The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the most impressive teams in the NBA. Boasting of its own version of the Big Three, the San Antonio Spurs have in its roster NBA stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.
With the onset of injuries and regression of performance due to age, however, the Big Three of the San Antonio Spurs appear to be gearing up for retirement as they slowly fade into the background and let the new NBA stars take over.
Such mindset has already been exhibited by the San Antonio Spurs front office, as manifested by the acquisition of former Portland Trailblazers star LaMarcus Aldridge - a move that saw the NBA team thump down its competitors as the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers also attempted to sign the power forward.
The entry of LaMarcus Aldridge in the San Antonio Spurs locker sparked rumors that the young athlete will be replacing the great Tim Duncan.
Meanwhile, the ailing and aging Manu Ginobili appears to have found a replacement in the person of Kawhi Leonard. The former Indiana Pacers small forward has been noted as one of the most exciting players to watch out for this NBA season - a feat that, if achieved by Kawhi Leonard, will place him alongside LaMarcus Aldridge as the new faces of the San Antonio Spurs in the succeeding years.
With these supposed replacements in mind, fans and followers of the San Antonio Spurs now turn their attention to the potential replacements of Frenchman Tony Parker.
The health and physical abilities of Tony Parker have been steadily declining in the past NBA seasons. In fact, the performance of the San Antonio Spurs star in the recently concluded EuroBasket provided a clear manifestation of the concerns surrounding his health.
At 33 years old, Tony Parker is now the oldest starting point guard in the NBA along with Jose Calderon of the New York Knicks. With young potential starters in the San Antonio Spurs roster this season, the basketball community might see Tony Parker spending more time in the bench than in the hardwood.
"There comes a point where Parker's contributions on the offensive end simply cannot cover for his defensive failings," noted Greg Chin of Fan Sided. The sports commentator added, "And for the Spurs, it is vital that they stay ahead of the curve and handle the situation before it's too late."
Although the San Antonio Spurs have yet to find a suitable replacement for Tony Parker, the enthusiasm and energy brought to the court by newly minted team members LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard might just be enough to push the NBA to the top this season.
"Winning just rubs off on you, once you see Manu (Ginobili), Tony (Parker) and Tim (Duncan) wanting to win every game," shared Kawhi Leonard in an earlier interview following his entrance to the San Antonio Spurs roster.
He added, "I want to be an (NBA) all-star and MVP of the regular season. I'm trying to be one of the greatest players so whatever level that consists of is where I want to take my game."
