Each NBA team’s best X-Factor
San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker
First off, it’s very sensible to say that LaMarcus Aldridge is an X-Factor for the San Antonio Spurs this season. There’s no denying Aldridge’s talent and pedigree, but there’s also no denying that this is a completely different system that he’s in now and that the Spurs haven’t necessarily had a player like him in their system. However, I maintain that Tony Parker is more of an X-Factor in determining what the Spurs can accomplish this season.
We’ve seen Parker and the Spurs succeed for so long at this point, we almost just pencil in another year where the San Antonio point guard is simply doing phenomenally at running the Spurs system. However, with how banged up he was and how poorly he played at the end of last season and even this summer playing for France in Eurobasket, that’s not something we can pencil in right now. That’s a major deal.
Sure, players like Patty Mills are adequate backups, but Mills can’t provide the Spurs with the leadership and playmaking that Parker can when he’s running at full strength. Tim Duncan is going to be the alpha male in San Antonio as long as he’s still suiting up and how Aldridge fits in is going to be a major storyline, but the Spurs aren’t going to be a title-contender again if Parker isn’t at least somewhere close to the performer that he’s been in years past.
Next: Toronto Raptors