San Antonio Spurs: 5 big goals for 2018-19 NBA season
By Luke Swiatek
5. Settle the guard rotation
Even before Manu Ginobili retired, the Spurs had too many guards on the roster. With Patty Mills, Dejounte Murray, DeMar DeRozan, Marco Belinelli, Derrick White, Bryn Forbes and Lonnie Walker IV all listed as guards, that’s seven players for two positions.
It seems like the Spurs will play a lot of small-ball this year out of necessity. One of DeMar DeRozan or Marco Belinelli is a near lock to end up playing small forward full-time as a result of this logjam in the backcourt, at least as things currently stand.
Perhaps a trade could be made in order to attempt to balance the roster, though the most likely candidate to be moved (Patty Mills) has been with the team so long that it’s hard to imagine Pop wanting to part with him.
Of course, the Spurs don’t have to move anyone. They could just keep Walker in the G League, and use DeRozan and Beli at the 3 a lot. That clears up the issue effectively, but again, that’s only one option. Regardless of who Pop eventually decides to play and where, the rotation needs to be mostly settled heading into the season.