With the summer winding down and the start of the NBA 2017-2018 regular season fast approaching, we find the Spurs in something of an interesting holding pattern. Fairly or unfairly so, LaMarcus Aldridge in a Spurs uniform has been considered a general disappointment, especially after his general disappearance in the playoffs following the season ending ankle injury to Kawhi Leonard. As summer progressed it became rumored that Aldridge and the Spurs were unhappy with one another, even going as far as having the Spurs reportedly offering Aldridge for a 1st round draft pick. Since the draft, nothing really league shaking has happened. The Spurs made two savvy draft picks with the 29th and 59th picks in the 2017 NBA Draft in Derrick White and Jaron Blossomgame. The Spurs quietly signed Rudy Gay and re-signed Patty Mills, Manu Ginobili, and Pau Gasol. With the injury to Tony Parker leaving him out until 2018, one of the big questions for the Spurs is the development of 2nd year point guard Dejounte Murray, who performed admirably during the playoffs after Parker ruptured his quadriceps tendon in the 2nd round against the Rockets.
Relatively speaking, the summer (as with most summers) was not particularly league-shaking for the Spurs. Not with all the hype around Lonzo Ball, the possible emergence of the 76ers with the signing of J.J. Redick and drafting of Markelle Fultz, the movement of some of the best two-way players in the league (Paul George to OKC, Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, and Gordon Hayward to Boston), Chris Paul being traded for 60% of the Rockets' bench, the drama behind Carmelo Anthony, the only real big news still circulating the league that the Spurs are involved with is the desire of Kyrie Irving to be traded to the Spurs. While I think Kyrie is an amazing player, potentially one of the top 5 point guards in the league, I may be in the small minority in saying that I don't think Kyrie is worth both Danny Green and LaMarcus Aldirdge. One of them plus some pieces, sure, though the money would be tricky, but not both of them. However, speculating about the possible acquisition of Kyrie Irving is not the question I want to ask.
Neither is it the potential of Dejounte Murray, the development of Davis Bertans, or the potential major free agent signing of 2018 (be it Paul George or LeBron James or someone else).I'm not even super interested in discussing the potential of Derrick White and Jaron Blossomgame. What I think is the most interesting question for the Spurs in 2017 is who will be the diamond in the rough?
Certainly we might consider Rudy Gay something of a reclamation project akin to Boris Diaw, or even Stephen Jackson, but I think one of the more intriguing story-lines of the Spurs has always been the player that no one had on their radar that is brought out of anonymity into national attention because of his success within the Spurs' system. Last season it was Jonathon Simmons, for his defense on James Harden when Kawhi Leonard was injured in the playoff series against the Houston Rockets and of course for the chase down block of Stephen Curry and 20 point game on opening night against the Golden State Warriors. Some made a name as a Spur and subsequently got a big contract like Boban Marjanovic, Aron Baynes, and Gary Neal, others played some with the Spurs and went on to become regular rotation piece in another franchise like JaMychal Green or Garrett Temple, others drifted around and didn't really experience much success until being on the Spurs like DeWayne Dedmon and Marco Belinelli.
Thus, the question is who is that standout this year that Pop will go to? Perhaps Bryn Forbes, who had been given the green light in Summer League and subsequently put on a scoring clinic, perhaps this is the year Kyle Anderson FINALLY takes that next step forward, maybe it will be Brandon Paul, the unknown point guard that has been playing abroad, or perhaps it is the French big man Joffrey Lauvergne. Who knows? Maybe they make a last minute training camp roster addition that sticks. To me, this is what I'm most interested in seeing this season fro the Spurs.
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