The San Antonio Spurs haven't necessarily always attracted the biggest names through free agency, but over the course of their illustrious history they've signed plenty of free agents who have had a major impact on their franchise. From players who contributed significantly to the six championships they won within 15 years to those who have had a major impact on the widely renowned San Antonio culture, these are the eight best Spurs free agency signings in franchise history.

8. Michael Finley (2005)

For a time, Michael Finley looked like having a very unfortunate career. After nine seasons as one of the Mavericks best players, he signed with the Spurs – who had knocked him out of the playoffs multiple times – in 2005, and lo and behold his former side went on to win the championship the next season. Fortunately, the next season he finally got that long-awaited ring, and though he didn't enjoy nearly the level of production he had in Dallas while playing alongside the likes of Duncan, Parker and Ginobli, he played a valuable role largely as an outside shooter during his four-and-a-bit seasons in San Antonio.

7. Malik Rose (1997)

Malik Rose signed with the Spurs after one season with the Hornets, and though he was never second, third or even fourth fiddle on this team, he was a consistently solid member of their era of dominance and contributed to two of their championships in that time. Rose only once averaged double-figure points in his seven seasons in San Antonio and his rebound numbers hovered around 4-6, but his per-36 numbers were solid and given he was surrounded by superstars, he played the role that he needed to play on this team for many years.

6. Patty Mills (2011)

When Australian Patty Mills signed with the Spurs in 2011, few could have predicted the kind of impact he would have on the franchise. He'd played less than two seasons in the NBA – for the Blazers – and didn't exactly set the world on fire, averaging around 12 minutes in his first full year in the league. He continued to play a limited role upon joining the Spurs, but his shooting prowess was clear with more than 40% of his threes dropping in both his first two seasons, and his productivity jumped up in his third as the Spurs went on to win the championship. In all, Mills played ten seasons with San Antonio – he wasn't a dominant force by any means but he was a consistently dangerous offensive presence and, perhaps more importantly, was often recognized for his contribution to the team's culture, something for which he has been renowned both at the NBA and international level for his Australian Boomers.

5. Danny Green (2010)

Speaking of sharpshooters who signed with the Spurs in the early parts of last decade, Danny Green's signature was secured after just 23 games in two seasons with the Cavaliers. Over the next seven-and-a-half seasons he would go on to become a key player for the Spurs, with his knockdown three shooting combined with his elite defense making him a perfect complement to the more established stars on this team. Aside from winning the championship in 2014, Green's trophy cabinet also includes an NBA All-Defensive Second Team appearance, which he was rewarded with after the 2016-17 season.

4. Robert Horry (2003)

There are guys in sport who success just seems to follow. Robert Horry was one of them. Despite never setting the world on fire from a statistical perspective, he played in an incredible seven championships in his 16 seasons in the league, the last two of which came with the Spurs. He signed with San Antonio in 2003 after an extended stint with the dominant Lakers team of the late '90s and early '00s, and quickly proved his worth to the Spurs faithful. Horry's ability to knock down big shots earned him the moniker Big Shot Bob, and 21 points in the final 17 minutes of Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals against the Pistons, including a game-winner, was a prime example of that. He might never have been the go-to man, or even close to it, but every championship team needs guys like Robert Horry, and he played his role to perfection.

3. Avery Johnson (1994)

Avery Johnson had already had two stints in San Antonio when he signed with the team in 1994, but this was far and away the most productive. Johnson was a terrific floor general for the Spurs, maxing out at 9.6 assists per game in the 1995-96 season to go with 13.5 points, and though his numbers dropped off a little thereafter, he still consistently averaged close to seven dimes per game throughout the course of these seven seasons with San Antonio. What's more, he's also remembered for making one of the most important shots in the history of the franchise, draining a jumper to give them a one-point lead in Game 5 of the 1999 NBA Finals against the Knicks – a lead they didn't relinquish and which saw them win their first ever championship. His pivotal role in the team's ascent saw Johnson's jersey retired by San Antonio in 2007.

2. LaMarcus Aldridge (2015)

As far as pure talent goes, LaMarcus Aldridge is the greatest free agency signing the Spurs have ever made. A perennial All-Star with the Blazers, the dexterous big man signed with San Antonio for his tenth season in the league, and though he was 30 years of age by that point he proved that he still had plenty to give. He would go on to be a 3x All-Star and 2x All-NBA player with the Spurs, averaging close to a 20-point triple-double in each of his five full seasons with the team. Unfortunately, a couple of 60+ win teams which he played in were unable to get the job done in the postseason, with the 2015-16 and 2016-17 incarnations of the Spurs knocked out in the Conference Semis and Conference Finals respectively despite winning 61 and 67 games during the regular season. He was nonetheless a brilliant player for the Spurs and one of their best free agency signings, and if it weren't for that relative lack of the success he may well have jumped up a spot on this list. But for all of Aldridge's exploits, it's very difficult to go past the man who is sitting at number one.

1. Bruce Bowen (2001)

Bruce Bowen is proof that stats aren't everything. The quintessential 3-and-d guy before everyone in the league wanted them, he signed with the Spurs in 2001 after five seasons in the NBA, and would go on to play a pivotal role in the three championships the team won during the remaining eight seasons of his career. Never did he average more than 8.2 points, four rebounds or 1.5 assists, but Bowen was a strong shooter – knocking down 39.3% of his three-point attempts over the course of his career, and leading the league with a whopping 44.1% in the 2002-03 season – and most importantly, a brilliant defender. He started in an incredible 500 consecutive games during the Spurs era of dominance, and was voted to the NBA All-Defensive in the first seven of his eight seasons with the team – as well as the last season before he joined them. Bowen was an absolute staple of one of the most successful teams in the league's history, and unsurprisingly his number 12 jersey is hanging high alongside some of the game's greatest ever players in the Spurs' AT&T Center. There are certainly a couple of more talented free agents that the Spurs have signed over their illustrious history, but Bowen contributed more to the franchise than any other and is unequivocally the best free agency signing that the Spurs have ever made.