So I was checking out one of those NBA season preview magazines...

[ElNono]

McCallums D?

He's not a specialist and he'll have to work on it. He's not coming into the team as a player known for his D. But don't kill him early, he has the tools to get better at it, so we'll see if he puts in the work.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I don't think KA will be in Austin as much. With Beli gone he is looking to be Kawhi's primary back-up.

no, Anderson shouldn't see the court except in huge blowouts

[MultiTroll]

Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown
Okay, if you find that unpersuasive, then use Google and search Ray McCallum. Perhaps you'll find some analysis from authors you trust. Or, better yet, you might find video that you can watch and decide for yourself what *you* think of Ray McCallum rather than waiting around to be spoon-fed an opinion about the guy.

No need to get testy.
I appreciate the link, it was informative.
Bear in mind this is the site that had a group discussion with several of the pundits singing the praises of Bonner.

In addition to being informative, your post and link was
a) spot on the op basketball topic. A huge rarity at ST.
b) not just generally but exact spot on the topic of McCs defense.
Props!

[TheGreatYacht]

I still can't see SloMo being anything aye

Stfu. Respect our future starting Small Forward

[SAGirl]

KA will get his chances in camp, preseason, and perhaps early in the season to show that he's beyond his rookie uncertainties and can just go play the game. If he shows signs of assertiveness and confidence, I think he'll continue to get chances and the leash will get a bit longer with time. If he shows passivity and softness, it won't matter what he did over the summer because he won't play. In recent times, Danny Green and Gary Neal (of guys who weren't absolute gotta-play-them, no brainers; the brief flirtation with Devin Brown would be another example from the past) have came in and showed cajones to go along with useful NBA skills, so they played; others who've looked lost or have demonstrated an inability to execute any significant skill at an NBA level have been passed over by more reliable vets. I think, ultimately, Pop would prefer to give minutes to guys like KA and Simmons early in the year and to have them blossom into legitimate contributors because they appear to have skills and athleticism that the more seasoned choices don't.

I don't think it should be much of a surprise that a coach who has dealt with young players for almost 20 years now would continue to treat young players the way he's treated most of the young players who've come along in the past.

As for the rest, previews are opinions and like any opinions, some are more defensibly formed than others. Of a team with as many certainties as they seem to have, the Spurs are also riddled with uncertainties, too, and the resolution of those issues will most likely determine which way the 2015-16 season goes.

This is a good take. I agree with you on both Anderson and Simmons. Spurs pushed both guys hard to score for themselves in SL. A little unspursy yes, but then they were the most talented in that SL team. A lot of others in SL couldn't score efficiently anyways. IMO it also pushed them to get more confident. They can't go out there in defer/passive mode, not bc they should be chucking, but bc they have to be a threat and not pass up shots that they should take. As bad as selfishness is, it's right up there with passiveness and overpassing, sometimes you end up with a worse shot.

You are right everyone has their opinion on these two, as well as Jimmer. Even the team's stars are a source of debate here. So, we will just have to see on these predictions. They are fun to speculate about, but that's it.

[All Mighty Janitor]

Bump. Thoughts?

[apalisoc_9]

Bump. Thoughts?

Kawhi always underrated by spursfans.

Fredette sucks.

[SAGirl]

And for the Spurs they wrote:

- Tim will get extra rest, ensuring LMA get his usual regular season touches
- Danny is still one of the most underrated 3 and D guys in the league, averaging over 1 block per game, even though he couldn't hit the ocean last playoffs
- Kawhi's health an ongoing concern, as he's never played over 66 games in a season in his career
- Tony looked gassed by mid-spring last season, and Pop will have to manage his minutes much more this season
- Patty is expected to have a strong rebound season after being injured most of the last one
- McCallum is solid insurance in case Patty can't find his stroke
- David West will be the guy that sacrifices the most touches in comparison with previous seasons
- Potential for a lot of versatility off the bench, with Diaw and Manu creating, Marjanovic's freak size and Bonner chucking the occasional 3
- Simmons trying to carve a rotation spot and Fredette trying to turn around his career provide hungry end of the bench guys
- Anderson will likely play very little and visit Austin frequently

Thoughts?

A lot wrong in the early season predictions.

Anderson not a day in Austin, coming up with buckets and helping win a few games. Has played well enough to show Pop his only path to improvement is NBA level compe ion.

Freddette not a day past the preseason, but Simmons did prove to be a hungry bench dude, also coming up big to help win a few games, particularly earlier in the season, when Danny was sucking.

Ray the one who has seen a lot of Austin and been less of a factor than initially thought. His role as a defensive guard possibly taken up by Simmons.

Boban very intriguing, but a league that is going increasingly perimeter saw a lot of Anderson and D.West instead of Boban when Timmy was out with a bad knee. The jury is still out in Boban. He clearly has skill and his size and length is disruptive defensively when he's got good position to contest, getting in that position is the test.

Tim got rested but he also got injured. Had games when he didn't look right either. Age finally catching on.

Danny had a very unpredictably bad 2 1/2 months to the season, giving development opportunities to Simmons.

Kawhi healthy all season, save 2 games. (Lets not jinx him now)
Patty found his shot, though streaky, it's there.
David has been instrumental with all the games Timmy has rested or been injured.
Bench is versatile and proved to be the best in the league when Manu was healthy. Manu's injury clouds the prognosis for the bench.

[SAGirl]

-Some of it makes sense. LMA may play less minutes but he will be featured and get shots. Not sure how many, but he will get his due. Even Tim said he's riding LMA coattails at this point in that bleacherreport interview. I'm sure they want him aggressive.
-Kawhi's health is always a concern, nothing chronic or year ending, but it is true he's always missed games. Hopefully he has a good season.
-Like someone mentioned above Tony's best month was march. He wasn't gassed. He was injured again. Pop may mamange him differently than we have seen anyways. He's the most concerning of all Spurs.
-Agree Patty should be back healthy and shooting well
-Mcallum hopefully plays well. He may end up being the most important acquisition after Aldridge, considering our main guards are old.
-I dont see Kyle Anderson in Austin. There is not much wing depth and outside of him and Simmons everyone else is severely undersized. I have him as backup Sf over Simmons but it may be similar to Patty/Cojo both guys having chances. Either way, unlikely he goes back to Austin for a long stretch like last year.
-i don't see Bonner playing much at all. At this point he is injury insurance and will need to see that 3 % go up. If his shot is not back he is done
-Jimmer is a big question mark. Simmons will get minutes and may prove to be a revelation.

Wow I wasn't so far off, except my concern fir Kawhiii.