Even though they didn’t have head coach Gregg Popovich for most of the season, the San Antonio Spurs took a sizable leap from 2024 to 2025, going from 22 wins to 34. Of course, Victor Wembanyama’s continued development, along with the arrival of Rookie of the Year winner Stephon Castle, played a major factor too.
Yet, now the Spurs could be ready to pounce, taking the leap from fringe lottery team to one that’s capable of snatching a playoff spot in a competitive Western Conference. Specifically, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst suggests the Spurs are a ‘team to watch’ in the potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes.
“I want to point two teams out to you: The San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets. Both of them are in the lottery. I know Houston is still playing. They might win tonight. They’re in the lottery. They have Phoenix’s pick […], they have a whole bunch of pieces on their roster. What if they hop up into that top-four? Look out there. The other one is the San Antonio Spurs. They have two picks in this lottery. Now, combined, they’re only a 30 percent chance of getting into the top-four. What if one of them does? What if both of them do? All of a sudden, you’ve got San Antonio with Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and potentially a game-changing draft pick with the Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle sitting there as well.”
Brian Windhorst on San Antonio Spurs/Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
Related: NBA insider says to ‘look out’ for Houston Rockets in Giannis Antetokounmpo trade
Just the thought of pairing the ‘Greek Freak’ with the ‘Alien’ should frighten opponents. Suddenly, the Spurs would have a top-five player and another talent whose ceiling is limitless. Plus, having an established veteran superstar who’s still in his prime could be a great way to speed up Wembanyama’s career arc, helping him gain valuable playoff experience early in his career.
But of course, first the Milwaukee Bucks would have to signal that they’re open for business, which may be hard to cope with for a franchise that celebrated their second NBA Finals win with the help of their two-time NBA MVP winner.
Related: Damian Lillard injury may have wrecked Milwaukee Bucks’ trade plans
