When it comes to the trade deadline, the San Antonio Spurs aren’t typically a team that has a whole lot to worry about. Their big three has held up well enough over the years to make them the most stable franchise in the league. That could change this season, however, as the Spurs have reportedly been actively engaged in the trade market.
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com mentions this on Friday in his trade buzz column: “We’ve been predicting the Spurs’ last hurrah for years, but this time it might really be the end of the road,” he writes. “The Spurs have been unusually aggressive trying to upgrade their roster in the trade market, a signal to rival execs that Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford realize this might be the final shot at a title with the triumvirate of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Duncan, 37, has a $10.4 million player option for next season, and Parker’s future also has to be addressed; only $3.5 million of his $12.5 million for next season is guaranteed.”
What positions and players the Spurs are targeting is anyone’s guess at this point, but here are some stats that could shed some light on that. San Antonio is currently No. 3 in the NBA in offensive efficiency (107.9) and No. 5 in defensive efficiency (99.1). So there isn’t really a bigger need to address one side of the ball more than the other. According to 82games.com, though, the Spurs have a net PER of -0.2 at power forward, and with Tiago Splitter out it could make sense for the Spurs to go after someone who can help Tim Duncan and Boris Diaw in the frontcourt. The rebuilding Lakers have two affordable big men on expiring deals, Chris Kaman and Jordan Hill, that could emerge as possibilities.
