Summertime: Spurs Representing Well
By Emmett Shaw
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jul 20, 2005, 07:28
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_13456.shtml
TAYLORSVILLE, Utah -- Scott Church and I are covering each game of the 6-team RMR summer league here. Look for our Day 4 coverage in a couple of hours elsewhere on the HOOPSWORLD home page. For the Revue column, my Spurs recap began to run a little long on yesterday's 84-62 thumping at the hands of the Charlotte Bobcats. In keeping with the Revue format we are using, it made more sense to turn the long recap into a short San Antonio Team Report. So here you go.
Back to earth. Undefeated in two games coming in, San Antonio met its match in Sean May and the Bobcats' defense. The Spurs were the NBA's leading men last June, but they were bit players in the “May Show” yesterday, as Sean unleashed a performance that could go a ways to getting himself named RMR Player of the Week. (A game high 22 points on 14 shots, 7 rebounds, and three assists.)
The Bobcats just have the better team – probably the best team here, because they defend the point well with 3 or 4 different little defenders, make the fewest turnovers, have two serious bangers (in May and Antonio Meeking) who bring their lunch pails every day, and have all they need on both ends in their swings Matt Carroll, Bernard Robinson, and Alan Anderson. This team has very possibly 5 or 6 guys who will be in the NBA this year, some of whom will get good minutes every night. Against Charlotte, the Spurs couldn’t get the quality shots that they manufactured in their previous games and simply got smoked, but at least the Spurs got to look at a lot of their players.
They got their first look (in a game) at guard EJ Rowland, a 6-1 PG from St. Mary’s (California). James Borrego, Spurs video coordinator, is assisting the summer team’s coaching effort. James says that just a numbers game cast Rowland as the 3rd point guard on the team, but don’t let that knock EJ. “EJ has some tools and some skills that I think a lot of teams will look at. He has a defensive mentality and he comes from a defensive minded program at St. Mary’s. He played for coach (Randy) Bennett there; he has a defensive mentality, so if he can bring along the other side of the floor, he’ll be OK.” Rowland liked to take the ball into the paint with his dribble moves. He made 4 trips to the FT line and had 3 assists in his 13 minutes. EJ needs to cut the turnovers...he made 4 of them. He is playing behind a somewhat established NBA player in Andre Barrett and a guy, in 6-3 Justin Hamilton, who played for the Spanish champs.
Sergei Karaulov, whose name I’ve been slightly misspelling in my previous reports, got his most burn of the tour, 18 minutes. Said Borrego, “I think Sergei’s been a really blessed surprise for us this week. He works real hard. He doesn’t know the concepts of the Spurs, but he flies around like he does. He makes things happen; he blocks shots, has energy. We’ve seen some things out there that make us excited for the future.”
How many times do you see a 7-footer who has active energy? Not that much. Even Charlotte is missing that kind of player, or they would be a pick to go undefeated here. Sergei’s English language skills are alright at this point in his young life. Karaulov had 4 rebounds in his 18 minutes yesterday. For some reason, he went up unsure of himself on a couple of shots, finishing with 2 points on a nice jumper in the paint.
The scorer didn’t credit him with any blocks, but he made a couple and altered several more. Like most young bigs, Sergei needs to handle contact better. He allowed an offensive rebound on a free throw one time. Of Karaulov said Gordie Herbert, the coach of Paris Basket Racing who is assistant coaching SA here, “You gotta remember he missed three days of training camp. So he came in a little bit behind. But (he is) very athletic, active, great at ude, wants to learn.”
Gordie’s team in France plays against STB Le Havre, the club that has Ian Mahinmi, SA’s recent #1 pick. Here is Herbert’s take on Ian: “Young. Very athletic. Lot of upside. Good at ude. He doesn’t think he’s big-time. He wants to get better. And he’s in a good situation, I think. He played with the 2nd team this year and a little bit with the 1st team. Next year, they’re building the team around him. So it’s a very, very good situation.” Gordie expects that France will not rush Mahinmi onto the men’s National Team for their big qualifier in Belgrade this September. But he says the kid is certainly NT caliber in the future.
Speaking of Charlotte, have you noticed that it’s a team that has capspace that hasn’t been tied to a lot of FA rumors? Pop and Bernie Bickerstaff were chatting backstage for a little while yesterday. I sure wonder if these two teams couldn’t do a mutually beneficial transaction this summer, straight up or with another team.
interesting even though they were probably talking about nothing, maybe a sign and trade deal Rasho for Gerald Wallace or Nazr for Gerald WallacePop and Bernie Bickerstaff were chatting backstage for a little while yesterday. I sure wonder if these two teams couldn’t do a mutually beneficial transaction this summer, straight up or with another team.
I would not trade Nazr Mohammed for Gerald Wallace.
Nesterovic yes.
IMO, Wallace is a 4 in a 3's body.
He should've had a HUGE year last year, but was up and down.
Jury is still way out on Gerald Wallace.
You guys would pay Gerald Wallace close to $6M/year??
but Wallace is still young and even though at times his offensive game was lacking he still put up great numbers in rebounds, blks, and steals; something bowen does as well.
well based on that article saying about a possible sign and trade I figured rasho and nazr were the only 2 candidates.You guys would pay Gerald Wallace close to $6M/year??
I always wanted the spurs to try and sign Wallace but with the rest of MLE which someone said earlier would be around 3 yrs 8-9 million. I know that is not a huge contract but maybe the bobcats are looking to sign someone else this offseason and are willing to let go of Wallace
People apparently forget that the Spurs closely scouted Gerald Wallace in 2001 before the Kings drafted him. I think Pop likes the kid.
He's a Josh Howard clone that could excell in the right system.
I'd trade Rasho for him faster than Marcus Bryant can start another thread but I wouldn't pay him the money we're paying Rasho. 3 years, 7 million seems fair for him.
I think it's obviously that the Spurs would be interested in Gerald Wallace. I was just asking how much people would be willing to pay him.
3 years, 7 million Princess
3 million tops. That's it.
I don't see the Spurs throwing a lot of money at a free agent to come in and play 15 minutes a night next season.
The backup 3 is more likely to be a vet like GRobinson or Kukoc or a young guy who is one step away from being out of the league, like a Linton Johnson or a Britton Johnsen.
Wallace is going to get more than 3 years and $7 mil in this league.
I think the Bobcats would match that in a second. The Bobcats have said that they want to keep him, but aren't willing to overpay anyone. I wonder how much would be too much for them to match.
this is about ianTelling you david>tim>ianthey’re building the team around him
he is going to be david reborn and we will contuine to have one of the best big man and great peopel to build teams around
Let's not get too carried away on Ian, clubalien. He can't score like David and Tim. He only scores in the trapezoid area rt now.
yeah I agree with Solid D, Ian cant be compared to the likes of Duncan and Robinson now; but he has the potential,skill, and talent to be a player like Duncan or Robinson, lets wait a few years and see how he develops before we praise him as the next Timmy or Robinson
in 5 yearsyou have the french connection:
Tony leading with a great jumpshot added to his speed (thx chip)
Ian controlling the paint with hustle and raw energy
with a supporting cast of superstar Duncan and in the role of the horry Xfactor from the bench the great and histroy maker Ginobili
i am drinking too much coffee lol
or either drinking something a little stronger........
water is too strong. when you are not use to it it kills you.
core team in 5 years
Parker
britton? ljIII? wallace?
mahimni
Duncan
bench
manu
karaulov
sanikidze
An active seven-footer who is "very athletic"? Did the Spurs just hit another homerun?
P.S.
It makes sense to me to bring Karaulov over this season. His Russian team is stacked and the Spurs could always send him to the D-League.
How about this:
IR
1 Barrett
3 Johnsen
5 Karaulov
?
With 2 of the 3 seeing NDBL action for most of the year.
I am not sold on Johnsen over LJIII
Karaulov is in. or if Paris is accepted in premier league in france they would build the team around Karaulov and sanikidze. (damn i am really dreaming outloud in this thread)
Barett is the most uncertain of the three i think.
with the rest today. Karaulov should show a new face for the end of the summer league
Johnsen and LJ3 can battle for a roster spot in training camp.
I like Barrett if we don't go after another vet for PG #3.
Karaulov athletic? A nice surprise. LJ is right: he's not going to get much if any burn over Wolkowyski or Ershov, but he should in the D-League. He needs to switch Euro teams at the very least.
Why would Karaulov be over here if the Spurs weren't thinking about bringing him in? Maybe it is as simple as giving him some run this summer and seeing exactly what they've got for future reference.
Imagine Barett - johnsen or LJIII - Karaulov are in
that's three we still need 2 more to get to 15. point guard is full and bigs are complete unless trade. so still need 2 SF/SG...
Karaulov is only 23. sounds like a good surprise. NICE!
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