San Antonio To Trade Parker To Move Up In Draft?

Could this be the end of the road for the San Antonio Spurs’ “Big 3” of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker?

Well according to Yahoo! Sports, it might be.

Yahoo! Sports is reporting the Spurs are fielding trade offers for All-Star guard Tony Parker in order to move up in the 2011 NBA Draft.

The San Antonio Spurs are engaged in discussions about trading point guard Tony Parker to secure a high pick in Thursday’s draft, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Spurs have talked to teams in the lottery, including the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings, who hold the fifth and seventh picks, respectively. The Kings are determined to get a frontline point guard, and have also talked with the Denver Nuggets about Raymond Felton.

Currently, the Spurs hold pick 29 in the first round.

This should not come to a surprise to Spurs fans. This could be fallout from Parker’s comments to the French media where he stated the Spurs’ championship window is shut and if they are going to trade anyone on the squad it would be him. Add the fact Spurs GM R.C. Buford said in a radio interview in San Antonio that building the team over the summer would include trade avenues, and you have what could possibly be the end of the road for Parker in San Antonio. Plus, stepping out of line in San Antonio is a huge no-no in Spurs’ coach Popovich’s book.

Ever since Parker’s comments regarding the team, he has fallen out of favor with Spurs fans with some feeling if he wants out, let him go. Though Parker did step back from his comments.

However, Parker is right. He is the most tradeable asset the Spurs have. No way is Duncan or Ginobili being traded, and which team in the NBA wants Richard Jefferson and his monster of a contract? This leaves players such as Matt Bonner, Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter all which are solid role players but nothing more than that.

But is Parker worth such a high draft pick in an otherwise weak draft?

It’s no secret the Spurs need size. Moving up in the draft might address this glaring need for San Antonio. However, will some of the better big men in the draft such as UK’s Enes Kanter – who the Spurs did interview with at the 2011 NBA Draft Combine, Jan Vesely, or Texas’ Tristan Thompson be available at either picks five or seven? Perhaps.

Let’s not forget, Parker did sign a contract extension for 4-years, $50 million.

In the end, the Spurs have always held their cards close to the vest and with San Antonio, you just never know what they are cooking.

(photo: daylife.com)

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