San Antonio Spurs: What Will Keep The Spurs From Winning The 2014 NBA Title (Part 2)

Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

Last week I covered why the San Antonio Spurs lost the 2013 NBA title, at least past unlucky rebounds and lucky shots.  What kept them from NBA glory is their lack of a true superstar past Tony Parker.  While Parker is great, and at times arguably the best point guard in the league, because of his size, position, injuries and fatigue, he has been largely neutralized in the last two postseasons.

The Spurs may be the deepest team in the league, but in the playoffs when the offense stalls and Tony is double-teamed, the Spurs do not have a player that can consistently create offense on his own.  The Spurs do not have the assets to obtain a top-10 talent unless they are trading Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard, which is not happening.  The Spurs have never been a top free-agent destination either.  The biggest free-agent signing (not free-agent retention) of the Tim Duncan era is probably Michael Finley and Mark Cuban paid him to play for the Spurs.  So the only realistic option for the Spurs to obtain a superstar player is to draft and develop one.  Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are proof that the Spurs have been successful with this strategy before.  Now the big question is …  can the Spurs pull this trick off one more time before Duncan rides off into the NBA sunset?

If you watched any of the 2013 NBA Finals, you would know that Kawhi Leonard is heir apparent to Duncan’s throne.  Leonard was the Spurs most consistent and best all-around player during the NBA Finals.  But, is he capable of carrying the Spurs offensively next season or ever for that matter?  This is an issue that has been addressed throughout the Spurs intelligentsia.  The opinion is mixed.  Kawhi was labeled as an athletic, defense-first player with an impressive motor coming out of college, but not known for his offensive game.  During his first season with the Spurs, the Spurs shot-coach guru, Chip Engelland, transformed Leonard into a reliable 3-point shooter.  However, besides spotting up for 3s, running the floor and the occasional backdoor cut, Leonard had a limited offensive game.  Leonard continued to expand his offensive arsenal last season, showing a reliable post-up game (especially against smaller forwards) and some potential at being able to score off the dribble.  He also began to develop a mid-range game, however an inconsistent one.

Watching Leonard last season, you could see flashes of a Scottie Pippen type ability to score off the dribble or pull-up jumper.  However, the question is, can Kawhi be an elite level scorer with the defense focused on him at the end of games?  Unfortunately, there was nothing in his game last season that gives much hope that he can develop into that type of player so soon.  The potential is there, but Kawhi appears to need time.  While Kawhi will be better offensively next season, the most Spurs fans can expect from Kawhi is a borderline All-Star talent.

While Miami and Oklahoma City have developed a formula to contain Tony Parker and beat the Spurs, very few teams have the capability of pulling this formula off.  National pundits, just as they do every year, put out drivel like this and write off the Spurs when they were five seconds away from dispatching the Heat in six games.  The Spurs should be favored out West and should be a match for any team in the East.  But their system can only take them so far.  Once a team can neutralize Tony Parker, do the Spurs have a player that can step into the spotlight and lead the team to glory?  Unless Kawhi ages three seasons in one, it appears that the Spurs may continue to come up just short.

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