Spurs next dominant Twin Tower era is one opportunity away

San Antonio Spurs fans remember the good ol' days. Times when opposing teams would dare to try to test the paint, only to be met by a couple of towering figures, Tim Duncan and David Robinson, tasked with protecting said paint. They were well-equipped to handle the burden.

Alamo City may never have a pair of frontcourt defenders that stout again—they were both all-timers. But that doesn't mean they can't try to recapture the essence. Size still matters in this sport. You take a talented big over a talented small nine times out of ten, and there may be an opportunity for the Spurs to establish a new twin-tower duo.

Lauri Markannen would be a great fit next to Victor Wembanyama

Markannen is a supremely talented and versatile offensive player. During the regular season, he shot 40% from three, and when you watch the video above, you see that he can get those three-pointers off in a variety of ways. Even when wide open, the Spurs struggled from three last season, while Markannen averaged 45% on such shots. The Finnish big man can also play in the pick-and-roll, averaging 69% in the restricted area.

He is neither a brick wall nor a turnstile on defense. Playing next to Victor Wembanyama while being coached by Gregg Popovich will likely see him maintain a reputation for being at least a respectable defender. His size will be deterrent enough for some, and with proper positioning, he'll stop plenty of baskets with his 7'0 frame.

The question will be if the Spurs can pry him out of Utah. Markannen is entering the final year of his contract at $18 million. The Jazz can offer him the largest contract but they still need him to want to stay. He'll be an unrestricted free agent, so Utah would likely prefer to get something for him if they can't resign him. Fortunately, San Antonio has plenty of assets to offer; should that be the case, they should not hesitate to test those waters.

Markkanen averaged 23 points and eight rebounds per game last season—production that would be a valuable addition to the Spurs. His presence would help address several key issues, notably three-point shooting and the Silver and Black's struggle with consistent rebounding. He only turned 27 recently, so he's just entering his prime—an opportunity that San Antonio could pounce on to speed up the rebuilding process, which is something they have been reportedly exploring anyway.