The San Antonio Spurs have signed point guard Jameer Nelson Jr., per News 4 San Antonio’s Dusty Garza.
Spurs have signed Jameer Nelson Jr. after previously signing him to a summer league contract. Nelson was named All- Big 12 Honorable Mention for his efforts with the TCU Horned Frogs. He went undrafted and now signs what is most likely an exhibit 10 deal for training camp.… pic.twitter.com/Zq0dyRBZ5i
— SpursRΞPORT (@SpursReporter) September 24, 2024
The son of a former NBA star, Nelson went undrafted in June after a substandard season at TCU. In 34 games, the 23-year-old averaged 11.2 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. The season prior, he averaged 20.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.4 steals per game at Delaware.
A nifty shot-creator, Nelson was obviously more passive with the Horned Frogs than the Fightin’ Blue Hens.
However, he still flashed plenty of shot-making ability, standing out with his quickness and ball-handling ability. His confidence and aggressiveness, particularly when going towards the rim, belies a fearless mentality. Lastly, he continued to demonstrate that he has a gift for coming away with steals.
Spurs Signing Jameer Nelson Jr. Could Go A Long Way
In 2023-24, the Spurs’ talent base was behind the curve. That’s putting it kindly.
Despite drafting a seemingly generational player in Victor Wembanyama, they won just 22 games. Throughout the season, the biggest talking point was their need for a floor general in the first unit. Wembanyama may have been dominant, but he was also held back by his team’s poor point guard play.
The Spurs have rectified that with the signing of Chris Paul, a future Hall of Fame inductee. Paul’s basketball IQ and court vision will lead to easy baskets. His playmaking gives he and Wembanyama the potential to be terrific pick-and roll partners. However, at 39 years old, he’s long in the tooth.
Paul’s advanced age affects his durability and recovery time, as he’s played in fewer than 60 games in each of the past two seasons. This is the second time career this has happened, with Paul just 58 regular season games in each of his seasons with the Houston Rockets. As a result, the Spurs’ point guard depth needs to be insulated from misfortune.
Tre Jones is a pretty effective facilitator, but may be a trade candidate on the final year of his deal.
Stephon Castle’s upside as a two-way playmaker led to San Antonio drafting him fourth overall in June. However, he’s a bit of a developmental project, needing to become a more viable shooter.
Malachi Flynn is a diamond in the rough, as evidenced by his 50-point explosion last season. Yet, he’s on an Exhibit 10 contract, and may not be on the roster next season.
What The Future May Hold
Nelson will presumably sign an Exhibit 10 deal.
Nonetheless, he’a more effective point-of-attack defender than Flynn. When considering his offensive upside, there’s a real chance that he could beat out Flynn for a spot on the 15-man roster. Though it shouldn’t matter, his bloodlines will always be in the back of an evaluator or decision-maker’s mind.
With the Spurs still having a two-way spot opening, he could even take a more circuitous route towards proving himself to be a game-changer.
In either scenario, all Nelson needs to do is focus improving day-by-day. Working on his outside jumper would go a long way in the NBA. However, timing is on his side.
Paul and Jones’s contracts will expire at the end of the season. Neither are a lock to return. Flynn isn’t a scrub, but he’s not definitively a rotation player just yet. So, there could be a window of opportunity for him. He just has to do as Texans do, and take the bull by the horns.
