Sixth le: LaTim lands his successorThey were sitting around last week, at the first meeting in Los Angeles, and the Spurs were telling LaMarcus Aldridge about the young guys on their roster. This went on for a while until Tim Duncan interrupted.
“Hey,” he said, “I’m still here.”
Everyone laughed, including Aldridge. But maybe no statement meant more.
The Spurs did everything right. They carved out cap space with a precise strategy built on risk-reward, all while maintaining a championship-level roster. They targeted Aldridge early. And then they sold him their vision, closing with Gregg Popovich at his best, which is with a wine list nearby.
But the Spurs wouldn’t have landed LaMarcus without LaTim.
Give Aldridge this and more: He accepted the challenge of following one of the greatest players in league history. This won’t be easy.
The Warriors, the defending champs, will make sure of that. So will the Thunder, overlooked but still scary if healthy. And when the Spurs stutter early next season, trying to find their way even with the best starting lineup in franchise history, Aldridge will feel the pressure that comes with expectations.
Aldridge is well aware of what he has signed up for. He asked pointed basketball questions Wednesday, and followed up with phone calls to learn more. That’s a reason he and Popovich met again.
Aldridge likely realized something else. The same Popovich who was so charming in a posh Beverly Hills restaurant is the same Popovich who will someday scream as if the veins in his forehead are about to explode.
Aldridge should also be prepared for this on some January night: He will be called soft.
But Aldridge also knows he fits, and this is where the Spurs got lucky. The free agent they coveted happened to be a low-key, native Texan.
He would have made any team better, but this team plays to his talents and his temperament. He can win now, with most of the roster that held the trophy just 12 months ago, and he can win later.
Back to the talk about the young guys — Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green offer the possibility of lasting success.
That is why Saturday’s news felt as if the Spurs had won a sixth le. They hit the reset button. With only one losing season since 1989, the Spurs reached a remarkable and unparalleled position for a franchise that has been successful for so long. The downturn still remains so far in the future that there is no timeline for it.
But this doesn’t happen if Duncan, once a free agent himself, had chosen Orlando in 2000. This doesn’t happen if Duncan had refused to change his role years later, or opted for the couch instead of taekwondo, or wasn’t as effective at age 39.
This also doesn’t happen now, this month, if Duncan wanted his rightful salary.
Duncan instead remained who he has been. Not coincidentally, that’s the kind of person Aldridge said he grew up idolizing.
Popovich reportedly sold as much to Aldridge during their Saturday meal. From ESPN’s Marc Stein in a tweet that same day:
“Sources say pitch LaMarcus Aldridge got from Pop today about playing with Duncan AND taking over when Timmy’s gone resonated strongly.”
There are several layers to this, and one is basketball. Duncan makes everyone better, and he will make Aldridge better next season, too.
Duncan’s influence on Aldridge will also be felt in the locker room. Duncan can be quiet, and Aldridge took that further in Portland. Reports suggest he could be distant and insecure.
Duncan, always a nurturing leader, can fix that. His nature has always set a tone among teammates. He expects a certain professional behavior, and he gets it. Aldridge should be drawn to this.
And then there’s the byplay within the Spurs that Aldridge has observed from the other bench for nine years. Popovich coaches Duncan as he does everyone.
This is Aldridge’s new Rip City: When Popovich rips into Duncan, Aldridge will understand he’s not immune.
If Aldridge simply remains what he’s been, the Spurs should still celebrate. They can win a le with the Aldridge who played in Portland.
But if LaMarcus is to eventually become LaTim, someday centering this franchise as Duncan has, remember who is responsible.
He’s the same one who was responsible for the previous 18 years, and he’s still here.
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:34 pm Post subject: OFFICIAL ROY HIBBERT THREAD....WELCOME!!
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