San Antonio Spurs Continue To Stay Their NBA Course

Jun 8, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks to forward Tim Duncan (21) guard Tony Parker (9) and forward Kawhi Leonard (2) against the Miami Heat in game two of the 2014 NBA Finals at AT&T Center. The Heat won 98-96. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
While Miami, New York and Los Angeles frantically seek out help in NBA free agency, the world champion San Antonio Spurs keep doing their business.
Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich set the tone
People continue to wonder how the world the San Antonio Spurs continue to have success with such a supposedly antiquated style of team-building. Most days in the modern NBA it’s either tank for a top draft pick or clear cap space for a big free agent. Yet the Spurs have continued to thrive through good drafting regardless of position and smart free agent purchases rather than big ones. Part of their success centers around their Hall of Fame core of Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich. Their unselfishness both on and off the court has trickled down throughout the organization. It has allowed them to not only play better basketball, but build better teams. Such is the way the Spurs have won five championships since 1999. It would’ve been easy by this point, with Duncan getting old for them to break tradition for an off-season and go after a quality free agent or trading up in the draft. Nope. San Antonio just continues to do their thing, going after the bargains and sticking to the budget.
Boris Diaw expected to follow Patty Mills
That is why they remain outside the news. The only time thus far that the San Antonio Spurs drew attention was when they signed point guard Patty Mills to a three-year deal. Mills was one of their primary targets all along so the move didn’t come as a surprise. It is for that same reason that nobody will bat an eye if (and more likely when) the Spurs bring back NBA Finals hero Boris Diaw as well. Both were critical to their championship run and showing loyalty to players who produced for them is something San Antonio has always tried to uphold. Build through the draft, purchase the right free agents, keep homegrown players on the roster as much as possible. It builds chemistry and more often than not a bigger and bigger trophy case.