Jefferson should make Spurs contenders again
The San Antonio Spurs’ championship window seemed to be closing. Sure, Tony Parker was as good as ever in the just-completed NBA season, but Tim Duncan was starting to show a little bit of age and Manu Ginobili’s body seems to be breaking down. The team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs.
But the Spurs are clearly trying to keep that window open for at least another season or two with the news that they have traded three spare parts to the Milwaukee Bucks for swingman Richard Jefferson.
Does this deal make the Spurs favorites over the Lakers when 2009-10 futures odds are released on WagerWeb.com? Certainly not, but it probably moves the Spurs to the front of the line among the other West contenders.
Milwaukee got Jefferson for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, taking three aging bench players with expiring contracts to unload Jefferson and the $29.2 million owed in the final two years of his contract. This deal puts the Spurs over the luxury tax next season and virtually assures they won’t be big players in the anticipated 2010 free agent market when guys like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh come available.
Jefferson, 29, averaged 19.6 points in his one season with the Bucks, shooting a career-high 39.7 from 3-point range, and hasn’t missed a game in two seasons. In the past two seasons, only two players have averaged at least 20.0 points per game while playing in every game: Jefferson and Kobe Bryant.
“He’s a great wing,” Parker said. “It’s something we don’t have on our team.”
Jefferson adds some needed athleticism to San Antonio, which started 36-year-old Michael Finley at small forward last season. And the Spurs need good 3-point shooters in their offense. The Spurs ask their small forwards to spot up in the corners often, and Jefferson made 54-of-118 (45.9 percent) from those spots a season ago.
“His age helps us transition our team into a new era,” Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said.
The Bucks probably will release Bowen, so look for the defensive specialist to possibly return to San Antonio. Losing Oberto and Thomas means there’s not much in the Spurs’ frontcourt to back up Duncan, so the team might try to use its mid-level exception on someone like Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess or Chris Andersen.
Look for San Antonio to have the third-best 2009-10 championship odds, behind the Lakers and Cavs, when WagerWeb.com’s futures are released.
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