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5 Roster Moves The San Antonio Spurs Need To Make

By Matthew Hallett

Apr 30, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs players (from left to right) Kawhi Leonard, and Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili (20) watch on the bench against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs players (from left to right) Kawhi Leonard, and Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili (20) watch on the bench against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanovic (40) reacts after scoring against the Houston Rockets during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanovic (40) reacts after scoring against the Houston Rockets during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Sign A New Center

Tim Duncan had another good year for the team. He played 61 games, averaging a career low 8.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He stepped aside from being the man to allow Leonard and Aldridge to assume the title of being the future of the team.

While these numbers are down, Duncan played this way to help the team.

However, in the Oklahoma City Thunder playoff series it looked like he hit a wall for the first time in his career. In the six games his numbers were 22.9 minutes, 6.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game.

Thunder head coach Billy Donovan  was able to exploit the Aldridge/Duncan frontcourt by using Steven Adams and Enes Kanter in tandem. Kanter was not even his usual liability on defense.

If Duncan opts in for the final year of his contract it will have to be with a reduced role. If he opts out, then the basketball product will be poorer as a result.

Not only was Duncan arguably the best power forward of all time but he was also the biggest gentleman that the game has seen for a very long time, if ever.

If he does retire, then I, for one, will be saddened by this.

Matt Bonner is 36, about the usual age that a center starts to struggle to keep up in the NBA. Unless of course you name is Tim Duncan. After 36 he moved from power forward to small-ball center and was still a force.

In 30 games last season, Bonner averaged 7.0 minutes, 2.5 points and 0.9 rebounds per night. He is not a starting center and quite possibly due to his age will not play next year.

Boban Marjanovic was a rookie last season. At 27 he was a mature rookie and despite being a gifted athlete, I am not sure that he is ready to start, in addition to taking the lion’s share of the minutes at center and certainly not for a full 82 games plus the playoffs.

With Tiago Splitter and Aron Baynes leaving at the end of last season, the center cupboard is a bit bare and San Antonio will be looking.

Mind you, this is San Antonio that we are talking about, so they have a chance to pull off another shock free agent signing. Andre Drummond is a restricted free agent….

Next: Ginobili To Opt In

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