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The San Antonio Spurs turned out to be one of the winners from the 2025 NBA trade deadline. The team managed to land a second star to pair with Victor Wembanyama in the form of De'Aaron Fox when they pulled off a blockbuster deal with the Sacramento Kings. And not only did they land one of the best rising stars in the league, they also didn't have to give up any of their established core players in the trade.
While the addition of Fox brings San Antonio closer to contender status, it's safe to say that their roster is far from complete. In fact, the Spurs' biggest mistake at the 2025 NBA trade deadline was failing to trade for a backup center to play behind Wembanyama.
Spurs have a thin frontcourt rotation
For quite some time now, the biggest hole in the Spurs roster has been their big man rotation behind their superstar center. Outside of Wembanyama, the team has no other reliable options to man the frontcourt. Previously, the resident backup big man was Zach Collins, but his performance has taken a nosedive this year, as he's only averaging 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game on 46.2% shooting.
Collins' poor performance resulted in him getting traded to the Chicago Bulls as part of the trade for Fox. Although it made sense to trade the 6-foot-11 center, his departure further intensified the Spurs' need for a reserve center. For now, the team still has Charles Bassey and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
While Bassey has shown some flashes, he suffered a knee injury recently. It's worth noting that this was the same knee that required surgery just last season. Prior to the injury, the former Western Kentucky standout had been averaging 4.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Bassey's injury riddled history should've given the Spurs front office more urgency to find a more reliable backup big.
On the other hand, Mamukelashvili has shown some upside on the offensive end. He is tallying 4.7 points on 56.5% shooting from the field and 42.6% from beyond the arc. However, he has been a liability defensively and doesn't exactly fit in the center position. As a result, it isn't surprising that Mitch Johnson isn't giving him many minutes on the floor.
The Spurs missed out on several available big men
While the Spurs did make a big swing for Fox, it was quite puzzling that they didn't end up adding a big man to their roster. With exception to the Patrick Baldwin Jr. trade, San Antonio didn't make any moves to beef up their depleted frontcourt. It was revealed that the Spurs immediately waived Baldwin Jr. after acquiring him in a four team trade from the Washington Wizards.
Coincidentally, there were plenty of big bodies available in the market. Two of the centers that the Spurs could've tried to pursue were Jonas Valanciunas or Nic Claxton. The Spurs lost the chance to acquire Valanciunas once he was sent to the Kings by the Wizards. His contract was also cheap enough to trade for, but it was also the same reason why he was highly targeted by a handful of contenders.
On the other hand, Claxton had just signed an extension with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the start of the 2024-25 season. His four year contract worth $100 million would've also been too expensive for San Antonio to take on.
Andre Drummond and Goga Bitadze were other names who were floated for the Spurs, and both are guys who would theoretically have given the Spurs bench a huge shot in the arm. However, it doesn't seem like San Antonio was interested in any of these targets.
Spurs options on the buyout market
On the bright side, the Spurs still have a chance to make up for their biggest trade deadline mistake. After the dust has settled, San Antonio still has a roster spot available, making them a team to watch on the buyout market. However, the only catch is that the Spurs won't have much money to offer compared to other teams. Nonetheless, the team doesn't exactly need a top tier center, but instead a big man who can be a reliable reliever for Wembanyama off the bench.
It's a safe bet that there will be a plethora of big men who can fit in the Spurs' needs. Some interesting candidates include Daniel Theis and Mo Bamba. At the end of the day, it's a surefire way to get some big bodies to fill the frontcourt while getting some much needed veteran presence.
Historically, the Spurs have not been a major player at the buyout market. But now with a formidable roster that's a few pieces away from becoming a legitimate contender, San Antonio should be making some upgrades in order to maximize Wembanyama's window.
