MySA.com: Spurs sign Mahinmi

[jmard5]

Pro basketball: Mahinmi will join Spurs this season

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.347ae7e.html

Web Posted: 08/23/2007 10:55 PM CDT

Mike Finger
San Antonio Express-News

The Spurs' master plan for Ian Mahinmi is carefully calculated and strategically nuanced. He was only 18 when the Spurs picked him in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft, and the team figured his growth would come gradually, in stages.

Thursday's announcement that the Spurs had signed Mahinmi to an NBA contract was just one of those steps. Chances are the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Frenchman will spend most of next season playing in the development league and immersing himself in American culture, just as the Spurs had planned.

Then again, Mahinmi still has a chance to throw the whole timetable out of whack.

"If he comes in and kicks Tim's butt in training camp, then maybe he'll earn the right to be part of the team," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "But we're not going to skip any steps."

Barring any such unlikely abuses of Tim Duncan in practice, the 20-year-old Mahinmi isn't expected to play a big role in the Spurs' defense of their NBA championship.

His contract, a two-year deal with a team option for a third year, guarantees him a spot on the Spurs' roster, but the team has the option to send him to its NBDL team, the Austin Toros, during each of his first two seasons. Given the Spurs' experienced frontcourt, Mahinmi would be hard-pressed to crack the regular rotation in 2007-08.

But the Spurs have seen enough improvement in his game and his body during two seasons in Europe to want to add him to their roster now. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while averaging 12.7 minutes for Pau in the Euroleague.

Mahinmi will be paid according to this year's rookie salary structure, which means he'll make $782,300 this season and $841,000 next year, with a third-year team option for $899,700.

The Spurs had hoped to use the summer leagues to evaluate Mahinmi more closely, but he suffered a freak chest injury — a torn right pectoralis minor — while attempting a dunk during minicamp.

He missed all of the summer-league action, but Buford said he performed well during controlled drills during the past 10 days. Mahinmi is expected to be given full clearance to play within the next month.

"As long as we manage our expectations and give Ian the proper time to adjust to American life and American basketball, my hope is this is a kid who's got a real nice future in San Antonio," Buford said.

Even after signing Mahinmi, the Spurs have room for one more player on their 15-man roster. They released Vassilis Spanoulis, the guard they acquired from Houston earlier this summer for Luis Scola and Jackie Butler.

Spanoulis had made his desire to return to Europe well known, so his release wasn't a surprise. Buford said it changed his view of the Houston trade "not one bit," explaining it allowed for the roster flexibility the Spurs wanted.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Gentlemen start your engines and let the chode bloading begin

[thispego]

damn, they signed another Mahinmi?? awesome

[whottt]

So...what do you guys think about this newfangled upright walking stuff? I personally like it...it's easier on the knuckles.

The Wheel...life will never be the same again.

Light...it's the future.

The Big Bang is coming!

Clouds of Dust and Gas, Progress, the future, and you!


Sorry...worst part of being one of these cutting edge multi celled organisms is the tendency towards arrogance...I'll work on it.

[Solid D]

jamard5 - you need to come correct and shake yourself, posting an article from 6 days ago as though it's as fresh as mountain air in Slovenia. Can't let ya slide on it. Sorry.


You gotta add some value, ah say some value, son.

[Cant_Be_Mated]

chode i saidddddd rofl i funny i lick mookie's chode too hee heee

youve been chode bloadddddedddd

hook em

yee haw

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

jamard5 - you need to come correct and shake yourself, posting an article from 6 days ago as though it's as fresh as mountain air in Slovenia. Can't let ya slide on it. Sorry.


You gotta add some value, ah say some value, son.

[jmard5]

jamard5 - you need to come correct and shake yourself, posting an article from 6 days ago as though it's as fresh as mountain air in Slovenia. Can't let ya slide on it. Sorry.


You gotta add some value, ah say some value, son.

Damn. This was posted 6 days ago? (Yep, already saw the date). Sorry guys... not enough sleep and perhaps overworked.

Sheesh. Please delete this thread already.

[Mister Sinister]

Oh, my God, such epic fail.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

Pro basketball: Mahinmi will join Spurs this season

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.347ae7e.html

Web Posted: 08/23/2007 10:55 PM CDT

Mike Finger
San Antonio Express-News

The Spurs' master plan for Ian Mahinmi is carefully calculated and strategically nuanced. He was only 18 when the Spurs picked him in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft, and the team figured his growth would come gradually, in stages.

Thursday's announcement that the Spurs had signed Mahinmi to an NBA contract was just one of those steps. Chances are the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Frenchman will spend most of next season playing in the development league and immersing himself in American culture, just as the Spurs had planned.

Then again, Mahinmi still has a chance to throw the whole timetable out of whack.

"If he comes in and kicks Tim's butt in training camp, then maybe he'll earn the right to be part of the team," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "But we're not going to skip any steps."

Barring any such unlikely abuses of Tim Duncan in practice, the 20-year-old Mahinmi isn't expected to play a big role in the Spurs' defense of their NBA championship.

His contract, a two-year deal with a team option for a third year, guarantees him a spot on the Spurs' roster, but the team has the option to send him to its NBDL team, the Austin Toros, during each of his first two seasons. Given the Spurs' experienced frontcourt, Mahinmi would be hard-pressed to crack the regular rotation in 2007-08.

But the Spurs have seen enough improvement in his game and his body during two seasons in Europe to want to add him to their roster now. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while averaging 12.7 minutes for Pau in the Euroleague.

Mahinmi will be paid according to this year's rookie salary structure, which means he'll make $782,300 this season and $841,000 next year, with a third-year team option for $899,700.

The Spurs had hoped to use the summer leagues to evaluate Mahinmi more closely, but he suffered a freak chest injury — a torn right pectoralis minor — while attempting a dunk during minicamp.

He missed all of the summer-league action, but Buford said he performed well during controlled drills during the past 10 days. Mahinmi is expected to be given full clearance to play within the next month.

"As long as we manage our expectations and give Ian the proper time to adjust to American life and American basketball, my hope is this is a kid who's got a real nice future in San Antonio," Buford said.

Even after signing Mahinmi, the Spurs have room for one more player on their 15-man roster. They released Vassilis Spanoulis, the guard they acquired from Houston earlier this summer for Luis Scola and Jackie Butler.

Spanoulis had made his desire to return to Europe well known, so his release wasn't a surprise. Buford said it changed his view of the Houston trade "not one bit," explaining it allowed for the roster flexibility the Spurs wanted.

[mouse.]

[ThomasGranger]

Awesome news! Now if they can just get that Udoka guy it will be a great off season.