# RWE's Big Questions for 2016 (Spurs)



## RollWithEm

1) How seamlessly will LaMarcus Aldridge fit in with this team offensively? How about defensively?

2) Has Kawhi Leonard reached his ceiling as a player? Will he improve his game this season? If so, how much better can he possibly be?

3) We know Pop will get the veteran guys (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, David West, Diaw) plenty of rest in the regular season. Does this team still have enough depth (Patty Mills, Ray McCallum, Kyle Anderson, Matt Bonner, Boban Marjanovic, etc.) to win games in which two or three of those guys sit out?

4) How much does Tony Parker have left in the tank? Is he still capable of giving them top 10 PG production in the regular season? How about in the playoffs?

5) How likely is it that Tim Duncan will add another NBA title to his resume before he retires?


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## Basel

RollWithEm said:


> 1) How seamlessly will LaMarcus Aldridge fit in with this team offensively? How about defensively?
> 
> 2) Has Kawhi Leonard reached his ceiling as a player? Will he improve his game this season? If so, how much better can he possibly be?
> 
> 3) We know Pop will get the veteran guys (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, David West, Diaw) plenty of rest in the regular season. Does this team still have enough depth (Patty Mills, Ray McCallum, Kyle Anderson, Matt Bonner, Boban Marjanovic, etc.) to win games in which two or three of those guys sit out?
> 
> 4) How much does Tony Parker have left in the tank? Is he still capable of giving them top 10 PG production in the regular season? How about in the playoffs?
> 
> 5) How likely is it that Tim Duncan will add another NBA title to his resume before he retires?


1. He's going to fit like a glove.

2. He hasn't reached his ceiling. He's only getting better and better, in my opinion, on both ends of the floor.

3. What has happened in recent years to show anything different? When those guys are out, the others are getting valuable time on the floor and that shows in the postseason, regardless if they win that particular regular season game or not. 

4. If he can remain healthy, I think he can still be a Top 10 PG. But he's definitely slowed down. Getting LA on this team is going to take a lot of pressure of everyone in the Big Three. Patty Mills being able to play at the beginning of the season (unlike last season) will be huge for TP.

5. I think there's a very good chance. If LA fits in as easily as I expect him to, I can see the Spurs being right back in the Finals against LeBron. And I see them beating him again.


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## Bubbles

A great fit both offensively and defensively.
Not even close. I think he has the capability of being even better on the offense side of the ball. The physical talent is there.
Yes. It might not be much to look at on paper, but Pop will find a way.
Health dictating, he can crack the back end of the top ten.


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## JT

they seem to be doing well so far....holding teams to 85 and whatnot

KLen has improved so much from two years ago it isn't even funny. his offensive game has become much smoother and more dynamic than I even thought him possible of.


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## JT

speaking of Kawhi...he is still trying to progress into "the guy" in the playoffs for San Antonio. truthfully I don't know if he has it in him, even with his improvements... when it comes to that you either are or you aren't.


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## RollWithEm

I was very disappointed in Kyle Anderson and Patty Mills in this postseason. Pop had no choice but to tighten up the rotation quite a bit because they were both basically no-shows.


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## RollWithEm

RollWithEm said:


> 4) How much does Tony Parker have left in the tank? Is he still capable of giving them top 10 PG production in the regular season? How about in the playoffs?


This is the biggest flaw I see with this team going into the 16/17 season. I'm not sure Parker is even a top 20 point guard anymore. They will be outmatched at that position almost every night.


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## jericho

RollWithEm said:


> This is the biggest flaw I see with this team going into the 16/17 season. I'm not sure Parker is even a top 20 point guard anymore. They will be outmatched at that position almost every night.


I think regression at this spot, coupled with Duncan's departure, could be enough to keep them from looking like a contender. The West's upper tier is thinning out.


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## jericho

If you're Spurs brass, would you consider Ty Lawson? He strikes me as a bit of a knucklehead, but this franchise might have the culture - and this locker room might have the chemistry - to keep him on the rails and get the best out of him.


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## RollWithEm

jericho said:


> If you're Spurs brass, would you consider Ty Lawson? He strikes me as a bit of a knucklehead, but this franchise might have the culture - and this locker room might have the chemistry - to keep him on the rails and get the best out of him.


Perhaps. They definitely need help at that position in the worst way. Ironically, they could really use George Hill.


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## jericho

RollWithEm said:


> Perhaps. They definitely need help at that position in the worst way. Ironically, they could really use George Hill.


The Spurs have really thrived on old school team-based playmaking, where just about everyone is a good passer. Parker has never consistently been a really prolific playmaker, so with both him and Ginobili logging fewer minutes, the retirement of Duncan, and Hill's recent departure, they're steadily losing a lot of their playmaking capabilities. It's not just a question of replacing Parker's minutes on the floor, but figuring out how the offense can flow now.


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