San Antonio Spurs: LaMarcus Aldridge Would Ease Transition

For some peculiar reason, the San Antonio Spurs hasn’t been much of a dream destination for many marquee NBA free agents. Despite the obvious winning culture, the Spurs have always found it hard to attract big name free agents.

Perhaps it is the “team-first” identity that is more attractive to role players than superstars, or the distinct lack of marketability that has always forced the Spurs to build their roster either through the draft, through reclamation projects or role players.

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Or, it is the unwavering trio of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili that has rendered the addition of another superstar unnecessary.

However, as the sun sets on what has been an incredible career for the Big Three, the Spurs must now find a way to rebuild their franchise without sacrificing their winning culture. So far, they’ve done so successfully. David Robinson was able to pass the baton on to a fresh-faced Tim Duncan, and coach Gregg Popovich redesigned his offense to better incorporate the fresher legs of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili once Duncan slowed down.

Now, while it seems as though the torch will be passed on to Kawhi Leonard, the addition of a superstar will almost guarantee that the transition after Duncan’s retirement will go on without a hitch.

That’s right, the San Antonio Spurs are leading the pack for LaMarcus Aldridge’s signature. For once in their franchise history, a marquee free agent has the Spurs as his top destination.

While it would take lots of convincing and salary cap gymnastics, it isn’t impossible for the Spurs to re-sign Duncan, Ginobili, and offer Leonard and Aldridge the max. It would require the Spurs to sign Aldridge first, followed by the rest of their players. It would also leave the Spurs above the luxury tax line, but it would only be for a year before the jump in the salary cap kicks in the year after.

Adding Aldridge to the roster would also make the Spurs favorites to win the Western Conference. The knock against the Spurs has always been the age of their roster, and their reliance on the aging trio, but the addition of an in-prime Aldridge would change everything. Aldridge would take a while to get used to the Spurs’ motion offense, but his midrange shooting and underrated passing will help him acclimate to the system.

The move would also help relieve the pressure on Leonard’s shoulders to carry the franchise. At only 23, there is still room for improvement in his game, and Aldridge would be a “win-now” player that is ready to contribute.

If Aldridge really does end up joining the Spurs, it would be an unprecedented move. It is rare to see the Spurs make such a big move – the last time they made such a move was four year ago, when they traded away their first round pick and George Hill to the Indiana Pacers for the 15th overall draft pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, which they used on Kawhi Leonard. Since then, they’ve added role players to their roster, but haven’t quite shaken things up dramatically.

The Spurs were able to skip the “rebuilding” phase that most (if not all) teams have to go through by drafting Tim Duncan. With Duncan’s impending retirement, the Spurs could once again skip that phase by signing LaMarcus Aldridge.

Next: LaMarcus Aldridge: Top 5 Free Agency Destinations

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