Penn Charter's Kurz hopes to impress in Sixers audition

Yesterday's effort in the Orlando Summer League wasn't quite as prolific. Kurz scored one point and grabbed three rebounds in a little less than 13 minutes in the Sixers/Nets' 83-68 loss to the Celtics' entry.

Yesterday wasn't going to keep Kurz in the NBA, but that April night in Salt Lake City might.

"Rob is a 'big' who can shoot the ball. I think there's always a premium on that," Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski said. "We're looking to fill out the roster from a depth standpoint, so he'd be a guy who'd fight for one of those positions. Bigs who can make shots have a spot in this league."

Kurz, a 6-9 forward who starred at Penn Charter, is auditioning this week and next at summer leagues here and Las Vegas. Here, he is playing on the Sixers/Nets combined unit. In Vegas next week, he will be with the Timberwolves.

Kurz scored two points in more than 18 minutes in the first game Monday. Like most of the players, Kurz seemed out of sorts - expected, because the teams are composed of rookies and second-year players largely unfamiliar with one another, and the Sixers/Nets unit is running a hybrid offense.

Then again, given his role with Golden State last season, it's been a long time since Kurz was comfortable.

"It's part of the NBA experience. You've got to step up when your name's called. I went from playing, to not playing, to being thrown back into the fire," Kurz said. "The NBA's all about matchups. It's definitely hard. As a young player, when your confidence is going, you feel a lot better about your game and yourself."

Signed as a rookie free agent out of Notre Dame last season, Kurz played in 40 games, but hit double-digits in minutes only 17 times. He shot 39.5 percent from three-point range . . . but took only 38 threes.

The Warriors cut him loose, but could have a job there again, he said. In the meantime, he's auditioning.

"They know what I can do. It's a good opportunity for me to get seen by other teams," Kurz said. "I want to find the best situation possible, where I can crack the rotation. I'm open to playing anywhere that seems like a good situation."

Could that be the Sixers? Probably not, as far as rotation-cracking goes. The Sixers traded burly forward Reggie Evans for Raptors gunner Jason Kapono to complement their less-gifted shooters at that position.

If nothing better surfaces, staying home would be wonderful.

"It would be a dream come true, both for me and my family" said Kurz, who is living at home this summer. "There's nothing I'd rather do. I could help, with Elton Brand, and their slashers, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams."

Stefanski said there might be a spot deep on the bench for a player who can produce on call as Kurz did last season.

There was the night in Utah, when he hit eight of 14 shots, four of seven treys. It was the only Warriors win in their last five games of the season.

To that point, his rookie season mainly was remarkable for ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy mocking his shot-blocking ability. Kurz actually had more blocked shots (19) than three-pointers (15).

Kurz wasn't signed to block shots; he was signed to shoot on call. But with the Warriors, consistent playing time was hard to come by.

There was a 4-for-4 night against visiting Houston on Dec. 12, a 10-point effort that introduced the league to him. It was Kurz' seventh game in the Warriors' first 20.

The next night, Kurz got his first of what would be five starts against a shorthanded Nuggets squad. He scored 20 points in 33 minutes, going 3-for-3 from three-point range. He got another start 6 days later in Atlanta . . . and went 0-for-4.

Mess with your head?

"Yeah," he acknowledged.

Not particularly explosive, not particularly strong, Kurz, comfortable at 230 pounds, appreciates what Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki does. Kurz has come to better appreciate Magic All-Star Rashard Lewis. But Kurz realizes he more likely is the next Matt Bonner, who, in his fifth NBA season, worked his way into the Spurs' starting lineup.

The Warriors see that sort of potential.

"Basically, they told me they like what I can do - spread the floor, really shoot the ball, screen, rebound. They told me those things are my ticket," Kurz said. "Hitting open shots, spacing the floor, being able to defend and being a matchup problem on the other end."

That's what he did in the final three games of his rookie season.

There is more, he said, than he showed in California. He hopes to display how much more in Florida and Nevada.

"It's just validating the things I did at the end of the season - making open shots, proving I can rebound. Showing other aspects of my game that I didn't get to show in Golden State, in terms of some of my other offensive abilities," Kurz said. "It's important to be seen."

It's just as important that he was seen last season.

"He had some real good outings for Golden State," Stefanski said. "There's no reason to think there's not a team out there for him that he can't do the same thing for."

Six shots

 

 

Sixers second-year forward Marreese Speights followed his 11-for-26, 28-point effort Monday with a 3-for-12, eight-point outing last night. He blocked five shots . . . Calmer and more controlled, first-round rookie Jrue Holiday had just two turnovers last night. He had five on Monday . . . Temple product Dionte Christmas played more than 22 minutes and scored seven points, though his missed five of his first six shots. He leads the team in bench minutes (38) . . . Nets first-rounder Terrence Williams is 4-for-19. Last year's first-rounder, Chris Douglas-Roberts, has 47 points on 14-for-26 shooting and is 19-for-24 from the line. *