5 Spurs who crossed enemy lines to join hated NBA rivals

After a rebuild that has lasted years, the San Antonio Spurs could finally get back to the playoffs next season. While the Spurs are on the right track in their rebuild, it's worth looking back at several players that they let get away.

Worse yet, several once-beloved former Spurs have gone on to play for hated rivals. There are five former Spurs who once played a prominent role on the team but later crossed enemy lines. We'll start with a burly big man who set records before leaving San Antonio.

5) Dejuan Blair

It seems like forever ago that DeJuan Blair appeared to be a big deal for the Spurs. He was a second-round selection but was initially seen as a lottery pick, but concerns about having no ACLs hurt his draft stock.

He quickly proved to be a draft steal, posting strong numbers coming off the bench for the Spurs, including two 20-point and 20-rebound games as a rookie. That eventually earned him a starting spot on a veteran team. That was short-lived; however, his inconsistent play, poor defense, and significant weight gain all eventually put him in the doghouse.

Blair didn't work out in San Antonio, and after four seasons there, he signed with the Washington Wizards and later the Dallas Mavericks. That led to him playing the Spurs in their 2014 first-round series against the Mavs.

He had a couple of strong games, including scoring 13 points in 14 minutes in Game 2 and 12 points in 15 minutes in Game 4. However, Blair got a flagrant foul during that game for kicking Tiago Splitter in the head, who took his job while a member of the Spurs.

Despite that, the Spurs won the series in seven games and went on to win a championship. Meanwhile, Blair got suspended for Game 5 and was a non-factor the rest of the series.

Blair crossing enemy lines didn't amount to much, with him only lasting a season in Dallas, but for a second there, it looked like he might help the Mavs upset the Spurs.

4) Danny Green

Danny "Icy Hot" Green played 8 seasons for the Spurs, helping them retool around the Big 3. During his time with the team, they made 3 straight Western Conference Finals, back-to-back NBA Finals, and won a championship in 2014, all with Green starting.

While he was a frustrating player at times, few Spurs fans can argue that he wasn't a big part of that run. Green was a hot-and-cold marksman who, when on, was a stellar shooter who could swing games on both offense and defense.

When he was off, it was almost comical, with him being unable to dribble without coughing the ball up. Still, it was bewildering to see him thrown into the Kawhi Leonard Toronto Raptors trade.

That move is still puzzling, considering the Spurs needed him with the addition of DeMar DeRozan. Instead, Green won a championship in Toronto in 2019 before joining the rival Los Angeles Lakers that summer.

Seeing Green in purple and gold hurt, and so did seeing him win a championship with the Lakers while the Spurs were rebuilding.

3) Patty Mills

Former Spurs guard Patty Mills spent 10 seasons in San Antonio and was a key member of several outstanding teams. During that span, he drilled a staggering 1,171 threes, and he played an integral part of the Spurs' 2014 title team and helped them topple the Miami Heat.

He drilled a combined nine threes off the bench in Game 4 and Game 5 to help the Spurs seal the deal and win their fifth championship. However, he eventually left the Spurs, and after playing for a couple of teams, he joined the Heat in 2024.

By then, he wasn't the same player that he was during his run with the Spurs; still, it was somewhat surprising to see him on the Heat since he helped cost them a championship. His time with the Heat was short-lived, with him playing there for just a few months, but he will always be a Spur.

2) Brent Barry

Two-time NBA champion Brent Barry only played 3 and a half seasons for the Spurs, but he proved to be a big addition. His combination of size, ball-handling, passing, and shooting made him a solid role player, with him being a rotation player on the team's 2005 and 2007 championship teams.

Nevertheless, he was traded in 2008 for Kurt Thomas but was later waived and rejoined the team a month later. After the season, he crossed enemy lines by signing with the Houston Rockets, who were a playoff team and led by Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming at the time.

He only lasted 56 games before being waived by them. His decision against rejoining the Spurs in favor of the Rockets sent a message that he thought Houston was on the rise and the Spurs were on a downward trajectory.

He was somewhat right with the Spurs going through an awkward period there from the late 2000s, but they found their footing in 2010-11, but by then, Barry was already retired.

1) Lonnie Walker

It's too bad that former Spur Lonnie Walker didn't work out, given his elite physical tools. He had the athleticism to be an intriguing player. Walker, despite eye-popping athleticism, never quite figured out how to put it all together.

He often settled for mid-range jumpers instead of punishing the rim and didn't do much of anything else. After four seasons, he wasn't given a qualifying offer, which is rare for a Spurs first-round pick, and he later signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He only lasted one season there, but had some moments. That included scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter in Game 4 of their series against the Golden State Warriors. He's now out of the league, but Spurs fans should wish him and all of these players on this list nothing but the best.