Damon Stoudamire wants what ever veteran in this league wants. Playing time on a championship contender.
When the San Antonio Spurs came calling with that offer, he was quick to jump on it.
Memphis Miscast
Damon Stoudamire was released by the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this week after it was widely accepted that it was a bad fit.
The Memphis Grizzlies are a rebuilding team. He’s a veteran player who didn’t want to spend the final fear years of his career in a losing situation.
While Damon Stoudamire did start in every game that he played this year for the team, he only logged a little more than 20 minutes a game. The team wants to get as much time as possible for young guards like Juan Carlos Navarro, Mike Conley, and Kyle Lowry.
Point of Interest
A lot of teams expressed interest in signing Damon Stoudamire after word spread that he was released.
The Boston Celtics, the Phoenix Suns, and the San Antonio Spurs were among the teams that wanted to sign the veteran from the University of Arizona.
Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge decided to pass on signing Damon Stoudamire because he didn’t want to mess with his team’s chemistry. Phoenix Suns GM Steve Kerr had multiple discussions with Damon Stoudamire, but the offer just wasn’t good enough for the 5′10″ guard.
There were even rumors floating around about Damon Stoudamire returning to the franchise that drafted him, the Toronto Raptors.
The Spurs Savior
Well, he’s not quite a savior at this point in his career. Nor do the San Antonio Spurs need one.
They basically need a veteran guard to fill in while Tony Parker recovers from his ankle injury.
Even at 34 years of age, Damon Stoudamire still has some speed to him. He likes running the floor. The veteran isn’t as quick as Tony Parker, but he can keep the offense running at close to the same pace.
Closing Thoughts
“Minor” moves like these have the potential to cause a big impact once the playoffs begin.