Report: Pacers to sign Marcus Williams?

Post #1 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 1:06 am

The Indiana Pacers are expected to sign Austin Toros standout Marcus Williams for the rest of the season, according to sources close to the situation.

Williams, a 6-foot-7 guard, averaged 24.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in eight games for the Austin Toros this season after beginning the year playing in China.

Williams is probably the D-League blogosphere's favorite NBA prospect just because he's so versatile with the additions he's made to his game since he was at Arizona where he was just a gifted scorer with an attitude problem. Don't worry, though - things have changed.

He was drafted by the Spurs in the second round of the 2007 draft, but didn't make the team and ended up with the Spurs D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros, where he's been developing ever since. While he's become more of a leader, rounded out his scoring to include a more consistent jump shot and is better on the defensive end, his developing point guard skills is what has me most intrigued.

Link- http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2010/4/ ... lliams-for

Not sure how credible this site is but i doubt they would be feeding off false stuff like this. Thoughts?

Post #2 » by **Miller4ever** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 1:47 am

Hey, let's give it a go. If this dude is 6'7" and can come in and back up AJ Price, it'll be a nice change of pace. Also, I'm sure part of this is Watson insurance. We don't want to lose Watson and have only AJ Price.

Kuq_e_Zi91 · Post #3 » by **Kuq_e_Zi91** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 1:52 am

6'7 point-forward with a 7 foot wingspan? I'm excited.

Post #4 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 1:54 am

Miller4ever wrote:Hey, let's give it a go. If this dude is 6'7" and can come in and back up AJ Price, it'll be a nice change of pace. Also, I'm sure part of this is Watson insurance. We don't want to lose Watson and have only AJ Price.

Your thinking of the UConn point guard Marcus Williams - http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4150

The guy we signed has been playing small forward. Played college at Arizona.

Kuq_e_Zi91 · Post #5 » by **Kuq_e_Zi91** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 2:27 am

Grang33r wrote:Your thinking of the UConn point guard Marcus Williams - http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4150

The guy we signed has been playing small forward. Played college at Arizona.

The report on him says he's been developing point guard skills and often runs point for the Toros.

I'm excited to see what he can do. Hopefully O'Brien gives him ample opportunity these few remaining games of the season. If not, we have summer league to watch him and I'm thinking we keep him on the roster for next season.

Post #6 » by **Grang33r** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 2:29 am

Kuq_e_Zi91 wrote:
Grang33r wrote:Your thinking of the UConn point guard Marcus Williams - http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4150

The guy we signed has been playing small forward. Played college at Arizona.

The report on him says he's been developing point guard skills and often runs point for the Toros.

I'm excited to see what he can do. Hopefully O'Brien gives him ample opportunity these few remaining games of the season. If not, we have summer league to watch him and I'm thinking we keep him on the roster for next season.

Gotcha. My bad M4E.

Boneman2 · Post #7 » by **Boneman2** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 4:30 am

Sounds great.

Post #8 » by **Gremz** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 12:02 pm

What's there to lose?

Post #9 » by **mizzoupacers** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 2:20 pm

^ Exactly. And he sounds pretty intriguing to me...who wouldn't like to have a 6'7" playmaker on the roster? Although I have to weigh against him the fact that his D League coach has been Quin Snyder, which does not exactly inspire confidence in those of us who hail from Missouri.

I read on PacersDigest that by signing him now through the end of the season, the Pacers can put him on their summer roster, bring him to camp next fall (with a nonguaranteed contract), and basically keep him away from other NBA teams. Seems like a low-risk, pretty smart move to me.

ardthomp · Post #10 » by **ardthomp** » Wed Apr 7, 2010 5:10 pm

I love this signing if it comes true. He should have stayed in college and developed more, but he if can give us half of what he gets in the D-League, then that would be a huge bump for the Pacers.

Post #11 » by **Grang33r** » Thu Apr 8, 2010 6:48 pm

According to Mike Wells, if he is signed he wouldn't play this season but they would have him for summer league.

Pacers looking at D-League players

The Pacers are considering signing a player from the NBA's Development League for the first time before the season ends.

The Pacers would sign the player to a non-guaranteed contract and he wouldn't play in any of the remaining four games.

The move would allow the Pacers to have the player for their summer league roster in order to see if he might fit into their long-term plans.

Link- http://www.indystar.com/article/2010040 ... on-offense

Post #12 » by **PR07** » Fri Apr 9, 2010 2:22 am

Would make sense. I mean what exactly do we have to lose?

However, the same site is now reporting he turned down the offer, which makes sense. I mean why limit his options when A. We aren't going to play him this season B. Its a nonguaranteed contract.

Post #13 » by **Grang33r** » Fri Apr 9, 2010 3:00 am

PR07 wrote:Would make sense. I mean what exactly do we have to lose?

However, the same site is now reporting he turned down the offer, which makes sense. I mean why limit his options when A. We aren't going to play him this season B. Its a nonguaranteed contract.

It does make sense, but i wonder how many other NBA teams have been rejected by D-League players? lol

Post #14 » by **mizzoupacers** » Fri Apr 9, 2010 3:12 am

^ I'm not sure it makes sense to me. Even if he doesn't play in any games this season, he would still be getting paid, and getting paid quite a bit more than he is in the D League. Right? Plus he'd have a pretty much guaranteed invite to an NBA training camp. Why would he turn that down, unless another team is offering him something better?

Post #15 » by **Miller4ever** » Fri Apr 9, 2010 3:17 am

^^I'm sure it's pretty common, it just doesn't make headlines.

Post #16 » by **Grang33r** » Fri Apr 9, 2010 4:36 am

mizzoupacers wrote:^ I'm not sure it makes sense to me. Even if he doesn't play in any games this season, he would still be getting paid, and getting paid quite a bit more than he is in the D League. Right? Plus he'd have a pretty much guaranteed invite to an NBA training camp. Why would he turn that down, unless another team is offering him something better?

The web site which first reported he was closing to signing claims he rejected Indiana.

However, Andrew Perna of REAL GM (Pacerspersepective) talked to David Morway and it seems we rejected him.

"We've taken a close look at our options and we're not going to make a roster move at this time," Pacers general manager David Morway told RealGM via e-mail.

Read more: http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi ... o_roster/##ixzz0kZg6juRb

Wonder who's telling the truth?

chrbal · Post #17 » by **chrbal** » Fri Apr 9, 2010 8:13 pm

Marcus Landry just got waived by the Celtics. Hes a tweener forward, but he might be worth grabbing up. Of course if Joey Dorsey can find a gig, I think just anyone (not Jerome James) should be able to.