Backcourt Overload; The Spurs Ready To Roll

The San Antonio Spurs are set to sign another veteran to a one year contract. The target: defensive specialist Keith Bogans. Once this signing becomes official it will bring the San Antonio training camp to 19 players with 20 as the league maximum. More importantly, it will fuel lively competition between several players who have exhausted their time with the Spurs D-League team, the Austin Toros, and are hoping to finally stick, such as their 2005 draft pick Ian Mahinmi and their 2007 draft pick Marcus Williams. Several other young players that will also be competing for the final roster spots include 2008 draft picks, Malik Hairston and James Gist along with point guards Jack McClinton and Curtis Jerrells from the 2009 draft class.

All 19 players who are slated to attend training camp in October are under contract with the Spurs in some form or fashion. This fact alone makes the notion of another Spurs trade quite plausible. Who might be the subject of a possible trade, necessitated by the need to free a roster spot for one or two young talents?

Let’s begin by examining the players who have very little to worry about. The starting line-up will more than likely consist of …..

PG – Tony Parker

SG – Roger Mason

SF – Richard Jefferson

PF – Antonio McDyess

C – Tim Duncan

The reserves listed in order of most critical to the team are, Manu Ginobili, George Hill, Dejuan Blair, Michael Finley, Theo Ratliff and Matt Bonner. The signing of Keith Bogans adds depth behind RJ at the small forward position in addition to the shooting guard spot. Bogans seems like a lock to make the team given his detail to defensive and versatility. Given the Spurs goal of building a championship caliber team to rival the Los Angeles Lakers, there’s a strong probability that both athletic big men, Ian Mahinmi and Marcus Haislip will find a spot on the roster and if I had to select one more player to complete the Spurs 2009-10 squad I would lean toward the versatile point-forward Marcus Williams.

Let’s revisit the notion of a possible trade for a moment. Assuming that Malik Hairston can continue his stellar play which was evident earlier this year at the summer Vegas league, it will be hard to imagine the Spurs not moving a player in order to lock him up long term. Hairston is an impressive talent. He has a rugged frame at 6’6 and 200 lbs. Defensively, I can envision him filling the role of Bruce Bowen but bringing far more offensive ability to the table. Should Hairston or another young talent impress during training camp we would expect the Spurs to engage in moving an expiring contract like Bonner or Finley for a future draft pick.

The San Antonio Spurs have indeed been busy this off-season as is evident by the harvest of talent that will participate in training camp. While there are questions regarding chemistry, playing time and roster positions to be answered over the course of October, we can be sure that the 15 man roster that dons the silver and black on opening night will be the most talented Spurs squad we have seen during the Duncan era. My hat’s off to Peter Holt and Greg Popovich for giving Timmy another legitimate chance at winning ring number five.