Spurs just waived an intriguing prospect that seems to fit the profile of a Nellie-type player....Marcus Williams from Arizona.
I've been tracking his progress off-and-on throughout the D-League and he seems to have an all-around game that would suit the Warriors style of play. Nelson loves tall skilled guys that could score and Marcus Williams seems to fit the bill. The Spurs' scouting staff is one of the best in the NBA, so for them to go after Williams and stash him away until the last day of cuts, means that he has some value. He left Arizona too early and still has some upside at the age of 22 (born 11/18/86). I would consider cutting Devan George for this kid. He has point forward potential and could grow along with the other young Warriors.
Playing for the Austin Toros last season, he was one of the best players in the D-League. In the month of March, he put up an average of 25 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast. And in the following month, he averaged a triple double and went 27.5 pts, 10.5 reb, and 11.5 ast!!!!!
NBADL Game Log
Statistics from final year at Arizona (sophomore)
Some scouting reports from various sources:
NBAdraft.net
Strengths: Versatile player who creates mismatches at his position Excellent ball handler who uses his crossover to get past defenders Moves well without the ball Decent finisher around the basket Possesses great court awareness and understands how to utilize his versatility to attack opposing defenses When motivated, Williams can be a very good rebounder Excels at taking one or two dribbles and pulling up from mid-range Talented passer who sees the floor extremely well Showed great composure even as a freshman ... Has three point range on his jumper Has a scorers mentality and can put up points in bunches Uses mismatches to his advantage as he is capable of using decent post up skills against smaller players When Williams is driving he does a great job of drawing contact and getting to the free throw line Has played the game this year with a better attitude and has worked on being more mentally tough His combination of a 7 foot wing span and his skill set with the ball is illegal ...
Weaknesses: Not a cloud piercing athlete like most at his position This has led some to question if he can guard NBA shooting guards Defensively he doesnt always play with enough intensity Rarely disrupts the passing lanes and doesnt show great defensive footwork Settles for jumpers too much at times instead of driving into the lane Not a big fan of physical contact, which can bring up the question of his toughness Shot selection is questionable Could stand to gain more upper body strength Doesnt finish after contact occurs Has battled this year with consistency as his jump shot has been streaky Tends to be a little careless with the ball Is prone to making poor decisions during crucial points of a game Has really struggled this year shooting from the free throw line
Draft Express (ignore the 1st article in link)
Las Vegas Summer League Day Seven
July 19, 2008
The young small forward has his second straight big game, doing a tremendous job taking advantage of the opportunities that he was presented with offensively. His shot selection has been solid in both of his big games, and while his form is better than it used to be, it is still surprising to see him shooting as well as he is from the field considering his previous struggles. Perhaps the only thing more impressive than his good shooting has been the amount of times was able to get to the line today despite not having great ball handling ability or a great first step. The assertiveness he’s showed around the rim has been refreshing, and he used his length and athleticism to earn a handful of putbacks in traffic today in addition to his free throws. Obviously, William’s shooting has made the game a lot easier for him overall, and it will be interesting to see how he responds in upcoming contests. He’s a player that hasn’t shown many glimpses of potential since leaving Arizona, but if he continues to play like this he’ll be in exponentially better position to make a team than he was as recently as four days ago. Despite his explosion in production, he’s going to have to prove that these performances aren’t a fluke to make up for just how low his stock was coming into this event.
Ridiculous Upside
Marcus Williams, Austin - Williams looked like the best player on the floor. Looked like? Was. DeMarcus Nelson was named the player of the game (and was, in fact, good), but check this out: 9-18 shooting for 26 points for Williams, 10 assists, seven rebounds and only two turnovers in over 46 minutes spent as the team's point man. He could've had more, but there were several times where he was isolated against Keith Clark and settled for jumpers (which missed) instead of taking Clark off the dribble, as he easily could have. Williams is more of a finesse finisher around the basket, but he does it well. Beyond the numbers, Williams showed solid leadership on the floor, getting guys in the right places without coming off as being annoying or bossy. He also had a good sense of when to push the break and when to pull back. Basically, if there were every any questions as to whether Marcus Williams deserved the #1 call-up ranking, this game answered them. If I have to find one thing to nitpick about Williams, it's that sometimes when he's defending along the perimeter, he gives his man a little too much space to move and create and sometimes relies just on his length to defend rather than getting in there.
D-League Call-Up Rankings - Hey Potential, Meet Reality!
1. Marcus Williams, Austin - Williams is the consensus for us as the player most deserving of a call-up. In the month of March, Williams averaged something ridiculous - 25.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, shooting 92% from the free-throw line along with showing improved range, hitting 36% from beyond the arc. He's also extremely long and handles the rock quite a bit for the Toros. Williams has had a little trouble adjusting to the recent additions of DeMarcus Nelson and Malik Hairston, but lines like his last game - 11-of-20 from the field for 29 points, including 3-4 on his threes, six rebounds and four assists are becoming the norm for him.
Related Links
A Conversation with Marcus Williams - 48 Minutes of Hell
Marcus Williams Called-Up to San Antonio Spurs - Ridiculous Upside
