The San Antonio Spurs continue to be linked to LeBron James in free agency, and one of their major decision-makers offered a hint as to how the Spurs want to proceed.
The San Antonio Spurs had the means this offseason to make a splashy, league-altering move. Instead, they opted to make two first-round draft picks and sign Tobias Harris. All other contracts were re-signing or extending existing players, like Victor Wembanyama.
Of course, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are on their rookie-scale contracts, but won't be for long. As the Spurs plan for the future, keeping some flexibility open needs to be a top priority. It's why they didn't sign players looking for long-term deals.
But LeBron James wouldn't want a long-term deal. The Spurs have been linked to him, although teams like Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, and Philadelphia all seem more reasonable.
On the court, James is a clear fit for the Spurs. Off the court, the Spurs just don't seem to be trying very hard.
RC Buford Addresses LeBron James Rumors
The Spurs, by and large, do not make blockbuster moves. Signing James to even a one-year, minimum deal would make waves, and the Spurs generally don't do that.
San Antonio entered the offseason with a clear need at the power forward position, but instead of adding a player of James' caliber, it settled for Harris. The former Piston is capable, but he isn't exactly a superstar.
If you'd listen to the Spurs, that's exaclty what they wantred.
“What I will say is that we’re excited about the team we’ve been able to keep together, and to add Tobias to that, plus our young draft picks," Spurs' CEO RC Buford told L'Équipe's Maxime Aubin. "I think our history shows how we build teams.”
But is that all smoke and mirrors? After all, James wouldn't impact the Spurs' long-term plans, but he would make the roster much, much better next season. A starting five of Castle, Wembanyama, James, De'Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell, with Harper, Harris, Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Jayden Quaintance, Tarris Reed, and Harrison Barnes coming off the bench, would be one of the best in the league.
The Spurs are known as a team that doesn't make flashy moves, but even more than that, they're a team that plays things close to the chest. Take Buford's comments with a grain of salt; the Spurs are not a team to make a public pursuit.
