Following a trip to the 2008 Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs suffered a disappointing loss in the first round of the playoffs to their in-state rivals, the Dallas Mavericks, this season, capping off what was a frustrating, injury-plagued 2008-09 campaign.  Signs of age and the wear and tear on the team's top players from deep playoff runs and commitments to international basketball in the summer began to surface as All-Stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili combined to miss 48 regular season games and the Spurs failed to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs since the 1999-2000 season. 

The re-construction of the Spurs roster has already begun, with swingman Richard Jefferson coming over from the Milwaukee Bucks for the expiring contracts of Fabricio Oberto, Kurt Thomas and Bruce Bowen.  Adding Jefferson, a career 17-points-per game scorer, brings some athleticism on the perimeter to a Spurs team that has sorely needed an injection of explosiveness the past two seasons and will help ease the scoring burden placed on the shoulders of the team's "big three" of Tim Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker.

While the acquisition of Jefferson provides the Spurs with some essential scoring punch and athleticism, the departure of Thomas and Oberto leaves the team perilously thin in the front court with just Duncan, three-point specialist Matt Bonner and the oft-injured and unproven Ian Mahinmi, should the team pick up his option, on the roster. 

With limited cap space available, General Manager R.C. Buford will have to make some shrewd moves in order to fill out the Spurs' roster with player who will be able make an impact on a consistent basis without surpassing the luxury tax threshold, which is set at $71.15M (according to ESPN) for the 2009-2010 season.  Should the Spurs pick up Mahinmi's option and bring back Michael  Finley and his $2.5M qualifying offer, the team's payroll would be just under $69M with only nine players under contract.

Immediate Needs in the Draft

San Antonio doesn't have a pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft after sending the pick, along with Brent Barry and Francisco Elson to Oklahoma City (then Seattle) for Kurt Thomas back in February of 2008.  The team does, however have three picks in the second round (numbers 37, 52 and 53 overall). 
With few second round picks making an impact on NBA rosters, particularly in their rookie seasons, the Spurs are looking to move into the latter part of the first round in order to add an interior piece to what very well could be a championship puzzle.

Someone like National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, who led the North Carolina Tar Heels to the 2009 NCAA Championship, or Southern California big man Taj Gibson could be options for the Spurs.  Hansbrough is a tough-nosed, gritty player whose effort and energy would be a perfect fit in San Antonio.  Gibson has seen his stock rise since the pre-draft camp, where he measured in at nearly 6"10" with a 7'4" wingspan.  The 24-year-old early draft entrant averaged 14.3 points and nine rebounds as a junior at USC.

Immediate Needs in Free Agency

The Spurs must add some depth and punch in the front court in order to keep up with the proverbial Joneses in the Western Conference.  With few tradable assets outside of Manu Ginobili and the team on the books for nearly $69M next season, the Spurs will have to be creative in the free agency period in order to make a splash.

Rumors are circulating that former Detroit Pistons power forward Rasheed Wallace could be one of the Spurs' targets this off-season.  Wallace has championship pedigree and helped the Pistons advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in five consecutive seasons.  The former North Carolina Tar Heel and four-time NBA all-star, who is said to be asking for $8M per season or he will retire, might consider playing in San Antonio alongside Duncan and company for less and a chance to win a second NBA title. 

If Wallace were to sign with the Spurs, San Antonio would have one of the best starting fives in the NBA with Duncan, Jefferson, Ginobili and Parker, catapulting the team into the upper-echelon of the league. 
Should Wallace sign elsewhere or decide to walk away from the game altogether there are a few available options on the free agent market that could benefit the Spurs on the cheap... at least, compared to the money Wallace is expecting.

Former Denver Nugget Chris Andersen averaged over six rebounds and 2.4 blocks (second in the NBA to Dwight Howard) despite playing just 20 minutes per game could be available for a relative bargain and 13-year veteran Antonio McDyess, who is chasing an NBA title, is a possibility as well.

The Spurs have been arguably the best team in the NBA over the course of the last decade and, with the addition of Jefferson and an experienced post player or two, will be in contention for a fifth NBA crown since 1999.