The Spurs have the No. 2 total decide within the 2025 draft. In the event that they had been on the clock proper now and Cooper Flagg was gone, who’d you decide?
Marilyn Dubinski: It’s going to probably depend upon the place the Spurs really feel they want probably the most assist not simply now, however in future seasons as properly. Dylan Harper appears to be the consensus no. 2 after Flagg, and I’d be throughout that decide in the event that they hadn’t traded for Fox, however will he be redundant with Fox and Fortress? The identical might be mentioned of VJ Edgecombe. Then once more, additionally they want a backup PG. In addition they desperately want dimension, however there’s a lack of massive males projected to go that top. Ace Bailey looks as if the probably candidate that might present that, though he’s a little bit of a wildcard.
Mark Barrington: I believe in the event that they hold the decide, they must go along with Harper, who’s the most effective accessible, and though the match isn’t very best, level guards take time to develop, and having him coming off the bench as he adapts to the NBA sport wouldn’t be unhealthy. If he develops right into a star in two or three years, the Spurs may commerce away one in every of their level guards for added gamers at a place of want or draft capital. I wouldn’t be against buying and selling down a decide or two to seize Ace Bailey or Edgecombe, however provided that the Spurs can decide up one other rotation participant within the deal on an inexpensive contract.
Jacob Douglas: Drafting for match is for groups which might be already contending for championships. The Spurs don’t have that luxurious. Go get the most effective participant accessible. That’s Harper. Very like Stephon Fortress, he has the positional dimension to play on and off the ball. With Fortress’s defensive versatility, there’s a world the place you may even play the three of them collectively, with Fortress enjoying on the wing. Harper goes to be a strolling bucket within the NBA together with his mixture of dimension, power, footwork, and ending means. If the soar shot continues to enhance, we might be speaking a couple of multi-time All-NBA caliber participant.
Jesus Gomez: I haven’t executed a lot analysis but in regards to the prospects, however what I’ve seen from Harper has been spectacular, and the specialists are enthusiastic about his potential, so I’ll go along with him. Defensively, Fortress can guard wings, so there must be no huge difficulty. Offensively, the shortage of taking pictures whereas enjoying two of Fox, Fortress and Harper might be tough, however having a number of guys who can get to the paint utilizing pace or power might be good total. I wouldn’t thoughts buying and selling down a few spots to choose up a younger veteran, however I’d be proud of Harper.
Ought to the Spurs commerce the No. 2 total decide for rapid assist for Victor Wembanyama, or would that be speeding the rebuild?
Dubinski: It is dependent upon what they’re getting in return. The decide would undoubtedly not be price an growing old participant like Kevin Durant, however I even have my hesitations about buying and selling for Giannis Antetokounmpo as a result of even with the 2nd total decide, the Spurs would nonetheless have to present away a number of younger core items whereas nonetheless holding in thoughts that they must pay Fox now and Wemby in two years. If Giannis had been primarily a rental, he wouldn’t be price that a lot. The Spurs are at some extent that they’ll transfer into win-now mode if they need, however I wouldn’t complain in the event that they saved the decide and didn’t soar the gun an excessive amount of.
Barrington: I don’t see how that works with the NBA wage construction, as a result of in an effort to decide up a longtime star, you must additionally ship out gamers with sufficient wage to make the cap math work out. The Spurs have already shed their unhealthy contracts during the last couple of years. You wouldn’t wish to ship out a number of good gamers and the #2 draft decide until you bought a famous person participant in return. The one ‘accessible’ participant who suits that standards can be Giannis Antetokounmpo, who’s a high 3 expertise within the league. I’d be open to the Spurs speaking a run at buying him, however not on the expense of gutting the workforce’s depth and future means to enhance.
Douglas: Do you wish to be the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder or the New Orleans Pelicans? The Thunder constructed property and seem like an NBA champion. New Orleans cashed in its property twice, first with Anthony Davis and once more with Zion Williamson to push for titles, however it didn’t work. Persistently, the groups that play it patiently and stack property have the longest runway to compete for championships. There isn’t any assure Antetokounmpo brings San Antonio a championship within the subsequent 5 years, and he considerably limits what they’ll do round Fox, Wemby, and himself. Choose the most effective younger expertise, stay agile, and get higher. Harper, the fourteenth decide, and any free agent acquisitions ought to make the Spurs a playoff workforce subsequent 12 months.
Gomez: They must no less than entertain the concept. If Wemby is totally wholesome, and there have been no updates that point out in any other case, he’s so good already that going all in doesn’t appear to be a mistake. To keep away from instantly going with a Giannis situation, let’s say the Grizzlies have an interest within the decide and prepared to commerce Jaren Jackson Jr. for it. Or perhaps the Suns say Devin Booker is on the market. The entrance workplace has to pay attention. I don’t anticipate them to commerce the decide, however I wouldn’t be towards it if the proper deal had been accessible.
Who had been the most important winners and losers of the lottery?
Dubinski: Clearly the Mavs are the most important winners (not that Nico Harrison deserves to be bailed out so simply, however that makes him a winner as properly), as are the Spurs. Flagg actually didn’t appear excited in regards to the Mavs profitable the decide, however he may do worse. (Simply keep in form!) The 76ers are additionally huge winners for holding their top-6 protected decide, though the announcer erred and created some drama. (And naturally, we’re all winners that their decide didn’t go to the Thunder.) Then there are some groups that simply can’t catch a break within the lottery, just like the Hornets and Wizards, making them the most important losers as they proceed to wallow in purgatory.
Barrington: I can’t enhance on Marilyn’s reply, as she hit all the details. The Spurs are clearly enormous winners, though the most effective participant accessible isn’t a super match with their roster. Having too many good gamers at sure positions isn’t the worst drawback to have, as a result of they are going to nonetheless be capable to give all of them enjoying time. I really feel unhealthy for the Jazz who couldn’t have tanked any tougher, however nonetheless ended up with the fifth decide, the worst attainable for his or her lottery odds.
Douglas: The most important loser is the NBA Draft Lottery itself. The system is so damaged. It’s solely inspired extra groups to tank, and saved unhealthy groups in bottom-feeding hell as a result of they’ll’t safe top-tier expertise. The draft’s objective is to stability the league. It has failed to try this in its new kind. This lottery, greater than others, put a highlight on that drawback. I suppose the Mavs are winners as a result of they’ll draft Cooper Flagg and stay related for the subsequent 10 years, even when they don’t deserve it.
Gomez: The league’s credibility with a sure a part of its fan base was an enormous loser. The lottery is clearly not rigged, however the Mavericks getting Flagg after buying and selling a famous person in his prime to the Lakers mirrors what occurred when the Pelicans traded them Anthony Davis after which received the highest decide that may change into Zion. The conspiracy theorists have much more ammo now.
Sadly for the Spurs, the Hawks had been huge winners, since they received to maintain the thirteenth decide from the Kings, who would have gotten it if it had moved up, because it was top-12 protected. That’s a pleasant asset to commerce for rapid assist or to proceed to construct the expertise base after selecting up Risacher final offseason.
