Maybe one young player and DD. No picks or super heavy protected picks.

I think the competition for Simmons in the trade market will be pretty stout. If DeRozan is the centerpiece of the trade, I think a young player and draft pick on top would be a non-negotiable for Philly (they will probably want more). Dude is a 3-time all star and one of the best defenders in the league and is only 24. His value will take a hit but it's not fire sale level.

DDR + White + 1st + 2 seconds

I'd consider it. But I think Philly would want even more. Lowe seems to think that players such as McCollum and Levine could be available. If the Spurs want him bad enough, they will have to pony up.

Major Confidence Issues + 30% of the cap for the next four years + no shooting ability whatsoever (and no improvement in 5 years in the league) means to me that he won't have the biggest market.

He can be a great player in the right situation, but those situations are VERY limited. You really need 3 great shooters around him.

I could see McCollum being offered, but Philly would still need a PG. McCollum can't handle those duties. LaVine has the same issue. He is a better SG than PG. I think a Portland trade makes more sense for Portland than Philly, but only if Portland thinks Powell can pick up the scoring slack.

I think Simmons is a bad fit next to Luka in Dallas.

Simmons is an awful fit next to Westbrook in Washington, though Beal would be ideal in Philly.

If there's a real opportunity to get Simmons and not give up an arm and a leg, then we need to do it. For all his faults, he's still a 3x all star, 2x all defense, and has an all NBA to his name under 25. Chances to get players like that don't come around very often for the Spurs.

As far as what I think could get that done; maybe something like Derozan, one of our young guards (Dejounte, White, Lonnie), and a future first that's at least top 10 protected.

I also think his role has to change. He can still get the ball and push in transition, and you can still run half court sets through him, but I think it needs to be done more from the elbow and short roll similar to guys like Draymond, Bam, and Jokic are used within their offenses. It allows him to facilitate, but doesn't put him with the ball out on the perimeter trying to run pick and rolls where everyone will just go under and dare him to shoot.

FWIW

Bruce Bowen on ESPN San Antonio 1250 AM/94.5 FM:

"I know Pop very well and I assure you they would trade anyone on the Spurs roster for Ben Simmons"

— Noah Magaro-George (@N_Magaro) June 22, 2021

The Spurs don't have anyone untouchable. Awful lot of guys who are only ok at lots of stuff. Several of them are starting to age out of thinking that they'll make a leap. The biggest problem with a deal for Simmons is that the Spurs already struggle to spread the floor, they don't have any really good shooters. A couple guys who are a little over the league average, but no one elite.

Ulrich said:

---

The Spurs don't have anyone untouchable. Awful lot of guys who are only ok at lots of stuff. Several of them are starting to age out of thinking that they'll make a leap. The biggest problem with a deal for Simmons is that the Spurs already struggle to spread the floor, they don't have any really good shooters. A couple guys who are a little over the league average, but no one elite.

---

There's definitely no one on our roster that's untouchable, and I think that if there's a player out there that comes available (draft, free agency, trade) that could be a real building block, we need to be aggressive in trying to acquire that player. If they believe that Ben Simmons is that player, then go get it done.

If Simmons is brought over we're definitely gonna have to revamp the roster (though there's gonna be a fair amount of new faces regardless). Duncan Robinson, Gary Trent jr., and Reggie Bullock are all good 3 point shooting wings that would help with spacing that will be free agents. We'd also probably need to move Poeltl because I don't think you can consistently play both Simmons and Jak next to each other. You could resign Dieng and pursue someone like Bobby Portis to be stretch bigs. I also really like your idea of essentially using Simmons as the 5 defensively and putting a big wing out there next to him.

Just some brain storming, but there's nothing better to do.

LottoRockets tanked their way to #2.

Spurs ended up at 12.

Per Woj, Houston, Cleveland and Minnesota are willing to trade down for veterans/Allstar caliber players in an effort to expedite their rebuild. Unfortunately I don't think the Spurs have a lot of players that would fit the bill.

Are we going to offer Lonnie the Super Max?

Enzo The Baker said:

---

Spurs are on pace to have many years of 11-14 if they don't make some moves.

---

Enzo The Baker said:

---

Per Woj, Houston, Cleveland and Minnesota are willing to trade down for veterans/Allstar caliber players in an effort to expedite their rebuild. Unfortunately I don't think the Spurs have a lot of players that would fit the bill.

---

I think this is the time for the Spurs to really try and be aggressive. There are some guys at the top of this draft that I think can be real pieces that a franchise could begin building around (or Ben Simmons), that we don't get a shot at very often. We know we're not a free agent hot bed, so we've gotta find a way to add top end talent when it presents itself.

Spurs interviewed Kai Jones. Still a very raw player but started playing basketball at 15. Could have a big ceiling.

Yay an athlete that doesn't know the game

Just what the Spurs need

Good luck to Ime Udoka!

Another former Spur player/Asst. Coach leading a team.

Congrats to our very own Ime Udoka.

The first Nigerian head coach in NBA History!

The Celtics got a good one! Green and white like always. 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/zltGKz0ntA

— D’Tigers | Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) June 23, 2021

I've seen some mocks that have us taking Kai Jones or Isaiah Jackson out of Kentucky, and I'm really not a fan of either. There are plenty of rim protecting centers that their only offensive skill is pick and rolls and offensive rebounding. Heck, Poeltl is exactly that. I wouldn't draft either of these guys in the lottery.

Now I realize both of these guys are very athletic and Jones in particular has shown flashes of being able to do more offensively, but I just don't see it happening. In today's game, it's getting too hard for offensively limited bigs to stay on the floor against the better teams. Utah has the best defensive center in the league in Gobert and he was barely playable against the Clippers because they carved them up by going small. The hawks make it work with Capela because literally every other player they put out there is a big time 3 point threat.

This guy tearing up the Turkish league is intriguing.

Ag Natural said:

---

This guy tearing up the Turkish league is intriguing.

---

I'm a fan of Sengun and if we were going to take a center at 12, he'd be my pick.

Guitarsoup said:

---

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/06/27/rumor-kawhi-leonard-unhappy-with-clippers-medical-staff/

And so it begins

---

IN the words of Yogi Berra, "It's like deja vu all over again."

jteagle said:

---

Ag Natural said:

---

Guitarsoup said:

---

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/06/27/rumor-kawhi-leonard-unhappy-with-clippers-medical-staff/

And so it begins

---

I just feel so bad for Kawhi and the Clips.

---

I see that you almost typed that with a straight face.

---

We're exactly one month from the draft and finished with the combine. We could still get a live look at some of the international prospects if they make their national teams for the Olympic qualifiers, but for the most part we've seen everyone that we can.

The Spurs are in an interesting spot as a franchise. We've got some solid young guys, but none seem to be "the" guy to build around. Because of that, there's no reason to draft for need; so, if the front office believes the best player available is another PG or combo guard, you draft them and worry about the roster fit afterwards. It also means that anyone could be on the move if the right opportunity to acquire a better player/move up to take someone they like in the draft. However, assuming we stay at 12 let's look at some prospects that could be available.

The top 6 in the draft is pretty much set. Cunningham, Mobley, Suggs, Green, Kuminga, and Scottie Barnes will be the top 6 picks in some order. After that, it's much more if a toss up.

Tier 1 of guys I like after the top 6 (in no order):

-Moses Moody, 6'6" wing from Arkansas- has a floor as a high level 3 and D guy. 7' wingspan, broad shoulders that look like he could bulk up quite a bit more to guard bigger guys, shot 35% from 3 and 81% from the line and has the mechanics to become a knock down shooter. I do think he has some untapped potential for getting his own shot. He showed some flashes of moves at Arkansas that I think he could really hone in.

-Franz Wagner, 6'9" forward from Michigan- he reminds me of a more athletic Kyle Anderson; he's not great at any one thing, but he's really good at everything. He's a long, solid defender, improved his shooting from his freshman to his sophomore year, has good passing instincts, rebounds well, can handle the ball well enough to be a secondary initiator. He may never be someone to carry the team, but I think he's a guy that contributes in so many ways that you can't keep him off the floor.

-Josh Giddey, 6'8" guard from Australia- averaged 11 points, 7 boards, and 7 assists in the NBL (same league Lamelo played in last year) and is always a triple double threat. IMO he's the best passer in the draft. Just really good court vision and offensive awareness to read the defense, which his size obviously helps with. Handles the ball well and is a solid finisher around the rim. His two biggest questions are his shooting and his defense. He only shot 29% from 3 and 69% from the free throw line, but he's young and some work with Chip Engelland could lead to improvement in those areas. The defense is a little trickier because he's not the best athlete out there. But he's smart and could easily understand rotations to be a solid team defender and he does read passing lanes well and averaged 1.1 steals per game. There's never been a better time to be a jumbo playmaker in this league and if he bulks you and improves his shooting, his value goes through the roof.

-Alperen Sengun, 6'10" big man from Turkey- averaged 19 points, 9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game playing against grown men in the Turkish league and was named mvp. He reminds me Dimantas Sabonis. He has great footwork and pretty much every post move in the book to be an efficient on the block. He's got really good hands for the pick and roll. Shows excellent passing instincts out of the short roll and from the elbows similar to guys like Jokic and Bam. He's a monster in the offensive glass and simply outworks and out hustles for a lot of his boards. Like Giddey, his shooting and athleticism are his biggest questions. He didn't shoot from range much this last year, but he shot 81% from the line showing mechanics that could eventually be stretched out. He's not the quickest guy out there and he may not be big enough to be a great rim protector. However, he plays really hard and is another heady player, so he may be able to be serviceable as a team defender just by understanding where and when to rotate.

I'll get into my second tier guys later on.

18 year old Alperen Sengun is in Turkey’s starting lineup tonight vs. Uraguay as they attempt to qualify for Olympics in Victoria, BC. He’s learning from NBA teammates, Korkmaz, Osman & Ilyasova. Here’s a taste of what an NBA Lottery team will get. pic.twitter.com/SHVy6IYOy5

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) June 30, 2021

The other crazy thing about this kid is that it seems like half of the 30 NBA teams have an international starting center.

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) June 30, 2021

Alright, my second tier of prospects has a couple sure things and a couple gambles in it. Once again, in no particular order.

-Jalen Johnson, 6'8" forward from Duke- big, athletic, and has play making potential to run some point forward. He's a really good in transition. Can get the rebound, push it up the floor, and has very good passing instincts to make the right play. Throw in that he's athletic enough to finish around the rim and it makes him super intriguing. His shot needs work so that he can be more of a threat in the half court, but he did shoot 44% from 3 on very limited attempts. So maybe not a completely broken jumper. Defensively he's very active off the ball averaging 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. While he's athletic enough to do some switching, he doesn't appear to move laterally quite as well as you'd like. The biggest questions come from his dedication and commitment. He left his high school team, then quit in coach K and Duke last season. Does he have the mental fortitude to play for Pop (or any NBA coach)? Monster potential, might not be mentally tough enough to hack it.

-James Bouknight- 6'5" guard from UCONN- one of the best in this class at creating his own shot and scoring. Crafty with the ball, can get to his spots, and is athletic and explosive enough to finish around the rim. His jumper looks solid, but he was very poor from 3 at only 29%. Not real sure why that is, but I think he can improve on it but I don't foresee him being a knock down guy from outside. The other thing about his offensive game is that he's not much of a creator for others. For all his moves and ability to attract the defense's attention, he doesn't read it and had really low assist number (had more turnovers by quite a bit). Defensively he's athletic enough to guard either guard spot, but he needs to focus more on that end to be more consistent. We lack someone that can just go get a bucket and Bouknight can do that. But can he be more than just another Jordan Clarkson that's just s microwave scorer off the bench?

-Corey Kispert, 6'7" wing from Gonzaga- he's the best shooter in the draft and immediately fills a need for floor spacing. IMO he's another Kyle Korver/JJ Reddick type. He can't be the guy, but he'll have a really long career and be a really good player as a sharpshooter. He's really good moving without the ball; relocates and finds space, understands when to cut and cuts hard, and he's a really good screener which always helps shooters to get open by setting good screens for teammates. He finishes well around the rim because he's strong enough to absorb some contact. He's not a guy that can create his own shot or really create for others, but that won't be his role. He's a very smart player and willing defender, but not s great athlete. He did test better at the combine than most expected, so he shouldn't be Brynn Forbes bad on that end. He's also a little older at 22 already.

-Chris Duarte, 6'6" guard from Oregon- very naturally gifted 3 level scorer. Super smooth shooting stroke makes him a really good from 3 and the midrange, but he also finishes well around the rim. I also really like his shot selection as he mostly takes 3s or gets to the rim and only uses the midrange pull up as a counter (anti Demar). He's a solid athlete and has a few moves to create his own shot. Much like Kispert he moves very well without the ball, so he can slide right in next to other guys because he doesn't have to have the ball in his hands. He's a really good team defender. Excellent reading passing lanes and is surprisingly good at help side blocks for a guard. However, he's not great in the ball as quicker guys can get by him and bigger guys bully him. He's another one that steps right in and immediately fills a need on offense, but he's 24 and I don't think there's much more room for him to develop.

New video scouting report of Alperen Şengün, who won Turkish League MVP at just 18 years old. Sengun is a 6-foot-10 big projected to go in the middle of the first round. Could he rise high into the lottery? Will he be a steal? Where does he fit best? Watch on @ringer's YouTube:

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) July 1, 2021

I missed this earlier. Pretty much clears the deck for Becky to take over when Pop retires.

The Celtics and new head coach Ime Udoka are finalizing adding Spurs assistant Will Hardy to Udoka’s coaching staff, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA. Hardy, widely respected, played his college ball in MA at Williams.

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) June 28, 2021

AT&T will choose to not renew their deal with the Spurs for the naming rights of the arena after next season. They also sold their 7% stake in the team (part of what Dell and 6th street purchased).

Any guesses for the new name? I'll say USAA.

Enzo The Baker said:

---

AT&T will choose to not renew their deal with the Spurs for the naming rights of the arena after next season. They also sold their 7% stake in the team (part of what Dell and 6th street purchased).

Any guesses for the new name? I'll say USAA.

---

Body Solutions Center has a nice ring to it

New internet rumor (for whatever that's worth) that the Lakers are interested in Derozan. Since they have no cap space, it'd have to be done with a sign and trade. Something along the lines of Kuzma, Harrell, and the 22nd pick.

I'm not a huge fan of either of those players, but I do like the pick. Perhaps they could both be moved for other assets before the deadline.

I don't know how the pick would work logistically. DeRozan can't sign until FA after the draft right? If LA can pick for us, I would consider something like that, assuming we could flip those pieces.

If a trade like that were to happen, that Kawhi trade looks even worse.

I think Trez and Kuz would fit in nicely with the Spurs, but we need a creator. I don't think White/Murray can handle that load.

Guitarsoup said:

---

I think Trez and Kuz would fit in nicely with the Spurs, but we need a creator. I don't think White/Murray can handle that load.

---

Trez strikes me as the type of guy that doesn't wanna play in San Antonio, hence why I think he's be a guy to move to some contender looking for an extra piece. Kuzma I don't mind. Terrible defender, but he can score and shoots it well enough from outside that he can play next to Poeltl.

We definitely lack a true creator. Dejounte, Derrick, and Lonnie can all do it in spurts, but none are consistent. Maybe you give them all the keys and see if one of them really emerges without Demar there to demand the ball so much. There's also some guys in the draft that have that skill. But I think getting something out of Demar is better than just letting him walk.

Agree about trez.

A rotation at C/PF of
Poetl/Trez
Kuz/Big Body

Would be pretty solid.

If the option is this our let DD walk in FA, you take the players and the first.

Trez has a PO, so he has to opt in. Hell probably get moved before Feb, anyway.