There has been plenty of speculation about where Kawhi Leonard will end up ahead of the 2018-19 NBA season, but it's not just the frustrated star forward who could leave the Spurs this summer.
Tony Parker is on the market as an unrestricted free agent, and he's already receiving significant interest from multiple teams. Parker averaged only 7.7 points and 3.5 assists per game last season behind starting point guard Dejounte Murray, but he still holds value as a veteran backup capable of running an offense.
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And that's exactly what the Hornets and Nuggets could use, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Via The Woj Pod:
"Parker's gonna be an interesting one because they're trying to figure out in San Antonio what they're doing, and can he sit around and wait for that? There is some money. Charlotte's got some interest in him. I think Denver might have a little interest. Now, Denver, they're looking for a backup point guard — that might be a veteran minimum guy.
"But Charlotte's got an exception. They have some money. James Borrego, the new Charlotte coach, coached him with the Spurs. And there's others. There's not a team in the league that wouldn't love to have Tony as a backup.
"But it's hard to imagine him not finishing his career with the Spurs. They found a way to do it with Manu Ginobili. That'll be an interesting one to watch over the next few days."
The Hornets and Nuggets each have solid starting options in Kemba Walker and Jamal Murray, respectively, but Parker could still function as a playmaker for the second unit in Charlotte or Denver. In terms of salary, the Hornets have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available ($8.6 million) while the Nuggets have the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.3 million).
There are no guarantees Parker wants out of San Antonio, though, and if the Spurs can keep one of the franchise's greatest players at a reasonable cost, they will certainly do it.
Oh yeah, Tony Parker is out there too as a FA. His people are out shopping for a deal, I’m told. Spurs would still like him back in a mentorship role if the numbers work for both sides.
— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) July 4, 2018
