On the surface, it's weird that the Spurs have been criticized for signing Pau Gasol in the wake of Tim Duncan's retirement. Beyond being someone they almost signed two years ago, Gasol has always been the type of player that would excel in Gregg Popovich's system. He's both unselfish and incredibly smart, and his ability to beat teams in a variety of ways through his passing and scoring make him a perfect fit in San Antonio. However, following their loss to the hyper-athletic Thunder in the playoffs, signing Gasol seemed like the last thing the Spurs needed to contend for a title in the near future. While he was named to his sixth All-Star game last season, he'll turn 37 in July, and he lacks the defensive prowess to keep up with the small ball revolution. Together, it could be enough to offset the versatility he brings on offense starting from next season. We'll soon find out which of those realities is more likely to come true when the Spurs open their regular season on the road against the Warriors on Oct. 25. But based on what we've seen from Gasol in the past, there's good reason to believe he will help the Spurs much more than he'll hurt them. To get a better understanding of why that'll likely be the case, let's take a look at how he'll fit in with his new team. - See more at: http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/new...n-offense-breakdown/odl08k4j9qbj15dt5ozraum0x
