It’s pretty much a given that on June 22 at about 8:10 PM, or so, ET, the San Antonio Spurs will announce that they’re taking Victor Wimpanyama as the first player in the NBA Draft.
The French phenomenon is a generational talent that some have compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
While Wimpanyama is an easy option, the Spurs have a pretty impressive track record of making smart draft moves, often finding players under the radar, especially from foreign countries.
And when they got a top pick, they took home the gold: David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan a decade later.
And although the Spurs have fallen on hard times in recent years, the organization is routinely considered one of the best in all of sports. But, if things had gone another way, the team’s reputation would have probably taken a hit from which it may still be recovering.
The infamous 2007 project
There are some NBA drafts that are living in disrepair, and two of them involve the Portland Trail Blazers. While Jordan’s 1984 draft is perhaps the most famous, from a Blazers’ perspective, the 2007 draft could be just as bad.
That’s when they selected Greg Oden first overall, who, due to severe injuries, only played 82 games over his three years on the team. The second player selected in that draft? Kevin Durant, who just finished his 16th season and will be heading into the Hall of Fame when it’s over.
How the Spurs almost changed the history of the NBA
In 2007, the Spurs were coming off a Championship season, their fourth season in nine years. And while their star player Tim Duncan had another great season, there was clearly some thought in the organization that his best days were behind him. He was 33 years old at the time, and despite his great durability, he had some knee problems. Ironically, then, there are reports that Spurs have suggested Duncan traded to the Blazers so they could draft Greg Odenwhich the Blazers rejected.
What does this move mean for Tottenham?
While there may not be a file premature celebration Welcoming him to town, chances are very good that San Antonio offered no elixir to Greg Odin, and his faltering knees would suffer the same fate in Texas. And even with a good supporting cast, the team almost certainly wouldn’t have had the success they had with Duncan. It’s also very likely that this ill-fated trade could result in someone – and possibly several people – losing their job, which could have long-term repercussions for the team.
What does this move mean for the Blazers?
Clearly, Duncan wasn’t finished with the 2007-08 season, as he played nine more years, resulting in multiple deep playoff runs, a Western Conference championship, and an NBA title. Was all this going to happen in Portland? Maybe maybe not. But imagine what the Blazers could have done after combining an even older Duncan with LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum, and a kid named Damian Lillard.
While this NBA footnote provides some fun speculation, it could also prove to be a warning to the Spurs (and any other team) about what can happen when you make a franchise move, especially if it involves Someone has bad knees.