The Spurs Core

(Post originally written on October 12, 2007)

The San Antonio Spurs led by R.C. Buford and Gregg Popovich have been extremely successful during their tenures with the team. This duo has finished the season in first place in their division five out of the six years they have been running the team together.

The Buford/Popovich duo has been successful for two major reasons: success in free agency and excellent drafting. The Spurs have had success because they have signed free agents who other teams deemed as past their prime. Therefore, they have signed these players to smaller contracts then they had with their previous team (Horry, Finley, Bowen, Barry). They have also had a great deal of success in the NBA Draft in the past (Ginobili, Parker, Duncan) and have continued to take their stabs at international players in the last few seasons (Fabricio Oberto, Luis Scola, Beno Udrih).

Below is a breakdown of the seven players that makeup the San Antonio Spurs’ core. These seven guys made up 73.5% of the Spurs’ playing time this past season.

Tim Duncan – drafted #1 overall in 1997 draft.
02-03 10.9
03-04 11.9
04-05 12.7
05-06 14.3
06-07 17.4
07-08 19.0 (contract runs until end of 2009-10 season)

Tony Parker – drafted #28 overall in 2001 draft; resigned with team after 2005-06 season.
02-03 745k
03-04 800k
04-05 850k0
5-06 1.5
06-07 9.5
07-08 10.5 (contract runs until end of 2009-10 season)

Manu Ginobili – drafted #57 overall in 1999 draft; resigned with team after 2004-05 season.
02-03 played overseas
03-04 1.3
04-05 1.5
05-06 6.6
06-07 8.3
07-08 9.1 (contract runs until end of 2009-10 season)

Bruce Bowen – signed as a free agent in 2001 from Miami Heat; resigned in 2002 and 2004.
02-03 715k
03-04 3.4 (resigned to two-year deal)
04-05 3.7 (resigned to three-year deal)
05-06 3.0
06-07 3.8
07-08 4.2 (player option)

Robert Horry – signed as a free agent in 2003 from Lakers; resigned in 2004 and 2005.
02-03 5.3
03-04 5.3
04-05 4.9 (Laker contract expired after this season)
05-06 1.1 (resigned to one-year deal)
06-07 3.3 (resigned to two-year deal)
07-08 3.6 (free agent after this season)

Brent Barry – signed as a free agent in 2004 from Seattle Supersonics.
02-03 4.7
03-04 5.0
04-05 5.4 (signed 4 year deal with Spurs)
05-06 4.3
06-07 5.107-08 5.5 (free agent after this season)

Michael Finley – signed as a free agent in 2005 from Dallas Mavericks.
02-03 10.6
03-04 11.9
04-05 13.3
05-06 14.6 (waived by the Mavs after the season)
06-07 2.9 (signed two-year deal with Spurs)07-08 3.1 (player option)