When talking about the expected end of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty, mostly we talk about the retirement of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. We talk about the future stars taking over, like Kawhi Leonard, and whether he can handle the pressure of being the man.
One guy who seems to get lost in the shuffle regarding the slow depreciation of the Spurs roster is Tony Parker. We remember just two years ago how Parker, almost by himself, brought the Spurs to the brink of another NBA Finals victory.
Remember this shot that helped seal a Spurs’ win in Game 1 of that series? How about how he almost, by himself, won that ill-fated Game 6?
Parker seemed like not just a star, but perhaps the go to guy for the Spurs. The leader of the team. Their heart and soul.
In the 2013 playoffs, Parker averaged more than 20 points and six assists per 36 minutes over the course of 21 high intensity games. He shot better than 46 percent from the field and better than 35 percent from the three point line.
Father Time Is Undefeated
Nevertheless, after back to back NBA Finals appearances, after 14 NBA seasons, after close to 1,000 career games, and after playing more than 31,000 career NBA minutes, Parker is showing signs of degrading skills.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/12/2015.
The last three years of Tony Parker’s career show the unmistakable sign of a player on the downward slope of his career. At age 32, it is impressive that Parker is still as effective as he is, but nonetheless we know it will not be too much longer before we see his jersey in the rafters next to Duncan’s.
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His shooting percentage has dropped. His rebounds have been cut in half, and his assist numbers have dipped again. Parker is no longer the unstoppable offensive force he was in years past. Age has robbed him of his quickness, and while he has supplemented that with better outside shooting, he no longer has the ability to penetrate the defense against the better defenders in the league.
At one time, Parker could not be guarded by anyone, no matter how a team tried to stop him. Father time, however, has found a way to slow down Parker, much to the disappointment of Spurs’ fans everywhere.
Looking strictly at plus/minus numbers, San Antonio is actually 3.2 points worse with Parker on the floor this year than when he is on the bench. He has never been a great defender, but his defense this year has well below average.
So What Do The Spurs Do?
Nothing. Parker might not be the MVP-caliber player like when he was at his peak, but he is still a good player. However, the writing is on the wall and San Antonio needs to make sure they have a transition plan in place.
Parker’s minutes are already down from last season, but perhaps Gregg Popovich should look to limit them even more. The Spurs need to make sure they have their next floor general on the roster and ready to take over when Parker can no longer play the quality of basketball expected from the Spurs organization.
Patrick Mills is already 26 years old, and he will be pushing 30 by the time Parker retires. Cory Joseph is young, but it does not look like he has the skills needed to be a starting point guard for a championship team.
Most likely, the Spurs will have to look to the draft or free agency to find Parker’s successor. And after the success Parker has had, and the quality of his play and the longevity of his career, it will be no easy task.
The time is not here quite yet, but the signs are clear. Parker cannot keep this up much longer. San Antonio better have someone ready to take his place when he finally does hang them up.
Next: Is the end near for the Spurs dynasty?
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