It still hurts.
https://www.spurstalk.com/joshua-pri...purs-thoughts/
The Spurs have had some surprising picks in the past but I think this one takes the cake.
Thank you, sir, for the excellent write up. From your article:
“ It’s clear what happened. They fell in love with Primo’s character, his shooting and the glimpses of playmaking potential. ”
After Samanic, and now Primo, the question begins to arise, are the Spurs scouting prospects, or stalking them?
Thanks as always OP. It does seem like the methods that have served the Spurs well late in the draft might be hurting them as a lottery team.
it was an awful pick no matter how you sugarcoat it. Yes, he's an upstanding kid from all accounts and he may become an NBA player in the far future, but the ceiling just isn't there for a lottery pick. The last bit of faith there was to have in the FO, their ability to draft, is gone.
Does anyone know if there was much made about nominating for the draft out of Alabama etc. interesting considering they had seniors leaving. Any Bama fans care to give us their opinions.
Atleast we have free agency to look forward to! What this pick tells me is that for better or worse this organization refuses to change.
I would have been happier if they had taken Garuba even accounting for the strong possibility he'd be locked up in Spain the next 3 years, this pick was that bad. It's not even the player, it's the process.
And I don't like their excuse of "we heard whispers other teams liked him so we had to take him". Like I posted in the other thread, the Knicks took Balkman at 20 and everyone laughed at them taking a late 2nd round tier/UFA type who had a nice hustling NIT tourny. Their defense? Other teams liked him. People laughed more. Then they came out and pointed at Phoenix who would pick before the Knicks next drafted at 29, they had to act before Phoenix!
Well good for them, they reached 30 spots, outfoxed Phoenix and took a guy who played 5 years before traveling the terrible leagues of the world, getting banned from the Philippines in the process. That's what reaching that far gets you, 5 year players.
I revisited as much Primo footage as I could. He looked like a good catch and shooter who was not too quick, below the rim and didn't create events. Great.
Maybe he turns out to have a career longer than 5 years. Maybe he's an eventual star. Maybe he's the future MVP.
But I think the process was flawed, even if it turns out the result isn't.
The process being flawed is described in the piece accurately with regards to them valuing the combine play.
Don't buy the justifications for not moving back.
Have teams moved back and been bitten in the ass? Yes, but in different situations. Denver moved back thinking they could snag OG in the 20s. He had been routinely expected in the teens, and the only reason he was even potentially available was an injury; he wasn't some quick unknown riser, he was a majorly known quan y. No comparison with Primo.
They don't get that their approach might be way off. They think they nailed it, like they nailed DeMarre Carroll, like they nailed the cap machinations to get off Bertans, like they nailed not moving off their veterans for picks.
My problem with it is you have ninety plus percent chance of getting him at 17.
Teams that don't know how to trade down properly are dysfunctional.
Everything you thought about the Spurs was confirmed.
In response to point #11, Wright said after the draft that the “intel isn’t always the same as the mocks” meaning that they had caught wind of some teams in the late teens being interested in him, which is why they felt they had to nab their guy while they could. It was the same reasoning that led them to reach for Samanic at 19.
A few thoughts
While I'm disappointed in the pick I think I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt given past track record.
That said, I almost think they are trying to be too clever. It's served them well late in the draft, but in this range?
The other thing to keep in mind is the exploding number of mock drafts and discussions creates unreasonable hype on draft picks. The majority don't pan out. It's really fun to look back at Draft Grades from past drafts and see how many where just wrong. The range the Spurs are in have as many strike outs as home runs
Had no idea who he was. Had to Google to see who Bama’s coach was, thinking it was an Avery tip off. Nope. He was fired two years ago.
Reading timvp’s write up, it brought back something I read from one of the draftniks, can’t remember which, about getting value. He said if you think a guy will be a lottery pick next year, why not cut in line, and grab him a year early? The context of that was a later pick, though.
thank god we didnt have the 1st pick, cause these re s would probably pick some unknown .
That's smart actually. Just trade in the 20's consistently and get your huge value guy(s). What the Spurs did however is dumb.
Great stuff timvp.
I do worry about point 8 though.
A team that makes it’s living through culture, building rotations through relationships, a togetherness; cannot suddenly become one that operates under cut throat tactics, eschewing lesser pieces for newer, more talented ones without tarnishing the very iden y they strive for.There were a lot of Spurs fans complaining about the Spurs drafting another guard and worrying about Primo’s fit on the roster … but I don’t think that’s a big deal. He’s a project and a lot can happen between now and when he’s ready to produce on the NBA level. Sure, it looks like the Spurs are guard-heavy now — but that could easily change.
You can criticize the front office for reaching in the draft for someone who was expected to go 15 or 20 spots later but I disagree with any positional criticism. This is a Spurs team with no foundational pieces. Long-term fit and long-term rotations aren’t a concern. All of that is fluid.
The player overlap, at least as we hit FA, is real. The hierarchical chains of tenure still exist. We are already penciling him for Austin service.
Shouldn’t a rebuilding team strive for more? Draft picks to have an opportunity to contribute earlier in their careers on the First team?
With the glut of guards in front of him and his project moniker, that becomes extremely unlikely this season, regardless if he plays ahead of the curve.
No one knows what this kid will be but based off his traits they felt he was special. He’s 18 and can be developed hopefully effectively & efficiently. Take a breath and exercise patience, this off-season might just be one to remember!
Forbes 2.0 but this time we wasted a lottery pick on. But but Forbes is a good character!
Honestly I do hope the kid pans out but the ceiling is pretty low.
Nonathletic undersized tweener guard
All we can do is laugh at the memes at this point
I'm not happy with the pick either, should've traded down if they really wanted Primo, but some of you people are being ridiculous.
You've never seen the kid play. Maybe he's the next big thing, maybe he'll be out of the league in 5 years, we can't know.
Mock drafts and predictions have been wrong so many times, a lot of overhyped players fail.
With that being said, I have zero confidence in anything Brian Wright does.
the fact that hes 18 yo cant be an excuse. Sengun or moody, a better prospects, are ONLY half a year older than him and spurs skipped them...
NYK is the trade down option but 2 OKC picks sandwiched in between is too much a risk if they think he is a true primary option. OKC draft MO is swinging for possible primaries.
Poor Wieskamp didnt even get a single timvp thought.
The Spurs draft like COVID people buy toilet paper. Got get it now cause it might not be there later even though I have greater need elsewhere.
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