The San Antonio Spurs might be the best team for Jimmer Fredette to try and save his NBA career, signing the former BYU star in what is probably the last chance for him to make it in this league.
Fredette, the 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft didn’t complete three seasons with the Sacramento Kings who traded for him with the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that drafted him. He was moved to the Chicago Bulls during the third season and after they didn’t pick up the option they had on him, he was signed by the Pelicans, who didn’t really fight for him.
In Sacramento his numbers weren’t that awful considering his minutes, not in the first two seasons at least (7.4 points in 16.2 minutes while shooting 38.4% from beyond the arc). But trying to get rid of him in the 2013 summer was the first sign of things to come.
Fredette played just 10.6 minutes a night before getting traded to the Bulls, and then things went south for him in New Orleans as well, playing in just 50 games, averaging 10.2 minutes per game and scoring 3.6 points a night. The Pelicans didn’t really fight for him in free agency.
The Spurs might be perfect for Fredette because of their style. They might be the best in the NBA in making the most of players who can hit open 3’s, and Fredette has made 38.1% of his 3-point attempts since entering the league, although last season did go awfully for him, hitting just 18.8% of his shots from there.
Not a point guard, not a shooting guard, his only value to the Spurs will be if he bounces back and becomes an efficient shooter in the minutes they give him. If it doesn’t work, it’s probably his last stop in the NBA.