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NBA: X-Factors for the top 5 teams entering 2017-18

By Morgan Dunn

INDEPENDENCE, OH - SEPTEMBER 7: Isaiah Thomas is introduced as a Cleveland Cavalier at Cleveland Clinic Courts on September 7, 2017 in Independence, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
INDEPENDENCE, OH - SEPTEMBER 7: Isaiah Thomas is introduced as a Cleveland Cavalier at Cleveland Clinic Courts on September 7, 2017 in Independence, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 09: Dejounte Murray #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives against Furkan Korkmaz #16 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. San Antonio won 101-95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 09: Dejounte Murray #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives against Furkan Korkmaz #16 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. San Antonio won 101-95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

San Antonio Spurs – Meaningful contributions from young players

Not much has changed in San Antonio from 2016-17 to 2017-18. The roster remains largely the same, aside from the addition of Rudy Gay, and once again the team will depend on their defensive prowess and the steady game of Kawhi Leonard, the league’s silent superstar, to win them the day.

Longtime Spurs point guard Tony Parker is set to miss the first few months of the season, leaving a hole at a position of strength for San Antonio’s conference rivals. One would expect Patty Mills to start at point guard, but he’s never been much of a facilitator and is best-suited as a scoring spark off the bench.

San Antonio needs to see real strides from second-year guard Dejounte Murray. Supremely talented, Murray is coming off a rookie campaign that showed flashes of his vast potential. However, Murray averaged less than nine minutes per game on the season. Murray did log more than 22 minutes per game against Golden State in the Conference Finals, the kind if playing time San Antonio is going to need out of him in 2017-18.

Kyle Anderson is another youngster that needs to up his game this season. A unique blend of forward size and point guard skills, Anderson could be the facilitator that this offense needs. Playing him as a point-forward of sorts could yield positive results as long as he isn’t a complete black hole on defense.

One more name to keep in mind is Brandon Paul as a longshot contributor. Paul went undrafted out of Illinois in 2013, but he’s always been a potent scoring option. He’s bounced around summer leagues and Europe since going pro, and he finally played well enough this summer to earn a roster spot in San Antonio. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could play the role of a young Danny Green for the Spurs this season.

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