NBA News: San Antonio Spurs Team Roster for the 2016-17 Season
The Spurs Will Suit Up Without Tim Duncan Next Season
Next season, the San Antonio Spurs will be doing something they have not done in 19 seasons: enter the year without Tim Duncan on the team. While it is still hard to think that Duncan has officially retired, the Spurs are still a good team without him.
The Spurs have long built their culture of no-nonsense team basketball over the 19 years Duncan played, and the current players on the roster have embraced this culture, and it is highly doubtful that that will change for a long time.
With that being said, San Antonio still has a roster full of homegrown talent as well as some key free agent signings, the team that went 67-15 last season looks to go deeper into the playoffs.
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Tony Parker (Point Guard)
Parker will be returning once again to start at point guard for the Spurs. The 15-year veteran brings experience and toughness to the team. While he can be considered to be the last of San Antonio's big three, Parker does not seem to be showing any signs of slowing down, averaging about 27 minutes per game.
Danny Green (Shooting Guard)
Danny Green is not the flashiest of shooting guards in any way. What Green is is a good overall player. His three-point shooting is one of the best in the league, and most importantly, he does not get injured easily.
While he does share time with Manu Ginobili, Green will be the starter at the beginning of the season. Green has been averaging about 26 minutes per game with seven points and four rebounds.
Kawhi Leonard (Small Forward)
Kawhi Leonard is easily considered to be one of the Spurs' best homegrown talents on the current roster. Last season, Leonard was the Spurs' best scorer, averaging 21 points per game. It seems like it is nothing but up for Leonard as he was also voted to his first All-Star appearance last season.
Without Duncan below the basket, the Spurs will rely heavily on Leonard to score more points in the upcoming season.
Pau Gasol (Power Forward)
The biggest pick-up for the Spurs this offseason is Pau Gasol who will have the daunting task to replace Tim Duncan at the power forward position. Gasol is a solid and experienced player as he has had success with championship teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers back in the late 2000s.
Gasol brings toughness below the basket as his rebounding skills are still sharp, and his 16 points per game average last season helped a depleted Chicago team win 42 games.
LaMarcus Aldridge (Center)
LaMarcus Aldridge was the Spurs' big free agent signing last year and was brought on the team to help Duncan below the basket. While he did not put up exactly the amount of points he did during his time in Portland, much less is expected from Aldridge in San Antonio.
The success of the Spurs will likely fall on how Gasol and Aldridge will work together as Gasol is known for his passing skills and scoring.
