After 22 consecutive seasons of playoff basketball for the San Antonio Spurs, they now have missed the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.
The Spurs need to evaluate who they sign in free agency to address the issues that have been derailing them. San Antonio clearly lacked shooting from behind the arc last season, and they need to retool their roster to fit today’s NBA, as having a surplus of shooters is never bad in today’s game.
San Antonio has a good set of young players capable of producing right away in Lonnie Walker IV, Keldon Johnson, and Dejounte Murray, among others. They need to prioritize signing players who can produce immediately and fit the timeline of the young core
The Spurs enter the offseason with the ability to have around $50 million in cap space, per Spotrac, and spending it on players of good quality is a must for them.
Here are the five best players the Spurs must sign in free agency to at least make the NBA Playoffs next season.
Spurs targets:
1. Duncan Robinson
Duncan Robinson is the real definition of a knockdown shooter and has established himself as one of the best 3-point shooters in today’s game. Robinson even made history as the fastest player to reach 500 3s in just 152 games.
The marksman would certainly improve the spacing that the Spurs have been lacking recently. Robinson’s ability to run around screens and get 3-point shots up at a high rate is truly incredible. He attempted 8.5 3-pointers per game this season with the Heat and hit at a 40.8% clip. The year before, he hit 44.6% from deep on 8.3 attempts per game.
San Antonio needs that kind of shooter to improve a mediocre offense.
2. John Collins
John Collins was a crucial piece for the Hawks last season as he helped them clinch the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference by averaging 17.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 55.6% on the field and 39.9% on 3-pointers.
However, snatching the 23-year old from Atlanta won't be easy as the Hawks can match any offers that come their way.
Collins is the definition of the modern-day NBA big man as he can run, dunk, and shoot. The Hawks’ forward is versatile as he can also play the center position. Collins is a big that can stretch the floor as he has made 38% of his 3-point attempts in his career.
With a flurry of guards in the Spurs’ rotation, Collins would definitely benefit from this one as he is an excellent complement for good ball handlers and playmakers. The athletic center is known to be a hard roller when playing the pick and roll game.
3. Kelly Oubre Jr.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is a plug-and-play type of player that would instantly impact the Spurs in offense and defense. Oubre is a hard-nosed defensive wing who opposing teams see as a pest.
Oubre is a low-usage player who impacts the game without needing the ball in his hands a lot. This is very important to further develop the other young pieces of the Spurs.
It is rumored, per San Antonio Express News, that both parties are interested in each other as Oubre thinks he can really unleash his full potential with the Spurs under the guidance of coach Pop.
The swingman averaged 15.4 points and 6.0 rebounds to along with a steal per game for the Golden State Warriors in 2020-21.
He is one of the best pieces to sign this offseason because he can impact the team now and produce immediately.
4. Lauri Markkanen
Lauri Markkanen certainly checks both boxes that the Spurs need–size and shooting. The 7-foot Finnish national is a unicorn that plays both the center and power forward position while draining threes over the outstretched arms of defenders. Last season, he averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field and 40% on 3-pointers. The sweet-shooting big man will help the Spurs with their spacing and provide the guards enough room to operate and drive their way to the hoop, forcing the opposing bigs to chase Markkanen behind the arc.
5. Josh Hart
A low-risk and high-reward signing, Josh Hart is a jack of all trades as the versatile wing defender can knock down 3-pointers too. Hart is not the best 3-point shooter available in the market but is a reliable one and is better among most of the current Spurs players.
San Antonio has a lot of guards who can rebound well, and it happens that Josh Hart is also one of the best rebounding guards in the NBA right now. Last season, he averaged eight rebounds per game even though he came off the bench on most occasions. The Spurs will dominate the glass if they pair him with Dejounte Murray, who is always crashing the boards.
Josh Hart is also a good defensive player that Pop can utilize in his lineup. The 6-foot-5 guard has a 6-foot-8 wingspan that has worked wonders for him when guarding perimeter players.
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