© Rob Gray, USA TODAY
Spurs Season-In-Review: Midseason Acquisition Devonte' Graham 'Playing Free' in San Antonio
With every passing season, the NBA trade deadline gets more and more eventful.
Some players force their way out of their respective cities while others find out on the bench of the game the day before, playing for a team they thought would be their career's landing place.
Current LA Clipper Russell Westbrook showed what happens when a player's new team is not the right fit, while the Brooklyn Nets' Mikal Bridges showed how a change of scenery could be grounds for a career revival, or at the very least, a new level of production.
For the San Antonio Spurs, the latter was true of midseason acquisition Devonte' Graham.
The fifth-year point guard was acquired from the Pelicans in a trade that sent Josh Richardson to New Orleans on the day of the deadline, and gave the Spurs a guard with some experience to help add to their young core.
It's safe to say that San Antonio was even more surprised with Graham after just one game, however.
Right away, the guard scored 31 points to mark the biggest Spurs debut since Willie Anderson in 1989, adding three each rebounds and assists to provide an instant impact.
"Just knowing that I could go out and play free, [was nuts]," Graham said. "It's always good to see your first shot go in. I just kept being aggressive and the guys kept finding me."
After the initial excitement of playing for coach Gregg Popovich set in, Graham's "full-circle" moment came to fruition, and his role as an explosive scorer became clearer throughout his 20 games.
During that span, Graham averaged 13 points and four assists, while posting multiple 20-plus point performances for the Spurs. His impact expanded to the locker room as well — the veteran becoming a leader for the rookies.
"[The hardest part for rookies] is the amount of games and travel," he said. "Trying to take care of your body [too]."
"Every year, players go through a slump," he added. "You're not making shots [or] your body doesn't feel good. Everybody goes through it, but rookies get hit hard."
Graham emphasized the importance of maintaining personal health to avoid injuries, which plagued San Antonio this season. He was able to stay healthy as the Spurs pushed to hit the 20-win mark on the season, providing reliability as well for the young team.
Despite his numbers being under what he's proven capable of in the past, the 28-year-old is set to have full season in San Antonio next year, which will allow him to truly get comfortable and be a crucial piece for the Spurs next season, and he couldn't be more excited.
"[San Antonio] has a great fanbase," Graham said. "I'm excited to be here ... It's going to be fun."
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