Spurs Assign Ian Mahinmi To Austin

by bones on Nov 14, 2008 11:26 AM CST Comment 23 comments

Say it ain't so:

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have assigned center Ian Mahinmi to the Austin Toros, the NBA Development League team owned and operated by the Spurs.

Mahinmi is currently recovering from a sprained right ankle. He will use this assignment to the Toros as an opportunity to get back into basketball shape and complete his rehabilitation.

The 22-year-old Mahinmi is entering his second season with the Spurs. He split the 2007-08 campaign between San Antonio and Austin. Mahinmi started the season in San Antonio, appearing in six games with the Spurs, averaging 3.5 points in 3.8 minutes, before being assigned to the Toros on 11/21.

Mahinmi was named to the 2008 All-NBA Development League First Team. In 46 games with the Toros, he averaged 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.70 blocks in 29.6 minutes while shooting .615 (276-449) from the field and .766 (219-286) from the line. Mahinmi ranked 19th in the D-League in scoring, second in field goal percentage, eighth in rebounding and ninth in blocks. For the season Mahinmi posted 16 double-doubles. In four games in the 2008 D-League Playoffs, Mahinmi averaged 18.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.50 blocks in 38.3 minutes.

Mahinmi was selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft with the 28th overall pick. He was signed by the Spurs on 8/23/07 after spending the previous four seasons in the French A League.

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Just for rehab?

Is this just until he is back at 100%?

by Spurs20 on Nov 14, 2008 11:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Nevermind

“He will use this assignment to the Toros as an opportunity to get back into basketball shape and complete his rehabilitation.”

sorry

by Spurs20 on Nov 14, 2008 11:47 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

i really hope we can take this for what it says, that it’s just for getting him back into playing shape. i will be supremely hacked if he stays down there longer than mid-december when MANU and Tony get back.

by znimrod on Nov 14, 2008 2:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

No worries, we can’t afford (with all the other guinea pigs we’re giving time to) to have him rehab and get back into playing shape in a live game. This is most interesting because it frees up a roster space immediately. Nothing more than a strategic move to buy us some time……. but for WHAT, exactly?!

by SgtinManusArmy on Nov 14, 2008 3:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

No, it does not free up a roster space. Assigned players still count against your roster limit.

Maybe Pop feels that trying to get Ian some playing time — to get in shape and get his rhythm — will cost the team too much of a chance to eek out any victories. We are already struggling mightily.

by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Nov 14, 2008 4:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Are you positive? I was almost sure that assigning a player to the D League took him off your active roster.

by SgtinManusArmy on Nov 14, 2008 6:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Positive. I know that you Republicans are big fans of facts that ruin your buzz, but I wouldn’t lie to you.

by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Nov 14, 2008 10:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m no longer Republican; I’ve decided to quit working or contributing to society so I can take full advantage of all this “redistribution of wealth” that you guys are so excited about. I hope you bank, cause you’ll need to to support me for the next four years.

by SgtinManusArmy on Nov 15, 2008 2:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You can count on me.

by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Nov 15, 2008 10:12 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL!

Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed.

by CMoney on Nov 16, 2008 10:32 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Its a rehab assignment

Thankfully, lets get this kid going already

by the way, what is it with this team and ankle injuries?

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Nov 14, 2008 5:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, kind of weird. But I’ll take ankles over knees.

by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Nov 14, 2008 5:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Spurs owning the Toros has really worked out well

Just on the simple fact they can send out guys on rehab assignments for a week or two, smart acquisition by the Spurs

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Nov 14, 2008 7:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah. If only it’d worked as well as it did on paper as a midway acclimatization assignment for European draft picks…

by LatinD on Nov 14, 2008 7:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can only assume that Popovich is so perplexed by the concept of “athleticism” that he is going to keep Mahinmi down in the D-League until his knee cartilage has worn down sufficiently that Coach isn’t scared by how high Ian gets off the ground when he jumps.

chaos... panic... pandemonium... my work here is done.

by rick2g on Nov 14, 2008 8:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

As long as its a “rehab assignment” I’m ok with this, but the dude is worth way more than Desmond freaking Farmer. Give him his spot.

i hope vujacic gets hit by a truck hauling stray cats that claw his eyes out before using his skull as a brood den.--kalone

by JamesR on Nov 15, 2008 8:55 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

So, does this mean Tony and Manu might get a game or two in Austin before returning to the bigs? How awesome would it be to see the Sickness in Toro gear dropping 50 on VonWafer or Smush Parker? Baseball does it all the time. Might be a fun way for these guys to regain game condition and confidence before being guarded by the Artests of the NBA.

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." – Aldous Huxley

by spurchief on Nov 15, 2008 9:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think it’d be an insult, too. I can already imagine the blogsphere thanking God for the opportunity before launching a full out attack on them for being a) Foreigners and b) playing in the D League.

Ian’s barely an NBA player, so it doesn’t count.

by LatinD on Nov 15, 2008 9:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not sure if this question is in jest or if it is serious, but only players who have been in the league for 2 years or less can be assigned to the D-League, at least that’s what I was told when I asked why we didn’t send the JV down there so he could counsel those young’uns on how to be a consummate professional.

I'm comfortable winning -- Emmanuel Ginobili

by pollackj on Nov 15, 2008 9:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs