It’s become clear, the Spurs are getting a high lottery pick which has driven me back into prospect evaluation. I don’t think any of these players would have gone top 8 in the ’23 draft, but I also think any of the top 15 could turn into an All-NBA level player via Giannis or Kawhi. This draft lottery is full of wings and guards but not many solid bigs and no sure things. With that said, the two players I think could most help the Spurs are Nikola Topic or Alex Sarr.
[Nikola Topic] (https://youtu.be/xNnzHw2YRzU?si=j28FZ7cC28Rh3taB) is a poor man’s Luka with great court vision, decent height, a nice first step and he’s only 18. The downside is his below average outside shooting and not great defense. He’s probably most Spurs fan’s first choice as of today.
[Alex Sarr](https://youtu.be/-9Y1_T9DtzE?si=mYio3-WWgad4shMR) is a 7’1″ C/F who has a high defensive upside and a developing outside shot. His comp has been Nick Claxton or Jaren Jackson Jr. with a better shot. The French big intrigues me as a partner for Wemby down low adding defense and rebounding inside.
At first glance, I would say Topic is a no-brainer if the Spurs could get him. PG is their biggest need and has good size 6’6″ and court vision. If the Spurs miraculously get the first pick in this draft, gun to my head, I think I’d pull the trigger on him. However, one of the next biggest problems on this team is rebounding. There’s a reason Charles Bassey looked so good cleaning the glass last year. Zach Collins is a nice offensive player and it was good to lock him up for two more years at a good price for a big, but his defense is below average and his 6.1 rebounds is bad for a big. Sarr offers an upgrade in defense at the position or if they want to keep Wemby at C, he gives more size at the 4 and better team defense and rebounding. Outside of Topic, there is Collier, Stephon Castle, Rob Dillingham, Reed Sheppard, and Tyrese Proctor all options at point guard. But for bigs, Filipowski, Clingan and Proctor are fringe lottery picks at best. With 2 top 10 picks, the team might be better off grabbing the better big and a decent guard prospect instead of reaching for another big.
The other argument for Sarr over Topic is there might be better more seasoned options in Free Agency for the Spurs. Point Guards, take a few years before they learn the NBA game so even if the team does draft the best point available, it could take a couple years before they are NBA ready. Look at 19yo Scoot Henderson this year compared to 23 year old Tyrese Haliburton. Instead, they can look to a vet entering their prime like Fultz or Tyus Jones. Take a flyer on Lonzo Ball, Kyle Lowry, or outbid Minnesota for Mike Conley. Or maybe use some draft capital to trade for someone in the off-season.
What does everyone else think? These two are my favorite players in this draft and would be happy with either playing for the Spurs, but I doubt they get both of them, if either of them. But given the option of one, who do you think would be better with this team?
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
by Neckrolls4life
16 Comments
I’m on #teamtopic
Give me Reed Sheppard. He plays in an hour.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401580112
edit: He has incredible BBall IQ, great d, great shooting, great fundamentals, rebounds. Everything you would want in a Spur.
Imagine how scary the French national team could be if Sarr and Wemby got 82+ games a year to develop chemistry.
Since Wemby moved to 5 and looks comfortable there I don’t really see the point in targeting Sarr unless he’s the best player available by a significant margin. I think the upside of his defense is dampened by the awkward fit offensively with Wemby and Sochan, and this team needs to transition into actually building a complementary roster.
I think Topic makes a lot of sense if he’s there, and I’d rather the other pick was the most promising 3 and D wing on the board. Someone like Zach Risacher.
We gotta take the flyer on topic, to truly contend we need an Elite point guard and as of now he’s most likely the way to get that without breaking the bank
I would much rather have Topic tbh. His high level passing ability/vision will be spectacular for Wemby and the rest of the team. I’m pretty confident he’ll be a solid starting PG, and whether he becomes an all-star caliber PG really depends on whether or not his jump shot comes along.
Sarr is good but I’m honestly not incredibly high on him. I do think he has a ton of defensive upside, but I’m not quite as sold on the offense. His build is comparable to guys like Wemby and Chet, but his jumper and shot creation aren’t as good as theirs was when they were prospects. Of course, he could develop his shot, but I’m not sure he’ll develop it to the point where it makes him a star big man. He doesn’t really offer anything that Wemby doesn’t, and while having both would make our defense absolutely insane, we’re in a position where we have to go for the guys we think have the best chance of becoming an all star. I think Sarr will be a good player, but I’m hesitant to say he’d be an all star.
I do agree that rebounding and interior defense are things we’re lacking, but we’re also lacking shooting, shot creators, playmakers, and perimeter defenders. There are so many things to address, and I would rather address the big-man related issues in free agency or future drafts with better big men. Personally, I would prefer we take a shot creating or 3&D wing instead of a big man this year, in addition to a point guard.
I’d probably go with Topic just because I think he can unlock Wemby more than Sarr can. There are question marks with both Sarr and Topic in terms of their fit. The defensive impact between Sarr and Wemby would be insane, but spacing could be an issue especially if Sarr doesn’t develop much of an offensive game. It also creates question marks around Sochans role if you believe he would be the starting PF next to Wemby. Topics passing and vision would greatly help this team and most likely take Wemby to another level. But, his outside shooting and defense could also be problematic especially when we lack shooting already. I think regardless of which one you draft, we’d need another good 3 point shooter in the starting lineup to help with spacing. I think that could be addressed with the Raptors pick though.
Draft a PG and draft a 2-way wing prospect that would replace Keldon in the starting lineup in the future. Not really high on Sarr.
PG-Vassell-Prospect-Sochan-Wemby
Out of these 2 i would lean towards Topic, unless we really think we can add a good/somewhat young PG through trade or FA. Sarr and Wemby could work, they do seem to be complimentary styles.
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I wouldn’t rule out Ron Holland either. I just really like something about him. He’s turned it on as of late after a rough start.
Sarr. As they say, you can’t teach height. It’s also much easier to get a starting level point guard in free agency or through trades than a big man.
Topic is a shooting guard or small forward. May have ball in his hands, but will have difficulty with anyone quick
Great analysis. I see the same two as top choices. Topic crushes “the eye test” – he looks sooo good in the clips I’ve seen. I think he is moving up to a more competitive league, so we’ll hopefully get a better view of him. Sarr on the other hand, who doesn’t want a potential starting caliber 7 footer?
I’d be happy with either (or both if I’m being greedy). This is a cop out, but of the two I’d support whoever PATFO & the scouting team decide to go with.
whynotboth.gif
Edit: To elaborate, didn’t they both on Spurs’ projected draft position? If both are available, why not get them both? It’s not like there’s a quality big man beyond Wembanyama currently on the team.
If Topic is available, I understand the pick – not so much with Sarr.
I am a small minority that believes Tyrese Proctor’s game could be a great fit for us. I see something with him that feels like he would really gel with our group. I think he’s an underrated all-around PG and it’s unfortunate that he’s been injured for the previous month. I would actually really like a scenario of Buzelis if he’s available, then Proctor later in the round.
My current top 3 are:
1. Buzelis
2. Topic
3. Sarr
You can’t teach skills per se and just think they get skilled over time. I’ll go with a skill player with elite handles and vision.
Not a fan of topic
would rather trade for a solid pg