Jimmer Fredette Waived by Spurs: Latest Comments and Reaction
Former BYU sensation Jimmer Fredette was waived by the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday as his struggles to land a consistent role in the NBA continue.
Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports first reported the Spurs' decision to let him go, while Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News confirmed the move.
When Fredette signed with the Spurs in July, it seemed like an ideal fit. His best chance of success in the NBA is with a team that values players who can provide outside shooting as a complement to its star power. San Antonio certainly fits the bill.
The 26-year-old guard admitted he was excited about the opportunity, as Ananth Pandian of CBS Sports noted in late September.
"I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to be on a good team and also it fits my style of play well," Fredette said. "They move the ball well, they share the ball, lots of movement, play uptempo, so I'm excited to be part of this organization. Hopefully it will work out well."
Alas, he ended up seeing extremely limited action during the preseason. He scored just four points in two games while shooting 20 percent from the field. It's a small sample size, obviously, but the lack of impact led to a quick exit as San Antonio begins trimming its roster for the regular season.
Inadequacies on the defensive end were likely the biggest factor in the Spurs' decision, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com: "Fredette's ability as a defender appears to have made him a liability, as the Spurs have stressed defense throughout the preseason."
Fredette, who averaged 28.9 points per game during his final collegiate season, hasn't been able to overcome his defensive shortcomings to stick with one NBA team. His career numbers are still pretty reasonable, though, per Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey:
That said, he's played less than 14 minutes per game across 229 appearances, and when you combine that with the fact that he couldn't make it work with the Spurs, it doesn't bode well for his future in the NBA. He simply hasn't been able to establish himself at the sport's highest level.
If no other opportunities arise stateside, Fredette could always look into Europe. A brand of basketball built more on fundamentals and shot-making than physical play and athleticism makes sense for him. It would be a chance to reinvigorate his career and potentially drum up interest from NBA teams down the line.
