Tony Mejia
CBSSports.com Staff Writer
Damon Stoudamire has begun talks with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and is expected to choose them over other suitors after he clears waivers on Wednesday night, multiple sources have told CBSSports.com.
Once Stoudamire agreed to a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies, it was expected that his choice of contenders would be limited to Boston and Phoenix, but the Spurs emerged as a major player amid Gregg Popovich's decision to shut down Tony Parker for the foreseeable future.
Damon Stoudamire could leapfrog Jacque Vaughn on the San Antonio depth chart. (Getty Images)
Parker, suffering from a bone spur in his left heel, was told that he'd be sidelined indefinitely despite his desire to play. Despite its first three-game losing streak since the end of the 2006-07 regular season, San Antonio is refusing to sacrifice its postseason aspirations by allowing the reigning NBA Finals MVP to continue to put himself at risk.
In flirting with Stoudamire, a 13-year veteran, the Spurs appear serious about making sure Parker makes a full recovery before allowing him to return to the court. Parker has been trying to play through the ailment, which causes the ligaments attached to his heel to swell and become irritated by the pounding on the soft tissue below the heel. San Antonio is two games into its annual rodeo trip and won't be back to play a game at the AT&T Center until Feb. 19, two days after the All-Star Game. Parker isn't expected to be named one of the reserves for the Western Conference squad, so it's likely the French superstar will be out of action for three weeks.
That's where Stoudamire comes in. He hasn't participated since Dec. 30, essentially deactivated by the Grizzlies to avoid paying a clause in his contract tied to playing time, expediting his exit out of Memphis. All he wants to do is play. Because he'd have to share minutes with Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa in Phoenix, the thought is that Stoudamire is keen on joining the Spurs with the understanding that he'd supplant Jacque Vaughn as the team's starter in the interim and the backup to Parker down the road.
Boston, thought to be another potential destination, has playing time available behind second-year guard Rajon Rondo, but is thought to be looking for a bigger frame on its backup than the 5-foot-10 Stoudamire would provide.
While Stoudamire does have ties to Arizona, having gone to school in Tucson and being tight with new Suns GM Steve Kerr, expect him to be on the opposite side when the Spurs visit Phoenix on Thursday night. Ironically, Stoudamire's last game came in a 111-87 loss at San Antonio.
The 1996 Rookie of the Year has played in 29 games this season, averaging 7.3 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 38.3 percent from 3-point range, his best clip since his first season in the league.
http://www.sportsline.com/print/nba/story/10609368