but his actions, the deal he signed with Htown, and his subsequent play as a Rocket have said more than any press soundbite ever could.

[objective]

All I remember about DA was Greg Matsun camped outside his house, sitting on a 3-foot high stone wall waiting to get an interview at the Anderson estate.

[Bartleby]

All I remember about DA was Greg Matsun camped outside his house, sitting on a 3-foot high stone waiting to get an interview at the Anderson estate.

I remember DA making a stink about how the Spurs weren't respecting him.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Mason holds zero blame in his bad play?

Wow thats amazing..

Um, if you were paying attention last year, he was a different player from the day he was forced to play PG and told it would be his primary position the rest of the season.

Some guys just aren't wired where they can play one position for 15-20 years of their lives and then change gears the last two months of the season/playoffs for a championship contender. Mase is one of them.

If you can't comprehend that, I don't know what to say. Maybe if you'd have played sports, you'd understand. It takes time to adjust. I mean damn - guys like you have no problems defending new players on the team due to the complexities of the team's playbook and giving them a free pass for an entire season.

Mason came on, got 'it' at the shooting guard position, but then was thrown to the PG wolves with little time to adapt. Gimme a f'in break...

[silverblk mystix]

I think this thread is about Mason...
Mason never struck me as an unintelligent player, in fact he seems like a very smart guy.
When he arrived...everyone here loved him...tried to find him a nickname,praised his character,etc...

I always thought he was ---Spur material---

this latest development got me to thinking....

what IS going on behind closed doors...what happened with Bowen last season?...

what exactly is going on with team chemistry...

where DOES pop stand with his team---as far as RESPECT?

are the players losing faith?...

if I worked my ass off and Finley started over me to start the season...how would I feel?

Maybe Mason saw the writing on the wall and decided---what's the point? Pop is in control of this ship and pop would rather have the whole ship sink than actually give up control.

Maybe Pop would rather see the whole franchise go down the drain before admitting that maybe HE is the problem.

I once thought Pop was the BEST coach in the league...but he has really sucked this season---and last season.

Maybe Mason knows firsthand just how bad things have become.

[Mel_13]

Mason played great for us last year until Pop channeled Larry Brown and benched Hill for being a rookie and tried to turn a solid SG in Mason into his backup PG for the stretch run and post-season.

Roger has never been the same since. I blame his deteriorating play last year solely on Pop for being a dumbass with how he handled the Hill/Mason situation.

Mason's numbers had declined and hit bottom before he picked up the backup PG duties. Look up his month-by-month splits.

[clubalien]

Pop screwed the guy up. Mason has never been anything more than a shooter. That's obvious. But it wasn't obvious to Pop, who tried to make him a point guard, and in so doing, messed up his rhythm and consequently, his shot.

Mason's agent must be extremely angry if he went to the press with this. He has to know this "announcement" makes a deal that much more difficult to do, but he did it anyway - probably to spite Popovich.

I think this situation is indicative of a far greater problem the Spurs have - very few NBA guys like playing for Pop. Tim is very unusual. Tim is also very disciplined, no nonsense, and extremely good. He also is a great defender. But if you are like 95% of the NBA and you are not all of those things, you're going to have a hard time playing for Pop.

Add Mason to the list of guys Pop has ruined.

pop is clearly the problem with the spurs. he should have been fired a long time ago. Spurs won in spite of pop not because. take phil away from lakers and make him spurs coach and the spurs would beat the lakers during the lakers vs spurs era.

We see what losing pop's assistant coaches causes.

[EricB]

Um, if you were paying attention last year, he was a different player from the day he was forced to play PG and told it would be his primary position the rest of the season.

Some guys just aren't wired where they can play one position for 15-20 years of their lives and then change gears the last two months of the season/playoffs for a championship contender. Mase is one of them.

If you can't comprehend that, I don't know what to say. Maybe if you'd have played sports, you'd understand. It takes time to adjust. I mean damn - guys like you have no problems defending new players on the team due to the complexities of the team's playbook and giving them a free pass for an entire season.

Mason came on, got 'it' at the shooting guard position, but then was thrown to the PG wolves with little time to adapt. Gimme a f'in break...

So that time he played PG in Washington doesn't count as a position he's never played in his entire life?

Just curious.

[objective]

I remember DA making a stink about how the Spurs weren't respecting him.

I think the catchphrase with DA was 'loyalty'

[EricB]

I think the catchphrase with DA was 'loyalty'

Even made a clothing line named after it...

[ElNono]

Mason's agent: 'It's not a trade demand'
By Jeff McDonald

Mark Bartelstein, the agent for Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr., has clarified comments about Mason's desire to be traded to a team that could offer more playing time.

"It's not a trade demand," Bartelstein told the Express-News on Monday night. "It's simply, if there's an answer to the problem of not enough minutes, and everybody can come out good, they should look at that. That's all that's going on."

Bartelstein said Mason was "happy playing for (Gregg Popovich) and San Antonio has been good to him."

"It's just that players like to play," Bartelstein said.

Bartelstein insisted Mason would be comfortable finishing the season with the Spurs, should a suitable trading partner not be found.

"One of the things I really enjoy about working with the Spurs is you can have conversations like this, where you can find something that is good for everyone," Bartelstein said. "They really try to do the right thing by players."

IOW... "Roger wants to play more minutes. Spurs are cool and all, but I need to showcase my client more"...

[objective]

So that time he played PG in Washington doesn't count as a position he's never played in his entire life?

Just curious.

My memory is that he played some point in Washington as well

[EricB]

Mason's numbers had declined and hit bottom before he picked up the backup PG duties. Look up his month-by-month splits.

Maybe Pop started having heart to heart talks with him at that time, who knows.

[EricB]

My memory is that he played some point in Washington as well

Him playing point for an injured Arenas and pretty much getting thrown into the fire was what got him that amount of minutes that season in Washington.

[EricB]

IOW... "Roger wants to play more minutes. Spurs are cool and all, but I need to showcase my client more"...

To me it reads, Were not demanding a trade we love the Spurs, please don't say that were demanding a trade even though we are.

Saving face statements IMO.