Matt Marton-Imagn Images Next season could determine how the league sees the members of the Spurs’ former core going forward. Dejounte Murray will get another opportunity to regain his All-Star form in New Orleans. Do you think he can get to that level again? Marilyn Dubinski: He certainly has a chance to return to his best form considering he will have the ball in his hands more in New Orleans as CJ McCollum moves back to his preferred spot off the ball, and he will be surrounded by more star power in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram (assuming he isn’t traded). That being said, I don’t expect Murray to be an All-Star again. When he was, it was as an injury replacement, and the West just continues to get deeper and deeper. So technically, yes he can return to his best form again because he won’t be sharing the ball-handling duties with Trae Young, but I don’t expect him to be an All-Star. Mark Barrington: I’m a Dejounte Murray fan, even some Spurs fans are put off by his mercurial social media presence. He has worked hard on his game and should be on the periphery of All Star form every year if he remains healthy. He was a little overshadowed working in the same backcourt as Trae Young, and he should be a better match with McCollum. He’s probably only going to the All Star Game if one of the superstar guards in the west has an injury or an off year, but that is not an uncommon occurrence. I think he’ll be really good and have about a 50% chance of making the All Star Game this season. Jacob Douglas: All-Star is a stretch. I still think Murray can be a good second or third option on a strong team – which is what he will be in New Orleans. Murray is miscast as “the guy” who makes several All-Star games or All-NBA teams. I really like what his point-of-attack defense and rim pressure can provide for this Pelicans squad. Now if they could just find a starting center... Jeje Gomez: Murray played at an All-Star level when he could dominate the ball for a bad Spurs team. He won’t get to do that in New Orleans, since the Pelicans have a first option in Zion Williamson and, unless they find a trade partner, a second option in Brandon Ingram. I do think a reduced role in which he still runs the offense on a good team could motivate Murray, who has been terrible on defense with the Hawks, to try harder on that end. If he goes back to being a two-way player I’m sure the Pelicans will be happy and Murray will restore his reputation, even if there’s no All-Star buzz. Lonnie Walker IV is a Celtic. Do you think he can finally establish himself as a rotation player or will he remain a journeyman after this season? Dubinski: It’s possible considering there is room for him to earn a rotation spot, and there’s no better way to glorify a role player than for him to compliment a championship-winning team well, but after seven years, it may be time to accept that Lonnie just is who he is that this point: a dime-a-dozen swingman who can run and dunk but is a below average shooter who has a reputation for disappearing for stretches. As much as I love Lonnie and want him to succeed, this might be his best and possibly last chance to separate himself from the pack and establish a career beyond being a journeyman. Barrington: After seven years in the league, it seems likely that Lonnie is the player he will be for the rest of his career. The Celtics is a great team for him to land on, because they aren’t going to ask too much of him, and his tendency to disappear for long periods of time will be less noticeable. I think he will also benefit from his relationship with Derrick White, which provides him a level of comfort in the locker room that he didn’t have at his last few stops. If he can occasionally come in and provide a few moments of scoring brilliance, then he’s got a role. But it won’t be more than spot duty. Douglas: There is a place in the NBA for guys like Walker IV, who shoot over 38% from the field and have his athletic tools. I’m not so sure it’s in Boston. If he makes the team, he’d be an awesome depth piece. The NBA is loaded with young talent right now, and its left a lot of guys who haven’t found their footing immediately, like Walker IV, on the outside looking in. It would be pretty funny if TWO Spurs guards went on to have long careers in Boston after leaving San Antonio. Gomez: Assuming Lonnie gets a spot in the final roster, which seems likely, it’s hard to see where he’d find playing time. Sam Hauser would have to disappoint to fall out of the rotation. Maybe he’d get some of Payton Pritchard’s minutes if one of White and Jrue Holiday are always on the court? Injuries happen, and Lonnie can get hot for stretches, so there is a chance he carves out a spot for himself, but there’s no guarantee. In a dumber, more forgiving age of the NBA, Walker’s youth and athleticism, along with the strong stretch he had late in his last season in San Antonio, would have resulted in a big gamble from some executive hoping he’d put it all together. In this era, Lonnie seems destined to play for the minimum or close to it for the rest of his career. Which former Spur will have the better individual season, DeMar DeRozan or Derrick White? Dubinski: From just a numbers standpoint, it’s DeRozan. He will always get his points at an All-Star level and could quite possibly be the Kings’ leading scorer (or maybe second after De’Aaron Fox). He should also be in a better situation there than Chicago (and even San Antonio), and they should make the playoffs. However, at the end of the season, White will likely be the happier player whose name we hear more often since the Celtics should go further in the playoffs — maybe even repeat as champions — while DeRozan’s ringless run will more than likely continue. Barrington: You’re asking me to choose between two of my favorite former Spurs players and it’s an impossible task. I think both of them will have great seasons. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan will improve the Kings, where the backcourt paring of him and De’Aaron Fox seems ideal. Derrick White is more of a role player on the Celtics, but he’s crucial to their success, and they have a great chance of repeating this year. Douglas: White pretty handily. Boston will continue to be the best team in the NBA, and he will be a big part of that. I am skeptical that Sacramento will take a crazy leap after swapping Harrison Barnes with DeRozan. I wonder how DeRozan will fare as the third fiddle behind Fox and Sabonis. I think he could thrive in their hand-off-heavy offense as someone capable of getting to his spots in the mid-range. I still prefer White’s defensive prowess and floor spacing in a high-powered Boston offense. Gomez: It depends what we mean by better season. Derrick White’s role is completely different than DeRozan’s. In terms of numbers, DeMar has the edge because he’ll be one of the main options on offense, but White can score a few points and still have a massive impact on the game. I won’t dodge the question, so I’ll go with White. DeRozan will have to adjust to a new offense and might see his points and assists dip next to Fox and Sabonis, and opponents might hunt him on defense. Things are simpler for White, who probably won’t see his numbers improve but just needs to continue to do what he’s been doing so far in Boston to be one of the most valuable role players in the league.