There's definitely a place for Tate in the NBA and that place is coming off the bench for the Spurs, playing "The Right Way" for Pop. Can't see his role on a winning team though.
Oh yeah I think he has a place in the league. He's not a scrub. He brings energy every night which stands out for young teams. I think that's what his role will be. A vet guy for young teams. He goes out, plays hard, etc etc. Yall remember the story of him being a try hard in practice against Harden? So yeah, he has that place in the league. Average defender at best, has a pinch playmaking ability, plays with courage all the time. This team has grown past his use though. I'd rather see him traded for whatever and give all of his minutes to Cam. Yeah Cam is worse defensively and has tunnel vision but he's 19 and I'd rather watch him grow because right now Cam is only getting minutes because dillon and tari are out and he might not sniff the floor again until they move off Tate.
Pop is a thing of the past I am afraid, he can still win some games but I think his time might be gradually over.
After a hot first 7 games of the season, Tate has shot 25.7% from three. He is 28 years old, he is who he is. His court vision sucks, he's not tall enough for most of his defensive assignments. His hustle and intensity is nice and all, but once Dillon & Tari return it's completely redundant on this roster. Soon as Dillon comes back I want to see us trade Tate for a backup big.