Jun 9, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (right) talks with point guard Tony Parker (9) during the third quarter of game two of the 2013 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It goes by different terms: “The Spurs model”,“The Spurs philosophy”, etc. Some would have you believe it doesn’t exist; that the Spurs have no different philosophy as the 29 others organization other than to achieve the pinnacle of competitive basketball by any means, the elusive Larry O’Brien trophy. There are a lot of misguided labels and misconceptions of this successful franchise. “Boring basketball?” Maybe if you consider a team that finished the 2012-13 season 4th in points per game and 6th in offensive efficiency. In addition, it’s hard to try to nail descriptions to an ever-changing organization in an ever-changing league that forces innovation to be able to compete.

Gregg Popovich, the legendary Spurs head coach, recently created a stir about his comments regarding domestic and international NBA players saying foreign players are “fundamentally more hardworking than most American kids”. Regardless of the actual merit of the statement, it goes a long way to explaining San Antonio’s international plan of attack. A quick glance at the current roster reveals that only 6 of the 15 players were born in the United States. Currents Spurs hail from all over the world, including France, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. That’s not necessarily to say to American players have not been a key focus over the years (see Kawhi Leonard, David Robinson, Bruce Bowen, etc.) or that international players have always been solid finds. Heck, it even depends whether you consider Tim Duncan to really be international (he was born and raised in the US Virgin Islands). But there is something to say for a group that shuns signing flashy, usually domestic, players looking to build the next superstar duo, trio or any other super group.

In that same piece, Popovich talks about the lack of entitlement most international players have when compared to their American counterparts. He describes them as coming to the NBA as humble and coachable as opposed to unappreciative and lacking some basic fundamentals. This mentality even trickles down to those permanently seated on the bench. Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder, who currently compose the Hawks coaching staff, have both even had experience coaching in the Euroleague.

Having a set of General Manager and coaching staff on the same page is another hallmark of the recent Spurs regime. Gregg Popovich was the General Manager before naming himself coach in 1996. For a period of 6 years, we was both General Manager and Head Coach. Talk about continuity between the two positions. He gave way to R.C. Buford in 2002. Both were former assistants on the same coaching staff back in 1988.

Admittedly, Mike Budenholzer is not as brash as Popovich is with the media. The already tight-lipped Hawks organization need not change that aspect to emulate those in black, silver and white. But the common fan doesn’t care about media protocol, just simply about fielding a championship level team. The Hawks may step on some toes along the way, as Popovich did in resting his main players in front of a national televised game. It drew the ire of Commissioner David Stern and carried a $250,000 fine. And yet, as of June 16, 2013, the Spurs are two wins away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy for the fifth time in under two decades.

Danny Ferry has a long connection with both Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder. Budenholzer was a long time Spurs assistant, during with Ferry both played for him and overlooked in as he sat in the front office. Ferry and Snyder were roommates for four years in the last 1980′s as members of Duke’s basketball team. There should not be any noticeable impasse in proper communication between these entities.

When Tim Duncan’s career is over, he will rank possibly among the ten greatest players in NBA/ABA history. The Hawks probably will not come across a player of his caliber in the follow decade or beyond. For this reaspm, don’t expect an exact replica of the current Spurs’ offensive and defensive schemes to be implemented. However, you can attempt to model without the requirement of replication. Robby Kalland of Peachtree Hoops has already outlined some of the ways Al Horford can be used under a Spurs-like regime. But with the majority of the roster left to fill, the direction of those signings and drafting’s will go a long way to determining what the team will look like this upcoming season and beyond.

Jan 19, 2013; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Antonio Spurs Tony Parker (9) goes up for a shot while Atlanta Hawks Jeff Teague (0) defends during the second half at Philips Arena. The Spurs defeated the Hawks 98-93. Mandatory Credit: Josh D. Weiss-USA TODAY Sports

Under the assumption Jeff Teague returns to the Hawks next season, what can we expect in his third season as starter and fifth in Atlanta? His sophomore starting season was met with mixed reviews including his sometimes lackadaisical pick and roll defense. Teague had to take on a larger role with the departure of Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams. One can only hope he picks up a tape of Tony Parker in the offseason. Parker’s paint penetration has sliced apart the Heat defense and others for the last few years. Teague and others will also try to expound on the motion offense that Larry Drew began to install in his 3 year tenure. The Spurs finished the 2012-13 season first in assists per game, helping motivate the selflessness stigma of the players that come through the city of the Alamo.

Expanded use of all resources will be on the table. Beyond international scouting and development, there will be more emphasis on the domestic development NBA D-League. The Spurs currently have ties to the Austin Toros, in which players like Cory Joseph have been groomed for a future role in the San Antonio rotation. The Toros even won the D-League championship in the 2011-12 season, in a mild upset over the Laker’s affiliated team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders. While the Hawks are a ways away from a one-to-one affilitiation with a D-League team, the recent success of many D-League alumni in the Association as well as the CBA granting more use for teams, for example rookies can be optioned three through their third season, it will certainly be a noticeable aspect going forward.

Another word often associated with the Spurs has been flexibility: of the players to play different positions with ease and of the coaching and management to react and respond to change, whether at halftime of an NBA Finals game or with the introduction of a new NBA bylaw. The Spurs have typically had shooting guards that can handle the ball and run an offense, speedy and penetrating point guards with wide court vision, and forwards that can stretch the defense as well as bang down low to complement the rock solid Tim Duncan over the years.

In the end, all franchises are judged on results, not the process. No one is here to argue against a .700 winning percentage during Popovich’s reign or 4 championships. The Hawks certainly want just a piece of that success. But an organization must have a clear plan of attack before all the details fall in place. Why not model after such an incredibly pace-setting regime.

There exists a basic doctrine regarding the movement of teams in this league; that this league is a copycat league. It’s a creed as basic as a Tim Duncan bank shot.

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Rumors have started to swell over the past week regarding the possibility of the Atlanta Hawks landing superstar duo Chris Paul and Dwight Howard in what would be the biggest free agent coup since the Miami Heat assembled The Big Three.  Howard and Paul have reportedly been texting about possible destinations of where to play throughout this entire past week.

ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton pegs Atlanta as the best and most realistic option for Howard and Paul to consider if they are set on playing with one another. According to Pelton, this is due in large part because Atlanta is one of very few teams that could sign both players to max contracts without making destructive roster changes.  The Hawks have been anticipating this free agency for years now and GM Danny Ferry has intelligently rid the franchise of almost all long-term financial obligations to set them up for this summer. Atlanta has only three players under guaranteed contract next season in Al Horford, John Jenkins and Lou Williams, but the team would need to package Williams (not a bad contract, definitely an asset) and one of the first round picks (17 or 18) without taking back money in order to make room for the two new massive contracts.  It is definitely doable, and the end result for the Hawks would hypothetically then be: Howard, Paul, Horford, Jenkins, the remaining draft picks, and free agents.

There are other possibilities for the duo out there though, namely a sign-and-trade deal that would bring Howard to the Clippers, since Chris Paul wants badly to stay in Los Angeles. However, the Clippers seem unwilling to part ways with Blake Griffin, Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan (which they would need to do) and the Lakers seem unwilling to help create the NBA’s next big super-team right in their own city.  Houston has also emerged as a possible destination, but because Rockets are deadset on keeping Harden, they would need to completely gut their roster and part with many future draft picks, something that has to be unappealing to both sides.  Detroit and Dallas are also two remote possibilities, but it is believed that they are not serious contenders.

Atlanta holds the top spot for now as the best option according to most sources, as they can provide the fastest track to a championship.

There are problems, however, for both players. Dwight apparently has no desire to play in his hometown Atlanta, sources close to Howard stating that he would only do so if it brought he and Chris Paul together.  This certainly hurts the team’s marketing pitch of selling Howard on returning home, and it’s no help either that the team would not be able to re-sign Josh Smith alongside Howard and Paul.  Smith and Howard have an extremely close relationship dating back to their early AAU days, Howard was also the best man at Smith’s wedding three years ago.  Chris Paul’s problems with Atlanta are also personal. Outside of his desire to stay in Los Angeles, Paul is apparently still disgruntled over Atlanta snubbing him in the 2005 draft:

“It would be very tough for (Paul) to go to Atlanta,” the source said. “He loved Atlanta when they should have drafted him in ’05 but not so much since then. But hey, everybody is an option at this point.”

All things considered, the problems the Hawks face still pale in comparison to those that other potential suitors face, since at the end of the day Atlanta can offer far and away the best roster situation for a tandem desperate to win a title. It will be exciting to hear new rumors in the weeks leading up to July 1, when the free-agency period officially begins.

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He cut down the nets in Atlanta, but will his NBA career begin in Atlanta?

The Atlanta Hawks have kept their pre-draft workings quiet. With this summer’s NBA Draft nearly upon us, it’s anyone’s guess who the Hawks will select when they are called on to make their first-round picks at #17 and #18.

Many assume the Hawks will be looking to add size to the roster. This is a logical assumption considering there is a chance that key big men from this past season (Zaza Pachulia, Johan Petro, Ivan Johnson) could all be lost when free agency begins on July 1.

By drafting a big man, the Hawks would be giving themselves some assurance that their roster will have at least some size to throw at opposing teams.

This year’s draft does offer a variety of players who could help the Hawks in this area. I profiled Duke University’s Mason Plumlee earlier this month. He is a true center, usually plays physical, and has a chance to have a successful NBA career. As I mentioned in the write up, he would be a worthy pick for the Atlanta Hawks. But, there are other big men in the draft who could potentially help the Hawks should Plumlee not be available or the team just decides to pick someone else.

One such player is from the National Champion University of Louisville, Gorgui Dieng.

Gorgui Dieng (pronounced GOR-gee Jieng) is big. The Cardinals center stands at 6’11″, weighs 245 lbs., and possess a 7’4″ wingspan. During his successful three-year collegiate career, Dieng helped Louisville win two Big East Championships (2012, 2013), earn back-to-back trips to the Final Four, and win the 2013 National Title.

Dieng’s performance in this year’s NCAA Tournament was impressive, minus Louisville’s Final Four game against Wichita State (to be fair, the entire Louisville team looked disinterested in the Shockers). Here are his 2013 NCAA Tournament numbers:

• Game 1 (vs NCA&T, 79-48): 20 minutes, 8 pts. (3-3 shooting), 7 rebs., 1 block
• Game 2 (vs Colorado St, 82-56): 25 minutes, 12 pts. (6-6 shooting), 3 rebs., 1 block
• Game 3 (vs Oregon, 77-69): 34 minutes, 10 pts. (5-7 shooting), 9 rebs., 4 blocks
• Game 4 (vs Duke, 85-63): 25 minutes, 14 pts. (6-8 shooting), 11 rebs., 4 blocks
• Game 5 (vs Wichita St, 72-68): 30 minutes, 0 pts. (0-1 shooting), 6 rebs., 2 blocks
• Game 6 (vs Michigan, 82-76): 37 minutes, 8 pts. (4-6 shooting), 8 rebs., 3 blocks

I made a point to add in Dieng’s shooting statistics. Going into this past season his ability to shoot was in question. He improved in that area a great deal, starting at the mid-point of this season. In his last eight games prior to the Tournament, Dieng shot 53% (39-73) from the field. He improved upon those numbers in the tourney, shooting a combined 77.4% (24-31) from the field. Not all of those shots were taken at the rim, either. Dieng developed a reliable mid-range jump shot and connected on many of those shots throughout the tournament.

Even though Dieng is a center, he often plays out of the high post. In nearly all of Louisville’s offensive sets, he begins either at the free-throw line or setting a pick just beyond the arc. Not very often was he asked to set up shop down low, like normal centers. Once Dieng gets the ball in the high post, he is effective. One of his greatest strengths is delivering the ball to the correct man after catching the ball at the free throw line, turning, and finding a cutting or open teammate.

Dieng also excelled as an offensive rebounder. This year’s Louisville team featured two outstanding guards (Russ Smith and Peyton Siva) who would often use a pick from Dieng to attack the basket. Dieng would follow behind either Smith or Siva and aggressively go after the ball should a shot miss.

Defensively, Dieng is an exceptional player. He is a true “team player”, more than willing to slide over to help a teammate. He blocked 267 shots in his Louisville career, but impacted countless others. Dieng also is quick enough to defend against other teams guards on the perimeter. In this season’s National Championship game, against Michigan, Dieng guarded Trey Burke (more than once) and was able to stay with the likely lottery pick without any trouble. On one occasion (as will be shown when we look at Dieng’s scouting video), Dieng blocked Burke’s shot as the Michigan star attempted to drive by to the basket. There is little doubt that Dieng will be an effective defensive player in the NBA.

The Gorgui Dieng scouting video:

The Good:

• 1:42 — An example of Dieng following as the Louisville guard attacks the basket. This time, Dieng follows into the lane, gets the pass, and lays in a basket over our friend Mason Plumlee.
• 2:38 — Again, Dieng starts at the high post, sets a pick, and follows his teammate into the lane. This time, he rips the ball away from the opposing player and scores.
• 2:50 — Gorgui makes a HUGE play in the National Title Game. The Cardinals are down 12, Dieng dives after a loose ball and calls timeout. What happens? Well, the Cardinals outscore Michigan by 11 pts. The rest of the half (including a 3-point shot after Dieng’s called timeout). That play is one of the unsung plays from this season’s championship game.
• 4:02 — Gives great help for a block.
• 6:29 — Remember when I told you that Dieng could guard Trey Burke? Well, here is the proof. Dieng ends up isolated on Burke. Burke drives to the basket, Dieng stays with him, and Burke’s shot ends up getting blocked (by Dieng!). This is my favorite play from the video. Just so impressive!
• 7:46 — Does a great job denying Mason Plumlee. Duke seems determined to get the ball to Plumlee down low, but Dieng will not allow it. The Blue Devils even swing the ball to the other side of the court, hoping to get an easier entry pass. Nope.
• 9:00 — Just a great pass from the high post. This is a Dieng specialty.
• 10:22 — Catches the ball in the high post and nails a turn around jumper. Nice!

The Bad:

• 11:42 — Catches in the block (a rarity), but spins right into three defenders.
• 12:23 — This is actually sort of good. Gorgui catches in the block and makes a nice spin move. He just gets too out-of-control and misses.
• 14:39 — Gets pushed aside, rather easily, and allows an lab dunk to Rutgers
• 15:18 — A much smaller player shoves Gorgui out of prime post position.

Side note: One bone of contention I have with the scouting video: itsays that Dieng’s face-up game is bad. What?  As I’ve already mentioned, Dieng is great catching the ball in the high post, facing-up, and either finding an open man or hitting a jump shot. His face-up game is only bad when he attempts to dribble to the basket in traffic. But, I ask, what center is good at driving the ball to the hoop in traffic? Not sure where Draft Express was coming from on that take.

Since cutting down the nets with his Louisville teammates, Dieng has been in Los Angeles working out with former NBA big man Will Purdue. We also know that on June 1, Gorgui joined 14 other prospects at a Los Angeles high school for a workout — a workout that featured representatives from all 30 NBA teams in attendance. So, the Hawks have seen him in person. Will they see him as a possible draft pick? I would think so. It would be interesting to see if both Mason Plumlee and Gorgui Dieng are on the board when the Hawks pick at 17, what the team does. Do they pick Plumlee? Dieng? Both? Neither?

Can’t wait to find out!

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