...the next Pops Mensah-Bonsu or the next Gary Neal?
Anybody have any opinions on the guy besides the draft analysis sites?
The reality is - with the NBA locked-out - this is as great of a compliment a young player could get and we should be proud as fans of Lawal's achievements. Gani plays in the Tauron Basket League in Poland for a team called Zastal Zielona Gora, and currently he is sporting an impressive stat-line of 16.9 ppg and 11.7 rpg.
Coach Jankowski refers to him as "the top big in the league" and as "a Dragon" in the paint.
i lawlz at lawl
Gani The Dragon Lawal? Interesting.
Sho'nuff!
Pops Mensah-Bonsu couldn't earn minutes in the NBA, but he's kicking ass in Europe. I'd go with that one.
On the bright side, I think we've got the only player whose last name is a palindrome. So we've got that going for us.
lol lawal
Hey! I made a Spurstalk palindrome.
I wonder, if possible, could he be the possible replacement for Dice?
I don't see Lawal picking up the system quickly enough for Pop to give him any minutes this season - maybe next season. Spurs could have signed Boniface N'Dong in the offseason, if not for the lockout. Big body, rebounder, inexpensive, lots of experience. I think he could have put in some solid minutes for the Spurs.
I know, I know. "Who?"
huh-huh, you said N'Dong...
So project or camp body?
...at this point looks he has a chance for the 6th spot on our front line...considering that Dice is still not there (and probably will never be there), that he has already some days with the team and that looks to be the only legitimate big outside of the players under contract.
Wouild be intersting to see some impressions of the players about him.
What's for surte is that he should have some of the skills we desperately need.
He's taller than Blair, Bonner, Leonard, Novak, Dice and is a rebounder.
I don't know much about his defense, and his offense looks to be limited to shoots 1 mt. far from the rim...but we have to consider that playing in Poland made him the first offesive option for his team and that only could have enhanced his "offensive confidence" to a very higher level.
Somebody has any more clue?
Would be: lol lawal lol
3 blocked shots in a row at the rim will take care of whatever offensive confidence he has. For everything else, there's Pop.
It doesn't really matter what he is, because he's not making the team. I initially thought he'd have a shot to be the sixth big (with the majority of his time being spent with the Toros), but the instant Novak was brought in, it was obvious who that spot was going to. I suspect they'll look for size, shooting and experience in a fifth big, which are all things Lawal lacks.
Why would he not be the sixth big?
TD
Blair
Splitter
Bonner
Novak
Lawal?
Dice is NOT coming back. All of this so far has been a smokescreen to keep from coming out and saying "We're shopping him, but if we don't get any bites, we'll dump him for half price".
Like I said, "the instant Novak was brought in, it was obvious who that spot (sixth big) was going to". I don't buy that they're not going to bring in another legit big, who can play center. Novak and Green are around for when they give Duncan and Ginobili the odd game off and in case a rash of injuries strike.
In case you haven't noticed, the big rotation on this team isn't exactly the second coming of Gasol-Bynum-Odom, to where the fourth and fifth spots are virtually meaningless. On this team, particularly with the condensed schedule, they need five bigs who can play. At this point, that's probably not happening, but they still need another big body, whether it's Barron, Elson, etc.
I disagree. Novak is NOT a big. He's a tall SF. I don't care if he's 6'10" or whatever, he's nothing more than a tall shooter - just like Bonner. And I don't believe Pop, or anyone else on that coaching staff, perceives Novak to be anything else but that. He's not going to help in any other areas that a traditional big would and he's certainly NOT going to help improve their chances versus the better teams of the Western Conference. Because the Spurs are no better off on the frontline now than they were at the end of the Memphis series, Novak is more of an end-of-the-bench luxury for Pop.
All that said, I don't know if Lawal makes the squad, but he should be given a legitimate shot to make it. The Spurs desparately need someone to do some heavy lifting on the glass and in the paint. This roster is currently devoid of a tough, physical big, that has the ability to bang, rebound, block shots and defend in post. Since there is virtually nothing in the left-over free agent bin, perhaps Lawal is the only hope - even if he's not ready to play immediately.
All I know is the Spurs better find someone soon. Otherwise, they will simply have to concede themselves as a borderline playoff team for this year.
Yea, cause this same team didn't have the best record in the Western Conference last year. All this young talent that is due to develop, even with an expected slight dip in production for the big 3, we're completely ed. Let's not forget there isn't a single dominant team in the Western Conference either. We're still borderline though, on the level of the Houston Rockets.
I'm seriously tired of having to defend the Spurs. Grow a in pair, man up, and root for your team. We have a chance this year.
I agree. At best, he's an immobile small forward, at worst, he's a tall shooter without a position. But on this team, he'll be utilized almost strictly as a stretch four, as we saw last season.
As far as Lawal, when Pop was asked about him he said, to paraphrase "He has a shot to make the team, everybody does. That's not really true, but we're supposed to say that".
Borderline playoff team? At the absolute worst, they're in the top six, but more likely they're still a top four team and I wouldn't be surprised if they end up with a top two-three seed.
I couldn't agree more. Perhaps Monday will be the day we'll know.
I guess you can say that, but he only ever played PF in the NBA.
Yikes. Camp body fo sho.
I've said this before. Just because someone throws up constructive criticism about his/her team, doesn't make them any less of a fan that someone, like you, who wears rose-colored glasses. You're not defending a damn thing. You're only making excuses.
Get your head out of the sand and wake up dude. What the were you watching in April? The frontline on this team is woefully suspect. Do you have any reason to believe this team is better prepared to defeat a team like Memphis in the regular season or playoffs? Answer is no.
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