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San Antonio Spurs: Thin Free Agent Class Tests Texas Triangle

Robert Kleeman

Columnist Written on July 02, 2008

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Let's just say Minnesota fans will not see a championship Love the next few seasons.

Many teams will spend this summer trying to add some veteran toughness to their soft and inexperienced rookie squads. How much can you expect a guy with one year of college to do in the NBA? What happens when 90 percent of the players on the team fit that undesirable mold?

The Supersonics happen—and while Seattle fans fight to keep a 41-year-old team in town, surely they would prefer not to revisit last year's chilling, gruesome 20-62 campaign.

The three Western Conference elitists in the Texas triangle have the opposite problem. The Spurs, Rockets and Mavericks need to win now. This Texas trio did not fill any major roster holes on draft night, and these teams' stars' salaries eat up valuable cap space.

The Blazers can afford to think five years down the road, as can the Timberwolves. The Mavs should wonder if 35-year-old Jason Kidd will still play in five years. He won't.

The Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming pairing has produced zero playoff series wins for the Rockets, and nagging injuries suggest an already narrow championship window is now closing at warp speed.

The Spurs, still the best of the trio, managed to win a Game Seven on the road for the first time in franchise history, but stumbled badly in the conference finals against the Lakers.

Each of these squads can spend between $5 and $6 million, using their mid-level exception, and have few tradeable assets not already part of the franchise's immediate plans. At the very least, none of these teams will be getting Elton Brand—and that is worse news than you think.

Donnie Nelson, Daryl Morey, and R.C. Buford will swelter this summer. To win a title next season, each general manager will need to turn that sweat into an impactful free-agent signing.

Trouble in Texas? You decide.

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