SPUR-EVER: Ten Titles

Coach Pop welcomes Tim Duncan to the sidelines. With free agent buzz quieting down to a simmer, the Spurs training camp is underway with many new faces on the court and on the training staff, especially former player and champion Tim Duncan, who has officially replaced Ime Udoka (bound for a bigger role with the Philadelphia 76ers) after never quite leaving the Spurs organization since his retirement. "Oh, yeah. We've been busy. We've got ourselves a bunch of new guys to welcome and mold into our own, see what they offer on the court, except for old Timmy," Popovich remarked. "Calling me old, now?" Duncan joked next to his former coach. "I'mma let him do all the work," Popovich went on. "Nothing ever changes around here, I guess," Duncan chided. The Spurs have only four players left from last year's roster: Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram, Avery Bradley & Dragan Bender. The team still has time to make decisions on t...

The Spurs see potential in the Croatian big man. After his option was declined by the Phoenix Suns, the Spurs traded for Dragan Bender - a talented tall shooter that hasn't quite realized his #4 Pick potential - and welcomed flashes of strong defense and potent scoring ability on the wing during the second half of the season and in the playoffs. There were doubts that Bender would make a return to San Antonio, with rumors of interest from international teams and the recent acquisition of other raw prospect Jarrett Allen and veteran Timofey Mosgov filling the 5 spot. However, Bender did a solid job at being the third string center in the mix with Kyle O'Quinn & Joakim Noah last season. With both of those players gone, Bender offers less of the unknown at the center spot. The loss of Skal Labissiere at the four position also means more playing time there, given the similarly new arrivals of Taurean Prince & P.J. Tucker. The second year of Bender's contract i...