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Whoever produces/performs the best during the course of the season will be the back up point guard come playoff time (barring injury of course).
Spurs have a lot of options obviously. Let the compe ion began.
When was the last time we had two guys battle each other for a spot? Not sure having internal animosity is great for a team that hasn't given too much stock in rotation "spots" (aka having our second best player come off the bench, 10 man rotation, DNP-CD for stars, backups getting bigger minutes than starters some games).
Like I said earlier, I like Gary, but Mills could be what elevates this team from great to elite. I say play them both, depending on the situation and opponent.
Whoever produces/performs the best during the course of the season will be the back up point guard come playoff time (barring injury of course).
Spurs have a lot of options obviously. Let the compe ion began.
I see the criteria for the job being: play defense, be able to handle backcourt pressure, and initiate the pick and roll. I'm not sure who fits that bill the best so far. I think CoJo has the best chance to fit that job description eventually but it might not be this year.
Underestimate Mills at your peril. That guys entire career has been him achieving despite the odds.
As an indigenous Australian getting a look in a sport that was not AFL or Rugby he stood a very small chance of getting noticed.
He very nearly didnt make it into the AIS as a junior, he missed the cut and if it wasnt for a guy withdrawing from the program to play Aussie Rules football, Mills never would have got the last spot.
He then plays so well in that school that he gets invited to a collage try out, he is one of the last choices to be shopped and ends up catching on at St Marys only through a family friend pushing hard for him.
Going to St Marys expecting to come off the bench deep in the rotation he works his way up to starter and then All-WCC First Team in his first season
He then becomes the youngest Australian Boomer since Luc Longy to be selected for an Olympic team. Again expecting to not see any court time works his way into the 6th man spot and scores above 20 against Argentina and team USA.
As the hype starts to build and the talk of him leaving school early to turn pro as a lottery pick becons (his face offs against Rubio vs Spain and Curry at the NIT champs he heads in the draft and slips to pick 55 to the portland trailblazers.
Expected to be stashed over season Mills shocks everyone by signing the qualifying offer sheet despite European offers, but fractures his navicular bone at training for the Summer League hoping to prove he is worthy of a roster spot. After a 3 month recovery Mills is assigned to the Idaho Stampede and in his first game back after recovery drops 38 and 12 and gets recalled to the Blazers where he makes his debut and finishes off the season getting rare scrub minutes behind Andre Miller, Steve Blake and Jerryd Bayless.
He hangs around again signing a QO when the blazers already had a roster of 17 in 2010 and if it wasnt for a late trade before the season starts that sees Bayless go he gets the 15th roster spot backing up Miller and Armon Johnson.Johnson assumes that back up roll with Roy taking up the spot minutes left over and Patty gets 3 minutes of court time in the first 20 games total. McMillian frustrated with Johnsons propensity for turnovers turns to Mills in desperation mid way through the year and Mills takes the opportunity with both hands playing out the season as Millers primary back up.
Without contract and heading into a lock out season Mills heads back to Australia to play locally with the Melbourne Tigers, he plays 9 games there when his agent (who is no longer his agent LOL) tells him the whole NBA season is going to be wiped and signs a 1 year deal to play in China. After a hamstring injury Mills is released near the midway point of the NBA season,and ends up being a late season signing for the San Antonio Spurs much to do with Brett Browns influence.
We all know he ends the season as a spur scoring 10.3ppg averaging 16 minutes per game over the last 18 games of the regular season.
Heading to London Olympics minus Bogut Patty assumes the captaincy of the boomers and the primary focus of all teams competeing against the Australians, despite this the 6ft Aussie ends the tournament with Australia largly over achieving (quarter final knocked out by USA) and taking the all tournament scoring le and earning all Olympic second team honours.
Patty Mills always exceeds anyone's expectations.
Not only will he end up the primary back up. He is the next starter for the Spurs after TP moves on..
I think I recall an article written about the story of indigenous Australians and how the government made an act to prevent people like Patty form ever existing. Pretty cool story for a guy with Patty's character. I sincerely hope he develops into a starter for the Spurs eventually and I also hope that CoJo can develop into a solid player a Spurs can use in their rotations.
55th picks don't drop 34 and 12 in an NBA game, tbh...
Mills
Manu
DeColo
Think about how black folks were treated in the South circa 1965 and you have an idea what it is like in Australia today for aborigines.
1) Half of the NBA teams don't have a starting PG that is worth half of Mills, score-wise. If I ever had a doubt, that was cancelled in the Olympics.
2) Popovich is a conservative, and he will go with Neal, in the first 10 games.
3) IF Mills can be decent on defense, I expect him to come in when Parker gets out.
Popovich is a great coach, but the one black spot is having confidence in a specific backup PG. It is somewhat inexplicable to me, excpet that he can only trust one floor general at the time, and that is Parker.
Whoever spreads the floor.
Pop is going to stick with Neal and backup PG to drive us all nuts. I don't want to see Neal struggle, but he does at the 1, there's just no doubt. Hopefully Mills will get the position assigned routinely, without too much disaster to unfold to make the move obvious to Pop. Mills has speed, confidence, and ball handling ability and is not the defensive liability Neal is. Neal is $$ as a spot up shooter, so I really hope that is how he is utilized. Nando and CoJo might sniff it, but only if Neal gets traded or if there are injuries will they see real PT. Who knows, Joseph might have an opportunity and then stick. I think Nando will be a TO machine, but I'm excited to see what he can bring.
Patty Mills. He's an excellent offensive player, and a hard worker on defense. He's a better passer and a better defender than Neal. I think Joseph is the long term (next year?) solution, but he doesn't seem ready at this time.
Gary Neal, with sprinkles of Patty Mills. I don't think he'll lock in and give 100% of backup PG minutes to any individual player, but Neal is the leader in the clubhouse, and will likely get 80% of the minutes. Pop will mostly stick with the known quan y until he's comfortable with someone else.
70% Patty Mills
15% Gary Neal
15% Cory Joseph
I think Patty will win the job through the year and/or Gary Neal will be traded. Barring trade, I think Neal's chance is closer to 30-40%. Cory Joseph will have a chance to exceed expectations, perhaps after filling in due to an injury.
As far as Nando goes, I think his true role on this team will be as a 2-guard. While he might get some emergency/spot PG minutes, having both Patty and Cory on the roster will allow Nando to be a (very?) poor man's Manu replacement over the next few years.
Joseph. I liked what I saw in the summer league. Hes the only we can say is defintely a PG. I love upside and he seemed to have a lot of it. He also should have average more than 5.2 assists in SL. His teamates just missed shots. I would say mills after joseph.
Eh...I'm not really a Cory Joseph fan. He's still too young and raw to determine what he's going to be. And from what I've seen from him, his J isnt very good. I'll take Mills or Neal....
That's very sad. I hope the situation in Australia for aborigines are resolved soon.
I think defense, ball handling, and getting people involved are more important for our backup point guard than shooting. Shooting is nice but Neal's defense killed us against the Thunder and he was going against a guy I though he could match up with in Derek Fisher.
Its not quite that bad, but it was not that long ago.
1. Mills
2. Neal
3. Mills
With more development, CJ can take the spot next year.
Millsy given minutes has seized his chances time and time again, everywhere he's been in his short 23 years. I expect here will be the same as a breakout will bring with it a multi year (2-3) guaranteed contract with some reasonable dollars from somewhere. If it becomes reality lets hope it's Spurs.
Patty first!
Mills is my man! One other thing worth mentioning about a point guard is the ability to shoot the 3 which patty does fairly well.
Neal and Mills will share PG duties, based mainly on what is needed defensively. If the other team has a non-scoring or slow PG, or a smaller sg, you will see Neal, If the other team has a fast, or attacking pg you will see Mills. De Cola is there mainly to be a 2 that handles the ball sometimes and have spot pg minutes. Joseph is pg of the future but this year will be mainly with the Toros, though will be brought up from time to time for seasoning or if there is an injury.
mills and neal are exactly the same type of player....their offense is their defense....
Most teams have fast PG's. That why Neal struggles so much defensively. Neal couldn't even match up with Derek Fisher who's one of the slowest point guards.
Manu is essentially the back PG/playmaker for the second unit. It's exhausting to have to do that AND bring the ball up the court against pressure. All we need is someone who can bring the ball up the court under pressure, and space the floor. That's Patty.
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