San Antonio Spurs: 4 Spurs could contend for end of season awards

It is safe to say that the end-of-season awards have been elusive for the San Antonio Spurs. While a perennial contender for the most part of the century, the organization puts a premium on the sum of its parts instead of focusing on individual accolades.

This team-first attitude began with the Big Three and continues to be the heartbeat of the team today thanks to holdovers from that era such as Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray. That, combined with its small-market status, has cemented the team as one of the league’s least flashy winners.

True to San Antonio’s unassuming team culture, the last individual award netted by a Spur was Kawhi Leonard’s Defensive Player of the League title in 2016. Taking into account the wider All-NBA spots, LaMarcus Aldridge’s Second Team and DeJounte Murray’s Defensive Second Team berths in 2018 figure to be the rearmost accolade by a player donning the Silver and Black.

Now, on full blast towards a youth movement and in the thick of the playoff race out West, are the Spurs in play for any individual awards at the end of the campaign?

San Antonio Spurs won’t have a chance at these awards

Most Valuable Player

To cut to the chase, no, the Spurs have zero shot at bringing home an MVP award this season. Tim Duncan in 2003 was the last Spur to be named league MVP. Alas, Kawhi in 2017 was the Silver and Black’s last candidate for the honor. Even in a parallel world, the most valuable player will not be coming from San Antonio. But hey, we can also say that for 28 other teams after results are announced.

Rookie of the Year

It is a worst kept secret among Spurs aficionados that Gregg Popovich is not the coach to lean on rookies heavily. As a result of long stability, newcomers are deemed more as complements instead of cornerstones in their first season. Tim Duncan in 1998 was also the last Spur to be named as the association’s best newcomer.

In the Spurs’ defense, TD was the last lottery pick of the organization before this year. Devin Vassell, the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft, is the highest selection by the Spurs in more than two decades. The Florida State product, a two-way menace, is simply not getting much opportunity to play as much as his classmates.

For now, the best rookie will not be coming from San Antonio. Even so, the ROTY is not a barometer of success for rookies. Look for Devin to get more chances at wreaking havoc on defense and displaying his pure shooting stroke and maturity on the court, such as this:

Executive of the Year

This award still exists, but the Spurs are not world-beaters in free agency or trades. Parting with LMA, trading for Marquese Chriss, then waving him to sign Gorgui Dieng to beat out other suitors is not a recipe that screams “Brian Wright is the best GM this season!”. But that Dieng signing was a pleasantly sly move, reminiscent of San Antonio’s niche of lowkey front office craftiness when RC Buford was still at the helm.

<!—->