JULY 27: Mamukelashvili’s new contract is official, the Spurs announced in a press release.
JULY 1: The Spurs are re-signing forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Georgian big man will be receiving a one-year, $2MM contract. That means he’ll be receiving the veteran’s minimum.
After spending four college seasons at Seton Hall, Mamukelashvili was selected 54th overall in the 2021 draft. He spent the majority of his first two NBA seasons on a two-way contract with the Bucks, but his playing time was very limited at the NBA level — he averaged 3.2 PPG and 2.1 RPG on .439/.345/.750 shooting in 65 games (9.6 MPG) from 2021-23.
Milwaukee waived the 24-year-old in March, and he was claimed by the Spurs, who converted his two-way deal into a rest-of-season standard contract.
As Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes, Mamukelashvili impressed the Spurs down the stretch by averaging 10.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 2.4 APG on .453/.343/.692 shooting in 19 games (seven starts, 23.3 MPG). Head coach Gregg Popovich seemed particularly fond of the former second-round pick, Orborn adds.
“He is athletic, he’s got size, he’s European, which makes me love him right off that bat because I think those guys are unbelievably well-coached and overall understand the game better than most of us here,” Popovich said. “He moves without the ball, he shoots it pretty well, he can pass, he’s got good speed. I like everything about him.”
The Spurs employee in charge of spelling out player’s last names on the back of their jerseys reportedly reacted to the news of the resigning of Sandro Mamukelashvili by saying,
“OH *EXPLETIVE* !!”
I’m personally a big fan of this guy as well. Smallball 5. Was surprised Milwaukee got rid of him
I’m surprised the Spurs got rid of Luka S
The jersey guys already had to stitch Antetokounmpo twice, the jersey stitching union made sure there was a letter cap in their last CBA.
Sandro Baby you’ve done me proud. Congrats
Cuts of Payne, Osman, and Berch coming.
The San Antonio Spurs employee who puts the names of players on the back of jerseys is PISSED OFF !!
Now cut Osman, Bullock and Payne