9 Players the San Antonio Spurs held onto for too long

San Antonio Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol
San Antonio Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol | Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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6. Marco Belinelli

The Spurs just could not quit Belinelli. The 6’5 wing played for four different teams before signing with San Antonio in 2013. He was immediately a role player on a championship team in what was arguably the best season of his career. Belinelli’s minutes decreased the following year as his shot selection became questionable at best.

The Sacramento Kings came in with a three-year $19 million offer to sign Belinelli away from San Antonio in 2015. After playing for four teams in those three seasons, the 32-year-old wing ended up back with the Spurs in 2018.

Things went from bad to worse with his shot selection as he made just 40.6 percent from the field over the next two seasons. His defense was never elite, but it slipped significantly as well. There was a high volume of shots that left Spurs fans scratching their heads, and teams targeted him on the other end.

Marco Belinelli left the NBA in 2020 but has continued his playing career back in his native Italy. The 37-year-old wing is still a key shot-maker for Virtus Bologna, but his selection remains questionable. Credit to Belinelli for helping the San Antonio Spurs win a championship in 2014, but the franchise held onto him for far too long.