At 34, any NBA player knows that he is nearing the twilight of his career. And apparently David West knows this for a fact, and one thing any player wants is to retire with at least one NBA ring on his finger.
West apparently had this in mind after he agreed to sign up with the San Antonio Spurs for a meager veteran's minimum of $1.5 million, a huge drop considering the offers thrown his way by other teams, estimated to be in the $12-million mark.
When West opted out of his contract with the Indiana Pacers, the NBA veteran did mention two teams on his mind – the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs.
One thing both teams have is a winning tradition. The Spurs have won the title five times already while the Warriors are the recently crowned NBA champions. And he got his wish but had to sacrifice about $10.5 million to do so.
Was it worth the sacrifice? "At this point in my career, it's all about winning. And again, I don't want to be in a position where we're just fighting to make the playoffs. I want to be in a spot where we can legitimately taste the Finals," West told ESPN.
Other teams that showed an interest in the power forward were the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards. Of the two, one has to ask why West did not consider joining Lebron James as well.
West is expected to play a backup role to another new recruit, LaMarcus Aldridge.
With the surprise addition of West, the Spurs are looking all the more formidable headed into next season. The team is looking to redeem itself after falling short this year to the Los Angeles Clippers, who surprisingly defeated them in the first round of the recent NBA playoffs.
