After a first round exit in the 2009 postseason, which saw Manu Ginobili watching from the bench with an ankle injury, it became clear to Spurs’ management that a change was in order.
Even the presence of Ginobili on the court in that postseason series, against the I-35 rival Dallas Mavericks, likely wouldn’t have been enough to vault an aging roster deep into the race for a championship. No, the Spurs were lacking a youth and athleticism that can naturally cure many NBA ailments.
Ownership, for the first time in the Tim Duncan era, opted to reach into their pocketbooks in hopes of finding the right player to allow the Spurs to once again compete for a championship. That player was Richard Jefferson.
Jefferson was expected to give the Spurs a “Big Four” with his presence on the court. The athletic forward had always provided scoring for the New Jersey Nets and even the Milwaukee bucks in 2008-2009.
For the first two weeks of the 2009-2010 season, Jefferson nearly lived up to expectations while Gregg Popovich ...
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Article written by Brandon Land