<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">With backup point guard Nick Van Exel intent on retiring after a disappointing season and an even more disappointing playoff performance, one of the Spurs' primary off-season priorities will be to find a reliable backup for All-Star point guard Tony Parker. The search may take them no farther than their own locker room. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who doubles as the club's senior executive vice-president for basketball operations, said Beno Udrih, who ceded the backup job to Van Exel after a shaky performance in the 2005 NBA Finals, will have a chance to re-establish himself in the position next season. However, Popovich stopped far short of saying the backup job was Udrih's to lose. "We've got to make a decision in that situation," Popovich said. "Are we going to give the ball to Beno and say, 'Go ahead, young man. It's yours?' or are we going to look around? What are we going to do?" Udrih played in only seven of the Spurs' 13 playoff games, a total of only 47 minutes. During the regular season he played in only 54 games, averaging 5.2 points and 1.7 assists. He played in 80 games in his 2004-05 rookie season, averaging 5.9 points and 2.0 assists. "For right now I can say that Beno is a very talented young man," Popovich said. "His rookie year he played very well for us, for a rookie. Very well. This year we just made the decision to go with Nick's maturity and experience. That was tough for Beno, so I think he deserves an opportunity to come in and see what he can do." Popovich said some of Udrih's problems on the court stem more from his concern about the coach's lack of confidence in him than in doubt in his own abilities. "Tony Parker and I had to work through that situation," Popovich said, "and now Tony is a pretty confident, accomplished young man. That same sort of thing would have to happen for Beno, too ? to know that I want him on the court and playing for us." </div> Source
