IAN Observation...

[MaNu4Tres]

And he is getting minutes. He's got Ratliff's role.

Mop-up minutes yes.

Quality minutes no, even though some of the players he's gone up against have been quality players.

Would like to see him play against one of the better teams coming up ( Cleveland/LA/ Boston), while the game is still in balance.

[whottt]

Mop up minutes are better than no minutes. It's better than what he was getting. It's not like Ian blew Matt Bonner off the court tonight or anything. Lots of guys on this team need minutes. Ian's got a spot, and that's better than not having a spot, which was entirely possible knowing Pop's history.

Based on what I see from this team...they'll be right there come playoff time. I don't see them beating LA, but I think they'll be able to take anybody in the conference other than LA. And Ian's not going to be the difference against LA, this season at least....so it's not totally development time and this is what Ian's getting right now.

The guy potentially is the solution against some of the bigs in the league...however he's not the total solution, he's too thin for that, and even if he is, it isn't likely to happen this season.

There plenty of guys that need PT for this team to do anything in the playoffs.

Pop obviously played his main guys and built a lead and then gave Ian some extended burn. Not bad for guy that wasn't even dressing for most of the season.

I guess I am just trying to say...it could be a lot worse and Ian is getting minutes.

[Obstructed_View]

This has been covered ad nauseum here.

The Spurs didn't pick up Ian's option last summer, making him a free agent this summer. They need his price to be low this summer in order to re-sign him.

They've essentially decided to bury him at the end of the bench to keep his price down as much as possible.

Get over it.

I still maintain that the Spurs lost him the day they declined his option and that was sealed the night of the New Jersey game. There are crap bigs getting paid a lot of money in this league, and there are some indications that Ian's not a crap big.

[MaNu4Tres]

I still maintain that the Spurs lost him the day they declined his option and that was sealed the night of the New Jersey game. There are crap bigs getting paid a lot of money in this league, and there are some indications that Ian's not a crap big.

To be fair Channing Frye got 1.9 million in last years' market.

Next year, players' market value will go down to an extent due to the decrease of the cap.

Yanny won't be offered more than 2 million a year. If so I'd be really surprised.

[Obstructed_View]

To be fair Channing Frye got 1.9 million in last years' market.

Next year, players' market value will go down to an extent due to the decrease of the cap.

Yanny won't be offered more than 2 million a year. If so I'd be really surprised.

I certainly hope you're right.

[jjktkk]

Mop-up minutes yes.

Quality minutes no, even though some of the players he's gone up against have been quality players.

Would like to see him play against one of the better teams coming up ( Cleveland/LA/ Boston), while the game is still in balance.

Good luck with that happening. Pop reluctantly gives out minutes to the young guys in a blow out. Can't see Mahimni playing in crunch time, at least not now. But he is getting more minutes now, which is good.

[objective]

while the "keep his value low" theory works from the outside looking in, I don't think it rings so true from the inside out. It would be nice if it was the case though.

There's no point to keeping his value low if they sign Splitter like they hope too. And even though I was about 5 months ahead of Mike Monroe on the spectre of the looming work stoppage keeping Splitter away, that doesn't mean Splitter won't be a Spur.

With Splitter, they'd have TD, Splitter, Blair, and McDyess under contract. That's 4, and Pop won't go without having a floor-spreading PF like Bonner or some other scrub to fill that role, so that would be 5 bigs. There really would be zero point to re-signing Ian to any deal, or for him to agree to it. Because he'd get even less time than he does now as Splitter is a lock for significant minutes.

And if Splitter bails, you kept Ian's value low. But are you sure he can overcome his fouls/turnovers/yips? A lot of people like me think so, but there's no 100% convincing case because he doesn't get real opportunities. He could be another Amir Johnson for all we know, good stats on the small scale but unable to fill a larger role. I think he's already better than Johnson, but that's not the point, there's no way of knowing. Can the Spurs bank on that to supplement a TD-Blair-McDyess frontcourt in the last days of the Duncan dynasty?

Furthermore, I don't think the Spurs burying Ian is anything related to future-value strategizing because of the season of his fellow inactive-brother, Malik Hairston. Malik was under option for next year for cheap too. There was no need to lower his value for free agency, but that didn't stop Pop from exiling him to Austin after he made Bogans look bad in pre-season. That didn't help Hairston get any minutes all season. In fact, the only reason Hairston is getting minutes this season is because Finley went to the Spurs and wanted a buyout. The Spurs didn't go to Fin because they wanted to free up time for Malik, they still wanted Fin. They weren't going to de-activate him for Malik, ever. Without Finley being selfish, Malik would be in the Garrett Temple role for now with Parker being hurt, and inactive after Parker returned.

Ian is no different. If they play Ian now, and can be certain to their own qualifications that he is someone that Pop could play as a legit NBA big (I already think he is, but it's on Pop, and he's the HoF coach and I'm the internet jackass) . . . then they have "Splitter Insurance".

If Splitter pulls a Splitter, then you still have up to the MLE for Ian. He could get some major offers his way, but I doubt that even in this summer's environment where so many teams will have major caproom that he gets an offer bigger than the MLE based on 15 end of season games + a first round of the playoffs.

If Splitter comes, he's the starting center, case closed. It wouldn't even matter if after a good look at Ian in games if maybe he could be construed as a better fit (I'm not saying he is). You'd have to go with Splitter.

Nothing wrong with playing Ian. Do or Do not, if Splitter comes, Ian's a goner.

I hope I'm wrong and the "keeping his value low" theory is right.

[Bruno]

I don't have a clue if Spurs want to re-sign Mahinmi for next season but I'm happy for Ian that he is able to show some good things (even if it's only during garbage time). Ian will be a FA, these games should help him to find a team to continue his career in the NBA. he is a nice guy, I hope he will succeed in the NBA even if it's with another team.

[wildbill2u]

Objective, I'd like to pick up on something you said about needing a big to spread the floor. I don't follow the Euro leagues much, but when Splitter was drafted I did a little investigation.

If I'm not mistaken, in previous years (possibly with a different coach) Splitter was stationed out on the perimeter arc. He had a good ability to drive and not a bad outside shot. He was much thinner when younger and didn't play as much down low in the box. I'm not saying he'd be a 7' with an outside presence like Rasheed, but he has some experience out there. He'd be intriguing when playing with Timmy.

[timtonymanu]

I don't have a clue if Spurs want to re-sign Mahinmi for next season but I'm happy for Ian that he is able to show some good things (even if it's only during garbage time). Ian will be a FA, these games should help him to find a team to continue his career in the NBA. he is a nice guy, I hope he will succeed in the NBA even if it's with another team.

For some odd reason I feel like he will be resigned. If not, I hope he does well in another team. I rather he do well in another team (like Scola) and prove Pop wrong instead of being resigned here and wasting his potential where he's underappreciated.

[Whisky Dog]

This has been covered ad nauseum here.

The Spurs didn't pick up Ian's option last summer, making him a free agent this summer. They need his price to be low this summer in order to re-sign him.

They've essentially decided to bury him at the end of the bench to keep his price down as much as possible.

Get over it.

Covered ad nauseum, but still bull .

The Spurs aren't trying to keep his market low, if they really wanted to do that he'd e in a suit every night. Like Objective pointed out above, the Spurs are looking to Splitter coming but if he doesn't then Ian is the insurance. I think I'd feel better knowing what my plan B can do in real minutes against real teams, and even in the playoffs. We thought Mason was a stud last season until the playoffs hit and he disappeared. Now when Ian is showing something is the time to find out if he's a plan B or not. They had the chance to pick the option and lock a potential plan B for cheap but they ed that up. Now they need to see what he can do.

[Bruno]

If Spurs sign Splitter this summer, I think that it's quite unlikely that they will re-sign Bonner:

- If Bonner sucks during the playoffs, he will have an history of choking. I don't see Spurs bringing him back.

- If Bonner is good during the playoffs, there will have a financial problem. With Spurs facing the luxury tax in 2010-2011, a new CBA coming in 2011 and Spurs starting a rebuilding cycle in 2012, Spurs will be careful. I don't see them offering $10M/3 years for a player like Bonner who will be the fifth PF/C (behind Duncan, McDyess, Blair and Splitter...) and who has a limited upside. IMO, the most they will offer is a LLE like contract ($4M/2 years) and I can see another team offering more money.

[DPG21920]

I just don't get why guys like Jackson and Temple get more minutes.

[wut]

Ian is improving, but the dude needs to build up some muscle....he can score in the paint when people aren't guarding; but when REAL defense gets on him, its over.

Ian will be a solid backup center in 2 years time; until then he's garbage time fodder.

[jjktkk]

I just don't get why guys like Jackson and Temple get more minutes.

Just an audition for those 2, seeing if their worth inviting to the Spurs summer league team.

[Mr Bones]

This theory floating around that the Spurs want to resign Mahinmi for cheap and therefore don't play him in order to keep other teams from becoming interested just doesn't ring true to me. He has already received attention from scouts who've been quoted saying that he is a legitimate NBA player, and if guys like Dan Gadzuric and Sean Marks can find homes in the league I doubt Mahinmi will have a problem. I don't see why he would resign with the Spurs at this point when Pop obviously has such issues with him.... a very strange situation.

[SenorSpur]

Ian shouldn't be viewed as Spiltter insurance. He should be viewed as Dice insurance. It's obvious that Dice is on his way down. I like the guy, but he's not worked out any better than RJ. I wouldn't have a problem if they shipped him away this summer.

Again, Ian has a skillset that no one on this team has - and that includes Splitter (who may never see the inside of the AT&T Center). If the Spurs are smart, they'll work to get him resigned and view him as a contributing big for this team, for the foreseeable future.

[AFE7FATMAN]

Why not? In the eyes of a HOF coach with 4 les, he's the CENTERpiece of the defence. LOL!

On a separate note, I wonder how the team can attract a big man to play for them next season, given the treatment that Mahinmi and Ratliff have received.

Pop does not want Bigs.

[toki9]

This theory floating around that the Spurs want to resign Mahinmi for cheap and therefore don't play him in order to keep other teams from becoming interested just doesn't ring true to me. He has already received attention from scouts who've been quoted saying that he is a legitimate NBA player, and if guys like Dan Gadzuric and Sean Marks can find homes in the league I doubt Mahinmi will have a problem. I don't see why he would resign with the Spurs at this point when Pop obviously has such issues with him.... a very strange situation.

I think Pop just doesn't want to play him for whatever (legitimate or dubious) reasons...he needs a fresh start far away from Pop...

[santymrc]

I think Pop just doesn't want to play him for whatever (legitimate or dubious) reasons...he needs a fresh start far away from Pop...

Pop doesn't want to be proved wrong.