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The San Antonio Spurs finally pulled the trigger on a major rebuild, and it all started in the 2022 NBA offseason.
The main ingredient of this Alamo rebuild recipe was no less than erstwhile San Antonio Spurs All-Star Dejounte Murray. He was traded, along with big man Jock Landale, to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Danilo Gallinari and multiple future first round picks. Gallinari was eventually waived by the Spurs.
Atlanta's Dejounte Murray trade continues to look better and better, considering Utah's astronomical asking price for Donovan Mitchell.@tenitrabatiste and @JarvisD90 discuss on ATL Day Ones. @LockedOnATL https://t.co/xoZEYFhEhI
— Locked On Podcast Network (@LockedOnNetwork) July 15, 2022
They also lost Lonnie Walker IV, who averaged a career-high 12.1 points and 23 minutes per game last season, to the Lakers during free agency.
In this year's NBA draft, the Spurs did have three first round choices. With the ninth overall pick, they chose Baylor's 19-year-old Polish PF Jeremy Sochan. He averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per for the Bears last season.
It is crystal clear that the Spurs are now rebuilding for the future. This was a long time coming, but the Spurs finally got around to committing to it full tilt. As such, the depth chart for San Antonio looks depleted. It now features forward Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poetl as their top players, underscoring just how thin their roster is going into 2022.
Coach Gregg Popovich is hoping it'll all be worth it, though.
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Full 2022 NBA offseason grades for Spurs
Draft: B+
On draft night, many teams approached the San Antonio Spurs about exchanging their No. 20 and No. 25 picks at the conclusion of the first round. The Spurs, however, did not like any of the offers they got. As a result, they ended up with three 19-year-olds.
The agile two-way wing Jeremy Sochan was their No. 9 pick. He has the potential to develop into a serious wing scoring threat and someone who can push the ball in transition. Pundits also consider Sochan among the best defenders in this draft class. Be aware that the Spurs have a history of successfully converting defenders into all-around threats. Kawhi Leonard is maybe the best example along with Bruce Bowen. They will now attempt to accomplish it with Sochan, an agile 6'9 player who can guard almost anyone.
Two athletic guards and perimeter players, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, provide the Spurs' youthful nucleus even more depth. Although Wesley can play off-the-ball, he often acts as a facilitator with the ball in his hands whereas Branham plays more off-the-ball than with the rock in his hands.
Despite the fact that none of San Antonio's three selections are household names, they should provide value every time they are on the floor. The Spurs understand that while they are still a few years away from becoming exceptional, the picks they made in this year's draft might all prove to be impact players.
Trades: B
This transaction might seem unclear in a number of ways.
Observers considered Dejounte Murray a rock-solid building block for the Spurs' future, but they traded him away for a 33-year-old forward whom they eventually waived. Conventional wisdom dictates that the Spurs could have acquired young talents they could develop into a strong supporting cast around Murray.
By trading him away, though, the Spurs chose a more seismic route.,
Now, they have three future draft selections that are expected to be in the late teens to mid-20s. Combine that with how the Spurs will probably have one of the worst records this coming season, and they have a good chance of landing in the lottery in 2023. That means they could possibly draft 7'3 French unicorn Victor Wembanyama. Other marquee 2023 prospects are Team Ignite's Scoot Henderson or Villanova's Cam Whitmore.
Free Agency: C+
The biggest keep here is none other than Keldon Johnson, who was signed to a four-year, $80 million deal.
The Spurs and Keldon Johnson have reached an agreement on a four-year, $80M contract extension, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Lucas Newton tell @ShamsCharania.
Last season, the 22-year-old posted career highs of: 17.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 2.1 APG.https://t.co/1mDsjI7nXe pic.twitter.com/XiyBgOWmSD
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 16, 2022
The 22-year-old improved his performance last season. He appeared in 75 games and averaged 17.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Johnson also shot 39.8 percent from outside the arc. He joined Kawhi Leonard as the only players in the history of the team to ever record 1,000 or more points, 400 or more rebounds, and 125 or more three-pointers in a single season. Will Johnson be the next Kawhi, though? That's unlikely, but he should be the team's top offensive option in the 2022-2023 season.
Isaiah Roby and Gorgui Dieng could be solid frontline backups for Poetl, but neither is projected to be a game-changer. The Spurs also signed undrafted free agents Dominick Barlow and Jordan Hall to two-way contracts. They are unlikely to make any splashes, too.
Overall: B
The Murray deal netted the Spurs a huge haul, allowing them to finally “execute” on a complete rebuild. Additionally, they picked up defensive ace Sochan and potential impact players Branham and Wesley in the draft.
San Antonio also has the cap space to acquire more assets in the future. Fans expect them to be among the league's worst teams this coming season. That's realistic, but the flip side is that after holding out for a long time, it seems like ownership, management, and Gregg Popovich are finally okay with a major tank-and-rebuild approach.
