Your level of excitement for the 2016-17 Spurs and NBA?

[SpursforSix]

It's just like one of many past seasons. Spurs aren't favored to win but they are certainly in the mix. Excited just like every year. Excited to see if KL keeps improving. Excited to see if LMA fits in the scheme a little better. Excited to see what the new faces can do and if they have a promising future. Excited to see what Pau brings.

It's not like having to be a Mavs fan or anything.

[HankChinaski]

The only thing that dampers my enthusiasm is the bigger picture- The whole super team concept. Look at it- the Spurs have 3 players who where all stars last year. The MVP runner up. An excellent role player in DG- yet despite all this they are at best an outside shot to win it all...

I think this will even out as we get settled into the new money-but right now.....

The Durant and Golden State nuptials haven't sold me on them being a super team. Iggy is a year older, the bench loss key cogs that made them dangerous in at 48 min regulation game. They added some depth to the bench but they are very top heavy lineup and defensively I feel they dropped in overall defense. They were just one win away from going back to back. It was an epic choke job. If they come back this season like the Spurs did in 2014 then that's a different story. I don't see them in that mold of the 2014 Spurs though.

Spurs have a favorable opportunity to be NBA Champions. It just isn't a for sure thing. Neither is GS by all looks.

[daslicer]

I think the Spurs will have a season very similar to what the the '93-'94 bulls had after MJ retired the first time. That season for the bulls had a lot of highs and lows and they still managed to win 55 games.The bulls had new additions in Kukoc,Kerr,Longley but still had a bunch of holdovers from the three peat championship teams. Scottie Pippen elevated his game to MVP status during that season. I think Kawhi and LMA will play even better this upcoming season. I look forward to seeing how some of these young guys develop this year. It's going to be interesting to see how guys deal with the adversity of not having Duncan much like the bulls had to deal with not having MJ during the '93-'94 season. The odds are not in favor of the spurs winning a le this year but I think this year will be a bridge year for the future.

The Spurs will have this type of season

[tholdren]

How old are you? I'm 49, old enough to sometimes feel like everything used to be better than it is now but still young enough to know it isn't so. Just wondering how long I have before I start ing about "these kids nowadays".

About the same - It depends on your expectations of the game. If you continue to lower your standards so today's nba play and players are highly skilled and high character - more power to you.

[John Petrucci]

While I'm not sure if our record will be all that great or if we'll have much playoff success, I do think the team could give us a lot more athletic highlights than we've seen in a long time. Guess it depends on who Pop is giving decent minutes to. How many good dunkers do we have now? Kawhi, Simmons, Murray, Dedmon, looks like Bertans can get up too.

[Keepin' it real]

I understand what many of you are saying about being eager to see what the young Spurs players can do. And believe me, I join you in hoping Bertans quickly becomes Korver 2.0, that Archie becomes Scott Skiles 2.0, etc. Ironically, I've been anticipating this transition for awhile, but now that it's here, I'm like "Oh, crap."

Maybe it's because I'm going through my annual summer sports depression (no offense to those who are clinically depressed.) I'm all about NFL, NCAA football and the NBA. So every year, from the time the Spurs stop playing until the first regular season football game in late August/early September, I go into a big-time funk. This year, the funk is worse due to the points I mentioned in my original post.

[HankChinaski]

Pop is the big question mark for me. He seems like the kind of person to stick to his word and will finish out his career until Aldridge current contract ends. But coaching one team and with one player for so long 19 with Duncan twenty plus now this season with the Spurs. I don't blame the man for not being laser focus like 2014 these last two seasons. It's amazing to do the work he does day in and out with the Spurs after two decades. I only know a enough people I can count on one hand that show that level of commitment to something they do for a living at the same place doing the same thing over and over year in and out.

Look at other NBA coaches resumes very few have careers in one place and with the accomplishments that he has had so far. Jerry Sloan is the most recent one that comes to mind. He ran a team for the longest time I loathe the Spurs to go up against. F'ing Malone, Stockton, Hornacek, Bryon Russell, Ostertag, names and faces that come to mind when I think of that team. Countless playoffs yet the mailman could never deliver.

I don't know

What will motivate him now like 2014? Without Duncan there, is that a challenge enough for himself? Winning without Duncan.

What else does he feel he needs to prove. I don't feel like he does for himself. He definitely doesn't care for the opinions of the media, only his peers.

Mostly a rant now. But I like Pop as the head coach still. Yes he creates hair pulling moments much like a family member that continues to drive you crazy yet you still continue to root for them.

[xellos88330]

I am always excited for the Spurs. Plain and simple. Spurs or die es.

[poeticism707]

0 excitement post TD...

[JR3]

Nah, I'm just really cheap. the NBA for trying to force me to pay for audio league pass. It's a digital stream of a land phone leaned against a radio speaker.

I feel ya. I'm in Utah so I a gotta pay for the full one team league pass...I chalk it up to Utah cost of living.

[Obi Juan Kenobi]

It's not like having to be a Mavs fan or anything.

LOL you're right it could be worse...

[cutewizard]

Bertans, the Larry Bird of the Spursssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riga time! Yihaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaa!!!!

[cutewizard]

I like Murray, too, my gawd, in the SL

Gasol of Earth at center, Lamarcus of America and Kawhi of the Milky Way at forwards

Green Lantern and Murray at guards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh my god,

TRADE PARKER NOW!

[Old School 44]

Looking forward to it. Can't wait to see the young guns, Murray, Bertans and Forbes. Hopefully, they get time during the regular season to develop. Also, want to see how well Anderson and Simmons have progressed. They have put in a lot of work this off season. I really like the young assets the Spurs are developing, even if they don't stay with the Spurs long term, I'm sure the FO can find ways to use them in trade packages. I'm an old schooler too, as much as I'll miss TD, life moves on...and so will the Spurs. It would have been nice to see TD, Diaw, Gasol high-low action, but watching Gasol, Kawhi and Aldridge will be fun too.

Btw, I hope Westbrook stays in OKC, at least until their first game against the Warriors. That's one non-Spurs game I'd love to see. The great thing about the Warriors is if you think the Spurs were under the radar in previous years, next year is going to be even further under the radar. Waiting on ESPN to come up with some clever "Warriors Watch" page similar to the "Heat Index". Looking forward to them failing miserably.

[sexinthatsx]

I'm honestly more excited about the dynamics of the team and the personalities rather than the actual basketball games. I am really interested in seeing how Kawhi will act now that Duncan is gone (was he putting up a quiet front the whole time, or is he going to show his true side - befriending rappers and other celebrities), if Pau Gasol will mesh into the mix, and whether there is any player to pinpoint that has that extra ounce of motivation and clutchness.

I always thought Tim Duncan staying with the team has in a sense held the team back from progressing and moving forward to a day they would play without him, and I hated myself for thinking that. But since it has happened, I wouldn't mind seeing what these young players are made of.

[djohn14]

Of course KD to the Warriors hurts. Of course Timmy leaving puts a damper on my excitment...but I'm still excited.
I think Pau fits in great with this offense. I'm excited to see our team get an infusion of athleticism. I'm excited because we have Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. I'm excited because we may be one injury away from being the best team in the West for sure...possibly the league. Theres a lot of reasons to be excited and there are a few reasons to be upset, but the good easily out weighs the bad in my opinion.

[SpurPadre]

Of course KD to the Warriors hurts. Of course Timmy leaving puts a damper on my excitment...but I'm still excited.
I think Pau fits in great with this offense. I'm excited to see our team get an infusion of athleticism. I'm excited because we have Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. I'm excited because we may be one injury away from being the best team in the West for sure...possibly the league. Theres a lot of reasons to be excited and there are a few reasons to be upset, but the good easily out weighs the bad in my opinion.

I expected more infusion of athleticism based on what Pop and RC said after OKC took us out. Dedmon and drafting Murray isn't enough to fill that void, tbh.

[djohn14]

I expected more infusion of athleticism based on what Pop and RC said after OKC took us out. Dedmon and drafting Murray isn't enough to fill that void, tbh.

I agree, and I too expected more. But at the same time the team we really needed it for (OKC) dropped out of the le picture. Obviously Golden State scares the out of me, but I think KD going there may have slowed are transition. Instead of trying to do it all in one season maybe we spread it out over the course of two now. Either way, I'm just excited the transition is beginning. We are trying to find a happy balance between skill and athleticism and thats tough to do man.

[Fireball]

Low ... very low

[Texas_Ranger]

2/10

[Tully365]

Aldridge's stats improved every month last season, so I'm looking forward to seeing him start out comfortably this year as a top option.

Kawhi's the best young player in the league and has dramatically improved his shooting, ballhandling, and post skills over the years-- so it'll be exciting to watch him keep growing. Can he become a point forward? Can he average 4+ apg? That's the only category where he trails guys like Pippen, LeBron, etc.

36 yr old Pau won't be as good as 36 yr old Duncan, but he will be better than 41 yr old Duncan. He might be the best passing center in the league right now.

KA's numbers & efficiency improved dramatically between his rookie & sop re seasons. If this trend continues for one more year, he's a legitimate bench player.

So many new players to watch-- Dedmon's D & athleticism, Murray's aggressiveness, Arcidiocono's steadiness, Forbes's shooting... If two of these exceed expectation, the Spurs are in good shape without spending very much money.

[Thomas82]

The 2016-17 season will be interesting to say the least.

[TrainOfThought5]

Bertans, the Larry Bird of the Spursssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riga time! Yihaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaa!!!!

LOL yes, we definitely gotta combine the KA is Magic Johnson bandwagon with the Bertans is Larry Bird bandwagon!

[BillMc]

Bertans, the Larry Bird of the Spursssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Riga time! Yihaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaa!!!!

[BillMc]

I knocked over a plant.