San Antonio Spurs starting point guard Tony Parker is recovering well from his injured quadriceps and he might return earlier than anticipated. The Spurs were expecting Parker to be out until January, but his teammate Danny Green revealed that the veteran playmaker may return ahead of schedule. In an interview with French publication LCI, Green said Parker is couple of months ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from the injury that he suffered in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinal against the Houston Rockets. “I don't want to leak anything, but he might be playing a lot sooner than people think he's playing,” said Green, adding that Parker is doing his “rehab like a monster, like a maniac.” Green said that Parker is focused mentally on getting his body healthy in preparation for the coming season.
Last season, Parker averaged 10.1 points and 4.5 assists per game with the Spurs.
Spurs to roll with Mills, Murray
With Parker out, the Spurs are expected to play Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray at point guard. In 38 games last season, Murray averaged 3.4 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes of action. Murray suited up for 11 games in the playoffs, averaging 5.7 points, 2.5 boards, and 2.5 dimes. In preparation for next season, Murray was seen training with Thomas and spent time honing his skills with LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Spurs signed Mills to a four-year, $50 million deal as backup to Parker. Last season, he played 80 games, averaging 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 21.9 minutes of play.
In 16 playoff games, he tallied an average of 10.3 points in 26 minutes of action per outing. The Spurs might also use rookie Derrick White as playmaker at some point in the season. The Spurs made an offer for Kyrie Irving, but the Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t interested. The Cavaliers then traded Irving to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, the Brooklyn Nets’ first-round pick, and a 2020 second-round selection.
Spurs beef up for next season
The Spurs added veteran scorer Rudy Gay, signing him to a two-year deal worth $17 million. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the second year of Gay’s contract is a player option. The Spurs are hoping that Gay could regain his old form that made him a dependable scorer during his tenure with Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, and the Sacramento Kings. In 753 career games, Gay averaged 18.4 points. The Spurs also signed veterans Pau Gasol and Manu Ginobili to fresh deals.
