NBA Trade Rumors: San Antonio Spurs Sending Boris Diaw To Utah Jazz
When there is a salary cap in place, sometimes sacrifices are required if you’re looking to upgrade your roster. According to CBS Sports, the San Antonio Spurs are trading Boris Diaw to the Utah Jazz. Management needed to clear some money so that they could add Pau Gasol to the roster.
Boris Diaw is a very popular player within the San Antonio Spurs organization. Management loves him because he’s a veteran forward who is a true professional. He shows up for work and avoids getting in trouble off the court. Diaw is also willing to do whatever head coach Gregg Popovich asks of him.
Teammates also love Boris Diaw. On the road, he loves to find fascinating things to do with his teammates. Diaw is well known for finding new restaurants for the players to try. On the court, the 6’8″, 250-pound forward is very unselfish. Diaw likes doing the dirty work because he loves to win.
Spurs will be a little less likeable without the personable Boris Diaw. What a nice run in San Antonio, by the way.
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) July 5, 2016
According to ESPN, the San Antonio Spurs are signing Pau Gasol to a free agent contract. He was one of the most coveted big men in the NBA this summer. Gasol is expected to receive a two-year contract worth $30 million, which was made available by the higher salary cap.
Pau Gasol should be a bit of an upgrade over Boris Diaw. He’s a much more versatile scorer, being able to put up points in the paint and on the perimeter. Gasol is just as good of a passer as Diaw is, so the San Antonio Spurs should benefit from good ball movement still.
With Tim Duncan reportedly leaning towards retiring from the NBA, the arrival of Pau Gasol should help soften the blow that comes with a future hall of fame center departing the roster. Defensively, Gasol is not as good as Duncan, but he’s still a competent defender.
The Utah Jazz had a very young roster this past season, so management wanted to bring in players who have been in the NBA awhile. Aside from Boris Diaw, the team also acquired George Hill and Joe Johnson this summer. The trio should provide plenty of leadership.
There’s a very good chance that the Utah Jazz utilize Boris Diaw as a backup player. That way, their younger players get a chance to develop. Diaw can provide minutes at small forward, power forward, and center. He’s also the type of player that can help facilitate an offense as a point forward.
Despite all of the changes taking place in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs are still considered a legitimate contender for the championship. Pau Gasol is no longer a game changer, because he’s closer to the end of his career than he is to his prime. However, he’ll provide the Spurs with a very useful player in their quest for another title.
Boris Diaw is a casualty of free agency. The San Antonio Spurs did not want to lose him. However, they had to pull the trigger on the trade because they want another NBA Championship.
[Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]
