2008-2009 Finish: 33-49

What went bad

"I feel a certain release," said GM Leeroy of the San Antonio Spurs the day after they traded star Tim Duncan. "For the first time it's like I can breath again." Famous last words? Could be, but 08-09 turned out to be the worst season ever for this storied San Antonio franchise.

So where did it all go wrong? Probably at the beginning of the year when Leeroy sent human points machine Ray Allen to his brother GM Smokey of the Mavs for the soon-to-be-very injured Mike Dunleavy, the useless Kris Humphries and the rights to some guy named Tiago Splitter. Then they send spark plug Rafer Alston, along with Jamaal Magloire and Walter Herrmann, to the Nuggets for Thabo Sefolosha, Sergio Rodriguez and the useless Brian Cook. More deals to come soon.

What went worse

The Spurs looked lifeless all season, so GM Leeroy just kept trading to make up for it. Out went Matt Bonner and in came Willie Green. Finally, it was time for Leeroy and his favorite player Duncan to part ways. So he off he went into the northern sunset with Reggie Evans and Chuck Hayes to find success in the golden land of Minnesota while Samuel Dalembert, Anderson Varejao and Josh Howard got to sit out the playoffs with the rest of the Spurs for the first time in years.

Star

- Tony Parker, G-

Parker is the last man standing of this once great franchise. Though he did score 15.8 points per game, Leeroy inexplicably kept his star on the bench for many games. Was he intentionally tanking? Parker has kept his mouth shut, but we here at the Insider know he wasn't happy.


Goat

- Mike Dunleavy, F –

The Spurs mentioned to eek 20 games out of Dunleavy before they lost him for the season. Ouch. It looks like the summer wasn't enough time for the injury to heal and he's going to be out again for some time this coming season.


Looking to the future

The Spurs come into this season with a load of questions. Will Howard and Parker make a formidable duo that will erase the memory of Duncan? Where will Dunleavy fit into the lineup if he gets healthy? Will Dalembert's slide continue or will the $11 million man live up to his contract?

The draft, luckily, brings some relief to the Spurs. USC freshman DeMar DeRozan is an explosive player, but will need time to season before he can start for the Spurs. He is just too inconsistent and has no range. Another intriguing piece is Pittsburgh sophomore DeJuan Blair. He may be undersized and lacking athleticism, but if Blair can dominate in the NLL like he did in college, the Spurs got a heckuva pick.

So health and money are the big concerns this season for the Spurs. Will Varejao come back? How can all the pieces work together and how will Leeroy deal with stricter luxury cap rules? It may take time before the mighty Spurs become mighty again.