Quarter-Season Grades for Each San Antonio Spurs Player
The San Antonio Spurs have seemingly soared past their brief early-season hiccup and returned to a familiar place near the top of the Western Conference.
However, simple results don't tell the entire story.
"We're not playing well, but the good thing is we're getting wins," Manu Ginobili said after San Antonio improved to 16-4, per Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. Since then, the team has rattled off a 5-1 mark and sits at 21-5 for the season.
Part of San Antonio's struggles still stem from the expected adjustment period for a roster restocked with new players. But soon, the Spurs will need to eliminate their issues on a more consistent basis.
Since roles differ across the team, players are not all graded on the same scale. For example, judging Kawhi Leonard and Bryn Forbes using the same criteria would not be fair. Expectations based on previous production and current role serve as the by-player guide.
Deep Reserves
1 of 7
15. Dejounte Murray, Point Guard
A rookie out of Washington, Dejounte Murray hasn't played much in San Antonio. He tallied four points, four assists and four turnovers during a mid-November start against the Dallas Mavericks but has just 46 minutes through 11 NBA games.
Otherwise, he's a regular face with the Austin Spurs of the NBA D-League. The appearances in Austin give the athletic Murray a chance to hold a primary role, make mistakes and learn. He won't be asked to play significant minutes with San Antonio this season.
Grade: Incomplete
14. Bryn Forbes, Shooting Guard
Forbes simply isn't getting much playing time anywhere. He's totaled 53 minutes in 11 NBA games yet only appeared in two D-League contests. Although Forbes could develop into a valuable sharpshooting reserve, the Spurs aren't rushing him into game action.
Since Forbes isn't a fixture in Austin, practice time with San Antonio is the most valuable. He wasn't a great defender at Michigan State, so he's adjusting to the heightened NBA competition.
Grade: Incomplete
13. Nicolas Laprovittola, Point Guard
Third-string point guards don't provide massive numbers, but Nicolas Laprovittola has given the Spurs a much-needed option in the bullpen.
The experienced Argentinian has proved capable of handling a sizable role when called upon—and with a somewhat-delicate Tony Parker, it's not exactly rare. Laprovittola, while starting three games in Parker's place, averaged eight points. If he can continue to limit turnovers, the team's confidence will grow.
Grade: A-
12. Davis Bertans, Power Forward
Transitioning from Europe to the NBA is difficult, so expectations were tempered for Davis Bertans early on. But as the season has progressed, the Latvian's potential has started to flicker.
Now, despite being 6'10", Bertans sometimes struggles as a rebounder because of his slender 210-pound frame. What he lacks in size, though, Bertans often atones for as a shooter. The rookie has earned a semi-regular role thanks to his three-point stroke. He's made 38.1 percent of his threes this season.
Grade: B
11. Kyle Anderson, Small Forward
At his best, Kyle Anderson is a respectable all-around player. At his worst, the third-year reserve is practically invisible.
Against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 6, he collected 11 points, six boards and four assists. But in 13 total appearances since Danny Green rejoined the starting lineup, Anderson has mustered 8.5 minutes and 2.4 points per game.
While the Spurs are fortunate to have a bench piece with Anderson's versatile potential, his role is typically limited to filling in for a resting or injured member of the rotation. Anderson has a diverse skill set but no standout asset. That's the key to regular minutes.
Grade: C+
Bench Rotation
2 of 7
10. Dewayne Dedmon, Center
Don't be surprised when Dewayne Dedmon is a key player for San Antonio during the playoffs. In limited minutes so far—just 14.7 per game—the offseason signing has shined.
Per NBA.com, he leads the Spurs in several categories. The most notable are defensive rating (89.8), net rating (plus-19.7), rebounding percentage (22.0) and blocks per game (1.2). Dedmon is far and away San Antonio's best rim protector, too. And with a salary below $3 million, according to HoopsHype, he's an absolute steal.
Grade: A
9. David Lee, Power Forward
Gone are the days where David Lee could be a featured player for a contender, but he's settled into his reserve role nicely. He has outperformed expectations, averaging 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists with a plus-10.6 net rating.
Lee is a terrific fit in the offensive system because of his willingness to pass, and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News noted the veteran is a constant talker on the court. Additionally, his defensive weaknesses are mitigated by Dedmon inside the paint. With him, per NBA.com, Lee's defensive rating is 85.2. Without the shot-blocker on the floor, it soars to 103.7.
As long as Lee maintains his offensive impact, though, the Spurs have grabbed another free-agent gem.
Grade: A-
8. Jonathon Simmons, Swingman
No other Spurs player shows explosiveness like Jonathon Simmons, who is otherwise known as "The Juice" because of occasional highlight-worthy dunks and blocks.
He's an active defender and someone who can boost the energy level both on the court and in the seats. But Simmons is also an inconsistent jump-shooter. He's connected on just seven of 27 three-point attempts and 38.2 percent of pull-up twos, per NBA.com.
Because of his energy, Simmons often has decent games without filling the box score. But higher efficiency on offense would solidify him as an every-night player for the postseason.
Grade: B-
7. Manu Ginobili, Shooting Guard
Similar to Lee, Ginobili's days as a big-number guy are in the past. But the veteran is still an essential piece of the roster because of his playmaking potential and shooting range.
The Spurs are 17-5 through his 22 appearances this season. Ginobili's total output stays relatively constant, but his efficiency varies greatly. According to NBA.com, he is shooting 40.4 percent from beyond the arc and 41.4 overall in wins compared to 23.5 and 22.2 rates, respectively, during losses.
The Spurs no longer need him to carry the bench thanks to Patty Mills' improvement and Lee's impact, but they still struggle when Ginobili is a non-factor.
Grade: B
6. Patty Mills, Point Guard
Win or lose, Mills provides energy. Among NBA rotation players, only Sergio Rodriguez (4.78) and T.J. McConnell (4.70) of the Philadelphia 76ers sport a faster average speed than Mills (4.68).
The Spurs count on that high activity level, but they also need his three-point shooting. Mills has nailed 42.4 percent of his long-range looks this season, which is a primary reason he's headed toward career-best marks in several categories.
Mills also boasts a team-best 112.6 offensive rating and 62.9 true shooting percentage, per NBA.com. Like Dedmon, there's a real chance his role increases during the playoffs.
Grade: A-
5. Danny Green, Shooting Guard
3 of 7
Green missed eight of San Antonio's first nine games while recovering from a quad strain and has encountered a "unique" year.
Although the North Carolina product hasn't necessarily struggled, his production has dipped other than a 42.3 three-point clip. That shooting mark is essential, but Green's rebound, steal and block averages are each the lowest of his career as a starter.
His shot-defense numbers aren't extraordinarily different than previous seasons, yet it feels like the Spurs need more from him. The team's defensive rating is 4.4 points better with Green off the floor, per NBA.com, yet his play hasn't appeared that poor.
Not great, but not bad. Not plaguing the Spurs, but also not shining: It's been a weird opening stretch for Green.
Grade: B
4. Tony Parker, Point Guard
4 of 7
The simple truth is San Antonio's offense reaches peak Spurs-iness with Parker on the floor.
"If you have a great basketball mind, and you enjoy watching basketball, you'll see what he does on the floor and (compare that to) how our team runs without him playing," Leonard said, per McDonald. "I don't think he's underappreciated at all. If people do, then they just want to see somebody score."
That's also a test of how to weigh analytics and eyes. The numbers say the Spurs are noticeably more efficient without Parker—particularly on defense—but San Antonio has played a more controlled game (and is 15-3) with him starting at the point.
Parker has already missed eight games, so the scattered availability is a disappointment. When healthy, though, he's provided a steady offensive impact while trying to hide defensive shortcomings.
Grade: B
3. Pau Gasol, Center
5 of 7
Pinning San Antonio's defensive struggles on one particular person is unwise. Rather, it's a combination of Parker's general decline, Green's slight drop and unspectacular defense from the frontcourt.
However, Pau Gasol takes a fair share of the heat largely because he's the player who filled Tim Duncan's starting spot and is nowhere close to the pick-and-roll defender Duncan was. Per NBA.com, the Spurs have mustered a 105.8 defensive rating with Gasol on the court compared to 96.8 when he's on the bench.
The bright side is that the offense's assist rate dips and turnover ratio rises when Gasol is watching from the sideline. He's dished 2.7 per game, including five outings of five-plus assists.
But while Gasol is still capable of sporadic 20-point performances in addition to smart passing, San Antonio has a greater need for reliable rebounding and respectable defense.
That's still a work in progress.
Grade: B-
2. LaMarcus Aldridge, Power Forward
6 of 7
Leonard's torrid start stole deserved attention from LaMarcus Aldridge, who averaged 18.3 points through his first 16 appearances.
During the next six games, the power forward mustered just 11.7 points before sitting out San Antonio's victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Head coach Gregg Popovich's reason for Aldridge's night off was "a little bit rest, a little banged up," per McDonald.
Perhaps the minor slump contributed to an ailment, or vice versa, because Aldridge has otherwise been a solid contributor offensively.
Now, of course the Spurs would prefer to get better interior defense out of the 31-year-old. But it's also important to remember they didn't sign Aldridge for that side of the floor.
One fix is more action for the Aldridge-Dedmon pairing. That could require Gasol accepting a move from the starting lineup to the bench, even if it doesn't have a major affect on his minutes per game.
We know that won't be asked of Aldridge.
Grade: B+
1. Kawhi Leonard, Small Forward
7 of 7
The reigning two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year has garnered a strong majority of the Spurs' headlines. But this time, it's because of his offense.
Leonard is averaging a career-best 24.5 points and 3.1 assists despite a bump of less than one minute per game. His three-point percentage is down slightly, but he has still converted at a 38.9 rate.
A career-worst 105.7 defensive rating seems like a glaring problem. But Matt Moore of CBSSports.com laid out a compelling case for why Leonard being so good at defense is hurting the Spurs: Teams are making a concerted effort to avoid him and attack his teammates, which is, well, obviously smart.
However, the effectiveness of Leonard's on-ball defense has dropped, too. According to NBA.com, opponents are shooting 63.3 percent inside of 10 feet compared to 46.2 last season.
His offensive value outweighs the notable issues on the other end, but Leonard must improve on the limited possessions when teams are willing to test him.
Grade: B+
Stats as of Dec. 15 and from NBA.com or Basketball-Reference.com. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report NBA Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
