Season Digest So Far: Spurs undefeated, as peaks end for other contenders.

With eleven games now in the past, the San Antonio Spurs remain defiant of father time against the winds of change, whereas other teams are falling from grace and rising to power.

The Spurs find themselves with an 11-0 record, atop the entire league in the standings, even with the Lakers just one game behind at 10-1. This is a far cry from a league-record 41-game win streak San Antonio set just 3 seasons ago after winning 70 games, but it's definitely promising, given the roster shakeup this summer and the turbulent recovery period after Kawhi Leonard's departure from the team two seasons ago.

Kent Bazemore has been impressive, shooting above 40% from long range, including a new career-high 33 points performance already in the background. Trey Lyles is excelling in the mid range and Jarrett Allen is almost too good as a backup, certifying a large contact, whether it comes as an extension before the deadline by San Antonio or by another team next summer as a free agent. Brandon Ingram has shown a new scoring prowess, as other core players show improvement--a testament of the training staff's hard work over the last couple seasons. "The way Brandon eyes that net now, and how fierce Dejounte is on the fast break--it is impressive, let me tell you. We had a part in that, but the credit goes to our players most of all. They have tremendous heart, and a warrior spirit," Coach Popovich said, next to Assistant Coaches Tim Duncan and Becky Hammon, who he continues to mentor on the sidelines.

"We're off to a strong start, but we got a rough set of games coming up. We gotta keep strong."

The Spurs will soon face the Los Angeles Clippers (8-3) and Utah Jazz, the former ousted without Brandon Ingram on the court, and the latter stretching the Spurs out to 7 games last season.

Meanwhile, some teams with high promise are off to shaky beginnings. The Brooklyn Nets have a seemingly healthy Kevin Durant on the hardwood at Barclays Center now, yes, but their record is just 3-8, with two of those losses courtesy of the Spurs. Doubters are asking the question: Will Kevin Durant return to form? Also underwhelming so far is the Golden State Warriors, going 8-5, despite a new exciting arena at the Chase Center (7-0 at home) and a healthy Klay Thompson, having lost once to San Antonio.

Not far behind the Lakers is the Utah Jazz at 9-3, who San Antonio would be wise to keep an eye on. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks stand at 6-7, just 4-3 at home, roster standing pat for the most part from two consecutive Finals runs, before bowing out to the 76ers last season. Not a good sign, considering that the Greek Freak will be the most-prized free agent next summer.

Down South, the Miami Heat now appear to be contenders once more at 8-3, after a lengthy absence from the wars of this Spurs team's earliest title victories; a refreshing sight as it was Miami that last defeated the Spurs in the NBA Finals, yet so long ago. The acquisition of Kevin Love from the Cavaliers and Andre Iguodala has definitely paid off. The basketball gods may be finally shining light upon the New York Knicks, if only some light, as LaMelo Ball has been a rookie sensation so far, propelling the Knicks to a 9-2 record (5-0 at Madison Square Garden). The Atlanta Hawks, with LaMarcus Aldridge, Trae Young & #1 Pick Anthony Edwards lead the Eastern Conference at 10-2 having won 6 in a row (7-1 at home).

Lastly, the 76ers (fresh off a 1-4, NBA Finals defeat to San Antone) have started out solidly at 8-5, aiming to defend the Eastern Conference Title. Then, there's the Toronto Raptors, sans DeMarr DeRozan (and Marc Gasol, now a Laker) staggering out to a 2-10 tally (1-7 on the road), looking to Pascal Siakam to carry the torch from Kyle Lowry. If it helps, the Magic are just 3-10 with DeRozan. With a now-healthy John Wall, the Washington Wizards are 0-10, scoring just 79.9ppg thus far, as a leadership tension seems to be building between Bradley Beal & Wall, the former this past summer saying he'd like to play his entire career in Washington, since it's different to have an NBA Team build the roster around you, seeming to imply that John Wall's time is up as the front-man of the Wizards.

In closing, the NBA Season is still young, as the undefeated Spurs head into Charlotte to match up with the 1-10 Hornets, who have their own problems with promising sophomore prospect, P.J. Washington & third-year talent, Devonte Graham contending against second-year signing, Terry Rozier, III. Danilo Galinari's free-agency arrival has done little to win games, with Rozier clearly struggling to lead the team in Kemba Walker's wake. Rozier shot 37% last year, including 30% from 3PT distance. 11 games in, he is shooting worse at 36% and a shocking 28% from 3PT range, averaging just 3 assists and 10ppg. Charlotte also has the albatross contract in Nicolas Batum, who's not been able to live up to the agreement due to injuries and roster acclimation. So, even with Michael Kidd-Gildchrist now in Dallas with his own hefty contract in the past, Jordan's organization clearly has a rocky future ahead.

Spurs top Mavericks again, 91-99.

Kristaps got hot, though too late.

Kristaps Porzingis got going in the second half, tallying 19 points & 11 rebounds. Even ex-Spur Rudy Gay had 20 points. Luka Doncic pulled out 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists on a cold night of 7-19 (2 turnovers), but Dallas fell short on a night when the Spurs couldn't even score 100.

A bright spot was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scoring 13 points, going 5-6 with 2 steals in his new uniform as a Maverick. This game will be written off as a 1-7 night for Seth Curry and 4-11 stroke by Jalen Brunson, with a down night by the normally-stellar Doncic.

The Spurs were led by Brandon Ingram's 30 points & 9 rebounds. Andre Drummond corralled 14 rebounds, with 2 blocks. Fred VanVleet looked sharp with 18 points, hitting four deep bombs. Kent Bazemore dropped 15 & Murray had 7 assists with 12 points. Jarrett Allen looked strong with 15 rebounds off the bench.

The Quarters:
1st Qtr: 20-29, Spurs
2nd Qtr: 16-22, Spurs
3rd Qtr: 25-26, Spurs
4th Qtr: 30-22, Mavericks 

Spurs pull away from Suns, 106-93.

Phoenix stayed within striking distance early, then made a respectable push, even taking a 1-PT lead. It was not to last however, as Dejounte Murray took charge of the Spurs in a game that had San Antone's best shooters struggling to connect. Murray swiped a steal here, threw down a vicious dunk there, with Fred VanVleet doing the same. Andre Drummond was the defensive hero tonight, swatting a career-high 10 blocks, with 6 of them coming in the first quarter!

For Phoenix, Devin Booker was a putrid 1-11 for 2 points. Kent Bazemore post-game: "I asked Coach when we were going over our defensive plans, like 'let me stick him, Coach, show you what I can do for us.'" It clearly worked, as Bazemore notched 14 points with 5 assists (6-14 FG%). DeAndre Ayton was the recipient for most of Drummond's blocks, but managed 21 points, 19 rebounds. Kelly Oubre, jr, finished with 17 points. Ricky Rubio notched 8 points, 12 assists.

The Rest: 

Dejounte Murray had 18 points with 11 assists & 4 steals. Drummond's final tally was 18 points, 16 rebounds & 10 blocks: his first triple-double of the season. Brandon Ingram's shot was off but he finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds (8-18, 1-5 3PT). VanVleet had 14 points, 5 assists with 3 steals (4-8 3PT). Trey Lyles finished with 10 points, as the 1st Quarter propelled the Spurs to a win (15-28).

Spurs destroy Magic, 103-78.

DeMarr DeRozan's time in Orlando has not gone well thus far, and the visiting Spurs did not help any, as the Spurs crushed the Magic in the 3rd Quarter, 33-14. DeRozan combined with Markelle Fultz for 20 points, going a combined 10-24 with 5 turnovers. Jonathan Isaac went a combined 0-10 with Aaron Gordon, as both players keep struggling to realize the front office's plans for the future. Even Nikola Vucevic scored just 6 points. It was clearly dreadful to be a Magic fan in attendance tonight, as Orlando trailed by 40 points and went 3-21 from 3PT territory.

The Spurs:

Brandon Ingram scored 20 points, 7 rebounds with 5 assists. Dejounte Murray notched 18 points. Allen Crabbe scored 14 and Andre Drummond had another double-double of 12 points, 11 rebounds. Joe Harris was good for 12 points, Trey Lyles had 9 & 5 rebounds, with Jarrett Allen hoisting 12 off the glass.

Spurs obliterate Nets, 85-131.

The Nets had a rough time tonight.

Kent Bazemore had a career-high 33 points, sensationally splashing in six 3PT shots as Dejounte Murray benefited with also a career-high 14 assists. The Spurs blew the Nets nearly out of AT&T Center, dwarfing Brooklyn 14-33 in the 1st Quarter. Brooklyn narrowly outscored San Antone in the second, but lost the third 22-33 and the fourth by 24-44.

Brandon Ingram had a cold start shooting the ball, but played limited minutes on his way to 16 points with 7 rebounds, going 7-13 overall. Joe Harris scored 15 points, hitting four long range blows. Fred VanVleet heated up in the second half, finishing with 13 points (3-5 3PT) while also dishing five assists. VanVleet continues to show nice on-court chemistry with Murray in the fast break. Andre Drummond commanded the paint with 22 rebounds, notching 12 points with 3 blocks to stifle the Nets early offense.

The Rest: Trey Lyles had 6 points, looking good as did Luka Samanic with 7 points. Rajon Rondo had 5 points with 3 assists in limited action, as rookie Malcolm Cazalon sneaked 4 steals with 4 points. Jarrett Allen had 8 points, 6 rebounds with a block. The Spurs led by as many as 47 points, shooting 54% overall and 51% from long range (18/35), outpacing Brooklyn 37-18 on the fast break.

Despite the first meeting going to OverTime, the Nets did not offer much road resistance. Kyrie Irving shot 5-15 for 12 points, 9 assists; Kevin Durant looked out of rhythm with 10 points, 7 rebounds on 5-11 shooting with 4 of Brooklyn's 15 turnovers. DeAndre Jordan had 14 points, 17 rebounds.

Behind Ingram & Drummond, Spurs overwhelm Celtics home defense: 107-96.

Kemba Walker played his heart out, dropping 24 points but going just 9-19 with 4 turnovers. Jayson Tatum scored 15 behind him, but also went 6-14. Gordon Hayward had just 10 points, with Jaylen Brown going a cold 2-7. New Celtic Tristan Thompson had 13 rebounds, as Boston got within single digits midway through the third quarter.

This game belonged to Brandon Ingram and Andre Drummond. The Slender-Man had 27 points with 7 rebounds, going 11-22. Kent Bazemore had 16 points, bombing four threes. Drummond owned the glass with 27 rebounds, 14 points & 3 blocks. Dejounte Murray had 11 points, as P.J. Tucker scored 8 off the bench. Joe Harris punched back at Boston with 11 points, also.

The Quarters:

1st Qtr: 26-19, Spurs
2nd Qtr: 22-25, Celtics
3rd Qtr: 27-22, Spurs
4th Qtr: 32-30, Spurs

Boston stayed close most of the game, but the Spurs pulled away enough to win this one.

Spurs control Thunder on road, 107-85.

CP3 was cold tonight.

The Spurs dominated their host, OKC Thunder, tonight going up 26-14 after one and crushing them in the 3rd Quarter, 33-18.

Steven Adams tried to rally a homestand with 18 points, 18 rebounds but Chris Paul shot 3-15 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was unable to muster the home team momentum.

Brandon Ingram had a bounce-back outing with 26 points, going 10-17. Fred VanVleet had 12 points, going 4-5 from long range.

Kent Bazemore dropped 12 and Luka Samanic looked promising with 12 points in just 7 minutes, hitting two three-pointers. Andre Drummond had 10 & 9 for the black & silver, with Dejounte Murray dishing 6 assists with 7 points. Joe Harris chipped in 8 points, going 2-2 from deep.

Spurs defeat Blazers, 93-102.

Dame had 25 points in the loss.

Ex-Blazer, Kent Bazemore, went off for 27 points as the Spurs defeated Portland, with Baze hitting 4 threes on 11-21.

Dejounte Murray had 15 points, 8 rebounds & 9 assists with 2 steals. Joe Harris had 14. Andre Drummond continues to be a newfound delight down low, demanding 19 rebounds with a career-high 7 blocks.

The victory came despite 3-13 shooting by Brandon Ingram. Fred VanVleet hit three bombs to make up for it, though.

Jusuf Nurkic had a nice game for Portland with 12 points, 11 rebounds, recovered from a broken leg. Carmelo Anthony had 12 points, but C.J. McCollum went 4-13.

The Spurs shot 50% from 3PT range.

Spurs pull away to top Warriors at home, 83-99.

Klay was back to his old self.

Klay Thompson's return to basketball was spoiled by the Spurs home defense, as chippy on-ball resistance did in the Warriors, who were burdened by a cold shooting night, especially early by Steph Curry. Curry recovered to finish with 17 points & 10 assists, but went 4-15 from long range and 5-23 overall. Thompson on the other hand shot 5-10, going just 2-6 for 12 points. Damion Lee had 10 points, and even Andrew Wiggins went cold going 4-11 with 9 points.

Meanwhile, the Spurs were boosted by strong fast break performances by Allen Crabbe, Brandon Ingram and Kent Bazemore (drilling a dagger three near the end of the third). Crabbe flamed his way to 18 points, hitting 4-7 from deep. VanVleet was cold, but still managed 3 deep balls for 13 points including 2 steals on Steph Curry.

Brandon Ingram had 12 points (5-12) with a nice block on Draymond Green (7 points, 7 rebounds,  3 steals). Trey Lyles had a nice 11 points off the bench. Andre Drummond dominated the paint with 24 rebounds & 10 points, 4 steals. Bazemore finished with 9; Murray had 8 points & 7 assists. Joe Harris scored well in transition for 8 points, hitting two threes and a nice layup. With the lead under control, Luka Somanic & Malcolm Cazalon got some burn; Cazalon had 4 points, hitting his nice floater. Rajon Rondo dished 2 assists and got a steal.

The Rest:

The Spurs bench won the game 47-30, as San Antonio shared 30 assists. Golden State had 19 turnovers, falling behind on a scoring loss of 18-27 in the second quarter. The Spurs won the 3rd & 4th quarters, with the Warriors winning the first 24-23 as San Antonio went on to lead by 27 at one point in the game.

Spurs down Mavericks on the road in gritty rivalry tussle, 94-87.

Luka Doncic gave his all tonight, but the Mavs fell short.

Dallas and San Antonio took turns hot-potato'ing the lead in this exciting face-off, led by Luka Doncic (24 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists) & Dejounte Murray (20 points)/Brandon Ingram (19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks--a new career high).

Quarters of War:
21-24, Mavs
24-20, Spurs
25-22, Spurs
24-21, Spurs

Both teams could've shot the ball better, but it made for a chill thrill for spectators. Kent Bazemore was the x-factor, hitting a trio of long shots with 14 points. Andre Drummond ate up the glass with 19 rebounds, 10 points. Fred VanVleet & Joe Harris both struggled from deep, but had 14 points between them. Allen Crabbe had a solid outing with 6 points and P.J. Tucker chipped in 5. Jarrett Allen had 4 points, 8 rebounds & 2 blocks.

In a narrow loss that San Antonio iced at the free throw line, Dorian Finney-Smith had 11 points with 7 rebounds & 5 assists. Maxi Kleber had 10 points and Seth Curry contributed 9. Ex-Spur and new Maverick, Rudy Gay, had 8 points with 7 rebounds. A poor showing by Kristaps Porzingis (8 points, 8 rebounds, 4-10) likely did the Mavericks in, as they retook the lead in crunchtime before letting it slip away.

Spurs receive championship rings, withstand feisty Grizzlies at home: 98-105.

Ja Morant and Dejounte Murray went at it.

Good spirits permeated the AT&T Center tonight, as the Spurs received championship rings for overcoming a tumultuous and wearisome season, in which they persevered past two seven-game series and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time in the NBA Finals.

Led by Brandon Ingram's 18 points & 7 rebounds, San Antonio still found itself in a tough match with the rival Grizzlies. Fred VanVleet had 13 points, Andre Drummond's double-double (13 points, 14 rebounds) powered the home opener. Dejounte Murray combined with Kent Bazemore for 24 points and Joe Harris had 11.

Rajon Rondo made his Spurs debut with 6 assists.

The rest:

1st Quarter
18-25, SA
2nd Quarter
23-28, SA
3rd Quarter
26-24, SA
4th Quarter
31-28, ME 

Ja Morant had 16 points & 9 assists, pairing well with Jonas Valanciunas (16 points, 13 rebounds). New free agent signing Malik Beasley (formerly of the Nuggets) had 15 points; another snatch from Denver, Paul Millsap (14 points, 6 rebounds) made for a close game. Jarren Jackson, Jr. had 11 points, 13 rebounds, continuing to be a bright spot for Memphis.

The young Grizzlies got close several times, but the home court advantage and solid team play by San Antonio was enough to hold them off and send the loyal Spurs faithful home happy.


 

Spurs fortify bench, sign Rajon Rondo and Trey Lyles.

Rajon Rondo finally joined the Spurs.

Rajon Rondo's pure competitor spirit, once dubbed the Mamba Mentality by the late Kobe Bryant (1978-2020), has finally aligned with the San Antonio Spurs. With the rise of Alex Caruso in LA, along with the reunion between ex-Cavs Matthew Dellavedova & LeBron James, Rondo stayed at home this summer. The 33 year old former NBA Champion is a stellar play-maker on the court, but a mercurial player that has rubbed some teams the right way and had mini resurgences on others, including the Sacramento Kings.

"I hate to lose. I'm not going to say there's not many competitors in this game, but there's a certain kind of way you compete at that level and you have respect for one another," Rondo once spoke of Bryant. He also predicted the Spurs to defeat former rival Miami Heat years ago, a team then led by LeBron James.

"I had my time in LA. We just lost to these guys too, but you gotta respect this organization and its desire to build a winning culture," Rondo went on to say at the introductory press conference. Coach Popovich took the field of questions next, speaking to Rondo's infamous tantrums, including a thrown towel at an assistant coach, dubbing the former Wildcat as a "problematic talent" in the league. "As long as he promises ahead of time not to throw a towel at me, I'll give this a shot," Gregg said.

P.J. Tucker will be tasked with mentoring Trey Lyles.

"Now, I don't now if he's going to throw a towel [at me] or or not. You know, nobody wants a headcase. You try your best to bring solid people into your program. If someone goes awry, you deal with it. Rajon has a warrior's spirit. We're glad to have him." The high-character leader went on to praise Rondo's grasp of the game and his high basketball IQ. "Oh, yeah, [Rondo] is our secret weapon. And now it won't take us 7 games to beat LA this time," Popovich joked with reporters.

Rondo will slide in perfectly behind Dejounte Murray, definitely capable of leading the second unit but not needing to overburden himself, as previously seen in LA whenever LeBron was off the floor. He will also certainly help French prospect Malcolm Cazalon learn the ways of the league and how to be an effective floor general.

Trey Lyles, a versatile forward, is just 24 years old.

Picking up Trey Lyles, a former lottery pick in 2015, the Spurs needed to boost the scoring column behind its star wing, Brandon Ingram, with sophomore Luka Somanic not quite ready to do too much yet. Lyles, like Rondo, was still in the free agent pool. The 6'9" Canadian forward sports a deep stroke on the rise and being just 24 years of age, as the Canadian forward looks to fit right in with San Antone. Tucker knows a thing or two about having to reestablish his basketball career after a rocky start to the league, so Lyles will have all the tools to prosper.

Spurs erase 21-PT deficit to outlast Nets in OT, 137-132.

Durant had his moments, but was clearly rusty.

Brandon Ingram capitalized on some rusty play by the Slim Reaper, oft compared to Durant, but swiping the ball from him in the clutch to help the Spurs erase a twenty-one point hole after a scoring drought in the second quarter. The Slender Man had 38 points of his own, dwarfing Durant's 23 points (despite 6 rebounds, 10 assists, 9-21 FG%) and helping force six turnovers from the former mega-star of Golden State. Ingram also had 11 rebounds to go with 5 steals, hitting a clutch 3PTer in the final quarter as the Spurs finally overcame the last hump of the comeback, after nearly losing control of the rally reigns once Brooklyn went back up 87-95.

"We just never gave up," Dejounte Murray told Doris Burke on the sideline, showcasing 30 points of his own on opening night, having sliced his way into the paint and spearheading the comeback alongside his compatriot, Ingram. Murray went 12-22 with 5 assists & 2 steals. A poor game by Kyrie Irving (20 points, 7 assists, 6-15 FG%) certainly helped the comeback effort. The quarters were split 25-26 (Nets), 17-31 (Nets), 31-23 (Spurs), 43-36 (Spurs), with OverTime 21-16 (Spurs).

The new faces on the Spurs also had strong debuts: Fred VanVleet hit two threes, dishing 6 assists as the de-facto backup point guard as the Spurs continue to scour the free agent pool for more contribution, on his way to 22 points, benefiting in the fast break for easy layups. Kent Bazemore looked sharp with 16 points and a career-high 10 assists, hitting 4-of-6 from long range, with 1 block and a steal. The big man down low Andre Drummond had 19 rebounds with 2 blocks, but suffered 4 turnovers and struggled for 14 points, missing some easy ones at the rim.

Joe Harris was cold, a big part of the drought as Brooklyn went up big, but hit 3 tres to make up for it on 11 points. Jarrett Allen had 9 rebounds with 2 blocks.

R.C. Buford studied the roster's effectiveness in Brooklyn.

For the Nets, a late turnover gave them the chance to tie the game, but the Spurs recovered to pull away in OverTime. DeAndre Jordan boasted 29 rebounds, a career-high, eating up glass during that awful drought by the Spurs. Caris LeVert had 18 points and former Spur T.J. Warren dropped 18 points, 7 rebounds with 5 assists. Spencer Dinwiddie got hot, fortifying the deficit with 14 points, 8 assists. The Nets gave up too many free throws, as the Spurs buried 36 at the line overall which also stopped the clock.

This was a monumental comeback, no doubt, but the Spurs definitely have the first eye test of the season to reevaluate the team's strengths and weaknesses. It helps to see the two stars, Ingram & Murray, start the season off so strongly, a testament to each player's growth. Rookie point guard slasher Malcolmn Cazalon had 1 assist, but clearly Coach Popovich isn't ready to trust him yet in a close game which is understandable, exposing a crucial need for a seasoned veteran point guard to support Murray's rest, an oversight given the front office's focus to land a major star like Drummond and shore up the perimeter defense. As with last season, there also continues to be stagnation on the scoring end by P.J. Tucker and in the mid-range by the two-guards, which helped J.R. Smith stick around last season. Other teams got stronger, so San Antone must respond and orchestrate a powerhouse for the court.

Spurs preparing for season opener against Brooklyn Nets, a new foe and contender.

A torn achilles later--Kevin Durant is back.

Kevin Durant, the all-world superstar most responsible for some unforgettable showdowns between the Spurs and Warriors in years past, is back in full health. "I feel good. I'm ready," to take the court for his new team for the first time since leaving Golden State last summer, Durant said. He'll take the court with Kyrie Irving, who has one season on his résumé with the feisty Brooklyn Nets, fresh off surgery of his own for a nagging shoulder problem throughout last season.


The Spurs will also look different, as a half-new roster takes the court. Familiar faces add up to six, with six new additions also seeking to absorb the championship culture of the Spurs organization and more intimately gel as one force on the hardwood of the undoubtedly sold-out Barclays Center.

"It'll be a fun night. My plan is to get our guys going, especially the new guys. We had a good camp, but now it's for real and we gotta remind the league we're the champs," Dejounte Murray vowed at the press conference.

Who will guard the elite talents of Durant? Most likely Brandon Ingram, perhaps P.J. Tucker at times also. Coach Popovich has been known in his career for using several defenders to challenge star players to be effective. With Avery Bradley gone, most likely it'll be Dejounte Murray 1-on-1 with Kyrie Irving. Certainly, new-look perimeter defenders Kent Bazemore & Allen Crabbe will seek to make an immediate impact to showcase their worth to their new team. Another intriguing debut will come in the form of blockbuster summer acquisition, Andre Drummond, who'll look to enforce himself down low as one of the Spurs new "Big 3."

Prospects, transitions, mentorship.

The Spurs drafted French slasher Malcolm Cazalon.

With the big names having signed on the dotted line, the Spurs filled out the new roster satisfyingly. Malcolm Cazalon will slide in behind Dejounte Murray, a slashing rookie prospect out of France to wear #7, under Murray's tutelage. P.J. Tucker, one of his idols, will work closely with Kent Bazemore this season to cement a defensive identity on his new team and Andre Drummond will guide Jarrett Allen most likely toward a big contract extension of his own, soon.

Team identity and warm culture is big in Spurs territory, as Coach Popovich and Assistant Coach Tim Duncan exemplify the bond and symbiosis between two winners. Allen Crabbe will back up Bazemore on the wing, signing a minimum deal after running through a lucrative contract of his own (with some detractors having questioned the performance/salary ratio over the years).

Sliding in behind Andre Drummond & Jarrett Allen is Johnathan Williams out of Gonzaga on a two-way contract, somewhat of a journeyman thus far in his pro career (Lakers, Maccabi, Wizards) but still just 24 years of age. His college coach at Gonzaga, Mark Few, spoke highly of Williams: ''Johnathan is a very high character young man." Despite being only 6'9", Williams is very athletic and has thrown down hammer-jams early in his career and has averaged 6 rebounds per game.


Making the money work is one way to sum up the re-signing of Joe Harris, who came up big in the playoffs, especially when Brandon Ingram went down with an injury against the hungry Utah Jazz. The Spurs will certainly not lack shooting, as Bazemore plans to shore up Harris' already-solid perimeter defense. Leading the way are Dejounte Murray & Brandon Ingram, but it is most relieving to have a third star on the team now, especially a fierce post presence like Andre Drummond.

"I can't wait," Murray spoke at Media Day about the addition of the Big Penguin. Drummond has a knack for second-chance dunks and alley-oop smashes, so the home crowd will be thrilled. The first challenge of the season? Taking on a healthy Brooklyn Nets team led by a resurgent Kevin Durant (after a torn achilles) & Kyrie Irving (fresh off shoulder surgery this past summer). The Warriors, meanwhile, will also have rookie Memphis stud James Wiseman in the middle and especially a healthy Klay Thompson, starting at small forward as trade rumors still surrounds D'Angelo Russell.

In other big moves, LaMarcus Aldridge signed with the Atlanta Hawks, who drafted Anthony Edwards at #1 overall in this year's NBA Draft; Marc Gasol joined the Lakers and DeMarr DeRozan left the Raptors for the Orlando Magic, who'd been pursuing him last season.

The Lakers signed the player the Spurs chose against, in favor of Drummond, despite the desired contract financial difference, and also joining LeBron & Anthony Davis is JaVale McGee in the middle, but also former Cavaliers stand-out point guard Matthew Dellavedova and hybrid forward Jeff Green, not signed back by Utah, who LeBron's played with in the past along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope & Troy Daniels. Carmelo Anthony, after a resurrection of a season, has re-upped with the Trail Blazers and LaMelo Ball is a Knickerbocker, having gone #3 overall in the NBA Draft.

Welding the wings...Spurs sign Kent Bazemore.

Long-armed, 7'0 wingspan-savv Kent Bazemore once said, "They've got some very special players that make big shots" about the Spurs, and now he joins them as a free agent on a two-year 16.5 million contract. A recipient of a hefty contract during the summer when the salary cap went bonkers, Bazemore came from a 'life' of poverty but had a strong family support system. It saw him break into college stardom and receive the Lefty Dreissell award, as best defensive player of 2010-11. Despite this accolade, Bazemore went undrafted before bouncing around the league for the Warriors, Lakers, Atlanta Hawks & Trail Blazers. ESPN even ranked him as the league's 499th best player, miffing Bazemore as old players (some deceased) were even above him; in response, Kent etched "499" into his sneakers, a testament of his perseverance--a value that's always been inside him.

“It’s the role less traveled,” Bazemore said. “I found if I wanted to stick around in this league, I had to be different. And I don’t really have the offensive skill-set to be elite on the offensive side of the ball. But defensively, I can really help, and I knew if that became what I was known for, I could stay around for a long time. You need those stoppers. The Tony Allens. The PJ Tuckers. The Bruce Bowens. You need those guys on your team to help you win. And that’s the role I want to play."

 

Spending most of his career at the 2 spot, Bazemore has shown strides on the wing more recently, due to his agile and athletic prowess. Coach Stotts of the Trail Blazers regarded Bazemore positively last season, saying: "He takes a lot of pride in his defense. He’s long and athletic, he anticipates. He has evolved into a good shooter and good scorer, but he made his bones by being a good defender.” Superstar Damian Lillard followed up with, “He’s just a pest. He likes to get his hands dirty. He’s all over you. He’s always reaching and poking at the ball. And he’s always there, always ready for an opportunity to make a play.”

Why the tenacity? Bazemore says, "The dream. The hunger is always there. I love the game of basketball. I'm so hard on myself; I can't help it. I want to be great. I went undrafted, then signed a very lucrative deal four years ago. But I'm still trying to remain true to who I am, stay humble and hungry. Bazemore's coaches, from the then D-League and most likely from Coach Popovich later this season, have sung his praises on Kent's appreciation and professionalism and his dedication to his craft. The only negative is Bazemore's age at 30, but it only means perfect timing by the front office. Now, the Spurs have gotten a tenacious wing player that will replace Bradley's heart and shore up the defensive front lines.

The icing on the cake is that Bazemore has tallied not only over 500 steals, but also splashed in over 500 three-pointers.

King of the Glass...Andre Drummond joins the Spurs.

The Spurs organization can thank its championship pedigree and winning culture for landing the biggest name of this summer's free agency bonanza: Andre Drummond is now a Spur, once seen embracing now-Assistant Coach Tim Duncan, talented big man to talented big man. Now, he must take up the mantle when no player since Duncan has quite lived up to the Spur-fect golden age of the Spurs (Duncan/Parker/Ginobili). Sure, Kevin Garnett & Pau Gasol did admirably, and there were whispers of Marc Gasol joining the titanic team of the western conference.

However, after being grossly out-rebounded by the Los Angeles Lakers last season in a grueling seven-game war, Coach Popovich & R.C. Buford knew they needed to shore up the paint and make sure every rebound has a chance of falling to the Spurs. With Andre Drummond on board, the Spurs now have the league's leading rebounder of last season, who's already tallied 8,000 rebounds for his career in just eight NBA seasons. Drummond is known as Big Penguin, and now it's only more fitting as he'll don the silver-and-black, wearing #1 for the Spurs, as reigning king of the glass and more than ready to challenge Lakers superstar (fresh off signing a new 5-year max contract) Anthony Davis for each possession: A.D. vs A.D.

Acquiring Drummond meant renouncing free agency rights to Taurean Prince, a move that most Spurs fans anticipated given his up-and-down play since joining the Spurs last season. Once-upon-a-time prospect, Dragan Bender, also was let go due to his 6m team option, but the Spurs were able to absorb the team option on Jarrett Allen, the shot-blockingly athletic, albeit raw center. San Antone will have another season to develop Allen's talents, but with Drummond aboard, they can focus more on Allen's growth with their search for a star center now over.

"He's going to do great for us. I can't speak enough about his hustle for the ball. His passing skill reminds me a lot of Timmy, and I'm sure the two of them will have fun in training camp," Coach Popovich said at the introductory press conference. Also returning is Joe Harris, whose clutch performance in the playoffs offset streaky shooting in the regular season. He will provide nice contrast to VanVleet, with more playing time now open at the SF spot, with J.R. Smith & Nik Stauskas also moving on from the Spurs. Financial flexibility came in the form of the league granting the Spurs an exception for the remaining 10m salary of Timofey Mozgov, who despite strong play last season, underwent knee surgery, bowing out of the league on his own terms. "We were glad to have Moz. He was outstanding for us down the stretch," Popovich said.

It's so hard to say goodbye... Spurs trade Bradley, White to Raptors for VanVleet

Avery Bradley's three-year stint in San Antonio has ended.

Confronted by a summer of tempting possibilities and tough choices, the San Antonio Spurs made bold waves after the NBA Draft in free agency, trading pesky defender Avery Bradley to one-time NBA Finals opponent Toronto Raptors, in exchange for newly re-signed combo-guard prospect, Fred VanVleet. Bradley spent three seasons with the Spurs, winning three championships and certainly had his moments of awe-inspiring tenacity and will to win.

To acquire a talented young player like VanVleet, the Spurs had to sweeten the pot in exchange as Toronto gets a nice parting token for VanVleet in prospect point guard, Derrick White. White showed flashes of promise for San Antonio, but his inclusion got the deal done as the Raptors receive an expiring contract in Bradley and a promising young player in White, as star point guard Kyle Lowry enters the legacy phase of his career for Toronto. The addition of Bradley & White will help lessen the blow of losing star mid-range beast, DeMarr DeRozan, to the Orlando Magic. The Magic had been filling up trade rumor reports last deadline, but did not budge before time ran out, rather signing DeRozan's talents outright this summer on a three-year pact, pairing the volume scorer with rough-edged potential star Aaron Gordon and resurgent point guard, Markelle Fultz.

VanVleet has tremendous passion for the game.

In acquiring VanVleet's services, which include guarding Steph Curry to a tee (as lured ex-Spur Iman Shumpert to San Antonio in years past) and unlike Bradley, a deadly 3-PT stroke (reminiscent of Lakers legend, Derek Fisher), the Spurs are poised for the always-frenetic dog-eat-dog future of the NBA. Fred is two inches shorter than Bradley, similarly undersized, but plays much bigger than his height, as Bradley did for the Spurs.

VanVleet is also four years Bradley's junior, and will be age 29 when his new four-year contract is set to expire. Fred went undrafted out of Wichita State, but impressed the Raptors in Summer League that year before securing a two-year guaranteed deal. "I'm a very ambitious guy and work my butt off to continue to grow and better each day," VanVleet described his approach to the game. "There's new levels for me to keep reaching. I think the future is bright." Deep inside VanVleet is a desire to be a starter; joining the Spurs made it a reality (due to Lowry's dominant presence in Toronto). "I'm ready for it."