A quiet youth movement?

[Stump]

Looking over the standing roster, I don't think enough has been said about the front office's efforts to overhaul and bring youth to the spurs' supporting cast. In the summer of 2008, I remember looking at the spurs young assets and dreading that the team was going to plummet to the NBA cellar in about three years because they had nothing to work with once the big three started to break down. Don't remember? First, take a look at who played the heaviest minutes in 07-08 (source: http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/2008.html )

Duncan (34 mpg)
Parker (34 mpg)
Ginobili (31 mpg)
Bowen (30 mpg)
Finley (27 mpg)
Oberto (20 mpg)
Thomas (19 mp)
Udoka (18 mpg)
Barry (18 mpg)
Vaughn (15 mpg)

Wow, that supporting cast was old! We knew it was a rebuilding summer, but we got a lot of bad signs for our young guys in the pipeline. Ian got hurt late in the summer and was injured all year. Hill had a really bad summer league and we feared he would be a project for a little while. Splitter knifed the spurs and we didn't think he would ever come (back then, we didn't know we could pay him more after the third year). Also, Roger Mason being the biggest FA signing in a rebuilding summer wasn't encouraging.

Now? Look at the non-big 3 rotation players. Yeah, McDyess is old and we'll likely find another 15 mpg vet (Bogans? Jones?), but besides that, our role players look both young and superior to the supporting cast we've used the last three years.

(In order of my predicted mpg)
Jefferson (age 30)
Splitter (age 25)
Hill (age 24)
McDyess (age 35)
Blair (age 21)
Generic SF vet (???)
Anderson (age 21?)

Given the late picks and limited resources at the spurs disposal, I think they've done a great job the last couple years. Props to the spurs. I'm proud to be a fan.

[spursfaninla]

what is interesting is that the Spurs have not had a drafted player contribute to the team with meaningful minutes since Manu came in 03.

So, for almost 6 years, that was the case.

Now, we suddenly have Blair and Hill that are sure contributors, as well as splitter.

All within about 2 years, we went from 0 to 3; Anderson has a chance to make it 4.

That IS a big change. But, considering that our drafting was so late every year for the last 10 years, it is amazing that we found 3 rotation players at all.

[HarlemHeat37]

This should have been the case in 2008 and 2009 too, when the big 3, particularly Duncan, had some more left in the tank..

[spursfaninla]

This should have been the case in 2008 and 2009 too, when the big 3, particularly Duncan, had some more left in the tank..

You have to have the right bodies, though, and we just didn't.

Who are you thinking of?

Also, we had some lost years, which 09 being the injured manu (and duncan really) year, so that was lost no matter what.

The year before, 08, that was the fisher .4, and that team had a Karl malone that kept timmy in check. I don't think being younger makes a difference there either.

[Gino2882]

This should have been the case in 2008 and 2009 too, when the big 3, particularly Duncan, had some more left in the tank..

Duncan is essentially the same player as in 2008 and 2009. His last really dominant year was 2007. If his minutes are managed effectively and he gets the back to backs off I think he can lead this team to another le. Splitter being a big minute player this season would be crucial.

[DPG21920]

I agree the Spurs have done a great job at getting youth into the system on the fly. It is a hard thing to do while trying to remain compe ive.

Thing is, the Spurs, while they have some youth, they don't have a lot of upside youth imo. I am not as high on Hill and Blair's ceilings as other people, although I think they are very solid players.

Spurs will have to start finding some more upside players. Obviously, that is really hard to do when you constantly pick at the end of the first.

Tiago should greatly help bridge some of that gap as well. The Spurs have maximized their talent given the positions in most drafts. So kudos to the Spurs for every thing and I am looking forward to next season.

[ChuckD]

The year before, 08, that was the fisher .4, and that team had a Karl malone that kept timmy in check. I don't think being younger makes a difference there either.

Were you dropped on your head as a child?

[spursfaninla]

Were you dropped on your head as a child?

oops, that was 06. my bad. But hey, I admit my mistakes; you much?

You, of anyone, should probably refrain from being so derogatory, considering that you said that D-blair has no cartilage in his knee when his ACL issues has nothing to do with that, Mr. perfect.


Well, in any case, we did lose the series in 08 because of a lack of a bench. We basically had no bench at all. But I don't think that anyone in the pipeline could have helped that was available, so again it was not from a lack of trying that we did not have young rotation-level players on the team.

And I am a big PE fan, so it took some work to get on my bad side Chuck. I saw them live in Chicago in the 90's.

[Mel_13]

oops, that was 06.

.4 in '04

Manu's foul in '06

[spursfan1000]

That old Spurs supporting cast makes me want to puke!

[spursfan1000]

.4 in '04

Manu's foul in '06

Can you explain this foul to me? Sorry I don't remember.

[Mel_13]

Can you explain this foul to me? Sorry I don't remember.

Seriously?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqrJSezg0c

[ohmwrecker]

The Spurs should've started this "youth movement" a couple of years earlier. I don't see the smoothest transition out of the Duncan era, but you never know. We have some nice pieces, but no potential superstars.

This wasn't a bad thread, but it went full re in a big hurry.

[spursfaninla]

The Spurs should've started this "youth movement" a couple of years earlier. I don't see the smoothest transition out of the Duncan era, but you never know. We have some nice pieces, but no potential superstars.

This wasn't a bad thread, but it went full re in a big hurry.

How do you do that? You realize the trade-off of doing that would be that you have more players who have upside but who might not contribute as well as vets?

That has been the formula for the prior championships that we have, as well as the Lakers, Celtics, and Detroit. None really relied on young role players, at least primarily, for their championship teams.

Celtics have big baby and perkins as well as some young perimeter players now, but they were not the key to their past success.

Lakers have mediocre backup sg/pg's that are young, but just because they are cheap.

Detroit was almost all old.

Starting the "young movement" too quickly means you are risking having a weak bench; although that happened anyway, it was a bigger risk to go young too quickly.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Can you explain this foul to me? Sorry I don't remember.

Wow, a Spurs fan who's completely blocked out that memory. Well done, my friend!

[Spursfan092120]

Seriously?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqrJSezg0c

[taps]

This wasn't a bad thread, but it went full re in a big hurry.

Same thing happened to the Splitter on Twitter thread

[BoricuaCJA]

Seriously?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqrJSezg0c

Kills me every time I see that and other not to be mentioned terrible moments for the Spurs!

[ducks]

Seriously?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSqrJSezg0c

I rember that very well
a player that is suppose to be so clutch pulls such a NONCLUTCH MOVE AND HE WAS NOT A ROOKIE THEN

[angelbelow]

you have to applaud their efforts. ridiculous how well our FO works with so little

[BoricuaCJA]

you have to applaud their efforts. ridiculous how well our FO works with so little

I agree with this. We haven't gotten a top pick in a while and the last one being Tim Duncan at #1(that being one of the best #1 picks ever). Imagining James Anderson(at pick 20) being our highest pick makes me happy with with what the FO has done since Duncan entered the league. Winning 4 championships and getting 12 straight 50+ winning seasons and still getting quality players through the draft makes me proud of of our FO. to them

[TDMVPDPOY]

i think had beno worked out for us, then we wouldnt have wasted our time looking for a backup to TP through the draft and veterans, and concentrate on other needs which we left to late that costs us les after our last great one 07

[ohmwrecker]

How do you do that? You realize the trade-off of doing that would be that you have more players who have upside but who might not contribute as well as vets?

Seriously? You do that with a roster that is balanced with vets who can still contribute and mentor some young talent. You do that with the D league. You do it by not hanging on to vets who can't get the job done anymore and replacing their spots with the youth that you've spent time developing. You do that by not giving away players that you've developed or own the rights to be successful on a division or conference rival. I just think the Spurs were a little late in being prepared for the impending decline of Duncan. There are no contributing players on the squad that the Spurs have developed or fostered. Hairston and Mahinmi are bad examples. If Splitter joins and does well, he will be the first since Parker and Ginobili, but those guys have put in the hard work.

Of course, the Spurs have done a pretty bang up job in every other area, so it's hard to complain. as a fan you get a little spoiled and hyper-critical after 4 championships.

[sabar]

Before Splitter/Hill/Blair/Andersons the FO was criticized often for landing Parker, Manu, and no one else. Even then columnists were labeling us one of the best drafting teams. Whoever scouts for the Spurs has a pretty good eye for talent. They have done very well for having no hindsight of the situation.

I don't see how youth earlier helps us at all. Ian was just not healthy or too raw and Splitter was a no-brainer pick. Marcus Williams looked like a good pick at the time. Before that, you are talking ancient history. Beno was a good pick and the traded picks only look bad in hindsight.

This team has a ridiculous amount of late first rounders that panned out here or across the league. The list is actually pretty impressive, especially since most teams that draft in our area end up with waived players or 12th men.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...SAS/draft.html

[ohmwrecker]

Yes, I realize that I am nit-picking a bit.