The deal that sent San Antonio spurs forward Kawhi Leonard to Toronto for DeMar DeRozan shocked the basketball world. The Spurs were losing confidence in their ability to keep the two-time Defensive Player of the year and 2014 NBA Finals MVP.
At some point along the line, there was a disconnect between Leonard and the Spurs organization. The Spurs definitely got the better end of the deal. They got rid of Kawhi, who almost certainly would have left for Los Angeles next season, and brought in another All-Star that they could persuade to buy into the team's mission long term.
The Spurs changed drastically over the course of the last few seasons. Both Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have retired. Tony Parker has been shipped off to the Charlotte Hornets. This trio was the guiding force behind the Spurs dynasty for 14 years. They have combined for four NBA since joining forces in 2002.
Their latest came in 2014, when they beat a star studded Miami Heat team led by LeBron James. The Spurs had a great run, but the past is the past. It's time to move forward and decide who should lead the new era of Spurs basketball.
Lamarcus Aldridge carried the Spurs for a majority of last year. The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 23.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2 assists for the 2017-18 season. Aldridge is a threat to score on the low past, from midrange and will occasionally venture beyond the arc to rattle home a 3-pointer.
However, he was not enough to lift his team above the elite scorers of the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs this year. His aging team struggled to keep up with their blazing pace and long range shooting. But then again, not many teams in the NBA can. Rumors about Aldridge wanting to leave surfaced after the 2016-17 season, but they have since been silenced by the three-year $72 million extension he signed last year, locking him in to be a Spur Until 2021. Needless to say, Aldridge needed help.
The addition of DeRozan will do wonders for the Spurs, who struggled without the talents of an elite wing player. He averaged 23 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Raptors last season. DeRozan will provide the kind of speed and athleticism the team has been lacking.
Even though he only shot 31 percent from 3-point range last year, he can score at all three levels. Being 6-foot-7, having an amazing vertical jump and impressive mobility gives him tremendous defensive potential. He has been developing chemistry by playing with Rudy Gay and a host of other Spurs players all summer.
Dejounte Murray is the favorite to assume the starting point guard position this year. DeRozan, Gay, Aldridge and Pau Gasol will probably round out the starting lineup. Lonnie Walker was drafted No. 18 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and should give the Spurs quality minutes as a shooting guard. The 6-foot-5 guard has long arms and the physicality to defend up to three positions. There is plenty of talent on this team, but one question still remains. Who will be the head honcho of this next generation of Spurs?
Projections from NBA experts predict that the Spurs will not make the playoffs this year. LeBron James' move to the Los Angeles Lakers makes them a playoff contender while young teams like the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets are on the rise. Someone will have to step up for the Spurs to avoid falling from grace.
Contrary to popular belief, it won't be Aldridge or DeRozan that will make or break the team's playoff success this year. The man that has the future of the team in his hands won't even wear a Spurs jersey or lace up basketball shoes this year. The alpha male of this team is legendary head coach Greg Popovich.
All basketball fans know that Pop has earned his place on the Mount Rushmore of NBA coaches. He has been crafting the Spurs system since he became the head coach in 1996. He has led the team to five NBA Championships and accrued the fifth highest win total of any coach in NBA history with a mark of 1,197.
He will probably reach as high as the third spot before the 2018-19 season is up. Pop's basketball know-how and leadership make all the cogs of the Spurs machine mesh. The new talent at his disposal will give him plenty to experiment with this season.
Pop transformed the Spurs from the post oriented scoring days of Duncan and David Robinson, to a fluid pick-and-roll offense that flourished in the glory days of Parker. Utilizing double, triple and quadruple screens will work even better when the Spurs have more than one consistent scoring option. DeRozan and Aldridge will both benefit from this when they maximize their open looks from midrange.
In a league that prioritizes securing All-Stars, Pop was able to beat three All-Stars with only one on his team. Even though Parker was an All-Star that year, let's face it, the 16.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists he averaged didn't turn many heads. The key is getting players to buy in and be unselfish to promote efficiency. Pop makes sure his players pass up good shots for great shots. It's one of the most fundamental aspects of Spurs basketball.
As long as Pop is the help of the ship in San Antonio, they can be optimistic for the future. The Spurs have accomplished the unexpected with less talent than what's on their current roster. With two All-Star caliber players in Aldridge and DeRozan, a few budding young stars and the leadership of a seasoned veteran like Gasol, you shouldn't count the Spurs out just yet.
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