Trade season has unofficially started, since most players signed in the offseason can be moved as of Dec. 15. Rumors are flying. Is there someone you are hoping the Spurs will target?
Marilyn Dubinski: At this point, not really. I’m enjoying this team too much as it is. I know the media was trying to hype up the Spurs for Giannis Antetokounmpo. I did not like his fit with Wemby to begin
with, but now even the media is coming to the realization that not only do the Spurs not need him, but their other young players (Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, etc.) are also borderline untouchable. There have also been Trey Murphy III rumors, but the Pelicans’ asking price will likely be too high and again likely require a player the Spurs also deem untouchable. I say they have a good thing going here, so don’t mess it.
Mark Barrington: While the Spurs were dealing with Wembanyama’s extended absence, I was convinced that they needed an upgrade for Bismack Biyombo, who is truly a great human being and was a sneaky good player in his prime. For example, he’s in 11th place among active players in career blocks, which goes to show that he’s deceptively long and a good defender for a player who’s listed at 6’ 8”. But with Kelly Olynyk filling in adequately and the stellar play of Luke Kornet, I just don’t see the team spending any resources at all to get a player who will rarely see the court. We’ve seen that BB can do well enough not to hurt the team as long as he’s not required to play extended minutes, so it would just be a luxury move if the team tried to replace him with a younger player. Now, if an upgrade appears on the buyout market late in the season, the Spurs could move him to a different position in the organization, but that seems a pretty low priority now.
Bill Huan: If you asked me this question two weeks ago, I would’ve gone all out and said someone like Trey Murphy. Now? I don’t want the team to be changed at all, not because it can’t be improved, but because the vibes are so immaculate that I want to see this group play out and see how far they can go before re-evaluating at the deadline and/or offseason. I see lots of similarities between this Spurs team and the Thunder team from two seasons ago, when they tied for the #1 seed in the West and got knocked out in the second round to Dallas before adding Hartenstein in the offseason and winning the chip the very next season. Like that OKC team, this San Antonio squad is likely too young and inexperienced to win it all, but they can absolutely get there as soon as next season with additions in the summer after gathering all the data needed.
Devon Birdsong: Honestly, I don’t think the Spurs are going to do much at the deadline this year. There’s no sense in gutting the team for a superstar, the market is thin enough at forward that asset cost is likely to be steep, and the cap situation has made teams more unlikely to trade reasonable contracts away. Maybe they’ll be involved in a salary dump one more time, but even that feels like a stretch. I don’t think they’re going after Murphy or Markkanen due to cost, same for Giannis, and they have no need for Davis or Sabonis (supposing Sacramento is even willing to trade with the Spurs again). And, of course, they’re unlikely to be interested in any guards. If they want to improve at the margins, they could take a swing at Tidjane Salaun or Kyshawn George, both of whom offer upside, size, and three-point shooting at the forward positions. Salaun is particularly interesting due to his long-standing friendship with Wemby and could slot into Olynyk’s role quite easily. George is getting a lot of minutes in Washington, though, so they seem less likely to unload him. I think the Spurs are better served waiting for free agency, considering how good the team is this season. They’re going to have to start being careful about salaries and picks very soon.
Jeje Gomez: There are intriguing names, but I feel like the Spurs should wait until the trade deadline and see if a bargain appears. Right now, San Antonio seems to have a solid, deep roster and a couple of stars, so playing the season out and waiting until the summer before making any big moves makes sense.
Jeremy Sochan is eligible to be traded and is out of the rotation. Should the Spurs be looking to move him soon or be patient, since he’s set to enter restricted free agency?
Dubinski: I so badly want them to figure things out with him, but things may be reaching a point of no return. At the same time, they have significantly hurt his trade value by not playing him, and all the world remembers about him is that he’s not a shooter, but everyone forgets what he does well (dive man, defense, rebounding, etc.). I don’t know what their plans are for him anymore, but unless he’s part of a larger trade, I’m not sure what the Spurs would receive in return for him. They’re probably better off having him as insurance in case the injury bug strikes again.
Barrington: I really doubt the Spurs could get much in return for him at this point, since it’s clear that he’s not a versatile player now, with his offensive confidence nearly depleted. There are probably some teams that could use his talents, but none that I can think of that would be willing to give much in return for a player who’s on an expiring contract and will probably be a restricted agent in the summer. It’s possible that the Spurs could even decline to offer him a qualifying offer in the offseason, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, which could work out well for both parties.
I think the Spurs’ best move might be to hold onto him for the rest of this season as a situational backup and injury insurance, and let him find a better fit in the offseason. Unless he suddenly has a resurgence in playing time and production later in this season, in which case, the Spurs would want to re-sign him, but that seems unlikely given how things have played out so far this season.
Huan: Oh, jeez, I really don’t know what to do here. I do think that Sochan’s future is almost certainly elsewhere, but given how far he’s fallen out of the rotation, I don’t even think the return is worth giving away a good locker room guy who still contributes off the court, even if he never gets minutes. For reference, would you trade Sochan for a second right now, or keep him in case injuries prop up and explore deals in the offseason? I definitely think the latter makes more sense.
Birdsong: This is becoming a tricky situation. The Spurs can always use Sochan’s defense, but he’s not getting playing time, which I think speaks to the coaching staff’s confidence in his shooting. The situation is further complicated by how well the Spurs have played without him in this recent stretch. He’s starting to feel more and more like a utility player, and with a roster this deep, that’s concerning. Unless the Spurs are going to consolidate the roster with a big trade that clears up playing time, or have plans to sign him this coming summer, it may be wise to at least probe the trade market for his value. Even in the event of a trade, the Spurs should really be looking for forwards or bigs, both of which would be the opposite of freeing up minutes. I don’t think he’s going to make it past the trade deadline, if I’m being honest. The front office is always looking to stack assets, and it seems like his value in San Antonio is slipping.
Gomez: I wouldn’t mind the Spurs holding on to Sochan, but they typically try to do well by their guys, and keeping him in San Antonio while getting DNP-CDs as he’s about to enter free agency would likely hurt his chances of getting a decent second contract. He seems to be beloved in the locker room and especially by Wembanyama, so moving him comes with some mild but realistic chemistry perils. Maybe trading him to the Knicks for Yabusele and Dadiet could make sense? Yabu is Vic’s friend and could return to form as a swing big with a change of scenery, while Dadiet has some untapped potential. Plus, KAT loved playing next to Jarred Vanderbilt, a Sochan clone, in Minnesota, so it could work out.
On January 10, both Lindy Waters III’s and Bismack Biyombo’s contracts become fully guaranteed. Should the Spurs waive either and promote a two-way player or explore the market?
Dubinski: Waters’ shooting remains a valuable commodity to the Spurs, and he’s someone they can throw in and get something from at any time. On the other hand, while Biyombo was useful last season when they had no one else, he’s been terrible in the minutes he’s gotten this season, and they really don’t need him anymore with Kornet, Sochan and Kelly Olynyk. None of this is to say they HAVE to waive him (he’s a great leader and lockeroom presence, and he earned the right to return this season), but if they need to open a spot, he would be my choice to be waived (then signed as an assistant coach).
Barrington: I’m a fan of Lindy Waters III, and I think the Spurs should definitely hold onto him for the rest of the season and possibly longer. He can hit three-point shots and he’s a decent defender. He’s shown up whenever he’s called upon.
As I discussed above, I think that Bismack Biyombo is a great person and locker room presence, but only a shadow of the player he was at his peak. That’s probably good enough for the fourth center and next-to-last player off the bench. But if the Spurs have a younger and more athletic big in mind to sign before January 10, I wouldn’t mind moving Bismack to the coaching staff where he can still make a positive impact.
Huan: I agree with the general consensus here, which is to keep Lindy Waters due to his shooting while waiving Biyombo since he’s really not needed with the Spurs’ depth in the frontcourt.
Birdsong: I think for Biyombo, the answer is predicated entirely on whether or not the Spurs make some kind of move to acquire more big man depth. I honestly don’t think that’s going to happen, but he would be the player to waive if so. Waters, on the other hand, has felt like Julian Champagnie insurance to me, but mostly in a ‘pull in case of emergency’ way, as long as Sochan is still on the roster. Without Sochan, I think you keep Waters, but who knows what they might get back in that scenario. My guess is they’re both staying put. Especially Biyombo, who the Spurs really seem to like as a locker room guy.
Gomez: The Spurs shouldn’t be in a hurry to convert any of the two-way contracts into regular deals. If they don’t make a trade that requires them to waive someone, like my suggested Sochan for Yabu and Dadiet transaction, it would probably be for the best to just keep the roster intact, for now.
