Gregg Popovich will be coaching Team USA at the next Olympics. The team he regularly coaches had quite an eventful summer.
Topping that list was the retirement of the Spurs’ longtime franchise player Tim Duncan. The franchise began its succession plan to replace Duncan last season when coveted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge chose to chase championships with a perennial contender. Aldridge will have another veteran big man who knows all about winning titles alongside him next season, as 36-year-old Pau Gasol also selected the Spurs via the free agent route.
San Antonio, which lost David West to the rival Warriors, didn’t stop there in its frontcourt makeover. It signed Dewayne Dedmon and another graybeard by NBA standards, 33-year-old David Lee.
The Spurs imported a couple of their draft-and-stash prospects, combo forwards Livio Jean-Charles and Davis Bertans, on low-cost deals with two-year guarantees. They also did well in the draft, nabbing guard Dejounte Murray, a player who was projected to go much higher than the 29th pick.
The newcomers join current franchise player Kawhi Leonard, along with the backcourt trio of Tony Parker, Danny Green and Manu Ginobili, as well as promising rotation pieces Jonathon Simmons and Kyle Anderson.
Clearly, the Spurs have a roster built to go deep in the playoffs, especially if some of those younger players blossom. They probably won’t have to worry about getting knocked out by the Thunder again in next year’s postseason. But the team that was easily second-best in the league during the regular season last year must once again contend with a star-laden Warriors roster fortified by the addition of superstar Kevin Durant.
This leads to our question of the day: Do the Spurs have enough firepower on their current roster to overcome the heavily-favored Warriors next season?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Yes
No
Alridge and gasol could certainly destroy green and whatever center the Warriors throw out there in the post but they won’t be able to stop the raining threes.
Of course not. The Warriors will steamroll them. A 36 year-old Gasol is not as good as a 40-year old Dunan, who could also not get it done. All the other core guys (Parker and Ginobli) are older, and Aldridge is B+.
Is this a serious question? Hell no. Green generally has a good defensive game vs Aldridge and Pau, Lee, Parker, and Manu are ancient. Unless one of the euros end up being legit no chance.
They can destroy the paint with Aldridge and gasol. Draymond green is too small, and the starting center next to him is zaza. Lol. And kawhi and green are great defensive wings, but that leave one of the splash brothers(durant, curry, Thompson). The Warriors also got lucky with all the veterans signing for nothing so their depth is even better then the Spurs even. The Warriors have the edge, but I give the Spurs a chance.