The San Antonio Spurs enter the 2025-26 NBA season in a stronger position than they were a year ago. With Victor Wembanyama blossoming into the centerpiece of their long-term vision, and a front office that quietly stitched together a smart and disciplined offseason, this Spurs team has a balance that signals progress. San Antonio managed to re-sign key role players like Bismack Biyombo, Harrison Ingram, Jordan McLaughlin, Riley Minix, and even added depth with Luke Kornet and Lindy Waters III. While none of these signings alone shake the landscape of the Western Conference, together they provide Mitch Johnson and his staff with veteran presence, rim protection, and some bench shooting that was desperately needed.

Still, the Spurs are far from a finished product. The Western Conference is brutally competitive, with contenders like the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves raising the bar every year. Even with Wembanyama’s unprecedented talent and flashes of stardom from players like Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, San Antonio’s roster remains short of the depth and versatility required to make a deep playoff run. If the Spurs want to accelerate their rise and give Wembanyama the supporting cast he needs, the trade market may be their next logical step this season.

As the season progresses, the Spurs should keep an eye on three trade targets who could dramatically improve their outlook both in the short  and long term. These are players who complement Wembanyama’s strengths, balance San Antonio’s roster, and potentially turn them from a play-in hopeful into a team nobody wants to face in a seven-game series.

Brandon Ingram: A wing scorer who can shoulder the load

Brandon Ingram is a name that fits seamlessly into San Antonio’s current trajectory. For the Spurs, Ingram’s value is obvious. Wembanyama is already proving to be a defensive anchor and offensive hub, but what he lacks right now is a consistent perimeter partner who can punish defenses when attention shifts entirely onto him. Ingram is that player. With his length, ability to create his own shot, and knack for heating up in isolation situations, he offers San Antonio a late-game option they don’t currently have. While Devin Vassell is developing into a reliable scorer, Ingram’s experience and All-Star pedigree raise the ceiling of the entire offense.

The Spurs would also benefit from Ingram’s ability to thrive in transition, as their young core often looks to run the floor. Pairing him with Wembanyama creates a modern one-two punch, an inside-outside combination that forces defenses to pick their poison. On the other end, while Ingram is not known as an elite defender, his size and length on the wing allow him to fit into San Antonio’s scheme, where Wembanyama’s rim protection can cover weaknesses.

The cost for Ingram won’t be cheap, but San Antonio has the draft capital and young players to swing a deal. More importantly, adding him shows Wembanyama that the front office is serious about building a contender around him sooner rather than later.

Malcolm Brogdon: A veteran guard to stabilize the backcourt

If the Spurs’ frontcourt is the foundation of their rebuild, then their backcourt is still very much under construction. The Spurs need a veteran who can stabilize possessions, provide leadership, and deliver in high-pressure moments. That’s where Malcolm Brogdon enters the picture.

Currently with the Knicks after multiple moves in recent seasons, Brogdon has quietly remained one of the league’s most dependable guards when healthy. He brings three critical skills the Spurs lack: shot creation, pick-and-roll expertise, and composure. His ability to orchestrate offense in the halfcourt would make life significantly easier for Wembanyama, who at times was left to create for himself in mismatched situations last season. With Brogdon, Wembanyama can flourish as a lob target, pick-and-pop shooter, and weak-side cutter while Brogdon manipulates defenses.

The Spurs would also gain Brogdon’s perimeter shooting, a much-needed attribute for spacing around Wembanyama. While San Antonio has a handful of shooters, none carry the consistency or versatility that Brogdon offers. He is a career 38% shooter from three, capable of pulling up in transition or spacing the floor in catch-and-shoot scenarios.

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Defensively, Brogdon provides more value than most realize. He is strong, disciplined, and capable of guarding both guard spots, which complements the Spurs’ young, athletic wing defenders. Even if his health is a concern, his contract and age align with what the Spurs might seek in a short to medium term solution. He doesn’t need to be their point guard of the future; he simply needs to be the veteran guard who bridges the gap until that future arrives.

Jerami Grant: A two-way forward with positional versatility

The Spurs also face a glaring need for a forward who can defend multiple positions while not being a liability on offense. Enter Jerami Grant, who continues to put up strong numbers in Portland but remains stuck on a team that has little clarity in its direction. If the Trail Blazers eventually pivot fully toward youth, Grant will be one of the most attractive veterans on the trade block.

Grant is exactly the kind of player San Antonio should covet. His defensive versatility allows him to guard positions two through four, which is invaluable in today’s NBA. Placing him alongside Wembanyama in the frontcourt would give the Spurs one of the most intimidating defensive tandems in the league. On offense, Grant’s ability to hit spot-up threes, attack closeouts, and create shots in isolation makes him more than just a role player. He would instantly be San Antonio’s third option on offense, complementing Wembanyama and Vassell.

One of Grant’s underrated strengths is his ability to step up in big moments. He has shown in Detroit, Denver, and Portland that he can take on an expanded role when asked. For the Spurs, that means he could be a safety valve when defenses overload onto Wembanyama. More importantly, he has the experience of playing with high-usage stars, which makes him a seamless fit.

Financially, acquiring Grant would require some maneuvering, but San Antonio has the contracts and draft assets to make it work. While he may not be a long-term piece as the Spurs’ young stars mature, he is the kind of bridge player who accelerates development while still fitting into a winning culture.

Where do the Spurs stand in the West?

The Spurs’ offseason was strong but not transformative. They retained familiar faces, bolstered the roster with low-risk additions, and gave themselves the flexibility to see how their young core develops. But in a Western Conference stacked with depth and star power, standing pat is rarely enough. San Antonio will enter the 2025-26 season competitive, but not yet threatening to break into the top tier of contenders.

That’s why monitoring trade opportunities will be so critical. Players like Brandon Ingram, Malcolm Brogdon, and Jerami Grant represent different levels of investment, but share a common theme: They all make the Spurs more dangerous now, while still aligning with Wembanyama’s long-term trajectory. For a franchise that has always balanced patience with ambition, this season may be the moment they finally lean toward the latter.

If the Spurs seize the right opportunity, they could transform from an intriguing young team into one that accelerates its climb toward contention in the loaded Western Conference.