The Spurs made a major roster overhaul this summer. George Hill felt like he was 'traded' to another team. Why? during his rookie year, he was providing backup duties at the point and also trying his best to be a better defender. His mentor at the time was Bruce Bowen, in fact he has these collection of CD's he calls "Brucie's greatest hits". Now Bruce is gone, so as Fabricio and Kurt Thomas. The lineup changed dramatically during his stay.
Now the Spurs have Jefferson, Blair and McDyess. Because of these acquisitions, it's easy to overlook the other roster moves the Spurs have done.
Well, for starters, they got YouTube sensation Marcus Haislip, who in my opinion will surprise a lot of people this coming season. His athleticism will be useful for the Spurs, I think he can guard the likes of Lamar, Dirk, Lewis and maybe LeBron. He's a 'mobile 4', I believe, so he could split time playing the 3 or 4 spot. Also his chip on his shoulder could provide some extra motivation to play better.
Then we have Theo Ratliff, a lot of people will say that he's too old (He's 36 already) and oft-injured (He has back and hip issues) to contribute. But the Spurs don't need him to give heavy minutes, maybe 10-15 minutes a night would be enough. There are games where he will not probably play at all. But what he can bring to table is very important because he has proven that he can defend. Mainly, he can block and alter shots here is a lovely piece about Ratliff by Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express. Also, it's noteworthy to mention that he could mentor Ian Mahinmi. They have some similarities, both have quick feet and can get off the floor quickly. A trick or two from Theo can certainly help the developing young big.
And then there's Keith Bogans, many say that He's a poor man's Bruce Bowen (which by the way, sounds good enough for me). He is a decent ball handler, a tough-minded defender who plays with physicality. He will make his man work for his points and can hit jumpers on the offensive end. As a third string SG, that should be enough.
These are not earth shaking moves, but it could prove to be just as important for the Spurs. Because it will provide them much needed depth in the NBA's marathon season. As Mike Monroe puts it, new players give Spurs depth across the board. We still have many questions on our minds, but it should be an exciting season...
