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Hes been in the league that long.
"It is expected Udoka will sign for the seven-year veteran minimum, $1.146 million."
Um. No.
Hes been in the league that long.
RIF
I said I'd rather have Ime for ONE matchup and that matchup happens to be an important one, Ron Artest.
You can be damn well sure once the playoffs roll around Artest will ratchet up his physical play about 3 notches just like he did last year and that's when having a bigger stronger version of Bogans will come in handy.
I realize Anderson is a big strong kid in his own right, but who knows really even IF he'll make it back to the rotation in time for the playoffs and even IF he'll be able to make a contribution.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...anu-insurance/Udoka returns as Manu insurance
Jeff McDonald
...“He’s someone I can put in the basketball game and feel confident he knows what’s going on,” Popovich said. “In our situation now, he gives us great insurance that we can have another body to put on the floor.”
The Spurs’ “situation,” of course, is a lack at depth at small forward, a problem exacerbated earlier this month when rookie James Anderson was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his foot that required surgery. Popovich is fearful of overburdening Ginobili, who’s had to fill in some at small forward, and to a lesser extent Tony Parker.
“I don’t want to end up overplaying Manu,” Popovich said. “Over time, if we continued this way, we could very well end up overplaying Manu and Tony. I want to make sure we don’t do that.”
Popovich views Udoka, 33, as a more trustworthy option to eat up minutes than unproven players like, Alonzo Gee and Danny Green, who had recently held down that roster spot.
Maybe Manu's ankles and knees are worse than anyone had let on. Anyways, I heard Ime was amazing in practice...
Was Simmons correct? If Manu is worse than anyone knows health-wise, it would make sense to bring someone in who knows the system that can step in right away to limit minutes.
Matt Bonner just called. He's extremely happy with the Ime signing, and added, "Now maybe the ST hate will subside, and I can mow down my footlong turkey and swiss subs in peace."
Ummm, no. Please provide a list of sfs, 6'7" or taller, whose willing to sign for the vet. minimum, and, at the very least, competes on the defensive end.
I was actually wondering how long it was going to take for your usual unneeded cheap shots. I was surprised it took that long actually.
I misunderstood you and even apologize for it but whatever if it makes you feel better right?
To me when someone says a player is inconsistent I don't see that as being solid. Looks like we just see those terms used differently.
Pop saying that Ime was brought in directly for Manu insurance, worries me. Maybe Bill was right about Manu's health, maybe its just Manu's injury prone history that inspired Pop to the signing
looks like more and more Pop has some rotational plans for Ime. It's way to early to have anything but speculation we will have to see.
All kidding aside, I hope there is nothing going on with Manu that we don't know about
For all the posters who hate this signing, and I understand your concerns, can you please provide a list of available sf types, willing to sign for the minimum, that is a upgrade over Udoka. Jarvis Hayes? Old, unathletic, not know for his defense. Good 3-point shooter. Jerry Stackhouse? Old. Bobby Simmons? Been there, done that. I can't see the Spurs making a trade for a sf, since I believe they were Happy with Anderson's play before his injury and wouldn't want to stunt his develpment by trading for a backup sf. Udoka, due to Anderson's injury, will probably play alot more minutes than he should, but once Anderson is back to full health, I don't see Udoka getting significant minutes, if he isn't even waived once Anderson returns.
Or with Pop's track record we could see Anderson buried untill at least next season in favor of a vet for corporate knowledge. If you don't play for awhile Pop tends to easily forget you are even on the team anymore.
I think it's the track record that is making some of us feel uneasy, but we can allways be proven wrong right?
What's going on with Manu is they probably want him playing the perimeter minutes he was playing at the beginning of the year, and not banging and wrestling with SFs.
This isnt a "great" signing but its not as bad as people make it out to be. Udoka is smart player who plays hard. Hopefully he starts making his 3's. But he is a good passer and a good rebounder..
I know be better than Green.
Da Udoka! BAM!
Just don't guarantee his contract. He may know the system but its doubtful he's going to be very good. Hopefully he can hold his own.
Pop's history with playing rookies would suggest that. My argue with Anderson though, is Anderson has already proven he can consistantly hit the 3, plus anderson has shown the ability to defend. Anderson looked like a vet. out on the court. Didn't seem intimidated at all. My hope is Anderson will return to form and make Udoka irrelevant.
+1. IMO the main reason Udoka was signed. The last thing the Spurs need is for Manu to wear down, playing out of position, banging with bigger sfs.
The Ime that I watched, this past year with the Kings (cause i had evans on my fantasy team =p) and the Ime I saw with the spurs was an extremely poor shooter. Esp last year. He doesn't know when to shoot in the worse way, hes a black hole. Once he gets it he shoots regardless of whether its a good shot or not. He won't be asked to do much because hes done. He hasnt been an NBA level player since he was a blazer.
Spurs really couldn't do much worse... the Ime last year had no shot, no defense, seemingly no IQ, I'm not confident that he'll contribute on any level. Therefore its disappointing to see that we're wasting money on this guy.
Insurance for what, an injury? If he is stuck having to play because of injuries the spurs are screwed.
I hope so too. The only reservation I have is that there are a lot of guys that proved they could play to everyone but Pop. I'd be much more philosophical about a signing like Ime if there weren't the history related to Pop's love of crappy vets over talented young players.
Contract details (non-guaranteed) and interview courtesy of the Oregon press:
Ime Udoka said it felt like old times Wednesday as he went through a shootaround with the San Antonio Spurs, who signed the Portland native to a free agent contract.
"It's great to be back, and I know the system," Udoka, 33, said by telephone from Minnesota, where the Spurs were scheduled to play the Timberwolves on Wednesday night. "The coaches know what I do from my two years, and I know the terminology and fit right in. And I'm very comfortable with the guys."
Udoka, a 6-foot-5 guard/forward who was expected to play Wednesday, rejoined a team he played for in 2007-08 and '08-09.
Udoka became a free agent this summer after averaging 3.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 13.7 minutes in 69 games for Sacramento last season. He worked out for Chicago in the summer, declined several offers to play overseas and remained picky about NBA opportunities.
"I didn't want to go to camp just for a sake of going to camp," said Udoka, a standout at Jefferson High School and Portland State. "I understood it might be a little slower with a down personal year for me last year with a team that wasn't that good in Sacramento."
Udoka said he has been in Portland, working out six days a week with a personal training, calling the effort "my own personal training camp." He was called to San Antonio for a workout last week.
"I'm in great, great shape," Udoka said.
Udoka, who will be paid the veteran's minimum of $1.146 million, signed a non-guaranteed contract, meaning the deal won't become guaranteed unless he is still on the roster Jan. 10.
After taking a long route to the NBA - he played six years professionally in minor U.S. leagues and in Europe before playing a full NBA season, in 2006-07 with the Blazers - Udoka says he's especially thankful to land back in a quality franchise.
"Being with the Blazers and San Antonio in the past, good organizations, I wanted to find another," he said. "Me being a veteran, I think I'm more valuable to a veteran team. Not to say Sacramento was negative or anything last year, but I'm definitely a better fit for a team like San Antonio."
After making the Blazers as a training camp invitee in 2006-07, Udoka started all 75 games he played in and averaged 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds. He then landed a two-year deal with San Antonio, where he played 140 games and averaged 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds.
It appeared Udoka might get a second stint with Portland as he was invited to the Blazers' 2009 training camp. He said he was told there was one available roster spot, and he and veteran center Jarron Collins would compete for it. However, both were waived Oct. 21, with the final spot given to rookie point guard Patty Mills.
"Me and Jarron Collins were competing for that last spot, and we figured whoever outplayed the other would get that spot, and we both got cut the same day," Udoka said. "That's what we found more of a shock, that they didn't keep one of us like they said they would."
Udoka said his focus after that was to stay positive. He landed the spot with Kings, and now something even better - a spot on the team with the NBA's best record (12-1) and an 11-game winning streak heading into Wednesday's game.
Udoka said he’s been told he’ll back up both shooting guard Manu Ginobili and small forward Richard Jefferson.
"They're rolling right now, so for me, it's coming in, helping out, hit open shots and guard people," Udoka said. "Just like before."
http://blog.oregonlive.com/nba/2010/...oin_spurs.html
I don't get the people who post stuff like "all these posts in a giant long thread about a 10-13th Man??!?!"
If you guys want a Spurs forum that's a ghost-town, they're out there for you.
+1. Its really quite annoying. Another good one is "look at all these people panicking or freaking out."
Ive never understood comments like this.
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