SAN ANTONIO, TX - The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed forward Malcolm Thomas from the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League. Per club policy details of the contract were not released. In addition, the Spurs placed forward Ike Diogu on waivers.
Thomas, 6-9, 225 lbs., saw action in six games with the D-Fenders, averaging 14.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.67 blocks, 1.50 steals and 1.3 assists in 31.5 minutes while shooting .673 (35-52) from the field. Thomas posted a season-high 19 points to go along with 9 rebounds at Erie on Dec. 29.
Thomas, a teammate of Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard at San Diego State, helped lead the Aztecs to an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance last season, averaging 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.02 blocks in 30.4 minutes.
An All-Mountain West Conference Second Team selection in each of his two seasons at San Diego State as well as an All-Defensive Team selection as a senior, Thomas concluded his career with the Aztecs as the second leading shot blocker in school history (127).
Diogu was signed by the Spurs on Jan. 3. He appeared in two games, totaling 2 points and a rebound in 14 minutes.
Thomas will wear No. 23 for the Spurs and will be available tonight when the Silver and Black host the Houston Rockets at the AT&T Center at 7:30 p.m.
0 recs | 57 comments
Hope he plays tonight, especially since Duncan did 35.5 minutes last night.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
Might as well throw Thomas in the deep end and see if he can swim.
CapHill - January 11, 2012
Especially since he just called out the team’s D.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
That was quick. I’m ready for one of these guys to pan out.
Big50 - January 11, 2012
Well, we HAD to waive him; he could make his free throws. A guy like that could NEVER be a Spur.
J.R. Wilco - January 11, 2012
Hmmm, Ford is still here.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
Rules are different for big men … which I neglected to point out.
J.R. Wilco - January 11, 2012
We’re being overrun by Aztecs!
Not too surprising of a move – good thing I never got around to GTKYNS this season.
CapHill - January 11, 2012
Good, that was a solid team that played last year.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
Yeah, it’s pretty cool. I hope he’s good enough to stay on the team.
Manu ex Machina - January 11, 2012
If he plays that D, i think so. Spurs need to rest Duncan. There’s no way around it. Some new big is going to have to do something.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
That’s something that Cortez never had to say.
J.R. Wilco - January 11, 2012
Cortez wrote GTKYNS pieces?
Manuwar - January 11, 2012
Yes, he did. And since I am no longer a reliable medium to the beyond, those posts had to be sacrificed this season. Or I just ran out of time. You pick.
CapHill - January 11, 2012
I want to know when you were a reliable medium to the beyond
Manuwar - January 11, 2012
Obviously not during last year’s playoffs, or I would have seen that stomach punch coming.
CapHill - January 11, 2012
Well yeah way to let us all down
Manuwar - January 11, 2012
You can even make a case that we could blame her for the early playoff exit.
Not a good case, mind you, but a case nonetheless.
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
>:{
CapHill - January 12, 2012
there there
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
A promising young talent. Once he develops more offense and puts on some muscle, he’ll be pretty good.
Also, to Tim C., I guess you were right about Diogu, lol. It’s not like he showed anything worthwhile, anyway.
Manu ex Machina - January 11, 2012
Was worth a try though.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
Yeah. It’s too bad he kinda stinks. I guess there’s a reason why he’s been bouncing from team to team.
Manu ex Machina - January 11, 2012
Heh. I hope Ike wasn’t on a guaranteed deal.
Tim C. - January 11, 2012
I doubt it. At most, it was a partial guarantee.
grego21 - January 11, 2012
Gonna have to change that twitter handle.
Tim C. - January 11, 2012
Him and DeJuan should get along just fine
Josh Guyer (completely deck) - January 11, 2012
Depends on what his quota for tweeting is. Can he hang with the big boy?
grego21 - January 11, 2012
Only if he steps up his game quite a bit.
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
After follwing him for all of 12 hours, I’d say his tweets are more similar to Danny Green’s. Much easier to read than DeJuan’s.
Tim C. - January 12, 2012
That’s too bad. Oh, well. We can always hope that Duncan finally gets on twitter and turns out to have a style twice as intense as BLOLair.
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
I’d expect to see things about video games. Something like “I pwned some noobies on MW3. #pwned”
grego21 - January 12, 2012
nice one
J.R. Wilco - January 15, 2012
I think you need a middle man to filter out Blair’s quotes. Like a twitter person who translates everything Blair says. Filters out all the extraneous posts
grego21 - January 12, 2012
THAT’S a good idea.
You should start a twitter account called @TheEssentialBlair where you just retweet the ones you like, so everybody who loves the “GOOD” Blair tweets could save themselves some time.
J.R. Wilco - January 15, 2012
Can we call him “Dr. Malcolm?”
I’m doing it, regardless.
DrumsInTheDeep - January 11, 2012
I claimed Malcolm in the Middle! He might play center. ;)
grego21 - January 11, 2012
I like that name Malcolm in the middle.
spurlover - January 11, 2012 via mobile
GOL
daezarkian - January 11, 2012
Haha, nice
Manu ex Machina - January 11, 2012
Or some derivation of “CHAOS THEORY”, “BUTTERFLY EFFECT,” “HEISENBERG UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE,” or “LIFE WILL FIND A WAY.”
I’ve got a million of ’em.
DrumsInTheDeep - January 11, 2012
“I’m always on the lookout for the next ex-Mrs. Malcolm.”
SleepCrack - January 11, 2012 via mobile
I’m for this one, so far.
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
I know Pop loves him some Neil but he shouldn’t take min. away from Green. The way Green is playing he deserves to be the starting SG IMO.
spurlover - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Neal? As in Gary “Nail Gun” Neal?
Big50 - January 11, 2012
More Green tonight Pop.
spurlover - January 11, 2012 via mobile
hope for some synergy due to past playing time together b/t him and Leonard like Fab w Manu
i luv this site - January 11, 2012
Pop is gonna get drunk and start this guy tonight at SG
Manuwar - January 11, 2012
haha, while it is a bit sad, i’d really want to see it happen.
ironm8 - January 11, 2012
The Spurs annual rotisserie feeding has begun. What is the over/under? 3,4,5,?
indiancharlie - January 11, 2012
He will be a rotation player for years to come!!!!
Manuwar - January 11, 2012
ten day contract?
i luv this site - January 11, 2012
In previous seasons, it would be a while into the season prior to 10 day contracts taking effect, though it would be early January. Early January is much earlier in the short season. Have they begun already this year, or can a team sign and drop a player in a shorter period at this point?
Alamo - January 11, 2012
Good move…. Waving Ike. He looked so out of shape. Little potential, no clittle court iq, terrible in weakside D, rebounding was sad, shots were to hesitant, and i could go on. I like that were getting younger and our staff developing these fresh players on the fly so efficently.
Spurs Yoda - January 11, 2012
Don’t hold back, SY. Tell us how you really feel about him.
Wait, he didn’t deny you an autograph request,did he?
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
A friend corrected me on Twitter, calling them
the “San Antonio Aztecs”. Well, kinda.
If Malcolm and Kawhi get together and beast, I don’t care what he calls them.
eastbaysd - January 12, 2012
The SAztecs. Me likey.
J.R. Wilco - January 12, 2012
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