The San Antonio Spurs are not concerning themselves just yet with free agency as they prepare to face off against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, but that is not stopping the media from speculating. The Spurs have the original Big 3, but are now dealing with the prospect that at least one if not two are not going to be back in 2014. Tim Duncan is close to retirement and the result of the NBA Finals will likely dictate that decision, so who replaces the veteran for the future?
The Spurs will look at realistic options before digging into their wishlist. One of the best options for San Antonio could be a trade for Greg Monroe of the Detroit Pistons. Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders notes that Monroe could be a solid option for the Spurs to build upon if they can pull him away from Detroit. Right now, despite the denial of head coach Stan Van Gundy, Monroe's time in Detroit appears to be over. The power forward did not mix well with Andre Drummond and Josh Smith on the court. There were simply too many big men to be productive. With an expiring contract as a restricted free agent, Monroe is the easiest to let go.
Ingram reports that sources believe Monroe has been on the Spurs' radar for some time now. Certainly the power forward is no Duncan, but no one is. However, San Antonio will have to move past the veteran at some point and Monroe would be an excellent option. He is young enough to build upon and his 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds would be very welcomed on the court.
While Monroe is a realistic option, Kevin Love is the reach deal. According to ESPN.com, the Spurs are a darkhorse to make a trade for the Minnesota Timberwolves forward in the offseason. Love would be a solid candidate to replace a player like Duncan in the coming season. The Spurs have trade pieces that they can part with. They will also have to cap space to make room for Love's contract. The Spurs are not normally a team to get mixed into the free agency frenzy because they have never had to. However, with aging players considering retirement, the next two offseasons are the best time to acquire new players to build upon.
