Uriel
08-14-2015, 12:24 PM
NBA Offseason Report: Spurs ready to take back the throne?
By Ananth Pandian | NBA writer
August 14, 2015 11:35 am ET
CBSSports.com's Eye On Basketball continues to take a team-by-team look at the 2015 NBA offseason. Up next: the San Antonio Spurs (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/SA/san-antonio-spurs).
After losing in the first round of the playoffs last season -- a year removed from winning the NBA championship -- the San Antonio Spurs decided to do something drastic for once. Instead of relying on the aging trio of Tim Duncan (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/6552/tim-duncan), Tony Parker (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/240304/tony-parker) and Manu Ginobili (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/139066/manu-ginobili), San Antonio made a major splash in free agency by adding LaMarcus Aldridge (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113136/lamarcus-aldridge). The Spurs also made sure to keep their young talent around by locking up both Kawhi Leonard (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1715792/kawhi-leonard) and Danny Green (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685212/danny-green). The addition of Aldridge gives them a post-Duncan plan and also sets themselves up for another championship run.
Key Additions
LaMarcus Aldridge (free agent), David West (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/400580/david-west) (free agent), Ray McCallum (trade with Kings), Jimmer Fredette (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1332605/jimmer-fredette) (free agent), Jonathan Simmons (free agent), Boban Marjanovic (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2179123/boban-marjanovic)(international free agent)
Key Losses
Aron Baynes (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2039947/aron-baynes) (Pistons), Marco Belinelli (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231856/marco-belinelli) (Kings), Cory Joseph (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1780847/cory-joseph) (Raptors), Tiago Splitter (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231898/tiago-splitter) (traded to Atlanta)
***
What can we expect from Aldridge? There should be no doubt that LaMarcus Aldridge is going to to be great with the Spurs. Just don't expect it to happen right from the opening tip as there are bound to be some bumps in the road.
In Portland, Aldridge's lethal mid-range jumper and ability to score in the post made the four-time All-Star the Blazers' No. 1 option on offense. In San Antonio, however, the Spurs' offense is designed for quick-ball movement and creating space on the floor as they don't rely on just one player to score. This may take Aldridge some time to get to used to, but he is a smart player and should be able to adjust his game.
Aldridge won't have to do all of the adjusting by himself though. Gregg Popovich and the rest of the Spurs' coaching staff will figure out how Aldridge can best succeed in their system. Also, let's not forget that Aldridge will be playing with and learning from Duncan, who should be able to teach the newest Spur how things get done in San Antonio. The Spurs will definitely count on Aldridge to carry a load offensively. Yet it may take him some time before everything perfectly falls into place.
This might be the best starting five in basketball, but what about the depth? With Popovich's preference for managing minutes and resting his star players, the Spurs have relied heavily on their bench for the last several years. However, signing Aldridge, maxing out Leonard and re-signing Green ate up San Antonio's cap space, forcing the Spurs to lose Aron Baynes, Marco Belinelli and Cory Joseph in free agency. All three players held a special role on the team. Still, San Antonio may have improved its bench.
Seeking a championship ring, David West opted out of his contract with the Indiana Pacers to take the veteran's minimum with the Spurs. To replace Joseph, the Spurs traded for Ray McCallum, who should be an excellent third point guard. After an impressive Las Vegas Summer League performance that ended with winning the MVP in the championship game, Jonathan Simmons signed a two-year contract with San Antonio. Simmons may not be the three-point shooter that Belinelli is. However, he's a fearless scorer and a hard-nosed defender that should excel in a reserve role for the Spurs. Boban Marjanovic may not play a lot, but the reserve center's size makes him an interesting asset.
So basically the Spurs added West, McCallum, Simmons and Marjanovic to an already loaded bench featuring Ginobili, Boris Diaw (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/400542/boris-diaw), Patty Mills (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685263/patty-mills), Matt Bonner (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/400536/matt-bonner) and Summer League MVP Kyle Anderson (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2135515/kyle-anderson). If Jimmer Fredette is able to stick around then that will add yet another 3-point shooter to their bench.
The Spurs are thin at the center spot, but should be able to get around this for stretches by playing Diaw and West together whenever either Aldridge or Duncan are on the bench. That is basically San Antonio's only true flaw on its bench, which isn't really that big of a disadvantage considering Diaw's ability to play both the center and power forward position.
Should the Spurs be considered the favorites to come out of the vaunted West? The simple answer is yes. The addition of Aldridge gives San Antonio one of the best starting fives in the entire league. Duncan may be old, but he was an All-Star last season and seems to still have plenty of game left in his 39-year-old tank. Tony Parker may have regressed a bit last season. However, he is motivated by the fact that this season could be the last time the Spurs win a championship in the Big 3 era. Leonard is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and has improved every year. Green is a lockdown defender and an excellent 3-point shooter.
San Antonio also has a very talented bench which includes players filled with potential like Simmons and Anderson along with solid veterans like Diaw and West. A deep bench, the wisdom of Popovich and a phenomenal starting unit should make the Spurs favorites in the West.
However, the Spurs will face some heavy competition in the West as the Warriors should still be great, the Clippers have improved and the Rockets will be in the mix again. But on paper, the Spurs have everything going for them before the season starts.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25269048/nba-offseason-report-spurs-ready-to-take-back-the-throne
By Ananth Pandian | NBA writer
August 14, 2015 11:35 am ET
CBSSports.com's Eye On Basketball continues to take a team-by-team look at the 2015 NBA offseason. Up next: the San Antonio Spurs (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/SA/san-antonio-spurs).
After losing in the first round of the playoffs last season -- a year removed from winning the NBA championship -- the San Antonio Spurs decided to do something drastic for once. Instead of relying on the aging trio of Tim Duncan (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/6552/tim-duncan), Tony Parker (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/240304/tony-parker) and Manu Ginobili (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/139066/manu-ginobili), San Antonio made a major splash in free agency by adding LaMarcus Aldridge (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113136/lamarcus-aldridge). The Spurs also made sure to keep their young talent around by locking up both Kawhi Leonard (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1715792/kawhi-leonard) and Danny Green (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685212/danny-green). The addition of Aldridge gives them a post-Duncan plan and also sets themselves up for another championship run.
Key Additions
LaMarcus Aldridge (free agent), David West (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/400580/david-west) (free agent), Ray McCallum (trade with Kings), Jimmer Fredette (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1332605/jimmer-fredette) (free agent), Jonathan Simmons (free agent), Boban Marjanovic (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2179123/boban-marjanovic)(international free agent)
Key Losses
Aron Baynes (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2039947/aron-baynes) (Pistons), Marco Belinelli (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231856/marco-belinelli) (Kings), Cory Joseph (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1780847/cory-joseph) (Raptors), Tiago Splitter (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231898/tiago-splitter) (traded to Atlanta)
***
What can we expect from Aldridge? There should be no doubt that LaMarcus Aldridge is going to to be great with the Spurs. Just don't expect it to happen right from the opening tip as there are bound to be some bumps in the road.
In Portland, Aldridge's lethal mid-range jumper and ability to score in the post made the four-time All-Star the Blazers' No. 1 option on offense. In San Antonio, however, the Spurs' offense is designed for quick-ball movement and creating space on the floor as they don't rely on just one player to score. This may take Aldridge some time to get to used to, but he is a smart player and should be able to adjust his game.
Aldridge won't have to do all of the adjusting by himself though. Gregg Popovich and the rest of the Spurs' coaching staff will figure out how Aldridge can best succeed in their system. Also, let's not forget that Aldridge will be playing with and learning from Duncan, who should be able to teach the newest Spur how things get done in San Antonio. The Spurs will definitely count on Aldridge to carry a load offensively. Yet it may take him some time before everything perfectly falls into place.
This might be the best starting five in basketball, but what about the depth? With Popovich's preference for managing minutes and resting his star players, the Spurs have relied heavily on their bench for the last several years. However, signing Aldridge, maxing out Leonard and re-signing Green ate up San Antonio's cap space, forcing the Spurs to lose Aron Baynes, Marco Belinelli and Cory Joseph in free agency. All three players held a special role on the team. Still, San Antonio may have improved its bench.
Seeking a championship ring, David West opted out of his contract with the Indiana Pacers to take the veteran's minimum with the Spurs. To replace Joseph, the Spurs traded for Ray McCallum, who should be an excellent third point guard. After an impressive Las Vegas Summer League performance that ended with winning the MVP in the championship game, Jonathan Simmons signed a two-year contract with San Antonio. Simmons may not be the three-point shooter that Belinelli is. However, he's a fearless scorer and a hard-nosed defender that should excel in a reserve role for the Spurs. Boban Marjanovic may not play a lot, but the reserve center's size makes him an interesting asset.
So basically the Spurs added West, McCallum, Simmons and Marjanovic to an already loaded bench featuring Ginobili, Boris Diaw (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/400542/boris-diaw), Patty Mills (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685263/patty-mills), Matt Bonner (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/400536/matt-bonner) and Summer League MVP Kyle Anderson (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2135515/kyle-anderson). If Jimmer Fredette is able to stick around then that will add yet another 3-point shooter to their bench.
The Spurs are thin at the center spot, but should be able to get around this for stretches by playing Diaw and West together whenever either Aldridge or Duncan are on the bench. That is basically San Antonio's only true flaw on its bench, which isn't really that big of a disadvantage considering Diaw's ability to play both the center and power forward position.
Should the Spurs be considered the favorites to come out of the vaunted West? The simple answer is yes. The addition of Aldridge gives San Antonio one of the best starting fives in the entire league. Duncan may be old, but he was an All-Star last season and seems to still have plenty of game left in his 39-year-old tank. Tony Parker may have regressed a bit last season. However, he is motivated by the fact that this season could be the last time the Spurs win a championship in the Big 3 era. Leonard is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and has improved every year. Green is a lockdown defender and an excellent 3-point shooter.
San Antonio also has a very talented bench which includes players filled with potential like Simmons and Anderson along with solid veterans like Diaw and West. A deep bench, the wisdom of Popovich and a phenomenal starting unit should make the Spurs favorites in the West.
However, the Spurs will face some heavy competition in the West as the Warriors should still be great, the Clippers have improved and the Rockets will be in the mix again. But on paper, the Spurs have everything going for them before the season starts.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25269048/nba-offseason-report-spurs-ready-to-take-back-the-throne