Spurs Waive Darius Washington

[AFBlue]

Yeah, I don't really like this move. Langford to me is the type of player who can be great in the D-League or in Europe but will struggle in the NBA. He's not really a point guard and is too small to play shooting guard. He was also on the summer league team and didn't show much of anything. In fact, even when the Spurs got desperate for a point guard, they brought in Pooh Jeter from off the street instead of giving the job to Langford full-time.

I understand Langford over Williams, especially when there's a real chance that you'd have to actually play one of those players ... but Langford over Washington I can't agree with. Williams isn't good enough right now to play in a real NBA game. Langford can buy you minutes a la Dion Glover.

But I've never seen Langford as a legit NBA prospect. He's more fool's gold than anything because he has the skill set to tear up lower level compe ion. Washington I thought was a legit NBA prospect. 21-years-old and he was putting up better stats than almost anyone in the D-League before the Spurs called him up.

I'm going to have to give this flurry of moves a thumbs down.

I'm going to chalk this flurry of moves up to necessity due to injury. Two swingmen went down and thus had to be replaced by two swingmen.

It was obvious that though Washington is the most talented of the trio and has the most long-term potential of them, he was not going to see court time for the Spurs....at least this season.

To me it was a necessary move that probably won't have an effect on the long-term outlook of this team. As I said before, I wouldn't be suprised to see Darius in training camp with the Spurs and on this team next year...it just wasn't the right time this go-round.

[timvp]

ChumpDumper could be on to something. It's possible the Spurs could just continue to juggle these three players throughout the season. Maybe they'll do something like waive Williams while keeping Langford until the day that contracts become guaranteed and then waive him. And then one at a time sign them to ten-day contracts.

That might actually be the case if the Spurs tell each player that if they go along with the ride that they'll each have a shot to make the team next year. We'll see but it's obvious the Spurs are going to try to take full advantage of the Toros ... even if it means stretching the current rules.

For example, if Washington is re-signed at some point ... I'm assuming his limited number of call-ups per season number gets reset. If the Spurs are planning on keeping Washington around, the risk is that someone may claim him off waivers.

A team like Golden State might need a point guard with Troy Hudson's season likely over. And the Warriors saw first hand in the preseason what Washington is capable of.

[ChumpDumper]

I think their definite preference would be to keep all three players on the Toros all season long and bring them up in injury situations just like this one, perhaps settling on one player to sign for the rest of the season as the playoffs near. That probably can't be the case with a group this talented though. With the start of 10-day contracts and the MLK showcase, any delay means those guys likely end up on another NBA team or another continent. The time to make a decision is pretty much now.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

So if Darius clears waivers and decides to play for the Toros, could any NBA team call him up?

[ChumpDumper]

So if Darius clears waivers and decides to play for the Toros, could any NBA team call him up?

Yes.

[timvp]

Free-agents I like better than Langford:

Tarence Kinsey
Brandon Wallace
Ronald Dupree
Ruben Patterson

[Bruno]

Wow, I'm really surprised. I guess the reason why Spurs cut Washington is that they saw him as a 6'1" SG and when you look at numbers, they are maybe right.

2004-2005 : Memphis freshman year (38 games), 3.8apg, 3.5topg, 1.07ast/to
2005-2006 : Memphis sop re year (35 games), 3.1apg, 3.2topg, 0.99ast/to
2006-2007 : PAOK, Greece (14 games), 1.6apg, 1.9topg, 0.85ast/to
2006-2007 : Nymburg, Czech republic (28 games), 3apg, 2.4topg, 1.27ast/to
2007-2008 : Spurs (18 games), 0.84apg, 0.78 opg, 1.07ast/to
2007-2008 : Toros (6 games), 5.2apg, 5.67toppg, 0.91ast/to

In 4 years and different league (NCAA, Europe at various levels, D-League and NBA), Washington has never been able to get a decent ast/to ratio. I guess Spurs think that it will unlikely that he become one day a player able to play PG. A 6'1" SG is useless in the NBA.

I've heard one week ago that AEK Athens was interested in Washington. I don't know how legit is the info because Greek medias often start crazy rumors.

I had no clue to what Spurs will do in the future with their money available below the tax and the free rosters spot. I'm often wrong when it comes to predict what Spurs will do. I guess that both Langford and Williams will be cut before their contract become guaranteed and that Spurs will try some players with 10 days contract.

[timvp]

If it comes down to Langford vs. Williams, I actually prefer Williams. I just see no upside with Langford. Langford is just a player who can dominate bad compe ion. He's a lot like Charles Lee from last training camp ... but Lee might even be a bit better because he has more point guard skills.

With Williams at least he's young and has NBA size. Yeah he pretty much sucks but there's hope he becomes an NBA player. With Langford, his upside is something like a poor man's Charlie Bell.

[Mr. Body]

This shows the Spurs are meaning to win for today. We talk a lot about throwing games during the regular season, or at least not chasing them vigorously, in order to save wear and tear on the starters. If Langford is no long-term solution, it's clear the Spurs are winning for today. Unless Washington is not a good prospect in any terms.

[naico]

If it comes down to Langford vs. Williams, I actually prefer Williams. I just see no upside with Langford. Langford is just a player who can dominate bad compe ion. He's a lot like Charles Lee from last training camp ... but Lee might even be a bit better because he has more point guard skills.

With Williams at least he's young and has NBA size. Yeah he pretty much sucks but there's hope he becomes an NBA player. With Langford, his upside is something like a poor man's Charlie Bell.

Couldn't agree more

[Bruno]

The rule for calculating luxury tax hit is a daily rule.

If you trust ESPN number, after guaranteed contract and training camp money, Spurs were $798,201 below the luxury tax.

If Washington is picked from waivers, he will cost $0 against the luxury tax.
If Washington isn't picked from waivers and is waived today (the 28th), he will clear waivers 48 hours later (the 30th).
He would have stayed 62 days (2 in October, 30 in November and 30 in December) under contract with Spurs.
The season is 170 days long.
Washington will cost 62/170 of $770,610 against the tax that is to say $281,046.

[picnroll]

Washington can't create. Maybe he can be a PG in the NBA 3 years from now if he learns to be a PG.

[SequSpur]

WGAF. We have Jacque Vaughn

[ploto]

to go from opening day backup point guard to cut in less than two months is pretty dramatic.

Really?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I'm not really liking it now, but I have faith in what the Spurs FO is doing.

[tomcat]

According to a source of the Toros, Langford beat out Jeremy Richardson, Marcus Williams, Kaniel ens and Dermarr Johnson in the Spurs workout in drills and 1 on 1. Spurs were high on Richardson, ie inviting him in a day early and to the game but Langford abused him.

Langford also blasted the compe ion in the Denver workout that included Marcus Williams and Nugget players Bobby Jones and Von Wafer. Jelani McCoy was waived the next day but Kenyon Martin went down that nite. Enter need for a big.

I say we are selling Langford short as the Spurs are high on him. RC was at the game last night to see firsthand before the decision was made. Turned out Langford had some sort of staph infection and could not practice or anything. Out 12 days but still good enough to make it I guess.

[tomcat]

Almost forgot, when Kenyon Martin went down for the Nuggets, they resigned Jelani McCoy.

Nuggets just waived McCoy and requested info on Langford's injury from the Toros Thursday morning. Could have forced Spurs to move quicker.

D Wash will be fine. I dont see him in the dleague long. He will be signed soon.

[SenorSpur]

I still wonder what the Spurs will now do for a 3rd string, developmental PG. I thought that was the sole purpose of getting rid of Beno - because Darius proved to be the younger, cheaper option with more drive and upside. As of right now, there are no options in the pipeline.

[MoSpur]

I liked Darius Washington. I know he needed to improve, but what do you expect from a rookie. Oh well, the Spurs FO must know what they're doing.

[urunobili]

what i hate the most is that i think that that missed dunk on the lakers cost him the job

[loveforthegame]

Not the best start to my morning after reading this. I'm bummed about Washington and figure he'll be with another team instead of the Toro's.

Will we even get to see Langford before the Spurs decide on him? I mean Williams only got 2 minutes in the last game which was a blowout.

[angel_luv]

They waived DW?????


Please tell me you're joking.


Terrible move. Boo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Capt Bringdown]

I still wonder what the Spurs will now do for a 3rd string, developmental PG. I thought that was the sole purpose of getting rid of Beno - because Darius proved to be the younger, cheaper option with more drive and upside. As of right now, there are no options in the pipeline.

Me too. The company line is that players need at least a full year to understand & fit into the Spurs system. The Toros are supposed to help in this department, correct? But I don't see how when players are being yanked, dropped, resigned and shuffled around.

I always thought Vaughn was a stop-gap measure. But it appears we're betting the farm on him and we're at least a year away from having someone compete for that position.

[ChumpDumper]

I always thought Vaughn was a stop-gap measure. But it appears we're betting the farm on him and we're at least a year away from having someone compete for that position.

I'll white it out so LJ doesn't have to read the following:

CJ Watson is still out there.

[AFBlue]

I still wonder what the Spurs will now do for a 3rd string, developmental PG. I thought that was the sole purpose of getting rid of Beno - because Darius proved to be the younger, cheaper option with more drive and upside. As of right now, there are no options in the pipeline.

It became obvious in the last stretch of games that Pop had lost all confidence in Washington to help this team in the short term when he went with Barry as the 3rd string PG.

So, while this is frustrating because Washington showed so much promise at the beginning of the season, he effectively played himself out of any role with the Spurs in the short term.

Still, I don't think this is the last time we'll see Washington....

As you mentioned, the Spurs don't have a younger option for backup PG, so there is still a hole left to be filled. The Spurs could bring Washington back, along with a few others, to compete for the third-string PG spot.

Bottom Line: No young PG in the system isn't alarming because they wouldn't be of use this year anyways. Washington, or other young PG, could still probably be in the plans for next year but the Spurs needed short-term answers at the swing position.