One specific team has absolutely “owned” the last 2 NBA Drafts
Prior to the start of the 2010-2011 season, many NBA observers felt that theSan Antonio Spurs were about to begin their descent on the leeward side of the championship mountain.
However, in the aftermath of what the Spurs have now done during the last 12 months:
PART I
- Amassing 61 wins in the 2010-2011 Regular Season
PART II
| SAN ANTONIO SPURS’ PLAYER ROSTER | ||||
| # | END OF 2010-2011 | PRE 2011-2012 | ||
| STARTERS | ||||
| 1 | PG | Tony Parker | PG | Tony Parker |
| 2 | OG/SF/PG | Manu Ginobili | OG/SF/PG | Manu Ginobili |
| 3 | SF | Richard Jefferson | SF | Richard Jefferson |
| 4 | PF | Antonio McDyess | PF | Antonio McDyess |
| 5 | C | Tim Duncan | C | Tim Duncan |
| KEY SUBS | ||||
| 6 | PG/OG | George Hill | PG | ? |
| 7 | OG/SF | Gary Neal | OG/SF | Gary Neal |
| 8 | PF | Matt Bonner | PF | Matt Bonner |
| 9 | C | Tiago Splitter | C | Tiago Splitter |
| RESERVES/EXTRAS/OUTS | ||||
| 10 | PG | Chris Quinn | PG | Chris Quinn |
| 11 | OG/SF | Danny Green | OG/SF | Danny Green |
| 12 | SF | James Anderson | SF | James Anderson |
| 13 | SF | D’Sean Butler | SF | Da’Sean Butler |
| 14 | PF | DeJuan Blair | PF | DeJuan Blair |
| 15 | PF/C | Steve Novak | PF/C | Steve Novak |
| 2010 2ND Round Draft Pick, Not On Roster Yet | ||||
| 16 | OG/PG | Nando de Colo | OG/PG | Nando de Colo |
| 2011 1st and 2nd Round Draft Picks | ||||
| 17 | SF | Kawhi Leonard [15] | ||
| 18 | PG | Cory Joseph [29] | ||
| 2011 2nd Round Draft Picks, Not On Roster Yet | ||||
| 19 | SF/PF | Davis Bertans [42] | ||
| 20 | SF/PG/OG | Adam Hanga [59] | ||
re-furbishing their player roster, via trades, free agent signings, and the expert manipulation of the 2010 and 2011 NBA Drafts, there should be little doubt, whatsoever, that the Spurs have every intention of staying perched exactly where they have been for the last decade, i.e. firmly entrenched in the upper echelon of the Western Conference.
The simple fact is that:
- RC Buford and Gregg Popovich have just acquired 4 young players through the 2011 NBA draft with the capacity to fill a “rotation spot” for the Spurs for the better part of the next 10 years
- The key acquisitions for the Spurs during this time frame have NOT been DeJuan Blair, or Kawhi Leonard … but, instead, Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, James Anderson, Nando de Colo, David Bertans and Adam Hanga … more-than-one of whom actually have what it takes to become a high level player, down-the-road, in the NBA.
Related: On the Spurs and solving for pattern
Tags: Gregg Popovich, RC Buford, San Antonio Spurs