The San Antonio Spurs are expected to be active this summer in free agency, with reported targets including LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol and Greg Monroe. While the early exit from the 2015 NBA playoffs certainly left a bad taste in Spurs fans' mouths, the good news is the team's core four - Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and coach Gregg Popovich - is expected to return next season.
After San Antonio's title defense ended in a first-round Game 7, a handful of reports are indicating the team is planning for a busy offseason. In addition to having to address soon-to-be free agents Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Marco Belinelli, the Spurs reportedly will be eying several big-name free agents to sign this summer.
One of those big-name targets, according to ESPN's Marc Stein, is Aldridge. Stein is reporting San Antonio and Aldridge, who's no longer expected to re-sign with Portland, have a mutual interest in each other. Stein also reported Aldridge would be OK with having to fill Duncan's shoes when the future Hall of Famer finally calls it quits.
San Antonio also has its eyes on Gasol and Monroe, according to a previous report from Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler.
Given the number of upcoming in-house free agents the Spurs have, any big-name free agent San Antonio goes after would likely need to be acquired via a sign-and-trade, especially in light of the Spurs' big three likely returning.
Granted it's far from a concrete answer, Popovich did say Duncan, Parker and Ginobili - along with himself - would "probably" return next season. All three players are up for new contract in July.
Parker and Popovich have always been expected to return next season, and the fact Duncan is still effective at age 39 - four 20-10 games in Round 1- likely means he'll be back as well. The biggest question mark is Ginobili, who admitted earlier in the season his body was in constant pain these days.
