Not much here but I thought you might want to read the Spurs portion of this paywalled ESPN+ article.
"I don't pretend to know what we're going to do. We have a lot of possibilities ahead of us, whether it's [having] money in the bank or draft picks or being creative tradewise. All those things are on the table. But aren't they for every team? I don't know why we're any different. We're just younger." — coach Gregg Popovich, March 2024
Reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama puts the Spurs in a different category than most of the teams on this list.
Year 2 of the Wembanyama era begins in San Antonio with a heightened awareness that winning 22 games and finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference is not acceptable with a player of his caliber on the roster.
How the roster improves will come down to whether management is willing to accelerate the rebuild this offseason and not next summer, when the Spurs could have up to four first-round picks and $50 million in cap space.
One scenario in which San Antonio could improve now but not strip its flexibility is to sign veteran point guard Tyus Jones and then look to trade for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.
A starting five of Jones, Devin Vassell, Ingram, Jeremy Sochan and Wembanyama, along with two first-round picks in the top eight (if both are kept), is a strong foundation to build on.
Trade we would like to see: Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins, 2025 Chicago first (top-8 protected), 2027 Atlanta first (top-5 protected) to New Orleans for Ingram
Starters under contract: Jones, Vassell, Sochan, Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson
Reserves under contract: Collins, Malaki Branham, Devonte' Graham, Julian Champagnie, Blake Wesley, Sidy Cissoko and Charles BasseyFree agents: Cedi Osman, Dominick Barlow and Sandro Mamukelashvili
Incoming first-round picks (13):
- ▪The No. 4 and No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft
- ▪All seven of their own, starting in 2025
- ▪Two unprotected from the Atlanta Hawks (2025 and 2027)
- ▪2025 top-14 protected from the Charlotte Hornets 2025
- ▪Top-10 protected from Chicago (top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027)
Swap rights: Atlanta (2026), Boston Celtics (2028, top-1 protected) and Dallas Mavericks (2030)
by bad_chacka
9 Comments
See what #4 and #8 + filler (Keldon/Collins/Tre/Branham/Blake) could get you on the market imo
New Orleans doesn’t want Keldon. They have a log jam of wings right now. They would probably love Collins because they need a guy at center to stretch the floor for Zion.
But I am not giving that 2027 Atlanta first. And if you protect it, what does it become in year 2? Spurs 1st?
I don’t think Ingram is a great fit because he is a ball-dominant ISO player and the reason he didn’t fit with Zion is the reason he wont’ fit with Wemby. Ingram is ok defensively, but not that special.
Also, he is on the final year of his contract and supposedly wants a 4y200M deal. That’s a non-starter to me. He’s not worth that type of deal.
Bottom line, Spurs need a #2 option that can play in the framework of a motion offense, but I think Ingram is a #3 option that is a ball stopping ISO player that wouldn’t work well with us for the same reasons he didnt’ work well in New Orleans when Zion is healthy. Also, Ingram gets hurt a lot – he hasn’t played 65 games in a season since his rookie year in 2017.
I like Ingram and wanted him when we were trading Kawhi, but I don’t see his place on our team and our motion offense.
Would honestly rather roll w/ Tre + rookie pg and wing than get Tyus and BI. They’re competent players, but I’d rather be worse next year while giving time to kids. Then splurge in the summer of 25 (informed by whoever they snag in that draft and another year of growth).
It would be an incredibly dick move for a guy to come in and steal the starting position and 30+ MPG from their brother especially since both can only play the 1 same position due to their size. Even if we offered Tyus the most money (and he’ll have plenty of similar $ offers elsewhere), I don’t see him coming over with Tre on the team. Also, they’re super similar players and Tre is still developing so it doesn’t work as much of a significant upgrade to use our money on.
I know I’m one of the only people here who would be in favor of an Ingram trade, but man, I don’t know how you don’t make that trade in the unlikely event NOLA actually would accept it.
Ingram is always hurt and has his worse games when the team needs him most. The reason why the Pelicans want to trade him is he’s on an expiring contract and they don’t want to pay him. He’s making $36M now which is a fair contract imho. He wants a max which would be $47M in the first year. The Spurs should not trade for an injury prone player who thinks he’s a max player.
Of all the good players who aren’t nearly good enough to push this team into playoff contention out there, and it feels like we’ve been linked to all of them, Ingram is probably the one I want the least.
I feel like he would be an awkward fit with Devin and Victor. He’s a mid-range loving ball dominant ISO player known for being occasionally Moody, having a hot and cold motor, and being very clear that he wants a Max after this next season.
Big big no thank you.
If we’re going to take on a overrated often injured player that’s going to be expensive. Might as well call Chicago and grab lavine At that point, since you’ll probably cost a fraction of what Ingram would. (To be clear, I’m not advocating for that)
If you guys wanna know why Bobby Marks got fired from the nets, you have your answer here cause this is garbage
Not interested in BI at all. That lineup lacks sufficient shooting and I don’t think we should be giving up assets for him.
No thank you.