GettyVictor Wembanyama
The San Antonio Spurs have started their next era with Victor Wembanyama. To capitalize on it, they’ll need to surround him with the right players. Despite rumors, they don’t think Trae Young fits that mold.
NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin explained why the Spurs don’t interest the Atlanta Hawks star. He also revealed who the Spurs may want instead of Young.
“League sources have told NBC Sports not to bet on that happening, as San Antonio doesn’t see Young as a fit with Wembanyama going forward. The Spurs might be more interested in the Hawks’ Dejounte Murray if he is available,” Helin wrote in an April 22 story.
Helin did not elaborate further on why the Spurs may prefer Murray over Young. Since drafting Young, the Hawks have made the postseason three times, which included a run to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they have failed to capitalize on that run and have only regressed since then, having missed the playoffs altogether in 2024.
Young just finished the third year of a five-year, $215 million contract. Despite the Hawks’ lack of success, Young has three All-Star teams and an All-NBA team.
There’s ‘Growing Belief’ Hawks Prefer to Trade Trae Young
There have been rumblings that the Hawks will trade one or both of Young or Murray. NBA Insider Marc Stein not only re-affirmed that in an April 20 story, but added who the Hawks would prefer to give up.
“The leaguewide expectation is thus only stronger, two months removed from my piece, that the Hawks will try to trade Young or Murray this offseason. You could also say that there is a growing belief in many corners of the league that Atlanta’s preference would actually be shopping Young,” Stein wrote.
The question will be what the Hawks would get back for Young and who would be interested in him. As Helin reported, the Spurs don’t want him because they don’t believe Young would fit with them.
Young has shown his talent, and it has translated into playoff success, even if that was only for one season. However, he is a heliocentric guard who has also shown himself to be a defensive liability, although that has more to do with his being shorter than the typical NBA player.
Spurs Rumored to Be Chris Paul Destination
In that same newsletter from Stein, he reported that the Spurs may be free agent destination for Chris Paul.
“A potential team to watch, should Paul and the Warriors part ways, is San Antonio. Among the early personnel rumbles in circulation: The Spurs could emerge as a Paul suitor if they decide to pursue some veteran know-how on a short-term contract basis to furnish presumptive Rookie of the Year winner Victor Wembanyama with more seasoned help in Year 2.”
Paul will be 39 on May 6 and is no longer the player he once was. However, he would provide playmaking and experience to Wembanyama and the Spurs. He would also be cheaper than the likes of Trae Young, who would be more expensive and would cost assets.
Matt John covers the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Boston Celtics. A Massachusetts native, he has covered the NBA since 2018, with stops at FanSided, Basketball News and Basketball Insiders. More about Matt John
