The San Antonio Spurs organization has been around for 48 years, but the last 18 years have been quite remarkable for them. After going 20-62, the Spurs won the NBA’s Draft Lottery in 1997 which allowed them to draft power forward Tim Duncan. And since then the Spurs have become the model of consistency in professional sports. The Spurs have made the postseason in each of the last 18 NBA seasons and they’ve gone on to claim five NBA Titles over that stretch with the lockout shortened NBA season in 1999 being the only time that the Spurs have failed to win 50 regular season games over that stretch. And when the Spurs reach the playoffs, their opponents respect and fear them as they’ve proven that playoff seeding means absolutely nothing to them. Some people keep attempting to write off the Spurs as being an aging veteran club, but like any successful business, they continue to reinvent themselves and adjust to life in the NBA.
Tim Duncan, LaMarcus Aldridge
The Spurs haven’t been known for dipping their hand into free agency in order to obtain a highly touted player. But that changed this summer when they signed power forward LaMarcus Aldridge to a four-year deal worth $80 million. In nine seasons with the Portland Trailblazers, Aldridge averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds as he was a four-time NBA All-Star. Aldridge will be 30-years old next week and at this point of his NBA career, he is solely focused on winning a title which led him to joining the Spurs.
Duncan is 39-years old and the Spurs recognize that he won’t be playing basketball much longer and Aldridge is someone that he can pass the torch to; just as Duncan was passed the torch in San Antonio by David Robinson.
The expectations for the Spurs will be high in the upcoming NBA season, but they are one team that doesn’t get fazed by that. Aldridge has always been able to put up solid numbers in the NBA, but he is now joining a team where individual stats do not matter as the only stat that the Spurs are concerned about is the final score. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich doesn’t have a problem chewing out his star players which is something that Aldridge is going to have to get accustomed to in a hurry in order to be a solid contributor in San Antonio.
Aside from Aldridge, the Spurs signed veteran power forward David West who was willing to play for the veteran minimum of $1.4 because he is seeking to be a part of an NBA Champion. In 12 NBA seasons with the New Orleans Hornets and Indiana Pacers, West has averaged 15.5 points and 7.2 while also being a two-time NBA All-Star. But at this point, West doesn’t have a problem coming off of the bench as a role player if it means that he can get his hands on the Larry O’Brien Trophy and be called an NBA Champion.
The Spurs also re-signed shooting guard Manu Ginobili, small forward Kawhi Leonard, and shooting guard Danny Green as along with Duncan and point guard Tony Parker, their core is still intact as they’ve reloaded for another title run.
In December and January, not that many people are paying attention to the Spurs as they are finding their way on another long NBA journey. But as a result of Popovich resting his veterans throughout the NBA season, the Spurs always seem to get their sea legs in March and April just in time for the Playoffs. And before you know it, another deep playoff run is in the cards in the San Antonio. Duncan and Popovich will be looking for their sixth NBA Championship together while Aldridge has joined the Spurs express with his first title in sight which should make for an exciting 2015-2016 NBA season in San Antonio.
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