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I like this signing more and more as we get closer to the season. He might be able to be a contributor this season.
Originally published here.
The Spurs made a splash earlier this summer by signing Tiago Splitter to a below-market deal. Though the Splitter deal was not the end to the Spurs' flirtation with impact players in Europe.
The Spurs got their hands on one of the top perimeter free agents available in Europe when they signed 25-year-old combo guard Gary Neal to a three-year deal (terms undisclosed) last week.
Neal was one of the best pure scorers in Europe and was on par with JC Navarro as an elite shot-maker in European ball. Neal was an explosive scorer at Towson St. and was the 5th-best scorer in NCAA Div. I in 2006-07, one spot behind Kevin Durant.
Neal starred on Benetton Treviso, a middle-of-the-pack team in Italy this season. Neal led the Italian League (Lega A) in scoring (19.4 ppg), which can't be taken lightly. Italy's Lega A ain't what it use to be, but still remains the 2nd-best domestic league top-to-bottom.
He actually finished the season playing 10 games for Unicaja Malaga in Spain. With Unicaja, Neal was strictly ask to score the ball, and was quite effective dropping 12.6 ppg (41% 3PA) in 20 mins/game.
In 22 Italian League games, Neal averaged 19.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2 spg, 37% on 3PA and 63% on 2PA in 33 mins/game (Neal's numbers in 11 Eurocup games were nearly the same except he shot a lower percentage). Neal had a stellar adjusted FG percentage just under 60% for the season.
The first thing you notice about Neal is his terrific all-around shooting ability. Very impressed with his shooting off-the-dribble. Can hit pull-ups all over the floor going to his left or right.
His vast arsenal of shots includes runners, floaters and bankers. Quality finisher at the rim. Had a subpar year hitting shots on off-ball screens.
Does not require screens to set himself free for scoring opportunities. Can square his defender up and then get to spots to release high-quality shots. Uses hesitation dribbles, crossover and step-backs to great effect.
Primarily a SG but Treviso ensured him with ample playmaking responsibilities. Treviso often had Neal running the pick/roll and he acquitted himself nicely.
Could back-up at point guard in a pinch. Could play him with George Hill or Manu, and Neal could split ball-handling duties with both.
Not sure his defensive chops will be up to Coach Pop's standards. Does a poor job fighting his way around screens--gets hung up too much. Not sure if its from a lack of alertness or just general indifference. Granted, screens can be held longer (moving) in Europe, but Neal still seems to lack max effort.
Neal appears shorter than his listed 6-4. Good athlete, but does not possess the exceptional athleticism you like to see in an undersized guard. Can he clear shots/create space vs. the longer defenders he will see nearly every night in the NBA?
His combo of solid ball-handling and footwork should allow him to create room vs. length. Plus, his ability to hit off-balance shots (kinda like Jeff Hornacek) should help his transition to the NBA. But it's not a sure thing his in-between game will thrive in the NBA.
I like this signing more and more as we get closer to the season. He might be able to be a contributor this season.
i don't know i thought his 3-point shooting was better, esp considering it's closer in in Europe (right?). i hope he doesn't turn into a RMJ 2
Nice analysis! Another attribute I noticed (not mentioned) is Neal's ability to elevate quickly to get his shot off. That seems to help him overcome the size limitation over taller players closing out on him.
After watching summer league all-stars like Anthony Tolliver, who shined in the summer, yet faded in the fall, colour me skeptical. Even veteran NBAer Roger "Money" Mason, started his Spurs career hot, and later faded into suckdom. Besides that, I'm just not a fan of the undersized SG - which the Spurs already have.
Getting anything from someone.... be it a euro player or not... is better than the nothing we got from RMJ last season
Don't look at three point shooting stats, otherwise you won't believe that Neal is an incredible shooter and that Hairston couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat. Both of those are important for you to believe.
Parker/Manu/RJ/Duncan/McDyess
Hill/Neal/Anderson/Blair/Splitter
Looks like a fairly potent 1st and 2nd team to me.
nice, this looks exactly like the kind of player the Spurs need. Someone who can create his own shot, shoot from a lot of different places, and even run the floor a little a la Hill. The combination of Hill, Parker, Manu, and Neal has me thinking the Spurs backcourt is gonna be GREAT next year.
yeah...I agree. and look how much younger and more athletic the Spurs have gotten - Blair, Neal, Hill, ANderson, and Splitter all in the their early to mid 20's. Parker is only 28. RJ is only 30. That just leaves Manu and Tim as the old men in the rotation...
and Dice
I just want a player who will just kill it with the 3 ball when left open. I'm sick and tired of all the open bricks Bonner and RMJ were chucking up last season allowing teams to collapse the paint on the Spurs.
Hopefully Neal can make a solid contribution. The FO seems to have a lot of faith in him
PG+SG+SF= 48 min. x 3 = 144 minutes.
Tony, Manu, Hill, RJ = 30 minutes x 4 = 120 minutes
144-120= 24 minutes
Anderson, Neal, Gee, Hairston, Temple.......24/5= 4.8 minutes.
or that way: all who want that Anderson plays less than 14 minutes hands up!
oh. nobody wants him to play less than 14 minutes.
so Neal will play 10 minutes at best. (likely less, see Hairston, Gee)
bottom line:
your new contributor will play very little minutes and that way not really contribute
or
Anderson is a bust
or
someone gets seriously injured
pick your poison
Or we could keep em fresh and forget about Hairston and Gee as Anderson plays backup SF.
Tony, Manu, Hill, RJ = 26 minutes x 4 = 104 minutes
144-104= 40 minutes
Anderson, Neal, Temple.......40/3 13.3 minutes.
I'm sick and tired of the Spurs relying on making three pointers in order to win games. The three pointer used to be punishment for bad defense, and now they're running their offense with the specific purpose of launching shots that go in just over a third of the time in the best of cir stances.I just want a player who will just kill it with the 3 ball when left open. I'm sick and tired of all the open bricks Bonner and RMJ were chucking up last season allowing teams to collapse the paint on the Spurs.
Hopefully Neal can make a solid contribution. The FO seems to have a lot of faith in him
I wonder if Pop would ever field this pathetic defensive combination:
C - Bonner
PF - Blair
F - RJ
SG - Neal
PG - Parker
What's the difference in making 33% of your 3-point shots versus 50% of your 2-point shots? (outside of the long rebounds the misses can produce?)
Last edited by Solid D; 07-28-2010 at 08:37 AM.
Neal will be the 2010 version of Marcus Haislip. He'll be waived midseason.
I don't expect much out of him. Maybe he will get some garbage time.
I agree and this is something I touched on when I watched him at SL. Timvp said he was not very athletic and I mentioned that it did not inhibit him from getting his shot off.
It is because he has a quick release and jump.
we'll probably see that at some point lol
Even if we were to completely discount how difficult long misses are to defend, the percentage on layups and dunks is far higher than 50 percent, particularly once you start factoring in free throws. You play for the highest percentage shot you can get, and use the lower percentage outside shot in only the best cir stances to maximize its effectiveness. And it's only effective when it softens up the defense to allow you to make the highest percentage of your layups and dunks. That's why the post game and penetration are important for breaking down a defense.
Exactly! I'll take 33% from the 3pt line any day.
6/18 on 3ptrs = 18pts on 33% shooting
9/18 on 2ptrs = 18pts on 50% shooting
Which one is more likely on any given night?
Granted, some nights the Spurs get carried away with the 3 when they launch 21-25 attempts in a game and it takes away their aggressiveness in driving the lane.
The 3 is most effective when the other team doubles Duncan in the low block, which doesn't happen as often as it used to.
Who are you, Nellie?
I kid, I kid!
The problem the Spurs have had lately is that they think they need to be making more baskets and they're not worried about how they're going to stop the other team anymore.
Spurs '02/'03 through '05/'06
Avg three point percentage: .365
Avg three point attempts given up per season: 940
Spurs '06/07 through '09/'10
Avg three point percentage: .374
Avg three point attempts given up per season: 1177
The Spurs are taking about three hundred more three pointers per season since the end of the '06 season and are shooting the same percentage or better. Even last season's dip was a higher percentage than the 2003 team shot.
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