Victor Wembanyama was everything the San Antonio Spurs hoped for in his rookie season, showcasing the talent that can one day make him the best player in the NBA. However, in order to maximize his skills and help him compete for a championship, San Antonio needs to put a lot more talent around him.
This past season marked the fifth consecutive year that San Antonio didn’t make the NBA playoffs. While that’s customary for plenty of franchises, this organization hadn’t consecutive years without making the playoffs prior to 2019-’21. In short, things need to change this summer.
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Let’s dive into our Spurs trade targets for the summer.
Darius Garland, point guard, Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers certainly had to realize during the playoffs that the Darius Garland-Donovan Mitchell combo won’t work out long-term. Considering the level of influence Mitchell is now receiving within the organization and the contract extension he’s expected to land, it stands to reason those NBA rumors of Garland’s disconnect could lead to a trade request.
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- Darius Garland stats (2023-’24): 18 PPG, 6.5 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Don’t just focus on the numbers Garland put up last season, it’s also important to look back at what he did prior to Mitchell’s arrival in Cleveland. Across 68 games during the 2021-’22 season, Garland averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per game, shooting 46.2 percent from the field with a .125 Win Shares per 48 Minutes. Only 24 years old, Garland would provide San Antonio with an All-Star point guard to help maximize Wembanyama’s game.
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Devin Booker, guard, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker will certainly be the most ambitious of our Spurs trade targets. However, the NBA rumors linking Kevin Durant out of Phoenix can’t be completely ignored and if the future Hall of Famer wants out, there’s really no reason for Booker to believe the Suns’ franchise can offer him a viable path to championship contention in the years to come.
- San Antonio Spurs future draft picks 4th overall, 8th overall, 2025 CHA 1st (lottery protected), 2025 1st, 2015 Hawks’ 1st, 2025 Bulls’ 1st (top-10 protected), 2026 ATL swap rights, 2027 ATL 1st,
Booker is the caliber of player a franchise builds up a war chest of draft picks to pursue. If acquired, by the time the 2026-’27 season rolls around, San Antonio would probably have the best two-player tandem in the NBA with Booker and Wembanyama potentially both being top-10 NBA players by that point. The Spurs would certainly need to sacrifice a majority of their assets, but Booker is the level of player worth doing that for.
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Malcolm Brogdon, guard
Returning to more realistic Spurs trade targets, San Antonio and the Portland Trail Blazers seem like ideal trade partners this summer. Everyone knows Portland is undertaking a multi-year rebuild and draft picks are dart throws for an organization with the minutes to give for young players to develop. An easy path to opening up more minutes is trading Malcolm Brogdon.
- Malcolm Brogdon stats (2023-’24): 15.7 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.8 RPG, 44% FG, .111 WS/48
We recognize the durability concerns that come with Brogdon, especially entering his age-32 season. However, there’s no real long-term risk considering he would be a one-season rental. While Brogdon isn’t as flashy as a Trae Young trade, it’s worth noting that Brogdon’s Win Shares per 48 Minutes (.141) and True Shooting Percentage (.593) are superior to Young’s (.121 and .578) over the last two seasons.
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Brandon Ingram, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans haven’t made it a secret that they are willing to make a Brandon Ingram trade. NBA rumors early in the offseason are flooded with speculation and insight into where the Pelicans’ All-Star forward will land. With his acquisition price likely lowered because he’s entering a contract year, there’s an opportunity here for San Antonio.
While more scoring would certainly benefit the Spurs next season, Ingram is also a playmaker. Over the last three seasons in New Orleans, he averaged a 27.5 percent assist rate. For context, that ranks 32nd in the NBA and isn’t far behind Dejounte Murray (27.9 percent) and is ahead of De’Aaron Fox (25.2 percent). If Ingram meshes well with Wembanyama, the Spurs could give him the lucrative deal he’s seeking.
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