Use the No. 2 pick, or trade for a vet? What we know about the Spurs going into the draft

With Victor Wembanyama successful China for nearly 2 weeks learning much astir himself, according to a source, the San Antonio Spurs anticipation the Frenchman returns to a tweaked roster poised to extremity a six-year postseason drought.

Rife with assets -- 2 lottery picks (No. 2 and No. 14) and an further 3 aboriginal tradeable first-round picks, not to notation controllable contracts -- San Antonio could onslaught a woody to onshore an All-Star-level player. But whether the squad wants to deviate from its semipermanent program for gathering sustainability is inactive being decided with a week earlier the 2025 NBA draught begins (June 25-26, 8 p.m. ET connected ABC and ESPN).

The Spurs pushed their semipermanent program into question backmost successful 2020 to onshore Wembanyama.

"We privation to physique thing that's sustainable. You've got to physique it ceramic by brick," wide manager Brian Wright said past June aft drafting eventual NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle with the No. 4 pick, past Rob Dillingham astatine No. 8, earlier trading him to Minnesota for a 2031 first-rounder and a 2030 prime swap. "All the decisions that we've made to this constituent person benignant of been nether that premise."

But volition it proceed arsenic the Spurs are coming disconnected the league's eighth-worst grounds (34-48), stocked with draught capital?

It's apt to, contempt San Antonio fielding inquiries from teams looking to commercialized up to No. 2, portion 2 aboriginal Hall of Famers -- Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant -- could go disposable successful imaginable trades. The Spurs haven't held immoderate substantive discussions regarding the former, according to sources, and Phoenix's asking terms mightiness beryllium excessively steep for a franchise looking to stay cautious during the aboriginal years of Wembanyama's career.

Still, Durant presents an opportunity, perchance astatine a little outgo (likely the No. 14 prime and Devin Vassell oregon Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes) for San Antonio to adhd an experienced sharpshooting helping with title pedigree. Wembanyama has agelong admired Durant's game, and said he'd similar to larn much from the two-time champion. In an interrogation with M6 Info, Wembanyama said helium spoke with Durant aft the golden medal crippled astatine the Paris Olympics successful 2024 betwixt the U.S. and France, and told the erstwhile MVP that "I wanted to larn from him and possibly bargain 1 oregon 2 of his concealed techniques." The Spurs' young squad could payment from Durant's tutelage and signifier acumen. Those types of Insights are not mislaid connected erstwhile manager Gregg Popovich, present San Antonio's president of hoops operations who worked with the 18-year NBA seasoned during their clip unneurotic connected Team USA and wants to springiness caller manager Mitch Johnson plentifulness of talent, including 1 who tin assistance make camaraderie.

"He's not peculiar due to the fact that he's truthful talented," Popovich said of Durant successful 2021. "The mode helium works connected his crippled is much impressive. The joyousness helium has successful playing, it's similar osmosis."

San Antonio volition person plentifulness of contention for Durant's services but don't number connected a bidding war. The Spurs aren't apt to relinquish the No. 2 prime for Durant because, according to sources, it's expected they'll draught Dylan Harper to adhd to a talented young halfway featuring Wembanyama and Castle.

With the French phenom entering his 3rd season, and Castle successful Year 2, San Antonio finds itself connected coagulated footing financially to instrumentality a large plaything connected Durant oregon successful escaped agency, adjacent with De'Aaron Fox's declaration hold owed soon. As it stands now, San Antonio is $33 cardinal beneath the taxation and $37 cardinal beneath the archetypal apron.

In summation to surrounding Wembanyama with amended shooters, San Antonio needs to find a backup constituent defender successful the draught oregon escaped agency, successful summation to a large antheral to backmost him up. Depth astatine halfway was virtually nonexistent past play aft San Antonio traded Zach Collins successful the Fox deal, leaving Charles Bassey, who was constricted to 36 games due to the fact that of injuries.

As the Spurs measure their options, each portion keeping their semipermanent goals astatine the forefront of their decision-making, myself, Jeremy Woo, Kevin Pelton and Bobby Marks excavation into however the franchise should attack the draft. We volition spell deeper into 3 commercialized options -- and connection a verdict. -- Michael C. Wright

More connected Spurs' lottery picks

Although determination has been plentifulness of treatment since lottery nighttime astir what the Spurs should bash astatine No. 2, San Antonio is good alert of its bully luck aft its prime jumped six spots and has not rushed into commercialized discussions.

The enactment appears comfy with selecting Harper, who astir teams see the draft's second-best imaginable down Duke's Cooper Flagg. The question of acceptable with Fox and Castle is thing the Spurs look comfy figuring retired connected the fly, but the imaginable of adding different apical endowment successful Harper connected a rookie declaration provides flexibility arsenic they proceed to situation Wembanyama with players who volition assistance elevate his game. Most teams astir the NBA expect San Antonio to draught the 6-foot-6 Rutgers guard.

But the No. 14 prime is wherever the Spurs volition research their options, whether that's drafting different young subordinate who complements their halfway roster, oregon trading it to adhd seasoned endowment oregon extract immoderate different signifier of value. Carter Bryant, Noa Essengue and Joan Beringer are among the players who should beryllium considered by the Spurs with their 2nd lottery pick. -- Jeremy Woo

Trade connection No. 1: Giannis for a bevy of players, aboriginal picks

Milwaukee Bucks get: Forwards Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan, the No. 2 pick, 2026 first-round prime (better of Atlanta and San Antonio), 2028 first-round prime (better of Boston and San Antonio), 2030 first-round prime (better of Dallas, Minnesota and San Antonio), 2031 swap (Milwaukee's for amended of Sacramento's and San Antonio's)

Spurs get: Giannis Antetokounmpo

San Antonio is well-positioned to physique an Antetokounmpo connection astir picks based connected the operation of moving up to No. 2 and having aboriginal swaps. Instead of relying connected the Spurs' ain picks, apt to travel astatine the extremity of the round, the Bucks would beryllium capable to stake against a assortment of teams bottoming out.

In particular, the 2030 first-rounder looks particularly invaluable due to the fact that it's the champion of 3 teams -- albeit with top-one extortion connected the swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Milwaukee besides gets a caller lottery prime successful Sochan and players who could support the squad competitory with nary draught inducement for the Bucks to tank.

By giving up 3 rotation players positive the No. 2 pick, San Antonio would compromise its depth. But the Spurs would person clip to proceed reshaping the roster astir a fearsome frontcourt duo of Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama with Castle and Fox successful the backcourt. -- Kevin Pelton

Trade connection No. 2: Spurs determination players, 2025 No. 14 prime for Durant

Phoenix Suns get: Guards Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, forwards Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson, 2025 No. 14 pick, 2027 first-round prime (via Hawks)

Spurs get: Durant

Given Antetokounmpo hasn't requested a trade, Durant is simply a much realistic people for San Antonio. The Spurs indispensable measurement whether adding an aging prima who volition beryllium 36 by 2025-26 opening nighttime to a squad led by the 21-year-old Wembanyama makes sense, and whether it would beryllium worthy taking themselves retired of the premix for Antetokounmpo down the road.

On the flip side, Durant's property and looming escaped bureau (he has 1 twelvemonth near connected his contract) mean San Antonio wouldn't needfully request to dip arsenic heavy into the team's stockpile of aboriginal picks to adhd him. Wright recently projected a commercialized built astir Vassell, but I would prioritize keeping his shooting adjacent if it costs much draught picks.

This connection gives up the No. 14 prime successful this year's draught and the different unprotected prime the Spurs person coming from the Atlanta Hawks via the Dejounte Murray trade. By splitting up Durant's salary, it saves Phoenix astir $12 cardinal successful 2025-26 salary, with the imaginable of further savings by moving immoderate of these players to different teams. -- Pelton

Trade connection No. 3: Spurs get prime No. 27, players for Cam Johnson

Brooklyn Nets get: Guard Malaki Branham, guardant Keldon Johnson, 2025 No. 14 pick, 2029 first-round prime (top-four protected, converts to 2 second-round picks if not conveyed)

Spurs get: Cam Johnson, 2025 No. 27 pick

Alternatively, San Antonio could look to woody for a non-star who mightiness amended complement the team's existing talent. Johnson looks similar an perfect fit. He averaged a career-high 18.8 points past play and has been a accordant 39% 3-point shooter who would abstraction the level arsenic a agelong 4 alongside Wembanyama.

Swapping Keldon Johnson for Cam Johnson would person small interaction connected the Spurs' headdress expanse and, crucially, wouldn't impact the team's quality to commercialized for Antetokounmpo down the road. If needed, Keldon Johnson could either beryllium included successful that woody oregon sent elsewhere for value, fixed his cap-friendly declaration and accomplishment acceptable that works for astir immoderate team.

This connection offers the Nets a swap up from No. 27 to No. 14 successful this year's draught -- a quality equivalent to getting a precocious first-rounder according to my prime worth chart -- on with a lightly protected 2029 pick. San Antonio would clasp its highest-value picks and swaps coming from different teams during Wembanyama's premier years. -- Pelton

Among those commercialized offers, this 1 fits the best

ESPN's Bobby Marks picks the astir realistic of the trades and explains wherefore oregon wherefore not this could beryllium feasible:

The Oklahoma City Thunder's determination to get Alex Caruso past June taught america that a commercialized tin person a important interaction adjacent if an All-Star is not coming back. And though Durant and Antetokounmpo dependable enticing, particularly erstwhile considering the Spurs' roster inactive has Wembanyama, Fox and Castle, trading for Cam Johnson fits the perfect timeline for hoops reasons and opportunistic cost.

Because Johnson's wage adjacent play is fractional of what is owed to Durant and Antetokounmpo, the Spurs bash not person to gut their roster, trading lone 2 players, Branham and Keldon Johnson.

If Durant oregon adjacent Antetokounmpo are inactive available, San Antonio would inactive person capable tradeable contracts and draught assets adjacent aft landing Cam Johnson. The Spurs not lone clasp the No. 2 prime successful this draft, but besides prime up a precocious first-round prime from the Nets. They would besides clasp the astir invaluable draught plus of their collection, a 2027 unprotected archetypal from Atlanta.