Youth Movement
by Wayne Vore (ATS) on Apr 9, 2010 11:03 PM CDT
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PrintThese aren't your father's boring old Spurs. They have some youth in that locker room.
The Spurs have 15 players on their roster. 7 of them, yes 7, are 23 years old or younger. There are a lot of interesting aspects to this youth movement. Tonight, I just want to contemplate the age and how many of these young guys we are likely to have when the 2011 season tips off. Here we go:
- George Hill: 23
- Malik Hairston: 23
- Garrett Temple: 23
- Ian Mahinmi: 23
- Curtis Jerrells: 23
- Alonzo Gee: 22
- DeJuan Blair: 20
Only George and DeJuan have guaranteed contracts for next season. Malik, Garrett, Curtis, and Alonzo are non-guaranteed. Ian is a free agent in the summer. We know George and DeJuan are good. We know they will be in a Spurs uniform for the next few years. It's the other guys who are interesting when we think about what the Spurs roster will look like next year.
I'm not sure what Ian's future holds, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign for the minimum and be back in a Spurs uniform. But, who knows.
Common Denominators
Six of the seven youngsters, everybody but CJ, are very good athletes. Remarkable athletes even. Temple is a very long point guard. Alonzo is a big, strong guy who can jump through the roof. Malik is a very strong, quick guy also with substantial hops. Ian, at 6-11, is a graceful if not explosive athlete. George is ridiculous. DeJuan is also ridiculous. CJ is a solid athlete, don't get me wrong, he just doesn't jump over guys and he's not a burner. I really think he's a Derek Fisher type. Strong, quick, smart, clutch. Not bad attributes at all.
The Future Is A Different Direction
At season's end, Bonner, Mason, Bogans, and Mahinmi are free agents. Tony, Tim, Manu(YAY!!!), RJ, Antonio, George, and DeJuan are under contract. That's 8 roster spots open. Odds are we will see several from the unguaranteed bunch on the team next season. Even if we only bring back 3 of the 5 (including Ian), we are looking at 5 players 24 or younger next year. Plus, we have our first round pick.
I think it might be the case that the Spurs are changing strategies and going the route of the young bench instead of the old bench. They are using the Toros to give guys time to develop and learn the system so that they can have young athletic veteran role players in roster spots 10-15 instead of old veteran guys. Ime, Jacque, Fab (last year), Theo, Mason (this year), Finley (this year), etc. It's like the decision was made to develop young veterans into the roles previously filled by old veterans. It's an interesting strategy.
We've seen how hard it is for veteran players to come in and learn the Spurs system. Plenty of guys have struggled for a season getting used to it. Instead, the Spurs are training the guys in-house and getting younger more athletic guys as well. I don't think it is a coincidence that Malik Hairston logs a lot of his time in end-game situations. He plays in close games on the defensive end because Pop seems to trust him to know what to do. Or, in Spurs speak, do the right thing.
We know that Popovich has always put an emphasis on system over athlete when it comes to how the team was built around the big 3. That being in the right spot at the right time is more important than being able to jump or shoot or run. That being able to hit the corner 3 is more important than being able to beat your guy off the dribble.
I doubt that any of these guys will be all-star caliber players, but they just may be the core of the team for the next few years. Hardhat guys that come in and do their job, do it well, and keep the team fresh and energetic. It should be nice to watch.
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Funny I was thinking of writing something about the genius of the Spurs front office. They have been crapped on this past year (Scola issue will never go away, Manu’s contract).
However, they are re-inventing how the D-League is used. Rather than hope on draft picks, they take guys who have some experience in their system or at least in the NBA (ie Temple).
All their contracts will be cheap. Sadly, the only weakness in these guys is lack of big forwards. Maybe Gist has improved enough for them?
Good job bringing it up. Spurs feature is quite bright. And it’ll be cheap at first, especially with a lot of luxury tax this upcoming year with RJ’s last year.
i think its bcuz pop is acting like the new don nelson of 09-10 reinventing the nelson of 08-09 with those crazy rotations and line ups and small ball…and like nelson’s warriors pop spurs fo’s are using and doing some strategies on how to use effectively the d-league and capitalize on it
San Antonio,Thunder,Bulls,Memphis,Denver
GoSpuRsGo
Cleveland Sucks
Nice to see such an upbeat post after such a depressing loss. Is this season over yet, so we could think of the future?
Next season doesn't exist. Only today exists. So say we all.
He sees what others see. A future core. People have criticized the FO for not going young athletic. They are now even before the summer and Wayne has caught on. Spurs can multi-task. So can we, the fans.
by grego21 on Apr 9, 2010 11:44 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Benches are supposed to bring the energy and hustle plays. Young guys creating offense from defense, wearing down another team’s star and maintaining the lead given them by the starters is all I ask. This bunch should grow into that. That a few of them are seeing some critical minutes now (Temple, Malik) plus the special ones (Hill, Blair) certainly gives me hope for the future seasons.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Great post, Wayne. It continually cracks me up when the “experts” still refer to the Spurs as old. I love what the young guys have brought this year, and I’m excited to see what Temple can do with more time on the court.
It continually cracks me up when the "experts" still refer to the Spurs as old.
It’s like these “ANALysts” have nothing to add to the discussion, so they just toss out the usual sorry one-liners about our Spurs being old/dirty/boring. Outside of “Time” Duncan, McDyess and “Old Man” Ginobili, almost every Spur in the regular rotation is thirty years old or younger. How is that “too old” exactly? Isn’t that on or around a player’s prime?
...!!
by transgojobot on Apr 11, 2010 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I guess these so called analysts haven’t watched Spurs games for a long time.
If you liked it then you should have put a 5th ring on it. Oh oh oh.
They’d prefer that we just die and move on so they can enjoy trips to LA and Phoenix during late May and June while drooling ove Kobe or the Suns pace of offense. Watching the Spurs actually requires that one understand and appreciate basketball more than the sound of ones own voice.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
i don’t know i don’t really do much right now and i was thinking if i could post a fanpost about my off season wish list, i mean i already posted about my wished guys to be drafted and i was hoping if tmrw if i could make a post….love ur thread i really wish we could play gee….and i guess if next yr we can let go of mase then sign raja or trade mase fora young role player then get raja..that might be nice…ian…i know he has the potential and talent but then pop is not using him and thus his future is unclear…i think its better to let him go(toros) and go for a vet…i mean if ian could sign 10 day contracts and be a force with the toros then pop might use him ryt?its just dangerous though if he plays better and we would be begging to have him like scola cuz he’ll sign w/others
San Antonio,Thunder,Bulls,Memphis,Denver
GoSpuRsGo
Cleveland Sucks
IMO s.a has a better future than the ancient celtics
i knw they got rondo and t.allen also robinson but after that they got really nothing,i wished they could have waited for the banner 17 to fall with jeff green cuz i really think they suck more than us.
their big 3 is old kg,pierce and allen they are the same or older than duncan
after that maybe they’ll be the 07 celtics
as for us if ever we can’t make it to the playoffs,we still might end up like NO or rocket’s (future-post td era)record…remember guys step up like brooks doing in houston that might open new windows.and so after a yr or two without td we might be back to the playoffs and a yr more for the additions for us to be called contenders—champion contenders.
San Antonio,Thunder,Bulls,Memphis,Denver
GoSpuRsGo
Cleveland Sucks
They also have Big Baby & Perkins who are both about 25, but they are by no means all star level talents, of course.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 10, 2010 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks, WVATS. This is what I’ve been thinking for a while now. Temple has been a great bonus amongst the youngins (who are actually older than me, haha).
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 10, 2010 1:46 PM CDT reply actions
I forgot to mention that, as everyone should know, if we land Splitter, he would be another young gun that we can rely on at 25.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 10, 2010 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions
Marcus Williams (23) just turned down an offer to join the Pacers through this season and training camp to stay in the Spurs system too.
Source? Otherwise, you’re just pulling this out of your ass, haha.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 10, 2010 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions
here you go
But it is not clear whether Williams turned them down or Pacers said no. Most sources I have seen said the Pacers made the decision, but who knows.
Thanks. Although I haven’t seen how well Williams may have improved, with the way Temple is playing, I don’t see him making the Spurs roster.
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 11, 2010 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions
In the first Toros playoff game recap, Scott Schroeder said :
I’ll write a story about it soon
But this is what it sounds like happened:
He had an offer with the Indiana Pacers, but it would have made him commit to playing for their Summer League team as well as going to camp with them next season. He nearly took it, because, well, that’s not exactly an easy opportunity to pass up.
However, in the long run, he knew, as you seem to think, that he’d be a better fit for the Spurs next year – even if they can’t commit to him anymore this year – so he turned down an NBA offer to hopefully get another chance to stick with the team he’s most familiar with.
This quote is after the updated link swgeek linked to.
Hey this is a really good post. The youth movement isn’t something I thought of as a change of strategy but more of a a necessity to fill out our roster spots.
I’d really like to see Ian, Malik, and Temple back next year.
"It's Manuway or the Highway" - tlo
Garrett Temple is coming back.
He has to.
The young man has stepped up when asked. Sure. He’s not torching the box-score, but he’s doing the things Coach Pop has asked him to. And he’s doing it with diligence, effort and an almost “Duncan-like” efficiency.
Plus, there’s the opportunity to get minutes in the rotation with Roger Mason Jr.‘s likely departure and the risk of Tony Parker missing more games next season (re: Worlds play, plutocratic facetious ailment). There’s a good opportunity for Temple here.
...!!
by transgojobot on Apr 11, 2010 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions
First, I’m liking Temple too. I hope he continues to play like he is now. If he does, the Spurs would be foolish not to bring him back.
Second, one of my favorite memes among PtRockers is the creative misspelling of Tony’s foot injury.
Plutocratic facetious as a stand-in for plantar fasciitis is brillian.
Alfajores cause mojo! - janieannie
If you’re right, this might be the most brilliant strategy the Spurs FO has ever employed. For franchise players you just gotta get lucky but role players should be cheap, know their roles, and have specialized skills, which is to me the most you can hope for out of a player that comes out of the D-league. Those players just arent going to be all-stars but it allows the FO to pay them league minimum for a Bonner or Bogans caliber player instead of like 4 mil as in Bonners case. PLUS theyre immersed in the Spurs system. NO adjustment need. BRILLIAN!
"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." -Willy Wonka
The NBA, as a whole, is finally starting to realize that a minor league system to develop your players is the way to go – there’s a reason the other major sports use them. Fortunately, the Spurs are ahead of the curve.
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