Rumor: Malik Hairston to Montepaschi? (Confirmed)

[Solid D]

Best wishes for Malik in Italy. He's a great player who should excel there with his slashing, energy and hops. I'm sure he'll enjoy knocking a few off the rim and getting away with it.

Gee is the obvious choice to replace Hairston's role with some time in Austin. The Spurs still need a SF and a Big going into training camp. Garrett Temple, if you think about it, may have made Hairston expendable. Garrett is 6-6, can play 3 positions, and is an excellent defender - every bit as good a defender on the perimeter as Malik Hairston has been.

The Spurs may still make a play for a vet. If they don't, then Pop is really sold on giving lots of floor time to Anderson and Temple.

[AFBlue]

So exactly WHERE is the developmental advantage?

Somewhere Dennis Johnson is rolling over in his grave?

Dude, he's giving you a fairly weak logic-based argument and you're getting emotional. Look at the sample size...you really think that 2 players in each category over three years is really enough to establish a trend? And what about Gee...you can't compare him to Temple b/c he's never played a minute with the big club.

The thing that doesn't make sense to me is why the Spurs make this move now, prior to training camp where they could've legitimately seen if Hairston or Gee was better for the ballclub. This tells me one of two things...

1) Spurs just didn't feel that Hairston was worth the guaranteed money he was owed and cut him.

2) Hairston requested to be released so that he could sign with another team for more money and opportunity to play.

[Seventyniner]

Lame. Let's see what the spurs have planned to fill the massive defensive hole at sf.

So Jefferson is a worse defender than Parker? Or Ginobili? Face it, the Spurs' system no longer relies on having "that one" perimeter defender at the SF position who also happens to hit corner threes. The system will change this coming year. It won't be drastically different, but different nonetheless.

[8FOR!3]

Morrison/Nachbar/T-Mac

One of those three...

[DPG21920]

I def think Malik could have contributed. Bogans got plenty of minutes and Malik certainly is better than Bogans. This is not some huge loss, but the Spurs, even w 40m have a huge hole at the SF spot.

[DPG21920]

So Jefferson is a worse defender than Parker? Or Ginobili? Face it, the Spurs' system no longer relies on having "that one" perimeter defender at the SF position who also happens to hit corner threes. The system will change this coming year. It won't be drastically different, but different nonetheless.

Yes, he is clearly worse than both of those players defensively.

[weebo]

Just another guy chasing the money instead of the dream.

[sandman]

Hairston doesn't go play in Italy if he truly was the type of player than some of you wish he was. You see a hole in the roster and you desparately want it filled, but wishing it so and making it so are not the same things.

[The Truth #6]

Holding him back from the SL seemed weird at the time.

"But Coach Bud said everything was fine!"

Good luck to Malik. The Youth Movement was overestimated. I'm preparing for a return if the Centerpiece.

[Seventyniner]

Yes, he is clearly worse than both of those players defensively.

According to basketball-reference.com, here are their DRtg (defensive ratings of points allowed per 100 possessions) scores from last season, with lower numbers being better:

Ginobili: 104
Jefferson: 106
Parker: 108

Now you can hit me with the "stats don't matter" argument and we'll go from there.

[yavozerb]

Lame. Let's see what the spurs have planned to fill the massive defensive hole at sf.

, at the Massive hole...Now maybe the spurs can fill in the massive hole created on offense by Malik

[8FOR!3]

So wait, The Youth Movement is ruined because we lost one dude who we were unsure about in the first place and had him AT BEST as the backup SF getting little minutes, even though he has managed to remain pretty damn irrelevant the two years he's been in the league? Did we mention that this guy can't shoot? He's just athletic. So is Tony Allan, but he's not as good a defender. So he can't hit free throws, he can't shoot, he seems to be a good slasher and a defender, but we all know that he's never going to turn out to be anything but a bottom of the bench player in the NBA, 9-12 roster slot at best. I really can't explain to you guys how underwhelmed I really am by this announcement.

[DPG21920]

, at the Massive hole...Now maybe the spurs can fill in the massive hole created on offense by Malik

If you don't think there is a massive hole at SF, that is on you. Most can see it pretty clearly.

[yavozerb]

OV's head is going to explode when he logs on and sees this.

I was just thinking the same thing...

[DPG21920]

According to basketball-reference.com, here are their DRtg (defensive ratings of points allowed per 100 possessions) scores from last season, with lower numbers being better:

Ginobili: 104
Jefferson: 106
Parker: 108

Now you can hit me with the "stats don't matter" argument and we'll go from there.

So Gino was def better, so you were wrong there. Then you take TP's most injured year as a comparison

Also when comparing TP and RJ, one carries the offense. TP when focused is a better defender than RJ at this point in their career. No doubt.

[yavozerb]

If you don't think there is a massive hole at SF, that is on you. Most can see it pretty clearly.

Hate to tell you but there was a hole there even when Hairston was still here..And when you say "massive hole" you are truly exagerating cause of your hate for RJ. Yes, we need depth at the 3, but, we simply need a back up SF who can feel in 10-15 minutes.

[E-RockWill]

Clearing money to bring the Big Fiesta?

[DPG21920]

Hate to tell you but there was a hole there even when Hairston was still here..And when you say "massive hole" you are truly exagerating cause of your hate for RJ. Yes, we need depth at the 3, but, we simply need a back up SF who can feel in 10-15 minutes.

We did have a hole with Malik. It is now worse. Just RJ is a massive hole bc he provides very little.

[DPG21920]

I don't hate RJ. Saying someone is a bad fit and they are over paid does not mean you hate them. I hate his role and impact on the team, not him

[Obstructed_View]

It's not a big deal. Just shoot more threes. That's fifty percent more points per shot, folks. You don't need defense when you can outscore your opponent.

[rmt]

Clearing money to bring the Big Fiesta?

I hope so. The Spurs need him for Bynum/Gasol. Try to get a vet. backup SF and call it a day.

[SenorSpur]

Gee is the obvious choice to replace Hairston's role with some time in Austin.

Do you think he'll need to spend MOST or even ALL of the year in Austin?

The Spurs still need a SF and a Big going into training camp. The Spurs may still make a play for a vet. If they don't, then Pop is really sold on giving lots of floor time to Anderson and Temple.

Here's the funny thing. The Spurs were in need of a "true" backup SF and an athletic big going into the offseason. This is certainly, and in no way, a "poo-poo" of the additions of Anderson & Splitter. Yet they still have deficiencies at the aforementioned two areas.

[timvp]

I'm surprised ... mostly by the timing. I was never overly high on Hairston but I'm surprised he wasn't given one final legit chance to contribute. This obviously had to have been in motion for a while. A run in training camp, or at least summer league, seemed fair.

The Spurs must be comfortable with Gee, Temple and/or Anderson, which is understandable. If the Spurs told Hairston that he was the odd man out, Hairston made a good career move. Sato has played with Sienna since the 2006-07 season and he's made good strides in his game. Hairston has a very similar skill-set and should be able to step right in and do what Sato did. Even though he'll be in Europe, Hairston, if he plays well, will remain on the NBA radar.

As for the Spurs, it's a bit risky because Hairston has the ability to be a quality perimeter defender and very good rebounder. That could have been a useful combination. Yes, Hairston's inability to shoot three-pointers, his lack of D-League eligibility and his underdeveloped perimeter skills worked against him, but he remained a somewhat interesting prospect. Now, working on his outside shot, ballhandling and attention to detail on defense will be the areas he can potential grow while in Europe.

Is there any chance that the Spurs retain his rights? That'd be nice. If Hairston continues to get in shape and continues to make the transition from power forward to shooting guard, he's a player who could make it back into the NBA.

Good luck, Malik

[Solid D]

We did have a hole with Malik. It is now worse. Just RJ is a massive hole bc he provides very little.

I disagree. I don't believe it to be a massive hole. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, Garrett Temple's ability to play 3 positions and play defense on the perimeter had eroded some of Malik Hairston's opportunities for minutes. James Anderson plays the wing, so it's no more a hole than it was last year. Do the Spurs need a long, athletic, shooting, defender at the 3-4? Absolutely! Is there one out there...not without a price in $ and players there's not.

[koriwhat]

that sucks. i always thought with enough playing time malik could shine. his defense is pretty top notch.