San Antonio Spurs: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Landing Lauvergne

The Spurs are a team in need of youth and frontcourt depth, and though Joffrey Lauvergne hasn’t quite panned out since being ousted from a crowded Denver Nuggets frontcourt, this could be a decent fill-in for David Lee.

Pau Gasol ultimately re-signed, but he’s getting older. LaMarcus Aldridge was on the trade block a few weeks ago, while Lee and Dewayne Dedmon both opted out to capitalize on better deals on the open market. Signing a 25-year-old who averaged 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in just 17.6 minutes per game only a season ago is a decent way to go about bolstering the bench.

Lauvergne is a finesse big who hasn’t gotten his opportunity to shine, leaving a crowded Nuggets frontcourt to join packed frontcourts with the Oklahoma City Thunder and then the Chicago Bulls. He could be a nice fit in San Antonio, especially for a two-year, $3.2 million deal.

Again, this does little to nudge the Spurs into that elite tier where the Warriors reside, but it’s a low-cost move to add a little youth and upside to an aging roster.

Grade: B-