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Spurs Expected to Stop 'Bleeding Minutes' After Key Addition
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- Spurs Expected to Stop 'Bleeding Minutes' After Key Addition
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
In the regular season, the San Antonio Spurs had one of the best frontcourts in the entire NBA. Victor Wembanyama broke out as the best big man in the game, and Luke Kornet was one of the league's best backups. Heading into the postseason, things looked good, especially in the paint.
While the Spurs did march to the NBA Finals, Kornet's production took a massive dip. In the postseason, he averaged only 3.7 points, slowly becoming unplayable to the point that he only averaged eight minutes per game in the Finals.
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In an effort to shore up their frontcourt, the Spurs signed Tobias Harris to add size and rebounding to the starting five and picked up Jayden Quantaince and Tarris Reed in the first round of the NBA Draft.
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Spurs to Overhaul Their Frontcourt
Last season, even when Kornet was at his best, the Spurs typically played "small." Wembanyama is a behemoth, but outside of him, the starting lineup didn't really have a big body. Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes were both listed as power forwards, but they're built like wings or even shooting guards.
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This summer, the Spurs made adding size a priority .
"They were able to honestly have a pretty interesting draft with Tarris Reed Jr., Jayden Quaintance being there as well," said Es Baraheni on the Athletic NBA Daily. "Those are two guys who I think will help their frontcourt spot. I think a big issue for them in the playoffs was the fact that they were bleeding points when Luke Kornet was on the floor. Hopefully one of those young guys will be able to step in."
Quaintance will miss most of his rookie season with knee injuries, and Reed is expected to slot in behind Kornet. However, with capable youngsters behind him, the pressure should be dialed up, and the Spurs should have successfully bolstered their frontcourt depth.
On top of adding depth pieces, they added size to the starting five, allowing Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell to play more natural roles.
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"The big question for them is Tobias Harris," Baraheni added. "Will he be able to fill in that role? I think we looked at them all season and even in the Finals, where it was like a starting power forward with size, rebounding, and a little bit more shot creation is exactly what they need, and a veteran presence. And all of those things combined are Tobias Harris."
Harris is hardly a match on either end of the floor for OG Anunoby , who gave the Spurs fits in the Finals, although his added size is a step in the right direction. Once Quaintance gets healthy, expect the Spurs to run out lineups and always have at least two big bodies on the floor.
