R.C. Buford was responsible for crafting a plan for the San Antonio Spurs to sign LaMarcus Aldridge.

The Spurs were able to keep Danny Green, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili while signing Aldridge.

“Give R.C. Buford credit,” Peter Holt said. “Pop is a great coach, but R.C. came to us with this plan three years ago, four years ago — seriously. And we’ve worked at it ever since. He, by far, was the general. We wouldn’t be where we are, in this position, if it hadn’t have been for R.C. Buford.”

“The ownership group has given us the opportunity to build a great team,” Buford said. “With Pop and Manu (Ginobili) and Tim (Duncan) and Tony (Parker), you knew we had to be prepared for that to end someday. And this (signing Aldridge) gave us a chance to be competitive now and prepare for whatever is next — hopefully not anytime soon.

“But the ownership group and Peter have given us every opportunity (to bolster the team for years to come).”