LOS ANGELES — Spurs general manager R.C. Buford’s itinerary for All-Star Weekend includes chatting with peers, a stop at Friday’s NBA technology summit, and, of course, singing the praises of LaMarcus Aldridge.
“He has played fantastic,” Buford said of the Spurs’ lone selection for Sunday’s All-Star Game.
But as busy as he will be in Los Angeles, Buford’s thoughts will never stray too far from the Spurs and their ever-present injury woes.
“The All-Star break came at a good time for us,” he said.
The Spurs don’t play again until Feb. 23, when they resume their six-game rodeo road trip back in Denver, where they lost 117-109 to the Nuggets on Tuesday without Aldridge (knee), Rudy Gay (heel), and, of course, two-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard, who has played in just nine games this season while struggling to escape his quadriceps quagmire.
If all goes well for him Sunday, Aldridge should be ready to go in Denver after missing the last two games for some routine maintenance work on his chronically sore right knee. But Buford said there is still “no firm timeline” for the return of Leonard and Gay, who has missed the last 23 games.
“Kawhi will be available when he’s ready,” Buford said.
Buford said Gay has been “working toward” a return after the All-Star break, but he indicated the 12th-year forward is still awaiting the green light from the team’s medical staff.
“The doctors will dictate return to play,” Buford said of Gay, who was averaging 11.5 points before an MRI revealed he is suffering from retrocalcaneal bursitis in his right heel.
But even if they get Leonard and Gay back, will the remaining 23 games be enough time for the Spurs to round into shape for a deep playoff run?
“I’m not a fortune teller, so I don’t know,” Buford said. “There is not a lot of time to practice. Our schedule is challenging.”
The sagging Spurs are 35-24 after losing five of their last six games, including the last three in a row, and they face the league’s toughest closing schedule. Eighteen of their final 23 games are against teams better than .500, a grueling gauntlet that places their NBA-record streak of 18 straight 50-win seasons in jeopardy.
Some fans have criticized the Spurs for standing pat at the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline, but Buford defended the decision not to break up the core group that advanced to the Western Conference Finals last season.
“I don’t know that we have ever been aggressive in midseason restructuring of the team,” Buford said. “And, again, we’ve had our (full) team together for (only one game) all season long. So to make a bunch of changes, that’s just not who we are.”
But no matter the schedule or the state of their roster, the Spurs will continue to fight, Buford said.
“Our guys have competed,” he said.
And that’s especially true of Aldridge, who is averaging 22.4 points, 8.4 rebounds 2.0 assists, 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field.
“His presence with our team and the impact he has had among the group has been really fun to watch happen,” Buford said. “We are proud for him, because I know being recognized in this group of players carries a significant meaning in the league, and he deserves that.”
It's all they can do. Even though Gay isn't behind schedule, him not coming back would be the bigger blow. At this point, I think most folks are fatalistic about Leonard's injury. But Gay was playing for almost half the season, and his absence feels more like something temporary as a result.
just rest them, don't rush them back and risk another injury.
Lamarcus definitely was deserving this season.
....
RC doesn't sound hopeful or anything. Notice he mentioned Rudy has already been working out getting ready for a return to play, he's just waiting medical clearance.
Kiwi remains a mystery.
I try not reading into the tea leaves too much, but everything they have said about Kawhi lately leads me to believe they aren't confident in a return. It's "when he’s ready, he’ll be ready" all over again....saying something that means nothing because you had to say something.
yeah, it also even seems as if the spurs FO sees that they aren't going anywhere, or even appear to be at risk of missing the playoffs, that they may just all agree to shut him down for the season. if that happens, i'm not sure i would have ever seen a player miss an entire season, for the most part, without having suffered a catastrophic injury or a surgical procedure.
If all goes well for him Sunday, Aldridge should be ready to go in Denver after missing the last two games for some routine maintenance work on his chronically sore right knee. But Buford said.
_________
I'm glad to see Aldridge and the Spurs have prioritized playing in the All Star game over regular season games where the games actually mean something.
I'm pretty sure this interview was staged because he wasn't asked about the dreadful offseason where he handed out a bunch of candy ass contracts and destroyed the cap space for the next three years. He also wasn't asked to clarify his statements about his relationship with Kawhi being challenging.
Basically, a pointless interview that explains nothing but tries veryv hard to make a worthless GM look somewhat competent.
lol because he never said that
So why arent they talking? Pretty dumb to play this game. Kind of sad to see spurs resort to this
Spurs have been very candid with injury reports. Some very late scratches to team sheets. Not being open with anything other than Tony Parker's progression and return.
Hoops with the truth nukes as per usual
If I were the Spurs, and if or when a Kawhi trade happens, I'd shop LA this summer as well while his value is at an all time high.
Trading Kawhi would mean rebuilding anyway.
Well, there is a tank-car full of worms you just opened.
If LeBron stays, Aldridge for Love and the Brooklyn pick, assuming that's between 7-11
I'd love something better, but don't know what kind of demand there'd be
They need to rest Kawhi so he's healthy when he bolts to LA this summer, tbh...
Fake news, while the interview actually happened RC was drunk mumbling and pooping like an idiot, after he passed out Spurs management figured out this crappy article.
Hopefully RC means ‘healed’ when he says “ready.” Kawhi has an obligation to give it everything if he’s healthy.
Cavaliers more than likely wouldn't trade Love for Aldridge straight up (3 years younger, superior floor spacer for James and rebounder for undersized team), let alone with Nets pick attached.
Lol no
Cavaliers more than likely wouldn't trade Love for Aldridge straight up (3 years younger, superior floor spacer for James and rebounder for undersized team), let alone with Nets pick attached.
Oh, this got me so heated.
Just because you have never been agressive making changes midseason before it doesn't mean that it is OK to stand pat just because.
Your job is to analize the situation and see if changes are needed. And when you have your two backup PGs making 25 millions combined and your coach is forced to play them both off the bench just to keep everybody happy, it is obvious that the roster is flawed and needs some changes. Not making those changes just because "that's what we do" is negligent.
Drunkford is a yes man. Until Pop tells him that he doesn't need to rely on TP, Mills, etc, and needs a change in personnel, you're not going to see any changes.
RC didn't say anything. The Spurs are great at not saying anything.
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