Will Spurs Regret Not Trading For Another Big Man?
The San Antonio Spurs are not the biggest or baddest team in the NBA. What they lack in size and young starts they make up with role players who have played better than many people predicted. Playing in the Western Conference, the Spurs have to deal with big men Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Love, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, and quite a few others.
San Antonio has Tim Duncan, but other than that, not many proven big men. DeJuan Blair is undersized, Tiago Splitter is only in his second year in the NBA (though he has played professionally elsewhere), and Matt Bonner. Newly acquired Stephen Jackson comes in at 6’8″, so he will be able to help out other Spurs, but the Spurs could have used another big man.
Ever since Antonio McDyess retired before the season started, San Antonio has forgone the idea of replacing McDyess, instead going with the rotation listed above. That leaves them severely undersized when matching up against a plethora of opponents, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers who have Gasol and Bynum.
The Spurs could have used someone like Ersan Ilyasova, the Milwaukee Bucks backup (now starter after Andrew Bogut was traded). Will San Antonio regret not adding another big?
With potential match ups against the Lakers and Mavericks looming, I think the Spurs really should have traded. With the playoffs just around the corner, the Spurs would face the Nuggets in the first round if it ended today. However, a second round matchup with the Lakers or Mavericks would be looming, with both teams having a height advantage on the Spurs.
The Spurs are definitely capable of playing with these teams, but problems will arise if Duncan, Bonner, or Splitter get into foul trouble. Somebody is going to have to play extra minutes, or the Spurs will have to play small. The playoffs are just around the corner. Let’s see if they will or will not regret not trading for another big.
Follow Paul Troupe on Twitter @gamin4HIM
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