The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery for the third time in franchise history, earning the right to pick 7-foot-5 Frenchman Victor Wimpanyama.
As the most exciting prospect since LeBron James, Wimpanyama has the potential to change the direction of the franchise, but he can’t do it alone.
While San Antonio boasts some promising young talent, it would benefit from adding more experienced players. Fortunately, the team has ranked third Projected cover space this summer to bolster its roster.
San Antonio has never been an attractive destination for free agents, and it will take time before the best options out there flock to team Wembanyama. With this, there are three players Tottenham could target as they start a new era:
Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls
Although it may seem strange to strive for a position, from the body He has expressed frustration in the past with having to play the five because it limits his offensive opportunities. Considering that while also considering his slim frame, he might be better suited to launch his career as a power forward.
Tottenham replaced Jacob Boltel mid-season to increase their chances of relegation at Wimpanyama. They would get an excellent Poeltl replacement if they signed Vučević, the best free agent position available.
While Vučević lacks the defensive experience of Boltel, he is more of a scorer who can extend the floor, giving San Antonio a diverse and interesting lineup.
Vučević has appeared in every game for Chicago this season, averaging 17.6 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field.
After Miami eliminated the Bulls from the tournament, the two-time All-Star said Chicago “will have priorityHowever, with the team likely heading towards a rebuild, it may choose to go in a different direction.
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
Johnson spent his first three and a half seasons with Phoenix before being traded to Brooklyn in February as part of the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns.
Like Mikal Bridges, the 27-year-old has thrived in an expanding role with the Nets, averaging 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 25 games, all above his career averages.
With a three-point percentage of the profession 39.3%Johnson would provide a much-needed element to the Spurs roster as they have been the fifth worst shooting team in that division this season (34.5%).
It is not a guarantee that the Spurs will sign Johnson as he will be a restricted free agent, giving the Nets the option to match any offer sheet he signs.
However, with a limited number of quality players in the market and plenty of room for San Antonio, it could make Johnson an offer that Brooklyn may not be willing to pay.
Grant Williams, Boston Celtics
Williams is by no means the driving force behind the Celtics’ success, but he does do the little things that contribute to victories. The 24-year-old scored a career high in points (8.1), rebounds (4.6) and assists (1.7) this season and will become a restricted free agent this offseason.
A young player with ample post-season experience, he will be in great demand this offseason, especially from an organization as focused on smart, cohesive play as the Spurs.
San Antonio may already have Williams on their list of offseason targets, as does Heavy Sports Sean Devine She mentioned back in November that she is among the teams linked to the striker.
Williams and his camp held extension talks with the Celtics during the season, reportedly asking around $15 to $16 million annually, which they couldn’t afford.
According to Deveney, San Antonio could offer Williams a pre-loaded deal worth $17-18 million a season to “scare” Boston out of matching their offer.
Williams didn’t have a particularly productive post-season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds, so maybe San Antonio can sign Williams to the contract he initially sought.