NBA Week 12 Power Rankings: Questions for each team after the break
By Corey Rausch
Last Week: Lost to Dallas Mavericks 115-104, Beat Orlando Magic 104-77
This Week: 3/14 at Philadelphia 76ers, 3/15 at Detroit Pistons, 3/17 at Chicago Bulls, 3/19 at Cleveland Cavaliers, 3/20 at Milwaukee Bucks
Question: Is LaMarcus Aldridge the last veteran for the San Antonio Spurs to see himself out?
LaMarcus Aldridge once marked a rare free agency victory for the San Antonio Spurs. Now he has played his final game for the team and is awaiting being either traded or bought out (likely the latter) before moving on to a contender, in all likelihood. So, will he be the last Spurs veteran to find a way to another team over the next few weeks?
This is a complicated question. The Spurs are competitive and are on pace to make the playoffs with their young core as the focus of their roster. While DeMar DeRozan is their best player this season, Dejounte Murray, Keldon Johnson, Derrick White and Lonnie Walker IV are all averaging double figures in scoring.
This young nucleus is being groomed by the organization for Gregg Popovich to pass on to his eventual successor. Getting them some reps in the postseason together would be a nice push forward. However, Patty Mills, Rudy Gay and Trey Lyles do not have to be here for that. Any or all of them could (and perhaps should) find themselves elsewhere before long. The Spurs are so deep with youth that Luka Samanic and Devin Vassell are simply waiting in the wings to see their minutes expand.