Wrapping your head around the San Antonio Spurs making a major free-agency splash is difficult.
But you must do it.
Because it may happen.
The Spurs delayed re-signing Kawhi Leonard to an extension in order to preserve cap space. And with Tim Duncan’s and Manu Ginobili’s futures uncertain, rumors have been floated this way and that, trying to project and understand San Antonio’s offseason plans. We know that, at least part of it, includes burning through the cap space it’ll create. Beyond that, in terms of targets and priorities, we’re largely in the dark, because the Spurs operate and execute and dominate in the shadows, like basketball ninjas.
One name keeps coming up more than any other one, though: Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies.
From the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney:
That’s fired up speculation, an annual rite in the NBA, around what’s next for the Spurs. For much of the year, a rumor has simmered that the Spurs are girding for the retirements of both Duncan and Ginobili, and, according to league sources, are prepared to chase hard after one of the top free agents on the market this summer: Grizzlies center Marc Gasol.
“It depends on what Tim and Manu and everyone there does,” one Western Conference executive told Sporting News. “But if they’re going, the Spurs are not going to step back and rebuild, no one thinks that. The understanding is Gasol would be their top target.”
Gasol has indicated that he would like to re-sign in Memphis, and the Grizzlies are certainly heading into the next few months in the lead to retain his services. But if Memphis fizzles in the playoffs, Gasol would have to seriously look at other options on the free-agent market. The chances of him landing with a rebuilding outfit like the Lakers or Knicks are slim. According to sources, Gasol, who turned 30 in January, would likely only leave Memphis for a team that gave him a better championship shot.
There’s little reason to consider Gasol a contingency plan. As yours truly has written elsewhere, the Spurs have enough financial plasticity to have their cake and eat it too, enough wiggle room to bring back Ginobili and Duncan while also adding star-level free agents. So even if they aren’t picked apart by age and retirement, they’re in position to do something special.
It just remains to be seen what that something special can and will be. A lot may depend on the outcome of their playoff run. It’s difficult to envision Duncan coming back if he wins a sixth championship, after all. Though, maybe he decides to put Michael Jordan to shame and go for seven in that scenario. Who knows.
Really, the issue is the Spurs’ perpetual state of stealth mode. As an executive pointed out to Deveney, this is a team that quietly almost poached Jason Kidd back in free agency during his heyday. Anything is possible if you give the Spurs cap space.
Anything is possible when they have the money, in addition to the ever-present championship clout, to seduce the biggest names.
