The Hairston Fascination

[Chomag]

Then you watched well, Hairston really didn't show that he had a jumper this past season in his limited NBA opportunities:



Compare that to Temple who seems to have a corner 3 and seems to be willing to shoot the ball more, but also had more opportunities albeit both are still small sample sizes:

Based on this, maybe hairston doesnt shoot the 3 as well but he has a much better mid game.

[Samr]

I thought we rooted for him because 1) he is an underdog and 2) his name is Malik (see: Rose)?

That's not right?

[Obstructed_View]

I didn't get to see alot of the first month or so of last season and no preseason O_V. I can tell you that by early December and after hairston wasn't making any noise in limited playing time, The no jumpshot is from watching, He hesitated to take many of them especially outside and bricked alot of those he did take.

He wasn't making much noise in limited playing time at any point because his time was limited. True, according to the graphic above he shot poorly from three point range. He got eleven attempts over the entire season and Temple got the last six games of the season where he got rotation minutes, over 20 MPG all but one game.

Hairston shot 43 percent from three point range in the D League. If you'd like, you can say he didn't shoot well with the minutes he was given and I'll agree with you, but please don't perpetuate the myth that he has no outside shot. If all you're looking at is his shooting, you're not paying attention to what the rest of us are.

[Dro210]

THC!

I really hope Malik sticks this year and gets a little more PT.

[HarlemHeat37]

BTW, I disagree that Hairston's peak is a 10th man..if he improved his jump shot over the Summer and shows that he has NBA 3-point range, he's easily a rotation player on most teams..obviously this isn't a guarantee though, so we'll see how he looks this Summer first..hopefully he'll show it for the Spurs..

[dbestpro]

BTW, I disagree that Hairston's peak is a 10th man..if he improved his jump shot over the Summer and shows that he has NBA 3-point range, he's easily a rotation player on most teams..obviously this isn't a guarantee though, so we'll see how he looks this Summer first..hopefully he'll show it for the Spurs..

Maybe a rotational player on a non playoff team. He has too many ifs to be successful for a team with championship aspirations.

[HarlemHeat37]

The shooting is the biggest "if", the only other one is ball-handling, but that is kind of irrelevant for a guy that won't really handle the ball..the shooting is the key, obviously, which is a pretty big deal..no guarantee that he'll develop it..

Role players all have serious flaws, that's why they're role players..they're obviously there to do certain things..

Just looking at the Finals alone..Artest(really good defender and a good rebounder, sucks at pretty much everything else, especially shooting), Fisher(obvious pros/cons), Famar/Brown(neither guy is even good at 1 thing, other than dunking) and Tony Allen(has the same flaws as Hairston does now) are all extremely flawed players that played rotation minutes for their teams..

[blizz]

he's better than J, and if you are really a spurs fan you would know hariston has the best d on this team, and everytime he was in the game he made plays

The BEST defensive player on the team? You're kidding right? Bruce Bowen wasn't exactly an offensive juggernaut, he got on the floor because he was our best defender. Don't you think if Hairston was our best defender pop would have played him a little more? What a dumbass.

[Dro210]

I agree with Harlem... I don't see why if Malik can show that he can knock down the 3 at a similar rate that he was in the D-League (I understand that's a big if, and the guy I'm about to mention was a league leader in 3pt% last year in the actual NBA, but...), what's Jared Dudley got over Malik at that point? They bring hustle/toughness/energy. Above average defender. Can attack the basket and draw and1s effectively with size and vert. He can crash the boards with his size and vert. He outleaps most anybody in the league, definitely outleaps Dudley. Dudley may have better handles, but Dudley's handles aren't really something I've really payed attention to, so I don't know.

Maybe I'm a little too hyped up on him, but I don't think so, I think he can be that kind of effective rotational player once he proves he can hit that 3 consistently, and gets some consistent minutes.



Edit: I like that Tony Allen comparison too. I see more hope for Malik's shot than Tony's tho.

[blizz]

Whats the fascination with dunking? Anyone 6'5" and up (and lots shorter) who plays basketball professionally can dunk. WTF??? That's stupid....."he can dunk really good"...."free him!"

[Dro210]

The BEST defensive player on the team? You're kidding right? Bruce Bowen wasn't exactly an offensive juggernaut, he got on the floor because he was our best defender. Don't you think if Hairston was our best defender pop would have played him a little more? What a dumbass.

So who would you say was the best defender on the team? Perimeter defender?

Even if he wasn't, he was real close, and had the potential to be hands down if he could get some consistant run.

Why do you think the people who actually know what they're talking about were so frustrated that Malik was in a suit or in Austin for most of the year, while Bogans was out there scrubin it up as the "defensive specialist", and Mason was brickin shots as a "sharp shooter".

[Dro210]

Nobody is pushing for his playing time based on "dunking".... but having a 40+ inch vert, and having the athleticism it takes to have a vert like that at 6'6 225 gives you a pretty nice advantage when attacking the basket, crashing the boards, altering shots, etc.

[BadOne]

It isn't the Malik threads that make me laugh, it's the "Ian Mahinmi" ones that just make me lose it sometimes.

Everything like "Free Ian" or "why can't Mahinmi play?" or the worst, when people start predicting line ups for next year and still list Mahinmi. Man I tell ya.

The coaching staff sees nothing left in this guy. I have to trust that there is a good reason for that. Malik? He's been given more opportunities this last season because they obviously still see some potential. But I feel that this summer league will likely be make or break for Malik. He's got some serious compi ion in James Anderson. We'll see how it goes.

[HarlemHeat37]

I don't think some people realize the physical gifts that Hairston and Gee have..these guys both have 40 inch verticals, they're both very strong for wing players, they both weigh 220+ and are very quick for their size..

In the NBA, when you have physical tools like that, the key to your game(other than polishing the glaring flaws, obviously) is to find a niche, find a system/organization that can help you polish your game, and have great work ethic..we'll see the results coming up this season..if either one of those guys shows the ability to shoot from outside at the NBA level, it's a serious asset for the Spurs as a role player, an athletic wing the Spurs have been missing forever..you can't teach physical tools like that..

I also don't understand why some people keep saying the Spurs don't trust or like Hairston..Pop talked raved about him all year, Manu talked about him as a future starter for the Spurs, Sean Elliott loves his game, Tony mentioned his talent..

[itzsoweezee]

He's better than Bogans, Roger Mason, and Finley.

[jjktkk]

It's amazing how many people like to comment on Hairston who clearly never watched him play. I particularly love the "he can't shoot from outside" myth. Kid has a knack for making plays, he's a very good defender, and he plays longer than his height. Add to that the fact that he already earned a spot ahead of Bogans last season, and you pretty much have the reason people talk him up. I'm perfectly fine if he doesn't make it on the Spurs, so long as the people who get spots or playing time ahead of him actually beat him out. Watching Bogans be unable to do much of anything through most of the season while Hairston sat on the bench was frustrating to anyone that was actually paying attention.

He was hitting his outside jumper in the D-league, but struggled with his jumper once he joined the Spurs.

[benefactor]

As many have said, it's a pretty simple equation for Hairston. Adding a consistent jumper and some better ball handling and he is in...stay the same or regress and he's out.

There is one other thing that Hairston could add that I think could help him with both of those though...and that is the overall fluidity that exists in the NBA role player. Tony Allen is a great example. He's not a good shooter at all, but he makes the right decisions at the right time on offense, plays smart defense and just seems to move smoothly and comfortably within the flow of the game. Jared Dudley is another good example. He has started find that place of comfort as a role player. He doesn't think...he just plays. The game has "slowed down" for them, if you will.

Last year Hairston still had that rigid, uncomfortable feel about him that you see in a lot of players that are trying to make NBA squads. Some work their way out of it and begin to see the field and some don't and usually head overseas in search of basketball money elsewhere. Let's hope that things begin to "slow down" for Hairston and he starts find that place of comfort and flow within the game.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Hes athletic, works his ass off and has gotten better every year. I do not see why its hard to figure out.

[Dro210]

There is one other thing that Hairston could add that I think could help him with both of those though...and that is the overall fluidity that exists in the NBA role player. Tony Allen is a great example. He's not a good shooter at all, but he makes the right decisions at the right time on offense, plays smart defense and just seems to move smoothly and comfortably within the flow of the game. Jared Dudley is another good example. He has started find that place of comfort as a role player. He doesn't think...he just plays. The game has "slowed down" for them, if you will.

Last year Hairston still had that rigid, uncomfortable feel about him that you see in a lot of players that are trying to make NBA squads. Some work their way out of it and begin to see the field and some don't and usually head overseas in search of basketball money elsewhere. Let's hope that things begin to "slow down" for Hairston and he starts find that place of comfort and flow within the game.

I agree... well said. Needs to find a little smooveness in his game. I think thats gotta come from some consistent pt tho.

[Birn]

Hairston and Gee will battle for the last roster spot.

[BackHome]

As many have said, it's a pretty simple equation for Hairston. Adding a consistent jumper and some better ball handling and he is in...stay the same or regress and he's out.

There is one other thing that Hairston could add that I think could help him with both of those though...and that is the overall fluidity that exists in the NBA role player. Tony Allen is a great example. He's not a good shooter at all, but he makes the right decisions at the right time on offense, plays smart defense and just seems to move smoothly and comfortably within the flow of the game. Jared Dudley is another good example. He has started find that place of comfort as a role player. He doesn't think...he just plays. The game has "slowed down" for them, if you will.

Last year Hairston still had that rigid, uncomfortable feel about him that you see in a lot of players that are trying to make NBA squads. Some work their way out of it and begin to see the field and some don't and usually head overseas in search of basketball money elsewhere. Let's hope that things begin to "slow down" for Hairston and he starts find that place of comfort and flow within the game.

Totally agree the same thing could be said for Ian they just don't look comfortable on the court. An example of someone who just had that NBA fill would be Temple the guy came in and he just had the look and fill of someone who has been playing for awhile.

I also wish the guy would show some emotion on the court I mean he show less emotion then Timmy. I think if your comming of the bench you gotta get your team motivated.....

[blizz]

Hairston sucks....get over it already. He's not making the team. It's the same thing that happened with that James guy a couple of years ago..."he's athletic" "he can dunk" "if he could only get playing time"...etc etc. Bull ...he sucks...he doesn't get playing time because he can't do in practice. If you can't play in practice, how are you supposed to do it in a game?

[MI21]

If he can show he has a consistent jumpshot at the top level, I think he can make it.

If that does happen, he will get more respect and will be allowed to play defense a little more physically. I like his defensive potential.

No reason why he can't be a Mario Elie type player.

[bigdog]

I'm not sold on Hairston. His defense is good at times, and he'll have a dunk every now and then, but IMO, he's never really shown much else. He's undersized for a SF, has a very inconsistent jumpshot, and hasn't shown much improvement in his most needed areas of improvement. I like the guy, I mean, he's a hustle player that earns his time on the court, but I don't think he's all that most people on here make him up to be.

[AusSpursFan]

Hairston had a good summer league and was actually shooting the ball pretty well. Since then he has been inconsistent, however he still provides hops, hustle and defence and I would have chosen him over Mason or Bogans in any lineup last season.