Ian to Austin Toros

[SenorSpur]

Unless the Spurs plan on trotting out KT, Oberto and then maybe rounding out the roster with a 36 year-old Sheed for next year and the year after that, they'd better see what this kid has. Spurs are in no position to start dumping young players before they fully know whether or not they can play.

[smrattler]

They need young talented bigs, agree. But I don't think Ian will be an answer.

I saw him play last summer for a week in Vegas. The thing I remember coming way with was:

1) His "moves" and overall offensive "skills" are limited (to say it nicely).
2) He gets his points and rebounds with athletic ability, explosiveness.
3) Versus NBA-D league or summer league, he finds his athletic advantage. But even then, he doesn't blow anyone away with it even at that level.

Conclusion: He's a guy that relies on athletic ability to be effective and he's not athletic enough to be a real effective big in the NBA.

I'm no Sam Presti or NBA scout, just a Spurs fan enjoying last summer in Vegas. Hey, maybe too many drinks made me disgruntled-drunk sports-fan, not ruling that out.

[Jace]

I look forward to his career revival the moment he gets dumped by the Spurs

[SenorSpur]

Last time I checked the Spurs cupboard wasn't stocked with a load of young talent. That's why the process is called "developmental". It's not as though he'll be competing with Splitter for an opportunity.

[SouthTexasRancher]

Is he a dissaponitment .......yeah.

But he really needs to shine next year.

Alfred Hughes, Dwanye us, Fred Roberts,Tom Copa, Lyold Daniels,Greg Sutton, Shelton Jones,...... anybody want to add Ian to this list???????????????????????

Yep, Pop will release him or somehow include him in a weird trade before the start of next season. He has been with the organization too damn long to have much faith in him ever contributing much to the Spurs. Ian is what one calls a Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrojcet...! The Twin Towers will be rebuilt before Ian plays a full game as a Spur. Loop 410 will get finished before Ian plays half a game with the Spurs. San Antonio will get NFL & MLB teams before Ian will ever play a full quarter with the Spurs. Al Qaeda and the Taliban will totally disappear before Ian plays 6 uninterrupted minutes as a Spur. I will be worth more than Bill Gates before Ian scores 2 points, grabs 3 rebounds, steals the ball once, and blocks 3 shots in the same game. In other words Ian will never see the light of day under Pop.

Ian, Fab, Bowen, Vaughn, Finley and Udoka will all be playing for another team or retired to a rest home by the start of the 2009-2010 season.

TiC

[EricB]

Last time I checked the Spurs cupboard wasn't stocked with a load of young talent. That's why the process is called "developmental". It's not as though he'll be competing with Splitter for an opportunity.

hairston
parker
hill
mahinmi
gist


thats 5 right there.

How much should they have "stocked"

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

First let me repeat what I posted a few days ago, that I won't be surprised when Mahinmi is off the Spurs roster by July 15th by either trade or released with the understanding that he'll go back to europe.

Nobody is more disappointed in him than me, I was clamoring for the Spurs to not re-sign KT so that he wouldn't get in the way of Mahinmi getting minutes. I loved Mahinmi's progress in the d-league and what his potential could have been with his athleticism next to Duncan.

But now I realize that his time with the Spurs is probably done. The freak injuries like pectoral tears right before summer league and invisible bone chips have ruined what I think was an incredible opportunity, though with how Pop has doghoused George Hill for Vaughn maybe that opportunity may have been more imagined than real.

But as to what other people ever saw in Mahinmi . . .

An Express News article quoting a scout as saying in 2006 after Mahinmi's first summer league : "Even after watching Mahinmi's worst games, one scout thought he would have been a lottery pick in this year's draft."


Then there were multiple instances of Draft Express praising Mahinmi during his d-league play last season, declaring that he had better upside than any big man in the d-league, that he was the number one name mentioned by NBA scouts as having a future in the NBA, and numerous other glowing remarks about his game and the progress he made in the d-league. Including " Many people questioned San Antonio when they picked Mahinmi in the first round of the 2005 draft, but he looks to be a future NBA player judging by his performance in the D-League."

And ESPN nba guy David Thorpe has previously written that Mahinmi looked like a "mega-talent".

According to an SI article, an eastern conference executive said "Mahinmi has the potential to be an All-Star"

----------

So there was something there with Mahinmi, but little did anybody know that he'd have these kinds of injury issues.

And as much as I was enthralled with his d-league play I was terribly disappointed by his 2008 summer league play, he seriously looked like he had taken a step back.

And now, a year gone by and wasted, there's really no future for him.

The Spurs will either re-sign Gooden or get somebody like Rasheed Wallace in the summer.

And they'll still have Kurt Thomas and Matt Bonner under contract, and maybe Oberto if they don't buy him out (I believe his contract is partially guaranteed, if so, he'll be traded or cut like Bowen).

And word about him not being Spurs material has trickled down to Don Harris regarding his work ethic/toughness, so you know he's on the outs.

Ian Mahinmi's time as a Spur may be over come July.

To be honest I do not ever remember him being consider as one of the better players in Europe in his age group.

[SenorSpur]

hairston
parker
hill
mahinmi
gist


thats 5 right there.

How much should they have "stocked"

In theory, I would agree, except for Parker. He doesn't count because he's a mid-career star already and doesn't need much more developing.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't see any evidence that Pop and R.C. have the patience or desire necessary to develop young talent. I'm sure they have every intention of doing so, but they've won with veterans for so long, it's easy to see why they're accustomed to immediate production, rather than long term potential.

[SenorSpur]

This guy has all the skills to be a 16ppg, 10rpg, 2.5blk. Many NBA GMs say Ian will be a 20,10 guy. He runs well, has a nice face up jumper, a couple raw post moves and moves like a SF. He needs some refining but most bigs do, as long as he stays injury free he will be a keeper.

Gist is a good defender and rebounder and could be a shot blocker as well from the tweener spot. His shot is raw but he is a hard worker and brings raw emotion which we need badly.

Hairston, I dont think he has much of a future, he is what he is an end of the bench guy.

Hill may be gone soon by trade, I dont think Pops is sold on him and has already looked to trade him several times. Hill may never get a shot at being a spur.

Splitter, has all the tools to be a 15ppg, 10rpg,1.5blk if we get him over here. Ian and him would look real nice together. Now that his sister has pasted away, he may come over in 2010.

Spurs need to draft well this year mostly need to find a big who can block shots and rebound, and a wing who can get into the lane and finish.

Is this an assumption or have you read something to indicate that he's at least thinking about it?

[mountainballer]

This guy has all the skills to be a 16ppg, 10rpg, 2.5blk. Many NBA GMs say Ian will be a 20,10 guy.

yes, in the D-league and I really love to see a link to this GMs quotes!

the longer Ian didn't play for the Spurs, the greater his myth grows. maybe some should start to remember that in fact Ian hasn't done anything remarkable at any point of his career.
this doesn't tell that there isn't a small chance that he miraculously turns into what some think he could be. but there are not many indications that he ever will. wishful thinking of some Spurs fans doesn't replace facts.
realistically we can be happy if Ian turns into a somehow useful rotation player. nothing wrong with that. he's obviously not the next Amare, more a player like Ryan Hollins or Jermareo Davidson. and this means best case 10th man. 15 MPG, 5 PPG, 4 RPG. agains, nothing wrong with that, every team also needs a 10th man.

[Obstructed_View]

hairston
parker
hill
mahinmi
gist


thats 5 right there.

How much should they have "stocked"

With other guys like Splitter in various stages of development and possibility overseas.

[TDMVPDPOY]

takn up a roster spot on the spurs, now his going to take up one on the toros....

imo those spots are better of investing into someone else.....

[ChumpDumper]

No one has to leave the Toros while he is on that team, and since their starting PF has an ankle injury....

[SpursFan0728]

Anyone know if Ian will be playing tonight?

[NFGIII]

Pop is really big on training camp. Beno was hurt durring training camp every year he was on the Spurs that ultimately hurt beno's minutes. Ian seems to be the same way. Hopefully Ian comes into next season healty and becomes our young big man (like Bynum has been for the Lakers) and we finally get an athletic center to go next to Timmy.

Agreed. Training camp it very important to Pop so when you don't participate then your chances of making the roster and playing are significantly reduced. Pop seems to have reservations about such players regardless if warrented or not.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't see any evidence that Pop and R.C. have the patience or desire necessary to develop young talent. I'm sure they have every intention of doing so, but they've won with veterans for so long, it's easy to see why they're accustomed to immediate production, rather than long term potential.

This could, at least as of '08 and later, be due to TD's closing window. Maybe they both felt that they didn't have the time to develop the younger players and had to go with vets. The the old George Allen theory "the future is now" concept.

It is unfortunate that Ian has been injury prone for so long. That would have been hard to predict back in '05 when he was drafted. Maybe he comes around next year or maybe not but if he gets to training camp he had better be healthy and start to show some potential or he's outa here.

[Biggems]

the only reason he missed the whole season, was because the injured area was hiding. it never came up on the MRIs. they finally found the cause and fixed it. unfortunately the rehab afterwords took the remainder of the season.

if they were able to find all the bad stuff and clean it out, I see no reason why Ian cant be ready to go next year.

[Obstructed_View]

Bone chips dont take 10 weeks to heal even if your 85yrs old, Pops just wanted an exucse not to play this guy. Mrs Bush is 82 had heart valve surgery and the doctor told he she could return to normal activity in 10-12 weeks.

Pops hates young guys, does not know how to develop young guys unless they have top 5 talent......this is why the spurs are pissing away TD and Manus last years and why we are 2 rings shorter than we should be.

BRING BACK PJ!!!

Bone chips don't miraculously "heal", stupid ass. They are chips of bone that are floating around, and therefore have to be removed.

[spursfan1000]

Well I would have expected him to play better in the D-League for sure.

[timvp]

Your talking to a doctor dumb ass! Its a simple op that is about as invasive as having an ingrown nail removed. 2-4 weeks to heal,2 weeks to start rehab and thats if they cut threw alot of tissue.

They didn't find the particle until the 8th MRI, thus the holdup.

[ceperez]

For those who may be disappointed with Ian, here's the other notable players that drafted later than him:

David Lee
Brandon Bass
Ronny Turiaf
Monta Ellis
Andray Blatche

That's 5 out of 32 other players.