The latest rumors suggest the Spurs might be looking for trades for one of their lottery picks and could be interested in a veteran forward.
As the draft nears, rumors are starting to crop up. This year the Spurs are expected to be a major player, as they have two lottery picks along with some potential cap space to play with in free agency, so it’s not surprising to see them mentioned in recent reports.
First, it appears the Spurs have made the eighth pick available in trades, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
Second, the Spurs are one of five franchises expected to be in the running to sign free agent forward Tobias Harris, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
Let’s look at both reports and try to figure out if they make sense.
Trading the eighth pick for a future first would be a smart move
Fischer doesn’t elaborate on what the Spurs are looking for in a trade involving the eighth pick, so all we know is that they’ve reportedly made it available. It’s a significant piece of information, as it shows that the front office is not married to the idea of adding two lottery picks. If they do decide to trade the selection, hopefully they’ll do it for a future first and not to move down in the draft, unless an offer they can’t pass up presents itself.
Just to be clear, trading down wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. It’s possible San Antonio’s front office is interested in a player or players who are slated to go later than eighth and are aiming to save some money on salary and get extra compensation for their second lottery pick. The problem with that strategy is that this draft in particular could be an unpredictable one, as there is no consensus at the top and many teams are reportedly looking to trade up or down. They might move down convinced that their target will drop but someone else might move up and grab them.
A less risky and arguably smarter strategy to employ if there’s no one in the range of the eighth pick they are enamored with would be to trade this year’s pick for a future one. Doing so would allow them to continue to add cheap talent as Victor Wembanyama develops and the roster gets more expensive. They would also create more cap room this offseason, as the cap hold for the eighth pick, worth around $6 million, would disappear from their books. The Spurs also have two second-rounders with which to add youth on more team-friendly contracts if they feel like taking a swing on a project.
We don’t have much information about how willing the Spurs are to trade the eighth pick and for what return yet. If anything happens, it will probably go down on draft day. For now, it feels like moving the pick could be smart under the right circumstances, so it’s not surprising to learn that the front office is open to it.
Tobias Harris would be a good stopgap solution if he actually wants to be in San Antonio
The Spurs are one of five teams expected to show interest in Harris once free agency begins, according to Haynes. The others are Utah, Detroit, Dallas and New Orleans. Haynes mentions that a sign-and-trade would be necessary to get Harris to the Mavericks or Pelicans.
It doesn’t take an expert to recognize that there’s a big difference between some of those suitors. The Mavericks are coming off a Finals run and the Pelicans were a good team until injuries ruined them last season. Utah, Detroit and San Antonio, meanwhile, are still rebuilding. The good teams can offer Harris immediate winning but can’t guarantee as big a role as the others. Haynes doesn’t mention how much money Harris wants, but that’s a factor too. So assuming the Spurs are just one of Harris’ suitors, why would he pick them? The answer to that question matters.
From a purely on-court perspective, pursuing Harris makes sense. He has been divisive for years with fans due to the enormous contract he signed, but he was a productive player and could still help many teams as a rotation piece going forward. He would offer the Spurs shooting, positional versatility and size in the frontcourt next to Jeremy Sochan and Victor Wembanyama as they develop. He’s clearly not a long term piece, as he turns 32 years old soon, but for a season or two he would be valuable. At some point, teams just need to sign good players, and Harris is talented and would be a good fit in San Antonio.
The concern with any proven player like Harris is less about his talent and more about whether he’d join the Spurs for the right reasons. Harris was heavily criticized in Philadelphia for being passive, so if he’s just looking for one last big payday and to avoid the pressure that comes with playing for a contending team, San Antonio could be getting a complacent veteran who’s just along for the ride instead of a committed, hard-working culture-setter. If Harris’ mindset and goals match the Spurs’ he could be valuable on the court. If they don’t, some free agents might fit better.
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