George Hill Will Start Against the Suns, But What About Next Season?
SportingNews
The most intriguing development of San Antonio’s first-round victory over Dallas was the emergence of George Hill as a bona fide playoff scoring threat. Hill was a key part of the Spurs throughout the regular season, especially with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili missing time, but he had yet to establish himself on the postseason stage. His 14.3 ppg on 50 percent shooting did exactly that.
However, his success has also cast the future of the Spurs backcourt into doubt. Parker has primarily come off the bench since returning from injury, and his star status and track record suggest he will eventually return to the starting five.
For now the conference semifinals vs. the Suns, though, San Antonio isn’t planning on making any changes. From The Express-News:
“Some things remain the same,” [Gregg Popovich] said, “and some things change, because we’re playing a different team.”
What those changes may or may not be, Popovich wasn’t saying. Parker offered a broad hint: They aren’t likely to involve returning him to the starting lineup.
“I expect to come off the bench,” Parker said after Saturday’s practice session. “It’s been working well, and we did a good job against Dallas, so I don’t think we’re going to change our strategy.”
Well, I’m glad they worked things out so easily. It’s about what you’d expect from the Spurs, the most consistently professional, no-nonsense (in front of the cameras, at least) organization in the league.
But the Parker/Hill issue still remains, if only for next season. Part of what’s made San Antonio so successful over the years is that every player has understood his role extremely well. That task becomes a little more complicated when the team has three capable guards all accustomed to starting and playing major minutes.
Over the years, the Spurs have transitioned very well between eras, taking the Sean Elliott/Avery Johnson supporting cast and very smoothly turning it into the Parker/Ginobili version of the squad. By that rubric, Hill would take over many of the responsibilities for the aging Manu, yet Ginobili’s new three-year extension suggests the team will commit to him for the foreseeable future. That puts Hill in an awkward position somewhere between developing star and role player, with no immediate answer on the horizon.
Everything is fine for San Antonio now. But when Parker gets fully healthy, this could very well become an issue.
Need minutes for all three? SMALL BALL! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I'm only half joking. That's a of a line up to counter with if a team tries going small against the Spurs.
I wouldn't be surprised to see mad scientist Pop play around with a Parker/Hill starting lineup next season.
Manufactured controversy.
The guy has a column to write but I don't see the problem. Three players can share the 96 minutes at the guard positions for an 82 game season with plenty of time for everyone.But the Parker/Hill issue still remains, if only for next season. Part of what’s made San Antonio so successful over the years is that every player has understood his role extremely well. That task becomes a little more complicated when the team has three capable guards all accustomed to starting and playing major minutes.
Everything is fine for San Antonio now. But when Parker gets fully healthy, this could very well become an issue.
Ginobili will need more and more rest, fewer and fewer minutes. Starting Hill next to Parker works alright; send Manu back to the bench.
i agree might as well start parker at pg next season and hill at sg bring manu back as the 6th man next season
Can anyone tell me why the it matters NOW?...
I mean damn can we atleast wait til the off-season to talk about that...
"Over the years, the Spurs have transitioned very well between eras, taking the Sean Elliott/Avery Johnson supporting cast and very smoothly turning it into the Parker/Ginobili version of the squad."
Yes, amazing they could pull this off without a dominant big man.
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^
read carefully
The timing of this article could be better, but it is important to note that IF the Spurs ultimate decision is going to be to trade Tony Parker and make George Hill the guy, then this coming offseason is the time to do it. Before people start freaking out I'm not saying the Spurs should trade Tony. Just that if the Spurs want to, they should do it this offseason. In other words, RC better already be thinking about what he wants to do here.
That being said, I don't see any reason why those 3 guys can't co-exist so I don't think there's a necessity to trade one of them.
Yeah, I saw it after I posted. The supporting cast. But still you could take Duncan, Robinson and (insert PG and SG here) and go to Parker Ginobli and call it a good transition. As much as I like Sean and Avery, they could have any two adequate guards in there.
this is re ed. of course parker will start next year..... Its not going to be an issue at all.
Insignificant.
LOL. I couldn't figure out what the was going on.
Pretty much.
I want Ginobili back on the bench next year
Issue? Why would this become an issue. What a crap.
Irrelevant article.
THIS team might not be the same as NEXT SEASON'S team. The writer needs to get his priorities straight instead of trying to create friction between TP/Hill/Manu. Let Manu rest and come off the bench next season, Hill and TP can do the heavy lifting during the season...but that's a long ways off, gotta focus on the present!
looks like the media is tryin to create beef to get us off our shoes in this series against suns...fck
if the spurs don't win a championship this year don't be surprised if parker is gone.
I'm sick of this man. Its like every other post game interview Tony does they ask him what its like to be a bench player instead of a starter now. Tony doesn't give a and its like they just want him to say YEAH I'M PISSED ABOUT IT. They just want to make this into some desperate housewives drama when in reality the players don't give a . Its all match ups and who cares who starts or finishes as long as you contribute.
If Parker had to come off the bench for 82 games next season, I think it would become a problem. More privately than publicly, of course, but a problem nonetheless. I get the sense that he's putting up with it now because he doesn't want to disrupt team chemistry, but deep down I think he views himself as an All-NBA caliber player in the prime of his career and he's not going to settle for coming off the bench. Eventually, if it's not in this series, then by the start of next season, I think the Spurs go back to Parker starting and Ginobili coming off the bench.
parker traded to the mavs for dirk next year
if we dont win, i expect parker to be traded. theres no suprise there
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