Not So Fast: Don't Bury the San Antonio Spurs' Legacy Just Yet

Duncan's bad knees.  Manu's bad ankles.  Bowen and Finley ready for retirement.  Decent young players not ready for big time roles.

So the media decides it is time to say goodbye, to wave farewell to the dynasty in San Antonio.

I say San Antonio is in prime position to make at least one more run at a championship over the next two or three years...and build for the future at the same time.

Let's look at some facts.  Even on "bad knees," Duncan was amazing in the first round against a peaking Mavs team.  A quick playoff exit might be a gift for San Antonio: more time for Duncan to fully heal.

And big men have adjusted their games and still contributed on championship caliber teams.  Shaq in Miami and Big Z in Cleveland this season.  They may not be the focal points of the offense, but their contributions were (and are) essential.

And don't forget the spurs won their last championship with an "average" Duncan...they swept the Cavs.

If Manu can stay away from international ball this summer, he'll come back healthy, as well.  And while he's getting older, has that kept guards like Billups, Kidd, and Ray Allen from taking teams to another level?

The league is moving away from a big man's league anyway ... great point guards (or other perimeter players) are what puts a team over the top.  Parker was unstoppable this year, all season.  Let Manu and Duncan heal, and the big three will be a force.

As far as the "youngsters" go, let Oduka, Hill, and Mason take a summer to work on their game, and they could develop nicely into the type of role players Popovich loves.  Mason is there now, and Hill has gobs of talent.

But there is one advantage the Spurs will have this summer that others are not pointing out: San Antonio will be a major player in free agency this off-season.

Why?  With the economy in a dive and a diminished salary cap, players will not be able to seek big money contracts; organizations aren't willing to overspend for mid-level talent like summers past.  Also, teams are cutting and gearing up for the "summer of Lebron" in another year.

So what will sway mid-level free agent talent this summer?  A first class organization?  One of the best coaches in basketball?  A chance to make a serious run for a championship and play significant minutes?  A dedicated home-town fan base?  The Spurs offer all this, perhaps more than any other team in the NBA.

The big three could possibly be surrounded by more talent than ever before.  And if the Spurs can steal a young diamond in the rough or two (like a Parker or Ginobli, which they are adept at finding), they can build for the future as well.

These are a lot of ifs, I know.  But these are also realistic and achievable goals for a franchise everyone is writing off.  Watch San Antonio keep the big three healthy and make a couple savvy moves, and they'll have as good a chance as anyone to hoist that trophy come next summer.

Peace.