San Antonio Spurs: Examining options at backup center

Option 1: Drew Eubanks

Drew Eubanks is set to enter his fourth season with the team, though it will be his first as the incumbent backup center. He proved to be effective in limited minutes last season, averaging 5.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks, in just 14 minutes per game. With another season under his belt and more consistent playing time, it's possible that he could be even more effective. 

That said, Eubank’s game has certain drawbacks, including a lack of (consistent) range and some defensive limitations. For example, he shot an impressive 56.6% from the field last season, though only 4% of his shots came from outside of the paint. Were he able to expand his range to include mid-range jumpers, or better yet, threes, he’d be a no-brainer choice at backup center. However, that doesn’t appear likely to happen by next season.

He did make some improvement on the defensive end by lowering his foul rate and defending the pick and roll better. That said, while he’s a good athlete for his size, his lateral quickness is limited, making him vulnerable to being exploited when defending on the perimeter. 

With Poeltl likely playing more minutes next season, it's important to have a player who can make the most of limited minutes. Eubanks has shown that he can be productive in limited minutes and appears to still be improving. When also factoring in his ability to score efficiently, rebound, and block shots, I believe that he is a strong option at backup center.