Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

One more run

San Antonio Spurs fans must be dreaming.

For the first time in the organization’s history, the Spurs nabbed the top marquee free agent on the market, LaMarcus Aldridge, during the off-season.

And they didn’t stop there.

The Spurs rounded out their roster with veteran free agent and noted NBA leader, David West.

It took some cap room movement and player trades — Tiago Splitter, Aron Baynes and Marco Belinelli all notably moved on to different teams — but the Spurs managed to get it done.

The player moves during the off-season give San Antonio one of the stoutest rosters in the league — and perhaps the biggest expectations.

While it’s every team’s goal to ultimately win the NBA Championship, anything less in 2016 is a failure for San Antonio.

In addition to their bold off-season moves, the Spurs maintained their dynasty nucleus of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan while retaining one of the NBA’s best sharp shooters in Danny Green, a spark plug in Patty Mills and the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Kawhi Leonard.


The moves will help prolong the career of Tim Duncan — San Antonio’s cornerstone — whose career appears to be coming to an end. The proverbial “rock” upon which the Spurs’ championship dynasty was founded upon, “The Big Fundamental,” continues to stave off Father Time admirably, year after year.


San Antonio’s roster moves enable them to compete with the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, two of the best teams in the NBA, and the two teams who competed in the 2015 NBA Finals. The bold roster moves have seen the team ranked second and third in various NBA pre-season polls, while Vegas Odds rank San Antonio at 7/2 to win the NBA title — second only to Cleveland 5/2.


In theory, it’s a roster that should be one of the best in the league. But making it all work will be a daunting task (see 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers and 2010-11 Miami Heat).

The Spurs, though, continue to employ the best coach in the NBA — Gregg Popovich.

The coach, affectionately known as “Pop” to fans, has continually led the NBA landscape in tactics and creativity; the 2016 NBA season should be no different. And, with their once in a generation talent still being productive, the sky’s the limit.

It’s all or nothing this year for San Antonio — brace yourselves Spurs fans.

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