The San Antonio Spurs have had a successful offseason so far and even though the team is quite stronger after the signing of LaMarcus Aldridge and the return of several other players like Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan, there's a lack of depth when it comes to the big men. The trade that sent Tiago Splitter to the Atlanta Hawks and the fact that Aaron Baynes wasn't extended left the Spurs with a sizable void near the rim.
According to several European outlets, however, the Spurs have made a move to add depth in the frontcourt as they are finalizing the details to sign Serbian center Boban Marjanovic to a one-year deal. As reported by Eurohoops.net, the 26-year-old signed a one-year deal worth $2 million but has the intention to sign a multi-year contract once he becomes a free agent following the 2015-16 season.
It's always hard to project how European players will adapt to the NBA but there's no question that Marjanovic's numbers were pretty good. He's quite the presence near the rim - thanks to his 7'3", 290 lbs. frame - but he appears to be more than simply a defensive specialist. He was recently named to the All-Euroleague First Team, Serbian League MVP for the third time and he was also selected as the European center of the year during the 2014-15 season.
Marjanovic's numbers in the Serbian league were very proficient as he posted 27 double-doubles in 76 games, averaging 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 60.4 percent to help lead Crvena Zvezda to a league championship. He also participated with his team on the Euroleague and even though he faced some of the toughest players in the European continent, he still produced at a high level with 16.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in 24 contests.
If Marjanovic joins the Spurs then he's likely to be the fourth big on the depth chart behind starters Duncan and Aldridge and recent free agent acquisition David West. He has the potential to be a disruptive force off the bench as a defensive specialist who can also score an occasional bucket from time to time.