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SAN ANTONIO -- The Spurs have vacated the NBA playoff premises, but the franchise should be wary of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Actually, it needs even more babies. And the bathwater ain’t all that dirty.
The Spurs -- just like the Phoenix Suns, who finished a four-game sweep Sunday -- need to get younger. And more athletic.
That’s easier said than done when they’re financially set (or stuck) with a solid core that has brought the club three of its four NBA championships. When that happens, you’re constantly piecing together cheaper supporting casts.
But Tim Duncan just marked his 34th birthday, Manu Ginobili will be a basketball-old 33 in July and Antonio McDyess turns 36 in September. Even Richard Jefferson is a month away from his 30th birthday and signed for another year, but has an expiring contract that makes him more tradable. All but George Hill, DeJuan Blair and Tony Parker will be 30 next season.
Of the Big Three -- Duncan, Ginobili and Parker -- the first two are still very, very good, but only the latter is on the plus-side of his career and the team’s one tradable commodity. Rumors are strong that the Spurs are considering shopping the one-time Finals MVP point guard. The Duncan Era is closing fast.
Unless San Antonio could magically swap Parker for a LaMarcus Aldridge or a Luis Scola -- the Rockets’ forward who was in the AT&T hallways after Sunday’s Game 4 loss and one of the few San Antonio personnel mistakes -- the Spurs should keep Parker.
Unless the Spurs could package him and maybe their draft rights to 6-11 Tiago Splitter -- a 24-year-old Brazilian center who has an opt-out clause in his contract with his Spanish team --
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