- While the Spurs have a respectable 6-4 record without Kawhi Leonard, veteran Manu Ginobili feels that Leonard’s absence has been good in terms of giving young players more playing time, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes. “Every time a team has to adjust to playing without its main player, others have to step up and gain confidence, and they end up being better players,” Ginobili said.
- The Spurs have recalled Tony Parker from the G League, the team announced today in a press release. Parker has been bouncing back and forth between San Antonio and the Austin Spurs as he recovers from surgery on his quadriceps.
- The Spurs have assigned veteran point guard Tony Parker back to the G League, the team announced today in a press release. Parker, recovering from quadriceps surgery, has been back and forth between San Antonio and Austin as part of his rehab process.
Rookie guard Derrick White, the Spurs’ 2017 first-round pick, has suffered a fractured right wrist, the team announced today in a press release. No timeline for White’s recovery and return has been deterimed at this point, according to the Spurs.
The 29th overall pick in this year’s draft out of Colorado, White has played sparingly for the Spurs so far, appearing in four games for the team. San Antonio has been assigning him frequently to the Austin Spurs for additional work, and White’s injury actually took place during his most recent G League assignment — he fractured his wrist during Saturday’s game against the Texas Legends.
The injury won’t have a major impact on the Spurs’ NBA rotation, since White hadn’t yet earned a spot in that group. Still, it will cost him at least a few weeks of valuable developmental time in San Antonio and Austin. As we’ve seen this season with Dejounte Murray and Kyle Anderson, the Spurs have a habit of taking things slow with their first-round draft picks, gradually easing them into larger roles.
- The Spurs assigned Davis Bertans and Derrick White to the G League on Saturday, according to the club. Bertans poured in a team-high 27 points for the Austin Spurs on Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough to top the Texas Legends, who won 123-119.
- Second-year shooting guard Bryn Forbes had his best night of the season Friday with 22 points off the Spurs‘ bench, notes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Undrafted out of Michigan State last season, Forbes seems to have earned a spot in San Antonio’s rotation. “It’s a (testament) to how well he’s been working behind the scenes,” said teammate Patty Mills. “He’s one of those hard workers who never puts his head down and just keeps grinding. So I’m really proud of him because you see it all pay off in the end.”
- Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated examines LeBron James‘ possible thinking as he faces free agency next offseason. A lot has been made of James possibly considering Los Angeles as a place of interest but Golliver looks at the Rockets and Spurs as two possibilities for King James.
- The Spurs have recalled Tony Parker, Davis Bertans, and Derrick White from the G League, according to a pair of press releases from the team. Parker continues to rehab his injured left quadriceps, so he’s not ready to play for San Antonio yet.
- The Spurs are still waiting for their investment in Patty Mills to pay off, according to Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. The veteran point guard, who received a four-year, $50MM deal to re-sign with the team over the summer, is averaging 6.1 points and 2.9 assists in a reserve role this season and is shooting just 32% from the field.
- The Spurs assigned a pair of players to the G League today, announcing in a press release that they’ve sent Davis Bertans and Derrick White to Austin.