3 players unlikely to return with the San Antonio Spurs for the 2021-22 NBA season
The San Antonio Spurs defied most of their preseason doubters by finishing tenth and qualifying for the NBA play-in tournament. While they ended up missing out on the playoffs, Gregg Popovich masterminded another gutsy campaign as the franchise looks to rebuild.
The offseason will be crucial for the San Antonio Spurs, who are projected to have $50m in cap space. They have a core of bright young talent centered around Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker and Keldon Johnson. They also have numerous veteran free agents, some of whom we will examine in this article.
Which players could be departing the San Antonio Spurs this summer?
The San Antonio Spurs fanbase have come accustomed to seeing their side battle at the top level in NBA basketball. However, since they were swept by the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals in 2017, they have failed to make it past the first round. Meanwhile, since Kawhi Leonard left in 2018, they have missed out on the postseason altogether twice.
Having said that, with their considerable spending power in the offseason, the Spurs could become contenders again with a few key acquisitions.
Let's take a look at a few players who could be departing the franchise as they look to revamp their squad.
#3 Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay has been a consistent scorer and rebounder throughout his career in the NBA. He would be a valuable veteran to any team if the San Antonio Spurs do not offer him a new deal or if another team offers him a better one.
Gay will become a free agent in the summer after spending four seasons with the Spurs. In that time, he averaged 11.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in just 23 minutes per night, usually as Popovich's backup forward option. He is a versatile wing player who shot the three-ball with an accuracy of 38% this year.
With the San Antonio Spurs looking to rebuild their roster around their young stars, they may look to retain some of their veterans, such as Gay, to keep some value and consistency on the bench.
If he were to move on, the 34-year-old would add a lot of upside to any title-chasing team as a backup scorer. Since he also hasn't won a ring in his career, he may see it as an opportunity to test the free agency waters.