Leave it to Bill Simmons to perfectly sum up the feeling around the NBA just 12 hours into the free agency.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 1, 2015
THE SPURS ARE COMING! RUN! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!! https://t.co/fEqDJim96J
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) July 1, 2015
As Bryan Gibberman wrote in the wee hours on Wednesday, the Spurs moved quickly on an agreement with their top free agent Kawhi Leonard. At $90 million over five years, Leonard’s new deal would be a bargain. The 2014 NBA Finals MVP would have been well within his right to demand a LeBron-style 1+1 contract, ensuring he’d hit the open market again in either the summer of 2016 or 2017 as the salary cap is set to explode.
Leonard cannot officially accept the deal until July 9 when the NBA’s free agent moratorium ends. However, by then the Spurs may have settled all family business.
Late Wednesday morning the Spurs agreed to terms with swingman Danny Green. It was believed Green could net as much as $13-14 million per year on the open market. Yet again, the Spurs get a hometown discount to keep their man. At 4-years, $45 million, per reports, the unmatched two-way production of Green and Leonard on the perimeter remains intact.
Signing Green, even after factoring in his discount, meant the Spurs needed to gut salary in order to make a reasonable pitch at mega free agent LaMarcus Aldridge. So when Woj reported minutes later that San Antonio was unloading the final two years and $16.75 million on Tiago Splitter’s deal to Atlanta, well, you could hear the entire league gasp.
Spurs are walking into the LaMarcus Aldridge meeting right now, armed with Danny Green, cap space and frontrunner status on luring Aldridge.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2015
Lakers didn't make strong impression in Aldridge meeting, sources say. Spurs can close on him. LMA expected to make decision fairly soon.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2015
That Tony Parker, Green, Leonard, Aldridge and Tim Duncan starting lineup we’ve feared and nervously anticipated for months. Yeah, it’s coming.
