NBA Rumors: San Antonio Spurs Signing David Lee From Dallas Mavericks

When the opportunity arises to join one of the best franchises in the NBA, certain players are quick to jump. According to CBS Sports, the San Antonio Spurs are signing David Lee. The 6-foot-9 center is reportedly receiving a two-year contract worth approximately $3.2 million, with the second year being a player option.

Earlier this off-season, Tim Duncan provided a little bit of a surprise when he decided to walk away from the NBA. As is typically the case with the low key 7-foot center, he did it quietly. Duncan did not even bother to show up for his own press conference.

From a franchise perspective, the void left by Tim Duncan will not be one that is easy to replace or fill. After all, the former Wake Forest Demon Deacons star was the face of the San Antonio Spurs for more than a decade. Duncan was the most successful player in the history of the franchise.

David Lee signs two-year deal with Spurs https://t.co/l3riToTWxK pic.twitter.com/CN0w8seidV

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 28, 2016

While the San Antonio Spurs will not try to find a replacement for Tim Duncan, they do need players that can take over the minutes that were vacated along the front court. A little bit of productivity would also help the Spurs as well.

Last summer, the San Antonio Spurs surprised the NBA when they acquired the services of LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency, as reported by SB Nation. It is very rare for a top flight franchise to sign an All-Star center that easily. If healthy, Aldridge should be able to provide more than 30 minutes a night of quality play.

Fortunately for the San Antonio Spurs, Pau Gasol wants another NBA Championship before he decides to retire. He opted to sign with one of the few legitimate contenders in the Western Conference. Gasol will more than likely start at power forward or center, being interchangeable with LaMarcus Aldridge.

San Antonio Spurs officials were hoping that Boban Marjanovic was going to be their primary backup big man. Unfortunately, free agency came calling because the Detroit Pistons were looking to add even more bulk to their front court. With Marjanovic no longer an option, the Spurs had no choice but to look elsewhere.

During the middle of free agency, the San Antonio Spurs signed Dewayne Dedmon to a two-year contract worth approximately $6 million, as reported by Sports Illustrated. The former-Orlando Magic center can provide some defense, but his offense is severely lacking.

When it comes to building a roster, depth is one of the most important things to Gregg Popovich. The longtime San Antonio Spurs head coach knows that the NBA season is a long one. He likes giving his players fewer minutes than normal. Popovich has even been known to sit his stars during important rivalry games.

The decision to add David Lee was an easy one for Gregg Popovich. The veteran big man was willing to take less money from the San Antonio Spurs than he could have gotten from other NBA teams. Lee also fits in with the Spurs because he is an unselfish professional.

David Lee should find himself receiving the bulk of minutes at power forward and center that LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol leave behind. Gregg Popovich is going to want Gasol to be fresh for the NBA playoffs, so you can expect to see him playing fewer minutes than in the past, which means that Lee should receiving plenty of playing time.

The San Antonio Spurs signing David Lee seems like a move that makes almost too much sense. The two sides are a great fit. It also makes things a little harder on the Golden State Warriors.

[Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]