Spurs Have No Plans to Trade Tony Parker

Spurs GM R.C. Buford was forced to beat back media speculation that Tony was possibly getting shopped. He assures the Express-News that Parker isn’t going anywhere: “If Tony Parker is on the trading block, somebody forgot to tell Spurs general manager R.C. Buford. Speculation, stemming from a piece on ESPN.com, is running rampant that the Spurs are expected to ‘at least consider’ trading their three-time All-Star point guard this summer. Acknowledging the Spurs are beholden to ‘continue to evaluate any opportunity that comes,’ Buford said Monday he does not expect to shop Parker during the offseason. ‘I think that you would be crazy not to want a player like Tony in our program for a long time,’ Buford said, adding, ‘The speculation with Tony is placed outside our organization.’ Owning an expiring contract worth $13.5 million set to come off the books next season, and still in his prime at age 27, Parker remains the Spurs most tradeable asset. However, dealing him, and thus breaking up the Spurs’ championship core, could prove too traumatic.”