For the vast majority of the Duncovich era, summer league has been little more than filler before the start of another championship chase. This is what happens when you have an established core and no premium draft picks.
In that sense, not much has changed for the Spurs as they open their summer slate tonight against Philadelphia (6 p.m., NBA TV) in Salt Lake City for a quick three-game, four-day slate before heading to Las Vegas for more beginning on Saturday.
With free agent prize LaMarcus Aldridge in the fold and pretty much every main player back except the undecided Manu Ginobili, the Spurs have only a few last few roster spots to fill — roles that will likely go to established (and cheap) veterans, rather than the rookies/scrap heap types who populate summer league play.