According to Mexican-language site Terra, California guard Jorge Gutierrez is set to workout for the San Antonio Spurs in the coming weeks.
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The official Facebook page of the basketball team of Abraham Lincoln High School, where he studied and played, Mexican Jorge Gutierrez, stated that the guard will try his luck in camp with the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets.
“Good luck to former Lincoln Lancer Jorge Gutierrez, who will workout with the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets in the coming weeks”
Gutierrez is a 195 lbs., 6’3″ guard who averaged 13 points, shot 44% from the field, shot 32.9% from the three-point line, 74.4% from the free-throw line, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals in 32.2 minutes for the Golden Bears last season.
Jorge would fit in nicely with the Spurs not because of his offensive game (which is solid) but because he excels on defense and has a high basketball IQ. Gutierrez is coming off back-to-back All-Pac-10 defensive teams selection. Moreover, he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year this season for California.
Gutierrez has solid quickness, changes direction well with the basketball and has a good feel for finding open spots in the defense, but his lack of explosiveness leads to some struggles to finish around the hoop. According to Synergy Sports Technology his 1.064 points per possession when finishing at the rim ranks just above the 40th percentile of college basketball, and it’s likely he could have more problems finishing around the rim in the NBA.
On the defensive side of ball is where Gutierrez shines, leading a very good California team on that end of the court. He moves his feet well, but most importantly displays a consistently high level of effort, intensity and awareness on this end of the court. He does a good job moving his feet laterally, fights through screens, rotates well and has very good hands. If there’s one potential worry on the defensive end it’s that at times he can get too aggressive on defense, gambling too much and getting himself out of position. (via draftexpress.com)
Aside from Gutierrez, the Spurs are also reportedly looking at Purdue forward Robbie Hummel.
It appears the Spurs are gearing up for next season as the NBA Draft nears.
What do you have to say Spurs fans about guard Gutierrez? Also, does the fact San Antonio hasn’t looked at big men (at least not yet) to help fill the void at center? Perhaps it is because center Erazem Lorbek is coming next season?
