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Center Tibor Pleiss has rejoined the Utah Jazz after a stint in the D-League.
After seeing only spot action to start his NBA career, the 7-foot-3 rookie played seven games for the Idaho Stampede averaging 11.6 points and 8.4 rebounds.
"A lot of it for Tibor is just playing," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said Wednesday. "More than anything, the assessment is, 'Did he play?' And as he plays, regardless of whether he makes a shot, misses a shot, the speed of the game is going to help him adjust to a lot of things."
For Pleiss, who came to the Jazz last summer after playing in Barcelona, the move could have been a jarring one.
"It's always a mixed bag," the coach said. "Guys still, no matter how much you understand it intellectually and know that it can help you, there's still a thought that you've failed somehow and that's why you're going there. That's not the case at all. You look at the numbers of how many guys spend time in the D-League now, it's an inordinate amount compared to what it was a couple years ago. To me, there's no quote-unquote shame in going there. It's a lot of positives."
But the German was "positive about the opportunity."
"I think it was the right decision to make," Pleiss said Wednesday in the Jazz locker room. " … For me it was great. That's two weeks where I played 35 minutes per game. I'm a basketball player. I love to be on the court."
With the Stampede now under the Jazz's ownership and direction, it was also a chance for Pleiss to play in a similar system as the one he'll need to master to make an impact in Utah.
"The focus is really on the defense that you play," he said. "It's defense coming first. And they had some plays that were similar to our plays here. It was easier for me to feel comfortable."
Snyder, who once coached the Spurs' D-League affiliate in Austin, Texas, has seen the benefits of the the league firsthand.
"Obviously having coached there, I've seen guys really benefit from it," he said. "Some more than others. But as long as you embrace it, I think it can be a really good thing. Sometimes, guys, it makes them hungrier."
Jedi hoopers
With the newest "Star Wars" film set to hit theaters this weekend, Pleiss is one of millions of people excited to see the latest installment of a series that held a special place in his childhood.
"We never had really TV at home until I was 12 years old," said Pleiss, who grew up in Germany. "But I went to a friend and he showed me all the 'Star Wars' movies. For me, it was something really special. Before I'd never seen a Hollywood movie."
As for Pleiss' teammates? Well, the Force is not so strong with most of them.
"That ain't my thing," shooting guard Alec Burks said, laughing.
Said forward Derrick Favors, "I don't know [if I'm going to see it]. I got kids, so I don't know if I'm going to have time. 'Star Wars' is like a three-hour movie."
Maybe Pleiss can discuss the finer points of the film with Gordon Hayward.
"I don't know if we have 'a Star Wars geek', but I'm definitely going tomorrow to see it," Hayward said. "I've got my tickets."
Injury report
Forward Joe Ingles missed Wednesday's game against the Pelicans after undergoing oral surgery the day before. There's no exact timetable for his return and Ingles is listed as day-to-day. He is averaging 3.3 points in 12 minutes per game in his second season in Utah.
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