Guitarsoup said:

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Earth Rider said:

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My opinion is Wemby should get whatever Wemby wants. If Wemby wants Rissacher, and he is as good or better than the prospects at 4 and 8, then you trade up to get Rissacher.

I think the last thing the Spurs need is if Wemby expresses he wants Rissacher, they don't trade up, and the Spurs watch Rissacher be a perennial all star.

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We don't want a situation where Wemby is the primary voice of the General Manager like LeBron did at every stop in his career. That is what killed the Cavs the first time around.

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Exactly. There's no way we make decisions based on the direction of a 20 year old. He will absolutely be part of the process, as has been reported. But Victor is smart enough to know that things work best if people do their jobs. Now if BW really effs things up badly, I can see Victor applying a Giannis type pressure to get stuff done 5 years down the road.

Looks like Lowe and Givony talk 10+ mins of Spurs on the Lowe Post today.

Nothing new really. Lowe just said he loved the Garland-Wemby fit.

I hate this time of year. Every amateur and professional journalist takes every rumor and prints it like they have inside information.
I'm sure the Spurs are kicking the tires on all kinds of trades and scenarios. In the end, especially considering the nature of this draft, I would be very surprised if they trade up.

Guitarsoup said:

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Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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Isn't Markkanen potentially getting traded? Thoughts?

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He would be an incredible fit but Utah apparently turned down 4 firsts for him.

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That's bananas. I was also thinking the two paired together would create the best Big, tandem in the NBS

jteagle said:

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This may be a knee-jerk reaction and unpopular opinion on this board but the WCF has me rethinking the draft. The top defensive team in the league almost got swept by Dallas. Although the Mavs have been playing better defense lately, they aren't a great defensive team.

I still think Dillingham has the highest upside in this draft and the best offensive player overall. It definitely wouldn't hurt for the Spurs to take an offensive player for a change.

There, I finally said it out loud and it didn't hurt that much.

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If you're insinuating, defense isn't a priority anymore
I agree. The league is based on scoring and who can hit the most 3s. Creating mismatches... sure, I'll take that any day on any team

Guitarsoup said:

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Earth Rider said:

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My opinion is Wemby should get whatever Wemby wants. If Wemby wants Rissacher, and he is as good or better than the prospects at 4 and 8, then you trade up to get Rissacher.

I think the last thing the Spurs need is if Wemby expresses he wants Rissacher, they don't trade up, and the Spurs watch Rissacher be a perennial all star.

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We don't want a situation where Wemby is the primary voice of the General Manager like LeBron did at every stop in his career. That is what killed the Cavs the first time around.

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I agree with half of this. I would have no problems with Wemby taking primary. Lebron has failed because he doesn't make great decisions. Id wager over half the league has no interest playing with him too. If Wemby couldn't then I wouldn't want him having anything more than court time and having ideas ran by him for his opinion (only)

I'll guess that Wemby is far smarter than Lebron given their backgrounds. At the end of the day, we have one of the best front office in all pro sports. I can't wait to see how much Wemby grows as a player. He has an insane ceiling

Aggie Class of 2026 said:

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jteagle said:

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This may be a knee-jerk reaction and unpopular opinion on this board but the WCF has me rethinking the draft. The top defensive team in the league almost got swept by Dallas. Although the Mavs have been playing better defense lately, they aren't a great defensive team.

I still think Dillingham has the highest upside in this draft and the best offensive player overall. It definitely wouldn't hurt for the Spurs to take an offensive player for a change.

There, I finally said it out loud and it didn't hurt that much.

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If you're insinuating, defense isn't a priority anymore
I agree. The league is based on scoring and who can hit the most 3s. Creating mismatches... sure, I'll take that any day on any team

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Couldn't disagree more. The NBA Finals has ten starters that are all at least average or better on both ends of the court. Having two way players is more important now than ever before. Luka is probably the worst defensive starter in the ten and he has been playing killer defense in the playoffs. The difference was his effort once they made the move for PJ/Gafford.

Few snippets:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5539617/2024/06/05/spurs-nba-draft-picks-victor-wembanyama/

Vecenie: I love Castle's fit in San Antonio because he's the kind of two-way player and competitor that fits next to Wembanyama. To me, the Spurs' dream should be to have at least four players 6-foot-6 or taller on the floor, all with plus length to cover the court and play stifling point-of-attack defense. If any plays too aggressively on the perimeter, they have Wembanyama behind them to clean things up. Castle fits the bill there. I have a top-three grade on him in the class, so if he's available at No. 4, he'd be good value for San Antonio.
There would be some concerns about deploying him and Sochan together given each's shooting deficiencies. Castle will be a passable shooter eventually, but I'd minimize lineups with both of them on the floor as much as possible while each develops. However, this is another benefit of having a center in Wembanyama who can stretch the floor on his own while also handling the ball and creating shots.
I wouldn't worry too much about Castle's stated preference to play point guard. Connecticut's coaching staff raved about Castle's willingness to take on whatever role necessary to help his team win. He never complained about not playing point guard and still managed to thrive while helping the Huskies win a national title. Plus, it's now a necessity, not a value-add, for NBA offenses to have multiple ballhandlers. Even if Castle isn't serving as the team's primary "point guard," he will get plenty of reps to initiate plays. Vassell is not a point guard, but his primary offensive usage this season was out of ball screens. The same was true with bigger wings like DeMar DeRozan, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Williams. Jayson Tatum is hardly a point guard, but half of his reps this season came out of ball screens and isolations. You don't have to be a "point guard" to have the ball in your hands consistently.
In any event, I don't think Castle is ready to play point guard in the NBA, or even handle a ton of on-ball usage from the jump. He has a feel for navigating ball screens, which he displayed more regularly in high school than he did at Connecticut, but he needs to become a better scorer to avoid defenses dropping under or back on his screens. At a minimum, he'll need a ballhandler like Jones next to him to help his development.
Keep in mind that while I have a top-three grade on Castle in this weaker 2024 class, he's more like an average lottery pick in a typical draft, especially in terms of his NBA-readiness.




Iko: Is Wembanyama's influence deep enough that they should seriously consider using one of those top picks on a c project like Tidjane Salaun, or would that do a disservice to the roster-building process a disservice? The two have a shared nationality, the same agent and other family ties.
Vecenie: I don't think the Spurs have reached the point where they should be prioritizing Wembanyama's influence. However, Salaun is a prospect worth considering in his own right as a prospect. I have a lower grade on Salaun than No. 8 and worry about his skill overlap with Sochan, but he is a lottery-caliber prospect in a class that's flat in terms of top-10 talent.
Salaun plays hard, possesses good timing as a cutter and is excellent at running the court in transition. He creates opportunities for teammates by running hard to draw attention and open up lanes for teammates. He's shown serious defensive improvement throughout the year while he's still a bit jumpy and needs to improve his fundamentals, he's active and covers lots of ground with his 7-foot-plus wingspan.
My main concerns are Salaun's offensive skill, feel and absence of vertical pop. Salaun's footwork as a driver is poor right now and hinders his finishing; he made 43 percent of his layups this season, an exceptionally low number for a coordinated 6'9 forward. He made 31.6 percent of his 3s this year, but has a high release and remains relatively balanced throughout his motion, so he'll be a fine shooter by the time he's in his mid-20s.
Salaun's best long-term role is as a high-end garbage man who brings value by playing hard, cutting, rebounding and adding tremendous value on defense. Perhaps he could be to Wembanyama what the Nuggets' Aaron Gordon has been Nikola Joki. The problem is that's also Sochan's ideal role. If the Spurs still like Sochan, they shouldn't consider Salaun. If they're less high on Sochan's development, picking Salaun would make more sense.

Mock:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5528904/2024/06/05/nba-mock-draft-2024-vecenie-alex-sarr/

Castle at 4 and Topic at 8. Dumb.

Then Ajay Mitchell at 35 and Jaylen Wells at 48.

4. San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Connecticut
The Spurs have both the No. 4 and No. 8 selections, putting them in an excellent position to add young talent that fits Victor Wembanyama's age timeline and accentuates his skill set. Do they simply take the player highest on their board at all times? Could they try to float someone that they like at No. 4 all the way down to No. 8 because they see a potential run on a type of player type that they also want to fill?
Castle got a lot of publicity at the combine for saying that he views himself as a point guard, but NBA teams view him more as a secondary playmaker who could grow into more on-ball reps in time. Connecticut sources rave about Castle's character and competitiveness; many loved how he showcased a willingness to do whatever it took for the Huskies to win games. He took on the defensive stopper role at times on players such as Alabama's Mark Sears at the Final Four, or Creighton's Baylor Scheierman during the season. He shared responsibilities for initiating the offense, showcasing real passing skills and the ability to get to the rim. He moved the ball well across the perimeter and was a high-impact player on both ends despite hitting only 27 percent of his 3s. He stepped up in almost all of their big games, including a 21-point Final Four performance and a 15-point national title game showing.
It makes sense for the Spurs to have interest in Castle. They can give him some of the on-ball reps he desires given their point guard situation, and his well-rounded skill set allows them to continue to be flexible in building their roster around Wembanyama.

8. San Antonio Spurs (via Raptors)
Nikola Topi | 6-6 lead guard | 18 years old | Crvena zvezda
Topi is the choice here with the pick San Antonio acquired from the Raptors in last year's trade involving Jakob Poeltl.
In 13 Adriatic League games for Mega Basket before his transfer to Crvena zvezda, Topi averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 assists while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. He's a dynamic ball-screen distributor and consistently lives in the paint in the Adriatic League, which consists of the top teams from the six countries that once made up Yugoslavia. He can execute nearly every pass in the book once he gets a downhill advantage, and hits teammates with flair and creativity. Topi also scores proficiently at the rim, using inventive touch to finish high off the glass and around rim protectors.
However, Topi has suffered two recent sprained knee injuries, causing him to miss most of the 2024 calendar year to this point. His range is wider than expected right now, with a chance he could slip down the board even farther than this.
Topic is attending the June 4-7 pre-draft camp in Treviso, Italy, for prospects excused from the now-mandatory NBA Draft Combine because their overseas seasons had not finished. The medical report teams get from that setting will be vital in determining Topi's ultimate range. Teams are also trying to wrap their head around basing a lottery grade of him off a 13-game sample.

If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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In his interviews at the European summit, he said that the Spurs have not been in contact with him or his agent

Guitarsoup said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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In his interviews at the European summit, he said that the Spurs have not been in contact with him or his agent

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The whole thing has been seedy since January. This is the first time a torn ACL has been brought to the surface.

Raznatovic told ESPN he does not expect the injury to have a major impact on Topic's draft stock due to his youth and initial feedback from US doctors who have reviewed his MRIs.

"The doctors who checked the stability of the knee confirmed that is in excellent shape." https://t.co/ejyq7klLBt

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 5, 2024

Enzo The Baker said:

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Guitarsoup said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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In his interviews at the European summit, he said that the Spurs have not been in contact with him or his agent

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The whole thing has been seedy since January. This is the first time a torn ACL has been brought to the surface.

Raznatovic told ESPN he does not expect the injury to have a major impact on Topic's draft stock due to his youth and initial feedback from US doctors who have reviewed his MRIs.

"The doctors who checked the stability of the knee confirmed that is in excellent shape." https://t.co/ejyq7klLBt

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 5, 2024

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Nando De Topic

suppose Sarr drops to four, do we take him? Probably not a fit with Wemby right?

Nando de Nikola works too

superunknown said:

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Nando de Nikola works too

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That's even better

Earth Rider said:

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suppose Sarr drops to four, do we take him? Probably not a fit with Wemby right?

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Absolutely, positively, 100% take him.

Think about it this way: If you could pair Wemby with Jaren Jackson Jr or Evan Mobley for a #4 pick this year, would you at least try? And if it didn't work out, you could still trade them?

There is just no chance that Sarr drops below Washington unless something crazy happens.

My Spurs-Specific Big Board:

1. Castle
2. Risacher
3. Sarr
4. Sheppard
5. Salaun
6. Clingan
7. Devin Carter
8. Jared McCain
9. Dalton Knecht
10. Pacome Dadiet
11. Jakobe Walter
12. Matas Samanic

Listened to KOC's interview with Mantas. I didn't like him. Seems like an immature punk.

Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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I'd be surprised if they took Topic considering there's been a lot of buzz about the Spurs looking to win now. Topic is very young AND injured. I bet he doesn't even suit up next season. Maybe they love their pick at 4 and decide to pick Topic knowing they won't need him for a while. How could you "be done with Wright" if that's what takes place? Seriously weird statement.

Topic is the kind of move you make if you want to set up for Embu to leave when his rookie deal is up.

It would be an all time bonehead move by this front office.

Ag Natural said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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I'd be surprised if they took Topic considering there's been a lot of buzz about the Spurs looking to win now. Topic is very young AND injured. I bet he doesn't even suit up next season. Maybe they love their pick at 4 and decide to pick Topic knowing they won't need him for a while. How could you "be done with Wright" if that's what takes place? Seriously weird statement.

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The buzz is just from media people making stuff up to have content.

Sochan did an interview this week and talked about how they know it is a process to grow and develop together and that the players on the team are on board with the process.

FTAG 2000 said:

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Topic is the kind of move you make if you want to set up for Embu to leave when his rookie deal is up.

It would be an all time bonehead move by this front office.

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Quite the overreaction there, bud. No mid lottery pick in an extremely weak draft class is going to cause Wemby to leave and calling it an all time bonehead move is hyperbole. Picking Marvin Bagley over Luka=all time bonehead move. Picking Topic would be disappointing, but far from a franchise sinking pick.

Ag Natural said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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I'd be surprised if they took Topic considering there's been a lot of buzz about the Spurs looking to win now. Topic is very young AND injured. I bet he doesn't even suit up next season. Maybe they love their pick at 4 and decide to pick Topic knowing they won't need him for a while. How could you "be done with Wright" if that's what takes place? Seriously weird statement.

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If he does that after taking Primo, yea that would be pretty bad. It's okay for you to have a different opinion. Just because I say something you don't agree with doesn't make it weird. Also there is such thing as hyperbole. Chill.

Guitarsoup said:

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My Spurs-Specific Big Board:

1. Castle
2. Risacher
3. Sarr
4. Sheppard
5. Salaun
6. Clingan
7. Devin Carter
8. Jared McCain
9. Dalton Knecht
10. Pacome Dadiet
11. Jakobe Walter
12. Matas Samanic

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Interesting. Personally I hope we dont end up with Sheppard. The ceiling on those first three seems high compared to Sheppard. You think he could be a Steve Nash type?

Enzo The Baker said:

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Ag Natural said:

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Enzo The Baker said:

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If we take Topic, I'm done with Wright. I don't think there's a remote chance we do though.

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I'd be surprised if they took Topic considering there's been a lot of buzz about the Spurs looking to win now. Topic is very young AND injured. I bet he doesn't even suit up next season. Maybe they love their pick at 4 and decide to pick Topic knowing they won't need him for a while. How could you "be done with Wright" if that's what takes place? Seriously weird statement.

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If he does that after taking Primo, yea that would be pretty bad. It's okay for you to have a different opinion. Just because I say something you don't agree with doesn't make it weird. Also there is such thing as hyperbole. Chill.

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I've heard of hyperbole, I'm just not a fan. Maybe you should audition for First Take.

Earth Rider said:

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suppose Sarr drops to four, do we take him? Probably not a fit with Wemby right?

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This will happen in no world. Watch Sarr's tape. I mean really. He is going to surprise some people who aren't expecting much from this class. And he would be a screaming take that you pound your chest about for the rest of all time. And I do believe he has #2/3 banana potential on a championship team.

Karaban should have stayed in the draft.

Breaking: The Lakers are targeting UConn's Dan Hurley to become the franchise’s next coach, sources tell @wojespn.

The team has had preliminary contact with Hurley and the sides are planning to escalate discussions in coming days, sources say.

More: https://t.co/0MlVIxJp4s pic.twitter.com/MCmHoeFhCU

— ESPN (@espn) June 6, 2024

That was my exact thought too. Guess it depends on who UConn brings in if Hurley leaves. It'd be funny to me if they pulled Bobby Hurley off Arizona State.

Topic measured 6'7 with 6'5 wingspan. You didn't read that wrong. He's got T-Rex arms

Holy crap.

Salaun was 20lbs heavier than Risacher at 217lbs. Salaun was 6'10 with 7'2 wingspan