GettyVictor Wembanyama
The San Antonio Spurs will have their hands on deck this offseason as they try to improve the talent around their prodigious big man Victor Wembanyama.
The No.1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft has proven more than just a hype machine, shattering expectations in his first year.
Wembanyama is averaging 21.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 29.2 minutes per game this season. He also showed he can be an efficient scorer, shooting 47.1% from the field and 32.3% beyond the three-point line. He has also terrified opposing teams with his length and generational shot-blocking ability. The 7-foot-5 Frenchman averages a league-high 3.4 blocks with 1.3 steals per game.
Despite this historic run by their prized rookie, the Spurs — holding a Western Conference-worst 18-58 record as of April 3 — will not make the playoffs for the fourth straight season and are bound to hit the draft lottery once again.
The Spurs are projected to have the second-most practical cap space ($34.4 million) in the NBA this offseason, which according to Spotrac, will give them the flexibility to acquire All-Star caliber players via free agency or trades.
Speculation continues to swirl around a potential landscape-changing move for the Spurs this summer, including a deal that will finally give Wembanyama a capable running mate.
Here are three potential All-Star targets for the Spurs to consider:
Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
Trae Young emerges as a trade target for the Spurs amid growing displeasure with his current team, the Atlanta Hawks.
The three-time All-Star is averaging 26.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this season, though he has been out since February 24 after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left finger.
Acquiring Young via trade will be tricky for the Spurs because he has three years left in his contract after this season. San Antonio must cut several contracts to accommodate Young’s $40 million-plus per year salary into its payroll.
If, and only if, the Spurs found a way to make a deal for Young, Wembanyama stands to benefit a lot in a potential partnership with the All-Star point guard, like to earn better looks and more room to operate inside because Young’s ability to draw defenders far out beyond the 3-point line.
Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics)
Jrue Holiday should be the next best available target for San Antonio if a deal for Young is impossible.
The 33-year-old veteran is putting up decent numbers for the league-best Boston Celtics, averaging 12.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 31.4 minutes per game.
Holiday may no longer post the same stats he had with the Milwaukee Bucks, yet his role as the premier perimeter defender for the Celtics is highly valued.
Holiday can waive off his player option after this season to test the free agency waters. Unlike Young’s mega salary, the vet’s next paycheck can easily fit into the Spurs’ payroll as it figures to be closer to $20 million annually.
Holiday isn’t going to produce eye-popping numbers, but he could bring stability in the backcourt for the Spurs, and mentorship to Wembanyama.
Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers)
Paul George is expected to forego his $48 million player option for the 2024-25 season for his likely final opportunity to grab a lucrative long-term deal at age 34.
In his 13th season, “PG13” still delivers All-Star numbers, currently averaging 22.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 35 minutes per game.
Although injuries have hampered him throughout his tenure with the Clippers, George remains one of the best scorers in the NBA. His shooting line remains in the top tier at 47.1 FG%, 41.3 3P% and 90.0 FT%.
George and Wembanyama together would provide the Spurs with a formidable one-two punch on both sides of the court. George remains a stud on the defensive end as he averages 1.5 steals per game and guards the other team’s top perimeter player on some occasions.
Wembayama’s arrival in San Antonio has ushered in a bright new era for the Spurs and its supporters, who are itching to see the team return to the NBA’s pinnacle, where it ruled supremely from the 2000s until the late 2010s.
However, for the Spurs to make a run at the championship sooner, they will need to find their young franchise star a capable running mate who will accelerate his development.
