The Sun Never Sets on the Spurs Empire

The San Antonio Spurs have, with the impending introduction of LaMarcus Aldridge all but announced the twilight of Tim Duncan. For most teams with a declining, once in a generation, superstar this would be the part where the team has to pick up whatever is left and begin the long rebuilding process again. For the Spurs, however, they are gearing up to hand the keys to the dynasty over to the next generation who, in the care of Coach Popovich, will carry it on for the next five years.

Here is how it could work. This year the Spurs look poised to make a title run. Their projected starting line up for the upcoming season is Tony Parker at Point guard, Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard at the wings, and LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan as the Big men. Their Reserves will include Patty Mills and Ray McCallum at Point, Manu Ginobili at the wing and Boris Diaw, David West, and Matt Bonner and backup big men. This leaves the traditional San Antonio Big 3 in tact, showcases rising superstars Leonard and Aldridge, and keeps the familiar - championship winning - faces of Mills, Diaw, and Bonner as the supporting cast around around them. That is a very deep, very scary team. One that is reminiscent of  both their past championship teams and of last years championship winning Golden State team.

If the Spurs do in fact win a title, a big IF for any team, it could easily mark the end of the Duncan era. This week Duncan signed a new contract for two years with a player option for the second year. The indication is that the Spurs have (at least) two years left to win Duncan his 6th Title before he retires in full glory. The Spurs would then continue with Aldridge and Leonard leading the charge.
None of this is set in stone and two years in the NBA is an Eternity, (see Lin, Jeremy) but with Coach Pop, Leonard and Aldridge under contract till at least 2014, the Spurs Organization has set itself up to be a contender for the at least the next 4 years.