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The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most intriguing organizations in the NBA this offseason. Aside from having a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama and recently taking a major step forward in their rebuild by trading for All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox, the Spurs own an abundance of assets that put them in a position of power.
Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year, headlines the list of young, high-potential talents existing in San Antonio. This organization will continue to build a long-term, sustainable core around Wembanyama and Fox with two lottery picks in the 2025 NBA Draft… unless another significant move is brewing in San Antonio.
With the draft just about one week away, the Spurs have consistently been involved in trade rumors circulating around the league. Outside of the noise surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, which has settled due to the MVP's presumed temporary commitment to his franchise, the Spurs have been a prominent force in trade discussions surrounding two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant.
Over the last several weeks, Durant has captivated the league's full attention with the NBA Finals winding down and the draft around the corner. After being involved in serious trade chatter and almost being dealt to the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline this season, Durant's time with the Phoenix Suns appears to be at its end.
Three teams have been identified as Durant's preferred destinations: the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs.
Out of these three, whispers around the league suggest that Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, have been trying to push a trade to San Antonio. But the Suns are in a position where they don't need to factor in the star's demands or trade preferences.
Phoenix sacrificed Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four first-round picks to get Durant in 2023. Unfortunately for the Suns, the last two seasons have not gone as planned, and they are doing everything they can to try and recoup value in any potential dealing involving the 15-time All-Star.
Durant could be traded between now and the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25, as the Suns are motivated to find a deal that allows them to move forward and build around Devin Booker. While league sources continue to relay that other teams are in constant contact with the Suns about a potential Durant trade, the same cannot be said about the Spurs.
In fact, all has gone quiet in San Antonio over the last 48 hours regarding Durant, the 2025 NBA Draft, and other potential trade paths for stars around the league, sources told ClutchPoints.
Could that mean that San Antonio is backing off from a potential pursuit of the 36-year-old superstar? On the opposite side of things, some around the league are beginning to speculate that the Spurs are operating with the intention of making a secret, one-time offer to the Suns for Durant, especially as his value continues to drop with the draft inching closer.
Recent silence from San Antonio could also be signaling something happening with one of their two lottery picks — the No. 2 and No. 14 picks in this year's draft.
The Spurs are at the center of offseason discussions right now, and it all starts with whether or not they are in on Durant.
Kevin Durant, Spurs trade speculation
If the Spurs were to add Durant next to Wembanyama and Fox, they would instantly become a threat in the Western Conference. This would easily be the best star trio in the NBA from a scoring standpoint, and San Antonio would still have a handful of young secondary players to fill the gaps next to whoever the organization would sign in free agency.
The biggest question surrounding Durant and the Spurs is what exactly they would need to give up for Phoenix to green-light a trade.
At this very moment, there has not been any confirmation as to whether the Spurs have made a formal offer for Durant. Instead, league sources have shared insight as to what assets the Spurs hold no intention of giving up. Castle, who the Suns would obviously want in a potential trade, finds himself on this list, and the Spurs won't be trading the second-overall pick in a potential deal for Durant.
Internally, the Spurs have discussed what the aftermath of a Durant trade would do to their future, sources said. While there is a level of interest that exists, this organization will not sacrifice a big chunk of what they have built through the years for the aging star.
The Spurs have flexibility and they know it.
There is no need to rush a decision on their future, which is why there has been a sense of hesitance regarding a potential pursuit of Durant. But the timing of the organization's silence is worth noting given the lack of enthusiasm Phoenix has shown in offers coming their way from rival teams.
Is this simply nothing from the Spurs as they inch closer to what will be a big draft for them, or is there more to the story with San Antonio operating behind the scenes without any inclusion from the media and fans?
This could certainly be a ploy for the Spurs to lessen Durant's trade value given the urgency Phoenix faces to make a move before the draft and knowing that the superstar forward wants to play with Wembanyama and Fox. At the same time, this silence could directly lead to what the Spurs have planned for next Wednesday's draft.
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Spurs to make big draft move for future trade avenues?
Much has been said about what the Spurs should do with the second pick in this year's draft. Plenty of prospects make sense for this organization, but Dylan Harper is the only name that consistently comes up in conversations around the league about who this organization will select.
Harper is an elite talent who can easily become the face of a team's backcourt for many years to come. Between his shot-making abilities and creativity as a facilitator, Harper checks off all the boxes for being yet another Rookie of the Year candidate in San Antonio.
Then again, what are the Spurs going to do with another dynamic guard who needs the ball in his hands to make a difference? Many have questioned the potential fit of Harper alongside Castle and Fox, yet it doesn't seem like the Spurs are concerned. Even more roster flexibility and options are created for the Spurs by utilizing the second pick on Harper.
Despite many teams making calls to the Spurs and inquiring about this draft pick, there have been zero indications that San Antonio is giving real thought to the idea of trading the selection, sources said. Recently, the Philadelphia 76ers held discussions with the Spurs about this second pick, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. It doesn't seem likely that the Spurs will move this pick.
The same cannot be said about the No. 14 pick in this year's draft, as the Spurs will be keeping their options open. This is a spot in the draft many teams are looking to trade up to, and it could offer San Antonio even more assets to pull off a big move down the road.
If a trade for Durant doesn't materialize in the coming days for the Spurs, it would be due to the organization keeping their focus on the future. All that matters is finding the right avenue for long-term success next to Wembanyama.
The Spurs, like many teams, would love the opportunity to engage in serious trade conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks about Giannis. He fits the organization's timeline better than Durant near the end of his career, and Antetokounmpo paired with Wembanyama would be virtually impossible for teams to contain.
Out of all the teams in the league, the Spurs have some of the best assets to offer in a potential Giannis trade package either now or down the road. A trade involving the No. 14 pick for more future draft picks would only expand San Antonio's wealth of assets.
The only way the Spurs would leverage assets now for Durant is if they believe they could acquire him at a discounted rate. Even so, bringing in his near $55 million contract for the 2025-26 season would mean parting ways with notable players like Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, and/or Devin Vassell for financial reasons. Immediately, that takes away most of the long-term leverage this organization has.
Other than a potential trade for Giannis in the future, the Spurs have also monitored Jaylen Brown's status with the Boston Celtics through the years, sources said. Now that the Boston Celtics are primed to take a step back and are looking to cut costs, the 28-year-old Finals MVP is suddenly worth talking about.
As of right now, word surrounding Boston points in the direction of holding onto Brown and instead exploring trade avenues involving Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
The Celtics believe that moving off significant money and using the 2025-26 season as a “recovery year,” as one prominent source put it, offers upside to pursue more championships in 2027 and 2028 when both Brown and Jayson Tatum are healthy. To this point, the Celtics haven't signaled that they would seriously consider a trade involving Brown this offseason.
What the imminent future holds in San Antonio remains a mystery. Until a Durant trade is actually agreed upon, the Spurs shouldn't be left out of any scenarios given how they operate under the radar and behind the scenes.
Something big will be happening for the Spurs this offseason, whether it be the acquisition of a star or continued success through the NBA Draft. Perhaps there will be a little bit of both in the coming weeks.
