Tag: San Antonio Spurs

‘Key addition’ Diaw makes move long-term

Boris Diaw finally can get a place of his own in San Antonio.

After living in the guest house of point guard Tony Parker for three-plus months since joining the Spurs on March 23, Diaw on Thursday officially re-signed with the club.

The agreement between the Spurs and the veteran unrestricted free agent center-forward had been confirmed three days ago by Diaw’s agent, Doug Neustadt.

The 30-year-old Diaw, who played high school ball with Parker when they were teenagers in Paris, started the 2011-12 season with the Charlotte Bobcats, but negotiated a contract buyout in mid-March.

He played in 20 regular season games for San Antonio, averaging 4.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He started all 14 playoff games and averaged 6.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

“Boris was a key addition to our team late last season and we are happy to have him back,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “The depth of his game and his basketball IQ make him a special player.”

The contract, for two seasons, is worth a total of $9.2 million. It is believed to include several incentive clauses.

mikemonroe@express-news.net

Twitter: @Monroe_SA

Denmon: “I’m better than the 59th pick”

Typically speaking, little is ever expected out of the No. 59 pick in the NBA draft.

That is fine by Marcus Denmon, the Missouri guard the Spurs selected with the draft’s second-to-last selection Thursday night.

“I feel I’m better than the 59th pick,” Denmon said.

When the Spurs’ one-man draft class arrives in San Antonio on July 5, the team’s brain trust — from general manager R.C. Buford and coach Gregg Popovich on down — will greet Denmon with one directive: Prove it.

Nobody questions Denmon’s credentials as a fill-it-up scorer. As a senior last season, Denmon averaged 17.7 points — tied for second in the Big 12 —  led Missouri to its second conference tournament championship in four years, and was named a second-team All-American.

A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Denmon shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range over four college seasons, one of the most accurate marksmen in the country.

And yet there he was Thursday,  moments away from going undrafted.

Speaking with the Express-News via telephone from his hometown in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday afternoon, Denmon said he will use his long slide on draft night as motivation once he arrives in San Antonio.

“With my accolades and my body of work, I was still overlooked,” said Denmon, who next month will compete for the Spurs’ summer league team in Las Vegas. “I’m going in hungry and humble.”

And, perhaps, with a chip on his shoulder that could serve him well.

Leonard, Anderson on Spurs’ Summer League roster

By Mike Monroe

LAS VEGAS — Three players who were on the Spurs roster through the 2011-12 season are among 18 players the team will take to Las Vegas for Summer League play that will begin for the Spurs on Sunday with a game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Kawhi Leonard, the 2011-12 first-team All-Rookie selection to started 39 games at small forward last season, will be the team’s featured player in Las Vegas. He has been in Las Vegas for six days as a member of USA Basketball’s select team that has been scrimmaging against the U.S. Olympic team as it prepares for London.

Swing man James Anderson, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2010, and point guard Cory Joseph, a first-rounder in 2011, also are on the summer roster. So is Missouri guard Marcus Denmon, selected in the second round (59th overall) on June 28th.

The Spurs also will get a look at seven-footer Alexis Ajinca, the 20th selection in the 2008 draft, by Charlotte. The French-born Ajinca has played 71 NBA games for three teams (Charlotte, Dallas and Toronto), averaging 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in limited playing time.

Among other noteable summer league signees: Eric Dawson, the former Sam Houston High School star who played four games with the Spurs on 10-day contracts last season; 6-11 Ryan Richards, the club’s 2010 second-round pick (49th overall); and former Texas Longhorns big man Alexis Wangmene, who played one season at UT with Joseph.

The Spurs are to play five summer league games, concluding with a July 21 game against the Mavericks.

Jacque Vaughn will serve as head coach of the summer Spurs.

SPURS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER
No. Player – Pos. Ht. Wt. DOB From Yrs.
42 Alexis Ajinca – C 7-2 248 5/6/88 France 4th
25 James Anderson – G 6-6 215 3/25/89 Oklahoma State 3rd
10 Dwight Buycks – G 6-3 190 6/6/89 Marquette 1st
34 Derrick Byars – G/F 6-7 220 4/25/84 Vanderbilt 2nd
23 Eric Dawson – F 6-9 250 7/7/84 Midwestern State 2nd
1 Marcus Denmon – G 6-3 185 3/20/90 Missouri 1st
17 Moses Ehambe – G/F 6-6 215 5/22/86 Oral Roberts 1st
43 Darius Foster – G 6-3 210 1/12/88 Wilberforce 1st
11 JaMychal Green – F 6-8 228 6/21/90 Alabama 1st
7 Cedric Jackson – G 6-3 190 3/5/86 Cleveland State 2nd
5 Cory Joseph – G 6-3 190 8/20/91 Texas 2nd
2 Kawhi Leonard – F 6-7 225 6/29/91 San Diego State 2nd
14 Kalin Lucas – G 6-1 195 5/24/89 Michigan State 1st
19 Ryan Richards – F 6-11 230 4/21/91 England 1st
30 Alexis Wangmene – F/C 6-7 241 3/1/89 Texas 1st
27 Tyler Wilkerson – F 6-8 240 7/25/88 Marshall 1st
24 L.D. Williams – G 6-4 210 5/8/88 Wake Forest 1st
40 Luke Zeller – F/C 6-11 245 5/8/88 Notre Dame 1st
Head coach: Jacque Vaughn
Assistant coaches: Bret Brielmaier, Will Hardy, Taylor Jenkins, Alex Lloyd, Christos Marmarinos, Lele Molin, Darko Rajakovic
Athletic trainer: Dice Yamaguchi

SCHEDULE
Sunday: vs. Hawks, Cox Pavilion, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: vs. Lakers, Thomas Mack, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Clippers, Cox Pavilion, 9 p.m.
July 20: vs. Heat, Cox Pavilion, 7 p.m.
July 21: vs. Mavericks, Cox Pavilion, 5 p.m.