West is still a very good player but the skills he brings to the table are not the ones the Spurs need from a fourth big.
It's been a while since a veteran looking for a ring joined the Spurs. The last one was Antonio McDyess, who might or might not have been San Antonio's second choice after Rasheed Wallace. So obviously it's nice to see David West spurn other contenders, leaving $12 million dollars on the table and deciding to wear Silver and Black next season.
Because of how exciting it is to see someone want to be a Spur that badly and because West is a consummate pro, his addition was welcomed and regarded as a coup.