How will the Spurs replace the retired Tim Duncan?
Pau Gasol will take over, but he’s 36. He isn’t the long-term solution in the middle.
One potential successor to the successor, Boban Marjanovic, is no longer an option. He’s headed to the Pistons, who signed him to a three-year, $21 million offer sheet.
David Mayo of MLive:
Source confirms Spurs have opted not to match #Pistons' offer to Boban Marjanovic. Three years, $21M to play center in Detroit.
— David Mayo (@David_Mayo) July 10, 2016
The writing was on the wall once the Spurs signed Dewayne Dedman, a lower-cost but lower-upside alternative as backup center. LaMarcus Aldridge will also play some center in San Antonio.
Marjanovic will earn $5,628,000 and $5,881,260 the next two years and the rest -- $9,490,740 if his reported contract terms weren’t rounded -- the following season.
His role is far less certain. Marjanovic dominated in limited minutes in select matchups as a rookie last season, but exposing the 7-foot-3 center to better and faster opponents could be disastrous. Marjanovic has the potential to usurp Aron Baynes as Andre Drummond’s primary backup, but that could take time.
The Pistons bought themselves a few years of it with a highly intriguing player.
