Woj: Keta Bates-Diop Returning to Spurs on 2-Yr Contract

[TD 21]

He's worth it to the Spurs too. But I also think KBD benefitted from his minutes with the Spurs more than he was hurt by them. On a good team, he won't be able to show off his offense nearly as much. His defense is good, but he's not elite at all on that end. I think he needs another couple of years to develop his shot if he's going to have any chance at a big role as a three-and-D guy on a contender.

No, he isn't. Wembanyama and Sochan are slated to play the majority of the PF minutes and they could use the roster space.

He also makes sense as a low cost, fringe rotation player for a myriad of championship contenders and pseudo/immediately aspiring ones alike.

[jhfenton]

I've thought KBD was likely to be back, and I welcomed that. But I was assuming he would remain under-appreciated and wouldn't command anything close to $9 MM. At $9 MM, I would wish him well.

[Obstructed_View]

Roster spots are at a premium. KBD on a bargain contract is unlikely to stick. Maybe he can be Jamychal Green somewhere else. Good luck to him.

[Chinook]

No, he isn't. Wembanyama and Sochan are slated to play the majority of the PF minutes and they could use the roster space.

We have no idea if Wemby will play the four mostly or if he and Sochan won't be on the court together for the majority of their minutes. KBD can play the three, and some stats suggest that's his better position. The Spurs could use the roster space, but they don't "need" it unless they have players they like more than KBD. Yeah, if they like guys like Mamu, Champagnie, Langford and Birch over him, then they won't won't sign him. They don't need Keita. But if they think he's better than that bunch -- and he arguably is -- then they have plenty of space to sign him and their rookies.

He also makes sense as a low cost, fringe rotation player for a myriad of championship contenders and pseudo/immediately aspiring ones alike.

You're en led to that opinion. I think the tweet that reignited this conversation was suggesting a bit higher of a placement, somewhere between 7th and 9th man. As I mentioned, I actually think KBD doesn't show a ton of upside at this point as a set role-player. He's way too inconsistent on offense for a team to be able to rely on him to get his points, and the points he gets aren't necessarily in a complimentary fashion. His defense is better and more consistent than his offense, but he's much more of a guy who contribute to a forest of arms and provide some switchability and cross-matching (especially if he's playing SF) than a lock down guy.

I think a contender would be pretty disappointed if they committed a lot of money to bring him in. He's not there yet. But could use a couple more years figuring out a role, and as I said, I think a Spurs team that could still use his length and will still go through spells where a guy like KBD might have chances to try to create offense but will also have enough structure to give him plenty of decent spot-up opportunities would be one of this better landing spots. The team doesn't need him, but they could use him on a decent contract.

[ismael-robert]

I actually find him consistent willing to do what he's asked. Doesn't draw attention thus finding himself open for easy buckets, 2s and 3s. Remember the game where he was 14 of 14. I felt like they stopped showcasing him cause he was someone they wanted back n he had done enough to secure his spot

[onechance87]

idk....kbd was looking real good at the end of the season...Looking better then keldon johnson at times...but i know it was at the end of the season

[slick'81]

Laker killer,tbh

[TD 21]

We have no idea if Wemby will play the four mostly or if he and Sochan won't be on the court together for the majority of their minutes. KBD can play the three, and some stats suggest that's his better position. The Spurs could use the roster space, but they don't "need" it unless they have players they like more than KBD. Yeah, if they like guys like Mamu, Champagnie, Langford and Birch over him, then they won't won't sign him. They don't need Keita. But if they think he's better than that bunch -- and he arguably is -- then they have plenty of space to sign him and their rookies.



I think the tweet that reignited this conversation was suggesting a bit higher of a placement, somewhere between 7th and 9th man.

He's not there yet. But could use a couple more years figuring out a role, and as I said, I think a Spurs team will still go through spells where a guy like KBD might have chances to try to create offense

We can use common sense. Bates-Diop at the 3, with either Wembanyama or Sochan at the 4, is a good way to have an offense that can't function. They also have Johnson, McDermott, probably Champagnie and Vassel some, to play the 3. If they retain the 33rd pick, convert and re-sign Champagnie as well as re-sign Mamukelashvili, that's already 14 spots spoken for.

That's probably just Hollinger using his own personal formulas to determine what a player "should" be worth.

At 27, I'd say there's an excellent chance he never will be. Not a chance.

[Chinook]

We can use common sense. Bates-Diop at the 3, with either Wembanyama or Sochan at the 4, is a good way to have an offense that can't function. They also have Johnson, McDermott, probably Champagnie and Vassel some, to play the 3. If they retain the 33rd pick, convert and re-sign Champagnie as well as re-sign Mamukelashvili, that's already 14 spots spoken for.

1) Sochan and KBD were each other's second-best pairing in terms of net point differential. As I said, KBD played the three a fair bit last year and was pretty good at it. I don't know who you thought he was playing next to when he was at SF. It was going to be a bulkier guy like Sochan or Mamu. Yes, I agree KBD needs to learn to be a much more consistent shooter, especially when it comes to shots off some type of action. That's why I've said multiple times that I don't see him having a ton of value on a contender. But Keita is a legit combo-forward, probably the first one the Spurs have had in a long, long time.

2) I think Johnson playing SF is much more of a compromise than KBD playing it, but we can both skip that argument, because the Spurs are likely going to play Keldon there if they keep him. You listed a number of players who aren't guaranteed to make the roster, whether due to a trade or not being signed. But you can't evaluate it like that. This team can and hopefully will undergo some substantial changes, at least in terms of the bottom half of the roster. I'd say there's a non-negligible chance that Keita starts the season at SF. I don't consider it a great chance, mind you. But I do think it's a real one in the event of some substantial upheaval happens. If the Spurs have to pick two of KBD, Collins and Sochan to start with Jones, Vassell and Wemby, I'm not sure that Zach and Jeremy are the two they'd pick. Of course, this logic is why anyone from McDermott to Branham to Graham to Champ could be that fifth starter. This should be extremely fluid for a rotation that was god awful last year and wasn't great the previous year.

3) Depending on how a deal is structured, I don't think you can rule out the Spurs bringing in more than 15 guaranteed salaries into camp again. The contracts help them get to the floor, and it can help their secure more talent than a cheaper version of themselves would. It may be easy to believe the factors you mentioned would lead to Keita being the odd man out, but he's survived multiple camp roster battles at this point. The Spurs might be able to secure his services on something like a $16M/3 deal with only like $2.5 Million being fully guaranteed unless he survives camp. If they cut him, the dead money is a pittance to the Spurs. But if he once again sticks, he's on a tidy contract. I see a lot of scenarios where that kind of contract or an even more generous one gets offered.

That's probably just Hollinger using his own personal formulas to determine what a player "should" be worth.

4) I'm not a huge fan of Hollinger for reasons similar to this. He's basically number without context.

At 27, I'd say there's an excellent chance he never will be. Not a chance.

5) I don't think it's too late for him to become a more consistent shooter. I do think he ship has sailed on him being an elite role-player. But if he's going to be a guy who hovers between being a spot-starter and a human victory cigar, he can do that anywhere.

[TD 21]

1) Sochan and KBD were each other's second-best pairing in terms of net point differential. As I said, KBD played the three a fair bit last year and was pretty good at it.

2) You listed a number of players who aren't guaranteed to make the roster, whether due to a trade or not being signed. But you can't evaluate it like that. This team can and hopefully will undergo some substantial changes, at least in terms of the bottom half of the roster. I'd say there's a non-negligible chance that Keita starts the season at SF. Of course, this logic is why anyone from McDermott to Branham to Graham to Champ could be that fifth starter.

3) but he's survived multiple camp roster battles at this point.

He played 1/37/62% at SG/SF/PF respectively. I wouldn't read into much from last season though.

I'm saying they should be priority over a veteran journeyman. If the Heat, a shot away from 3 Finals in 4 seasons, can constantly give relatively significant roles to undrafted or unheralded young players, then the re-building Spurs can damn sure give lesser ones to those that flashed promise. There's zero chance of Bates-Diop starting. Branham or Graham may get a look at PG at some point because of the lack of a legit starter/fit.

Cir stances have changed though. I just don't see either as a fit for one another anymore.