Fresh off a first-round exit and with only five players under contract, the San Antonio Spurs entered the summer of 2015 with more uncertainty than they'd faced in almost two decades.
With Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili nearing retirement, Tony Parker reaching the twilight of his career, and Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green entering the summer as impending free agents, Spurs fans had reason to be concerned with the future in limbo. However, thanks to the brilliant cap management of general manager R.C. Buford, San Antonio not only avoided taking a step back, but actually improved.
Re-signing the core
Similar to years past, Buford convinced Ginobili and Duncan to accept hometown discounts in order to better the team. Green was also signed on the cheap, re-upping for just four years, $40 million. Buford finished by re-signing Leonard to the max, and although he didn't come cheap, it was more than a fair price for arguably the league's top two-way player.
Landing a top free agent
While re-signing the core proved crucial, Buford made his most profound move of the offseason just days into free agency, signing LaMarcus Aldridge to a four-year, $80-million contract. Following years of success through shrewd signings and building through the draft, Buford proved he was daring enough to break the bank when the perfect opportunity arrived, showing the rest of the league that San Antonio could compete with the top markets in free agency.
Aldridge's addition immediately paid dividends, as the 30-year-old earned his fifth straight All-Star appearance, averaging 18 points and 8.5 rebounds on 51.3 percent shooting. After excelling with the Portland Trail Blazers as the team's alpha dog, Aldridge thrived in his new role in San Antonio, posting the highest win shares per 48 minutes (.215) of his career.
Improving the bench
In order to add Aldridge, Buford made a conscious decision to chip away at his third-ranked bench from 2014-15. Tiago Splitter, Marco Bellinelli, Cory Joseph, and Aron Baynes were given the boot, opening up just enough cap space to sign a max-level player.
And while Joseph and Baynes both made positive impacts with their new squads, San Antonio's bench somehow improved, finishing tops in the league with a plus-10.9 net rating.
With Ginobili, Patty Mills, and Boris Diaw as the mainstays, Buford bolstered his second unit by making one of the most surprising moves ever seen in free agency, landing David West for the veteran's minimum after the 35-year-old declined his $12-million player option with the Indiana Pacers.
Trading money and playing time for wins, West embraced his new role in San Antonio, posting a plus-11.8 net rating and the highest field-goal percentage of his 13-year career.
Buford capped off his terrific summer with two unheralded additions, signing relative unknowns Boban Marjanovic and Jonathon Simmons in mid-July. Despite starting their rookie years in their mid-20s, the duo quickly showed they belonged in the league, combining for 5.4 win shares in limited playing time.
Adding veterans
With the Spurs already on pace for a record-breaking campaign, Buford avoided chasing a big name at the deadline, instead signing veterans Andre Miller and Kevin Martin after they were bought out by their respective teams.
67 wins
Thanks to Buford, the Spurs were both top-heavy and deep entering 2015-16. While Gregg Popovich once again did a terrific job coaching, Buford's brilliant summer helped San Antonio record a franchise-record 67 wins.
With five championships, six Finals appearances, and 17 straight 50-win seasons, Buford's impact on the Spurs has been felt on an annual basis. And while Buford has remained a contender for Executive of the Year throughout his tenure, 2015-16 has undoubtedly been his best one to date.
