Spurs fan favorite Roger Mason Jr. turned Spurs nation upside down last month when word got out that he requested a trade.
Citing lack of playing time as the reason he wanted to be traded, the Spurs worked with Mason’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, to try to trade Mason before the trade deadline. While there was reportedly a lot of interest in Mason, and several rumors involving him going to Chicago, Philadelphia, Memphis and Miami, the trade deadline came and went, and Mason remained in the silver & black.
So how has Mason done since the trade deadline?
While Mason averaged 19 minutes a game before the trade deadline, he has only averaged 17 a game ever since, to go with 4.4 points per game.
While Mason didn’t immediately get the minutes he asked for, he has been on the floor for over 20 minutes six times since the deadline, even breaking 30 minutes per in three games.
But have those minutes translated into points?
On February 21 against the Pistons, Mason was on the floor for 31 minutes, but only scored two points. On February 26 against the Rockets, he also played 31 minutes. That time he scored 12 points, but it was on four of 13 from the field and three of nine on three-point attempts. Both games also resulted in losses.
His best game this month came Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 33 minutes, he scored 13 points on five of 11 shooting from the field. He also connected on three of seven three-pointers.
If “Minutes” Mason wants to get back in the good graces of Spurs fans, he’ll have more games like he did on Monday night. A good start would be tonight, when the Spurs draw Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, a team he is very familiar with. It was only a season ago when Kobe Bryant celebrated a little too early and had to see Mason hit the game winner.
If Mason contributes to a Spurs win tonight, San Antonio will celebrate “Money” Mase, and be closer to forgetting about “Minutes” Mason.
