The San Antonio Spurs are about to jump to the front of the line in NBA rebuilding terms. What will the franchise’s summer look like with the No. 1 pick in tow?
The San Antonio Spurs were among the worst teams in basketball last season. The defense was abhorrent, core pieces like Devin Vassell missed significant time to injury, and the stakes were absolutely zero. Unless, of course, you’re talking about the NBA Draft lottery stakes.
The Spurs secured the third-best odds on lottery night after losing a coin toss to the Houston Rockets, who also finished the season 22-60. The result? Houston dropped to No. 4, and San Antonio vaulted into the No. 1 slot with the opportunity to select a franchise-changing talent.
To add to the excitement, the Spurs have a boatload of money to burn in free agency and enough young talent to support a rebuild around the eventual No. 1 pick. Vassell emerged as a legitimate creator and pull-up shooter last season. Keldon Johnson averaged 22.0 points per game. Jeremy Sochan is channeling Dennis Rodman in all the best ways.
San Antonio has an excellent supporting cast in place, along with arguably the best head coach in league history and a world-class player development infrastructure. Now, the Spurs will add a potentially generational star to the mix on draft night.
It would appear, on the surface, like San Antonio has settled into a patient rebuild. But that can change in an instant: the No. 1 pick, max cap space (and then some), and an aging Gregg Popovich could be the right mix to propel the Spurs back into the playoffs sooner than later. Pop won’t be around forever and the small-market Spurs might benefit financially from an immediate leap into the national spotlight.
Here’s how an exciting summer is shaping up with San Antonio.
San Antonio Spurs outgoing free agents
The Spurs have a few notable outgoing free agents, both restricted and unrestricted. San Antonio also has the flexibility to keep all its key pieces.
- Romeo Langford, 23, F (RFA)
- Keita Bates-Diop, 27, F
- Tre Jones, 23, G (RFA)
- Gorgui Dieng, 33, C
- Sandro Mamukelashvili, 24, C (RFA)
- Julian Champagnie, 21, F (RFA)
- Dominick Barlow, 20, F (RFA)
The biggest name here is Tre Jones. The Spurs’ point guard is currently in line for another starting gig next season, but that could change depending on San Antonio’s free agent pursuits. Jones averaged 12.9 points and 6.6 assists while drawing expanded responsibilities last season. He’s the kind of steady hand coaches appreciate. One has to imagine the Spurs will pay to bring him back.
Romeo Langford showed flashes with his athleticism and defense last season and it probably wouldn’t cost much for the Spurs to bring him back.
The vets, such as Keita Bates-Diop and Gorgui Dieng, feel like afterthoughts. Bates-Diop is 6-foot-8 and hit 39.4 percent of his 3s last season, so the Spurs could justify a return. Dieng is no longer a rotation player and should not be on the team given the presence of young bigs like Charles Bassey and Zach Collins, who deserve playing time.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is an interesting multi-faceted offensive big who showed flashes in his brief time on the court last season. His potential as a playmaking hub at the elbow who can occasionally space the floor might warrant another year’s investment.
San Antonio Spurs trade targets
The Spurs should remain patient, even with the No. 1 pick locked down. The team has cap space aplenty and a lot of draft capital to dangle in trade offers, but there’s no obvious star talent for San Antonio to pursue.
There could be appeal in names like Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, but both are expected to fetch extremely high prices if they even become available at all. The Spurs probably shouldn’t break the bank for supporting pieces or No. 2 stars yet.
That said, the Spurs should keep a finger on the pulse of Portland at No. 3 and Houston at No. 4 in June’s NBA Draft. It will ultimately depend on the price to acquire such a pick, but the idea of pairing presumed No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama with a young guard like Scoot Henderson or Amen Thompson is quite tantalizing.
Beyond the splashier possibilities, it wouldn’t be surprising for San Antonio to scour the trade market for less expensive role players. The defense was a significant issue last season; perhaps another 3-and-D wing or a physical big who can absorb minutes at the five spot in certain matchups would be worth pursuing.
San Antonio Spurs free agent targets
The Spurs are expected to have roughly $43.5 million in cap space over the summer. While eyes will naturally linger on bigger names like Draymond Green or Kyrie Irving, the Spurs are a small market at the very beginning of a rebuild. The concept of Victor Wembanyama probably isn’t enough to attract the splashiest free agents.
San Antonio does, however, have the option to spend money on second or third-tier free agents. Fred VanVleet is a name to watch if the Spurs desire an upgrade at point guard and some veteran leadership in the locker room. VanVleet competes hard, hits 3s, and would work seamlessly in two-man actions with Wemby. Plus, he has reached the mountaintop with Toronto. He knows what it takes to win in the NBA.
Don’t rule out a name like D’Angelo Russell either. The Spurs should be wary about paying too much money to a one-way player like Russell, but he’s a former All-Star who generates a lot of points operating out of pick-and-rolls. Maybe the Spurs trust their staff to get the most out of him.
Brook Lopez has been mentioned by some as a potential max contract target for the Spurs, but the Bucks probably want to keep him and there’s risk in investing significant long-term money in a 35-year-old drop coverage center right before you select Victor Wembanyama.
If the Spurs want another center who can add a layer of physicality in the post, names like Dwight Powell or Mason Plumlee might be more sensible. Investing in the development of Zach Collins and Charles Bassey is probably the way to go.
San Antonio Spurs NBA Draft targets
Here is a highlight video featuring Victor Wembanyama.
The Spurs own the No. 1 overall pick in June’s NBA Draft. That pick will be used on Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-5 French sensation who is unequivocally the best prospect since LeBron James.
San Antonio has a lengthy history with top-ranked bigs like Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Wembanyama will reportedly be mentored by Duncan, as well as Spurs legends Tony Parker (a fellow Frenchman) and Manu Ginobili. He’s going to the best spot imaginable for player development. It’s a great fit.
The Spurs also own the No. 33 and No. 44 picks in the second round, with the chance to add more young talent on the back end of the roster. A few stray names to watch: Ricky Council IV, Amari Bailey, Terrence Shannon Jr., Coleman Hawkins, Trayce Jackson-Davis.
For more information on this year’s NBA Draft class, check out our latest Mock Draft and Big Board.
Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.