LaMarcus Aldridge, David West Give Tim Duncan Something He's Never Had

For most of the last two decades, role players have complemented San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan. However, LaMarcus Aldridge and David West give the future Hall of Famer something he's never had: strong frontcourt depth.

Without question, Duncan and David Robinson comprised the best power forward-center combo in franchise history. Although the Spurs' current collection of talent up front is impressive, it won't surpass The Big Fundamental and The Admiral.

Regardless, players like Tiago Splitter, Matt Bonner, Nazr Mohammed, Fabricio Oberto, Robert Horry, Rasho Nesterovic and Malik Rose each occupied valuable roles. But comparatively, they all fall short of what San Antonio will showcase in 2015-16.

Duncan, Aldridge, West and Boris Diaw form arguably the deepest frontcourt unit San Antonio has ever employed.

Eric Gay/Associated Press/Associated Press

Aldridge, who spent the last nine seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, is an adequate defender but boasts a versatile arsenal on the scoring end of the floor. The 6'11" power forward is an elite mid-range shooter and dangerous while facing the basket.

Plus, Aldridge started to add a three-point shot last season. After connecting on 24 of 116 triples through eight years, he buried 37 of 105 in 2014-15. Working with shooting coach Chip Engelland should only improve that noticeable progression in Aldridge's game.

Duncan and Splitter rarely attempted 16-footers, which negatively impacted the offense's spacing. Put simply, adding Aldridge will change that. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he hoisted 57.1 percent of his total shots from 16 feet or farther.

With Splitter gone, Duncan will slide up to center and can focus on attacking the post, where he was most effective last year, anyway. Duncan attempted 70.8 percent of his shots within 10 feet of the rim, his highest clip since the 2006-07 campaign, per Basketball-Reference.com. He converted 52.8 percent of those looks.

That complementary offense should force opponents to respect Aldridge's mid-range game, shy away from leaving Duncan alone in the post and have higher potential for breakdowns on the perimeter. Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard surely wouldn't mind a few uncontested shots.

But when Duncan leaves the floor, San Antonio's frontcourt production shouldn't decrease much.

At 6'8" and 6'9", respectively, neither Diaw nor West has ideal size for a center—and neither is a tremendous defender. Nevertheless, the duo poses a formidable threat against any pair of backup bigs because of its offensive prowess.

Diaw has been a fixture in the Spurs rotation for two-plus seasons, and he's a crafty passer who can finally target a center who is ready to fire from 18 feet. If the stretch 4 can regain his three-point range, Diaw will return to the dangerous form he displayed during the 2014 Finals.

West chose a realistic shot at a championship ring and backup role over a $12 million salary and well-deserved starting position. As Quixem Ramirez of the University Star notes, San Antonio landed a gem in West.

All four players could be starters on a majority of NBA teams, but the Spurs own a massive luxury, as two will come off the bench.

Most importantly for Duncan, though, Aldridge and West are the offense-focused counterparts he and San Antonio need. When Duncan was in his prime, Rose, Nesterovic and Mohammed contributed as physical, defensive-minded role players. At this stage of Duncan's career, he's become that unsung teammate.

The veteran's defensive ability will be a major component of San Antonio's possible success. After all, Duncan is the undisputed leader up front on that end.

Duncan has remained a stout rim-protecting presence through 18 NBA seasons, and that's not likely to change in 2015-16. Last year, he earned NBA All-Defensive second-team honors and posted a 96.9 defensive rating—the third-best mark in the league.

However, pressure to carry the team is largely off Duncan. The 39-year-old is now a third or fourth option at best. It's unfamiliar territory, but this season, Duncan could also receive a title he's never held: role player.

Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.