San Antonio Spurs Who Still Have to Step Up

The San Antonio Spurs have bounced back from a brief losing stretch with seven straight wins, most recently a 119-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night.

But they're still in need of more consistent contributions from a few players.

Although roster changes are a factor since a new face is adjusting to new teammates, a couple of returning players are also adapting to new featured spots. All that is happening while a longtime leader is learning a lesser role, too.

Gregg Popovich's team has navigated the opening month of the season at 12-3, so San Antonio has the luxury of fine-tuning the rotation while still winning games. But the Spurs will need a more complete effort to reach their championship potential.

Honorable Mention: Pau Gasol, C

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Following a fully expected and largely inconsequential slow start to the season, Pau Gasol is adapting to his new setting.

During the first eight games, the veteran attempted 10-plus shots just once while recording a net negative-2.3 rating, per NBA.com. The low point was when he played a mere 13 minutes throughout a two-point loss to the Houston Rockets.

Since then, Gasol has registered an impressive plus-13.6 rating thanks to increased contributions on offense and growing more comfortable in his defensive role. The latter side of the court was always the concern because Gasol was pegged to fill the position Tim Duncan played—not replace him.

According to Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post, Gasol said communication is the key to settling into his new environment.

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[With] the way the NBA is going, there's so much switching going on, and smaller lineups, so it is an adjustment period that just continues to happen that way. We'll continue to help each other out, understanding how we can help each other on the floor and communicating. That's the key no matter what.

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There's no debating San Antonio needs Gasol's recent surge to be a regular sight. But after a rough beginning, his overall impact is trending in the right direction.

Kyle Anderson and Jonathon Simmons, SF/SG

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Gasol's signing meant the Spurs had to address the backcourt from within. The obvious choices for larger roles were Kyle Anderson and Jonathon Simmons.

Save for an opening-night explosion from Simmons against the Golden State Warriors, they've both been relatively quiet. That's a problem for San Antonio's thin bench, which needs at least one of them to be a steady reserve presence.

Anderson's 9.3 player efficiency rating (PER) and Simmons' 10.0 mark are the worst among rotational players.

"We need to have those guys continue to improve and be on the floor and make our bench deep," Popovich said, according to Nick Moyle of the San Antonio Express-News. "If you take those two out, we're not very deep."

Although Anderson's biggest value is versatility, that doesn't guarantee a big return from multiple spots: He's managed a total of 31 points through 222 minutes. Anderson must be a contributor on the defensive end to have an impact.

The 2014 first-round pick was a decent replacement while Danny Green was injured, but Anderson was nothing more than a placeholder on offense. Teams didn't have to respect him as an off-ball player, so he wasn't going to excel in that role.

Since a shift back to the bench following Green's return, Anderson's usage has dropped even further. San Antonio knows what to expect from him on a nightly basis, and there's value in that. It's just not much.

Unlike Anderson, though, Simmons has considerable upside because of his explosiveness as a creator and potentially as a shooter. That's why the second-year guard has cut into Anderson's minutes.

But Simmons' primary issue is consistency—since burying his first three triples at Golden State, he's missed 14 straight long-range looks. Additionally, he went 8-of-14 in the opener but has connected on just 20 of his last 56 attempts.

NBA followers can see Simmons' ceiling, but lately, he's been an energetic athlete who is capable of much more production.

Tony Parker, PG

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At risk of making this a "your 'better' isn't good enough!" discussion, Parker has put together a string of quality performances since returning from a three-game absence.

The problem was an underwhelming start—and the subsequent reality that his floor is terribly low.

The 34-year-old averaged just 5.8 points and four assists over 25.5 minutes per night during his first five appearances of the season. Over the next five outings, though, he's played 26.9 minutes, posting 13.6 points and 5.2 assists.

Unsurprisingly, as Parker improved, the team's output soared.

Considering the veteran's shifting role, the latter stretch is outstanding. It's likely not sustainable, but San Antonio still relies on Parker to oversee the offense's ball movement.

While Parker is most effective as a creator, he'll regularly defer to Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. With fewer touches, Parker must be a model of efficiency. Staying healthy would help, but that's far from a certainty at this point of his career.

"It's starting to get better and better," he said of his sore right knee after the Spurs' win over the Los Angeles Lakers, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. "I just don't want to jinx it."

At his best, Parker is a valuable offensive weapon. But his worst is reaching problematic territory.

San Antonio must discover the right balance between preserving him for long-term goals and avoiding unnecessary absences that may hamper his rhythm and production.

Stats as of Nov. 24 and from NBA.com or Basketball-Reference. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report NBA Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.