The Spurs Will Be Back Next Season

[dbreiden83080]

Right. Allen may retire and no way they can retain guys like Birdman. Going to be on the scrapheap yet again trying to win one more for Lebron before The Decision 2.

Pacers will be ready to take them out next year and don't count out the Bulls with Rose healthy.. The East will be really good next year..

[ElNono]

I'm really unsure of what I want from Manu but I am leaning toward retirement. I don't trust Pop not to lean on him too hard if he comes back. I'm not sure though.

I want him back, but this is a legitimate fear, tbh... kinda like Finley...

[dbreiden83080]

for Lebron before The Decision 2.

Lebron is going to flee back to Cleveland.. He will try and repair that relationship and win them a few rings once he realizes Wade is all done..

[lowdown]

Make no mistake about it, getting to the NBA Finals is an incredible grind. After all, it took the Spurs six long years to get back. It's not that easy and some teams never get there. We can't assume that the Spurs are earmarked for a return trip next year because they got there this year.

Having Kawhi and Danny are superb building blocks. They are emerging players at their positions and Kawhi is quite possibly a star on rise. As good as this tandem is, the Spurs need more of that. The Spurs one or two more contributing role players, who can begin to integrate themselves and possibly emerge into the team's next set of stars. If they can make the right moves in the offseason, they can continue stocking the cupboard with via the draft and low-cost free agent signings.

As for Manu, I do believe it's time for him to ride off into the sunset. His body has already started breaking down on him, and his skills are in significant decline. His turnovers have become more frequent and it's killing this team. He continues trying to make the great play or great pass, when a good play or good pass would suffice. Despite all that his compe ive fire burns bright. He only knows one way to play and unfortunately he's not going to change is style. I just think it's time for the Spurs to move on from him, but I know Pop will not. I expect him back wreaking havoc on the Spurs turnover rate.

Splitter is a huge enigma. I believe the wants to be back and I believe the Spurs want him back. He's never going to be an aggressive difference-maker in the paint. Isn't it curious that Kawhi is by far a better rebounder, at this stage, than Splitter is. That tell you all you need to know about Splitter. He'll be a good utility player, but not one to help offset the Duncan difference.

Speaking of bigs, Tim is stilll a very effective big - the best on the team and still one of the best in the NBA. Can we really expect him to continue motoring through another 2 seasons, at this pace and productivity level. He desparately needs some help. Time to move on from Bonner and Blair. Diaw is effective, but seriously flawed. Time to give Baynes a shot. It's also time for the Spurs to draft a young, athletic big. A youngster, who can block shots, rebound, defend the post and can score around the basket. The kid, whoever it is, could very well be a year or two away from playing - but with some good old Spurs seasoning, he could be ready in a year or so. However, it's important that the Spurs get this young, unknown big into the pipeline now - even if it means moving up in the draft to get one. Besides, he'll always have Duncan as a mentor, role model and on-court tutor.

As for backup PG, I'm comfortable with Joseph. I just think Pop and staff need to entrust him to run the offense totally, instead of deferring to Manu to do so. Manu's presence with the second unit is stunting his development. And he all know that Manu no longer needs to be the secondary ball-handler.

Internal growth worked last offseason, but the Spurs need to focus on continuous roster ugrades to fill necessary holes. After all, two of their Big Three are getting older and declining. Meanwhile, the rest of the conference is always getting better, which means the Spurs must strive to get better too.

[Arcadian]

Yeah, of course. The Spurs just came within one rebound/free throw of winning a championship, which is more than anyone on earth gave them a chance of doing. They already proved everyone wrong just by coming that close. That was all settled 2 days ago. The rest was just the details.

The new Big 3 is Duncan/Leonard/Parker. With that core, we should be favorites to repeat as WC champs for sure. Things haven't looked this good for the Spurs in a while. It's weird saying that in 2013, but it's true.

[lowdown]

This

[TD 21]

I'm not ready to rule out a semi-bounce back season from Ginobili. Too often now, people write off players of or above this caliber prematurely. It was done with Duncan and Garnett and to a lesser extent, Bryant (not to the national media or casual fan, but the hardcore fans knew he had been in decline for a while, only to at least somewhat rebound this season). Granted, with Duncan and Garnett, it was more health related, but still. Wade, Nowitzki, Gasol and to a lesser extent Nash, all deserve the benefit of the doubt as well.

That being said, either way, obviously they need a reliable backup PG. I could see Joseph potentially becoming that in the regular season and maybe even early in the playoffs, depending on match-ups. But can you honestly imagine him having to initiate the offense and make plays on this stage a year from now? I can't. Even if the Heat don't make it back next season (and they probably won't), it'll be an elite defense in their place either way, whether it's the Pacers or Bulls.

[DDS4]

, I thought the Spurs were done when they got swept in 2010 by the Suns. I'm never counting out the Spurs until TD retires.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

They will be back.

[Budkin]

I'll always believe.

[L.I.T]

You don't tear apart a team that was 5 seconds from a championship. You do give it two more shots.

That said, the bench needs size at the guard and wing positions. I'm not what you do with Splitter. He's still valuable, but he's proven beyond a shadow of a doubt two seasons in a row that he cannot hack it under pressure.

[MannyIsGod]

One thing is for sure. We can no longer refer to Manu as part of the big 3. Thats Kawhi's spot.

[spurs10]

Thank you timvp and Kori.

[K-State Spur]

Resign Manu at discount. Resign Splitter at reasonable rate (~8M). Let Neal & Blair walk. I'd be interested in Re as FA if his price is semi-reasonable. Team probably needs to get creative to add a shotblocker to front line rotation.

It was our own health where the luck primarily resided - injuries throughout the year but (mostly) full strength for playoffs (although I'd like to have seen full strength Parker down the stretch of Finals). Even with Kobe, Lakers barely made the playoffs and I think Spurs get past OKC even with Westbrook - they wouldn't have beaten our guys last year without Harden.

However, if the health gods are with us next year, no reason that this is the end.

[BatManu20]

I think we can compete again, but not make it back to the Finals unless we add another valuable piece. You can't rely on Timmy and Manu like that anymore. They should be great role players, (Timmy a litte moire obv) but not guys you have to try and ride for 42+ minutes in crucial games. I don't see any FA's that are going to come in and help. There's only a couple elite ones, and they won't be coming to SA. Plus Miami's going to just as good, if not better again next year. Spurs will be one year older, which means a little bit worse imo.

[baseline bum]

Man I must have counted about 5 billion hookers on New Braunfels Ave driving back from AT&T Center tonight. I mean there's always some out, but damn, guess they knew there would be 18,000 disappointed people driving down that street and needing some comfort after the game.

[Darius McCrary]

Man I must have counted about 5 billion hookers on New Braunfels Ave driving back from AT&T Center tonight. I mean there's always some out, but damn, guess they knew there would be 18,000 disappointed people driving down that street and needing some comfort after the game.

Did any of them have big blonde asian ties? They're my fave.

[baseline bum]

Did any of them have big blonde asian ties? They're my fave.

I don't know; I blew all my cash on the $9 beers tbh.

[Chinook]

I know most people hate him on this site, but I think that Ray Lewis' speech after the Ravens lost the 2012 AFC Championship Game was about the best post-defeat locker room speeches I have ever heard. I think it applies to this team as much as it applied to Baltimore.



Oh, and just ignore the religious reference if you're one of those people who's really turned off by that. That's really not the point of the speech.

[209Goodfella]

I just want a rebounding beast. Everything else will fall into place.

[SA210]

Only problem is Pop stands in the way

[Rapper]

Our spurs is the best team in NBA I believe we can come back to the finals next season, trust me!!!!

[Johnny RIngo]

One thing is for sure. We can no longer refer to Manu as part of the big 3. Thats Kawhi's spot.

We can't rely on Parker to be the leader either.

[crc21209]

They'll come back. They always come back, I never doubt that. I'm still too damn depressed to get past this though.

[kobyz]

What worry me about if the spurs will come back next season is the damage that this heartbraking loss of the le could cause them mentally and effect their atmosphere and will to make another run. I think the way we loss is the worst and most painfull way that could happened, it leaves to big and deep of a scar to continue with, I think the spurs because of it on their way to years of melancholy.