Richard Jefferson is a huge addition for the Spurs.
The San Antonio Spurs are easy to overlook.
All they do is win, make shrewd moves and stay competitive year in and year out. They have been a model franchise, winning four titles, and constantly make moves to get better.
Manu Ginobili's injury doomed the Spurs last season, and they were not a factor in the Western Conference playoffs. When Ginobili is healthy however, the Spurs are tough. Tony Parker might be in the top 15 players in the league. Tim Duncan has been in the top 10, but he is on the downhill side.
The Spurs have built around their stars with excellent role players like Bruce Bowen. They draft a lot of international players, wait for them and wind up with a terrific roster.
You can count their mistakes on one hand. (Giving away Luis Scola for a warm bucket of spit, for instance).
So among the legitimate contenders in the Western Conference for next season -- The Lakers, Rockets, Nuggets, Blazers, Spurs, Mavericks, Jazz and perhaps the Hornets -- San Antonio struck the first blow with a major deal.
The Spurs acquired Richard Jefferson from the Bucks for a three-player package that includes Bowen.
The deal makes sense for the Bucks, because they unload some salary and get some manageable contracts.
The Spurs pick up a much-needed wing scorer and might have positioned themselves to make one more title run.
Jefferson was a big reason the Nets made the Finals in back to back years in 2002 and 2003. Since he became a starter, he has averaged at least 15.5 points per game every year. He plays very solid defense, which is a must with the Spurs.
He adds much-needed offense to a team that was 23rd in the league in scoring last year.
At 29 years old, his very best seasons might be behind him, but he still should have another couple years at near-peak level.
The Spurs might not be able to overtake the Lakers even with Jefferson. Duncan seems to slow down by the minute these days, and without him at a high efficiency level, they don't quite match up. But if Duncan has something left, suddenly the Spurs are very much in the mix.
The Spurs got a lot better with this deal. They did win the Southwest Division last year without Ginobili healthy. The move clearly moves them up a notch; if Ginobili indeed is injured again, Jefferson can help fill the void.
As for the Rockets, Jefferson plays a position they can neutralize, assuming they resign Ron Artest. The Rockets can use Artest and Shane Battier on Jefferson and limit his effectiveness. The Rockets will always have trouble with Duncan, and Tony Parker is a tough matchup for anyone at the point.
So where does this leave the rest of the West?
With the draft tomorrow, there will be more moves coming. The Rockets will be heard from at some point, and expect the Mavericks to get involved as well. The Lakers still have decisions to make on Lamar Odom, and for that matter, Phil Jackson.
It's always easy to overlook the Spurs.
It's always a mistake, too.
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