NBA: Re-seeding the Western Conference heading into 2019-20

8. San Antonio Spurs

Last season: 48-34, 7th in Western Conference

Notable additions: DeMarre Caroll, Trey Lyles

Notable subtractions: Davis Bertans

Similarly to the Kings, San Antonio has had a very quiet offseason. That’s fitting for the NBA’s eternal quiet achievers, as they will look to make their 23rd consecutive playoff appearance.

Last season’s Spurs zigged while the rest of the league zagged, as they shot a league-low 25.3 threes per game and a league-high 11.6 shots from 10-14 feet. And yet, despite eschewing all principles of modern basketball, they posted the league’s sixth-best offensive rating and made the playoffs yet again.

That’s because they have two of the league’s best mid-range players in DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge. DeRozan hit just seven threes all season at an abysmal 15.6 percent, but he offset that with his highest field-goal percentage since his rookie year and one of his best all-around seasons. After two years of increasing his 3-point attempts, Aldridge settled back into his comfort zone inside the arc and posted the best shooting numbers of his career.

Whether the attitudes of their stars trickle down through the rest of the franchise or vice-versa, the Spurs continue to live blissfully in their ignorance of league trends. There’s no sign of that changing either, as a young guard and non-shooter Dejounte Murray is poised to take the reins of the franchise at some point in the future. For this season, San Antonio will just be hoping for a successful return from the torn ACL he suffered in last year’s pre-season – if healthy, he is an elite defender at the point and a developing playmaker.

The Spurs, as always, have ample depth to complement their stars. Derrick White and Patty Mills are coming off appearances at the FIBA World Cup and can both heat up and score in bunches. Incoming veteran DeMarre Carroll will be a solid addition to the wing rotation alongside the re-signed Rudy Gay, while Trey Lyles has potential as a stretch big to space the floor for DeRozan and Aldridge.

Trading one of the league’s best perimeter shooters in Davis Bertans was an odd move, but overall the Spurs maintained their roster while adding some potential impact players. That should be enough to keep them in the playoff picture, even in a loaded Western Conference.