The Spurs’ unfinished offseason

by Timothy Varner

Consider this your morning twofer. R.C. Buford recently told the world the Spurs want to secure home court advantage for the postseason. In the same interview, Buford rehearsed San Antonio’s stipulated goals for the offseason that is nearly behind us.

We wanted to do what we could to keep together a group that had a lot of transition last year and to have a great deal of internal improvement. We wanted to add a big next to Tim Duncan, a wing defender and improve our shooting.

If his statement were a checklist, we could scribble marks next to returning the core, internal improvement, a new big (Splitter) and improved shooting (addition of James Anderson and Gary Neal, along with the return of George Hill and Garrett Temple). In this regard — measuring against the front office’s goals — the offseason was a success. But what about that wing defender?

Since the departure of Bruce Bowen, San Antonio searched for a replacement wing defender, and they’re still looking. The Ime Udoka era was over before it began and Keith Bogans simply couldn’t stick. Richard Jefferson is not a go-to defender. James Anderson doesn’t have the reputation and Gary Neal doesn’t have the size. Unless the Spurs unearth a hidden gem in training camp, wing defender is not a position San Antonio will fill between now and the start of the season.

But I bet the Spurs will keep looking. A dominant wing defender is a vital part of their program, and the NBA’s best teams dare you not to have at least one sturdy wing stopper. In short, you need to slow Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Brandon Roy. And if the Spurs make it to the Finals, they’ll need some poor soul to move between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

In terms of backcourt defenders, the Spurs have options in George Hill and Garrett Temple. Both players are above average defenders, but are best suited to hound combos, points, and strict shooting guards. Hill and Temple are too undersized for heavy minutes against, say, Kevin Durant. Players that slide between 2 and 3 on offense test the Spurs’ defensive personnel.

I can’t remember a time when the Spurs had such a long laundry list of unanswered questions prior to training camp. And the question of who will become San Antonio’s go-to wing defender is near the top of the list.