Earning Our Stripes

[djp73]

Goals? Roster analysis? Biggest needs to be able to compete?

[mvp]

Let's do it

Patch dropped today, starting games this week

Goals? Roster analysis? Biggest needs to be able to compete?

article update in the making

[mvp]

A Winning Culture in Jeopardy of Losing?

Recent history in San Antonio has included a particular type of basketball – one that its fans love, and usually not ending until sometime in the summer, well after securing a playoff berth. In fact, in their 44 seasons as a member of the NBA, the Spurs have only missed the playoffs a total of five times, including last season, and have never missed the playoffs in consecutive years. That's winning basketball.

But this team is different. It's a younger team void of a star. While some look to DeMar DeRozan or LaMarcus Aldridge to lead this team, neither made an all star appearance last season. Aldridge was the last Spur to make an all star team, two seasons ago, but is now on the wrong side of 35. Playoffs this season would be an overachievement in most critics' opinions.

It's not all bad though..

There is plenty of young talent, who if can pull together, can actually flip the franchise on its head and turn the team into a contender. That's what makes this season such a critical one for the Spurs. There's a wide variety of possible outcomes, ranging from a bottom-five team to a possible contender if all goes right. It largely depends on the veterans having a little juice left in the tank, combined with the development of the younger players – and everyone's ability to stay healthy.

Team Goals
- Finish above .500
- Contend for a playoff spot
- Develop one of the prospects into a double-digit scorer
- Have a player make the All-Star team

• • •

Rotation Breakdown



5 Dejounte Murray / Starting PG
2019-20: 10.9 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 4.1 APG

It's a big year for Murray as he enters his fifth year as a pro, although he was sidelined for the entire 2018-19 season due to a torn ACL.

His game is predicated on using his athleticism in order to get to the hoop, but he's going to need to be a bit more methodical for him to fight off the injury bug that he seems to get hit by every year. He's a great rebounder for his position and good passer. Besides finishing at the rim, Murray has a nice pull-up mid-range game, but needs to continue working on his three-ball. His biggest strength, however, is on the defensive side of the ball. Before his ACL tear, Murray was awarded with an NBA Second All-Defensive Team appearance in just his second season as a pro.

He can defend the perimeter with the best of them, which is paramount in today's league.

Main Strengths: Size, defensive ability, athleticism, drive-and-kick / Main Weaknesses: Injury prone, outside shooting.




4 Derrick White / Starting SG
2019-20: 11.3 PPG / 3.3 RPG / 3.5 APG

White bursted on the scene in the team's first playoff matchup against the Denver Nuggets in 2018 when he posterized Paul Millsap with an electrifying slam.

He plays a supporting role of being an outside threat to Murray's drive-and-kicks. White has enough athleticism to pull off the acrobatic finish from time to time, but usually errs on the side of crafty, supported by sweet, but streaky stroke.

Main Strengths: Scoring ability, craftiness. / Main Weaknesses: Inconsistency on offense and defense, size.




10 DeMar DeRozan / Starting SF
2019-20: 22.1 PPG / 5.5 RPG / 5.6 APG

As the main scoring and playmaking threat, DeRozan is bonafide scorer and multiple time all-star. Entering his age-31 season, DeRozan has seen his trips to the free throw line steadily decrease over the past few seasons, which is worrisome in terms of his aggressiveness as the leader of the team. If the Spurs plan to compete, he's going to have to attack the paint more often and earn a few extra trips to the stripe in the process.

Now on the tail end of his prime, the biggest question is whether or not DeRozan has at least a couple more really good seasons left in the tank. If he does, he can help propel San Antonio back into the playoffs. If not, he can find his way out of town sooner rather than later.

Main Strengths: Attacking the basket, mid-range game, playmaking. / Main Weaknesses: Outside shot is abysmal.




41 Trey Lyles / Starting PF
2019-20: 6.4 PPG / 5.7 RPG / 1.1 APG

Lyles is a 6-foot-9 stretch four. He's got pretty decent size for the position and makes a living on the outside. He's found his third home in San Antonio since joining the league in 2015 with the Jazz and then Denver.

He came on strong in the second half of the year for the Spurs and we should expect to see his growth continue this year. He shot 48.8 percent from behind the arc after the all-star break and was still rebounding at good rate before the end of the season.

Main Strengths: Three point shooting, size. / Main Weaknesses: Pretty average at just about everything else.




12 LaMarcus Aldridge / Starting C
2019-20: 18.9 PPG / 7.4 RPG / 2.4 APG

Aldridge has shifted his style as the NBA game has progressed into a shooter's league. In the bubble last season, LMA took a huge leap in his outside shooting abilities.

Known in his Portland days for his all-star performances as a post and mid-range scorer, Aldridge improved mightily from deep – shooting 39% on 3.0 three-point attempts per game last season. He should be looking to build upon that success and in turn score 17 to 20 points on a nightly basis for San Antonio. If he does this, the Spurs can rally around the 35-year old.

Main Strengths: Shooting, post-scoring, shot blocking. / Main Weaknesses: Age.

• • •

8 Patty Mills / Sixth Man (PG)
2019-20: 11.6 PPG / 1.6 RPG / 1.8 APG

Mills is entering his 10th season with the Spurs as the sixth man. A prolific scorer, the Australian native was third in scoring for the team last season and will be looked at for veteran leadership and pouring in the points in bunches. He's a great knock-down three-point shooter and can be a crafty finisher around the rim.


22 Rudy Gay / Backup PF/SF
2019-20: 10.8 PPG / 5.4 RPG / 1.7 APG

Another veteran on the second unit, Rudy Gay returns for his fourth season with the Spurs as primarily a power forward, but could see spurts at small forward from time to time. Now as a 34-year old, Gay still finds himself putting up points at an effective rate, although fell off as three-point shooting threat a little bit last year. Expect him to bounce back this year and contribute double-digit scoring totals regularly for this team.


3 Keldon Johnson / Backup SF/SG
2019-20: 9.1 PPG / 3.4 RPG / 0.9 APG

Before the season was suspended in his rookie year, Keldon Johnson didn't see much time. However, Johnson's game took a huge step forward in the Orlando bubble. He played at least 22 minutes in all eight games after the restart, averaging 14.1 points, 5.0 boards, 1.4 threes, 1.1 assists and 1.1 steals, and the 2019 first-round pick seems to have solidified himself as a key part of the Spurs' future.


1 Lonnie Walker IV / Backup SG
2019-20: 6.4 PPG / 2.3 RPG / 1.1 APG

Walker was one of the young Spurs that showed signs of promise during the team's run in the bubble, and he's expected to take another step forward this season. Still just 22 years old, the 6'5" wing will find success as a three-and-d type of contributor with the ability to finish in transition above the rim.


25 Jakob Poeltl / Backup C
2019-20: 5.6 PPG / 5.7 RPG / 1.8 APG

The 7-foot-1 Poeltl just signed a three-year extension with the Spurs on November 20, alluding to his potential and future with the team. He's a solid rebounder and shot blocker in the paint, and will be expected to clean the offensive boards for easy put backs and points in the paint.

• • •



24 Devin Vassell / Rookie Wing
2019-20 (Florida State): 12.7 PPG / 5.1 RPG / 1.6 APG

As a college player, Vassell showed a variety of moves on offense to get his own shots and create for others. On defense, his basketball IQ is something to be taken note of as he has a knack of reading plays to cut off passing lanes with ease and stripping the ball. The rookie projects to fit the three-and-d prototype every team yearns for.


33 Tre Jones / Rookie Guard
2019-20 (Duke): 16.2 PPG / 4.2 RPG / 6.4 APG

A disruptive defender who will pick up the length of the court and find ways to be pesky on and off the ball, Jones shined at the college level. Expect him to be a pest on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, Jones really improved from his freshman season to his sophomore year. He will be looked at as a high-IQ game manager who runs the offense, but isn't ideally used as a primary creator.

• • •



• • •

[Captain Canada]

Nice roster analysis, going to find out a lot about your team's projection early on it seems like.

[djp73]

nice roster article man

[mvp]

Nice roster analysis, going to find out a lot about your team's projection early on it seems like.

we ready. it really depends on the guys like keldon johnson, walker iv, can vassell contribute immediately in this game. i know what i'm getting with derozan, aldridge, mills, and gay... but can murray, white, and lyles contribute consistently enough? that's where it's going to count i think. can murray be a 15/5/5 guy, and can white up his ppg while hitting 40% from deep? those are the questions that will answer whether or not we have a playoff team on our hands.

nice roster article man

u asked for it, u got it

thanks fellas

[kibaxx7]

Great roster breakdown. As you said, I think the key will be if the bench really contributes.

[mvp]

Great roster breakdown. As you said, I think the key will be if the bench really contributes.

Thanks man. Yeah going to be really interesting to see how everyone contributes. I'm really excited for Vassell and Keldon.


they dropped a patch but i dont think it work

there's a good set of rosters that are dropping soon, so i might wait for those. but im pretty anxious to get started so we'll see.

[mvp]

edit: had to delete this post.

[Agent]

Next gen :datass: