San Antonio is fueling the roster as difficult playoffs come close

The playoffs are just an arm away for the San Antonio Spurs, who hit the NBA team pool for the fresh season at Disney World. A 27-36 record was hardly inspiring, no matter how these eight games go, the team’s worst win-loss mark since 1996-97.

To complete the list in the assigned transaction window of the NBA before the return of the season, the Spurs signed Center Tyler Zeller per Stadium and The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The 30-year-old veteran has not played since 2018-19 when he played a total of six games with the Atlanta Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Zeller was voted 17th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2012 NBA draft and has sprung up between six organizations since his arrival. He has career averages of 7.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and a field goal percentage of 50.9.

Of course, this is hardly a movement that pushes the envelope, but merely provides an additional, necessary large body. This happened after LaMarcus Aldridge underwent shoulder surgery between the end of the season and the announcement of the return, which excluded him from the celebrations. With 18.9 points per game, he was San Antonio’s second best scorer and 7.2 points ahead of the third man, Patty Mills.

This makes it a tough fight for the Spurs to become the only real bigs with Jakob Poeltl and Trey Lyles. Chimezie Metu and rookie Luka Samanic are both in the squad but have appeared in a total of 17 games. You can get a bigger run unless Zeller plays an important role in this short distance. In any case, Poeltl and Lyles should get an upward trend within minutes, while Rudy Gay does more work than Stretch Four.

However, the hurdle for any kind of playoff push with this weakened squad is huge. There are four games to recover from the Western Conference number 8 Memphis Grizzlies, but Spurs # 12 will encounter three of the four teams ahead of them on August 2, including the one mentioned by Ja Morant Teams The coincidence is there, but given the young, fresh legs on the way to them, he is slim.

A miracle rule sets the Spurs to 8-0 and 35-36. Her longest winning streak in 2019-20 was three games. Even a perfect record may not be enough if the grizzlies win more than half of their games or if Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans push forward. So the chances are not good to continue this remarkable playoff series.

Instead, this last stretch of DeMar DeRozan’s curtain could be on until he makes his decision about the player option in the fall. This is also a showcase for Bryn Forbes, an upcoming free agent, and Derrick White, who, as a player entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal, could receive an extension. Lonnie Walker can also finish his second campaign at a high level after receiving an increase in season after the New Year hit.

So there is something to play, at least for a handful of spurs. Otherwise, there are eight games for silver and black to drive into the sunset of a unique off-season.