Ranking 7 Worst Spurs starters of the Big 3 era

3. Kurt Thomas

Thomas was the tenth overall pick in 1995, and he blossomed from a role player to a key starter with the Knicks in the early 2000s. The 6’9 big man averaged 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 28.9 minutes per game over his eight years in New York. 

His production dipped during his two years in Phoenix, and the Suns had to give up two first-round draft picks to dump his contract in 2007. Just seven months later, San Antonio traded Brent Barry, Francisco Elson, and one first-round pick to get Thomas.

The Spurs wanted a strong rebounder and defender next to Tim Duncan, but Kurt Thomas did not have enough left in the tank. He averaged just 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game and played 16.0 each night in the playoff as the Spurs reached the conference finals.

Thomas spent a second season with the Spurs, but his production did not improve. San Antonio traded him to the Bucks as part of the package for Richard Jefferson after a first-round playoff exit in 2009.

Kurt Thomas was well past his prime when the San Antonio Spurs acquired him, and he simply did not have enough left in the tank.