[fliptonnParticipant]

Deservingly, there is a lot of buzz around the Spurs right now (for the record I called them winning the championship in the beginning of the season, not that they have won it yet). But I don’t think their potential ends at the end of the season, in fact I think they could be even better next season.

Parker and Ginobili are studs in their prime, thats not going to change next year.

Guys like Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, Danny Green, and especially Kawhi Leonard are getting better fast. With experience under their belt they fit the system perfectly. 

Free Agency: It’s fair to assume the Spurs will go after a back up PG which is really the only thing they are missing this year, Patty Mills might even be able to fill the position with some work in the offseason. But the team will essentially be the same next year with one major difference. Tim Duncan leaves behind a 21.3 million dollar contract this season giving him over 200 million dollars just in career salaries. So I think it’s safe to say that one of the most selfless "all about the team" guys in the will take a significant pay cut if it will help make yet another run at a Championship. 

So a lot has been said about Duncan and Roy Hibbert’s relationship. Sort of a mentor status. It may be far fetched but just based on numbers, if Duncan can work out a "modest" 10 million dollar contract, that will leave room for Hibbert to potentially sign a max contract of 4 years 55 million.

Could you guys imagine that team? Popovich could find a way to fit Hibbert into their offense easily with his court vision and range. Defensively that back line would be a straight up wall. They could go small and put either guy at C. They would dominate offensive boards. And Hibbert would improve drastically working with Duncan, Pop, Parker, and Ginobili every day.

Again, a lot of things would have to go right, but it’s something interesting to think about. Either way, the Spurs aren’t going away any time soon.

Thoughts?

[HitsterParticipant]

I’d figure that the Pacers would match any offers that Hibbert got and the Spurs already have $48 million in committed salaries for next season before they consider resigning Tim Duncan, so I cannot see how they can make a run on Hibbert.

I like a $10 million one year deal for Duncan or maybe a 2 year deal with year two a player option s I’m sure Tim would walk away if his high levels began to slip. A one year deal would fit in with Manu and Jackson both expiring next summer.

I could well see them looking to resign Diaw and maybe adding one of the high quality veteran FA’s on a one year deal.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

The Spurs will, as always, make some under the radar scrapheap signings that will pay huge dividends.  I fully expect them to be celebrating a title when they do so this year.

[Sewok15Participant]

The Thunder have the firepower to keep up with SA so I wouldn’t be giving them the title yet.

As for getting Hibbert I really don’t see that happening. SA isn’t known for spending big money in FA so I don’t look for them to make any big splashes but as always they will get the right kind of role players to keep the dynasty churning along a few more seasons.

[Neville15Participant]

 Is it just me or has he become the forgotten man in San Antonio? It wasn’t too long ago he was starting at the 5 and sharing the Rookie Game MVP with Tyreke Evans. Where do you see him fitting into the Spurs plans down the road?

[HitsterParticipant]

I raised the Blair issue on another forum posting and the consensus is that Coach Poppovich likes experience come play off time, last year Diceman took over as a starter alongside Tim Duncan on the run in and this year Diaw has done the same.

Also it was pointed out that as a backcourt player, Diaw gives the team a lot of passing options that Blair doesn’t. I don’t think it’s anything against Blair just that come play off time Coach Poppovich and a lot of coaches tend to stick to their more experienced guys and with both Bonner and Splitter having been pros a lot longer than Blair also, he’s found himself down the bench.

With the Spurs sweeping both series so far, also they have not needed to use their full roster, if the Thunder series goes the distance or two say 6 games then I can see Blair getting minutes arcoss the series.

[joecheck88Participant]

 Ginobili is past his prime. No way they get Hibbert. Indy will match any offers for him. 

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