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The NBA is set to return from the All-Star break on Thursday night, as the second half of the season gets underway. The San Antonio Spurs struggled in the first half of the year, getting off to a 23-36 start, though they're still within reach of the play-in tournament seeds. After parting ways with Derrick White at the trade deadline, the Spurs won three of their four games leading into the break. The Spurs got a solid haul in exchange for White, including Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a top-4 protected 2022 first-round pick, and a potential first-round pick swap in 2028.
With the ball now more frequently in Dejounte Murray's hands, the Spurs point guard has already proven he's more than capable of being the team's go-to guy at all stages of the game. But now it's time for the rest of the team to follow suit and step up with White now out of the rotation. Here is the one player, in particular, who stands out as the individual with the most to prove on the Spurs.
1 Spurs player with most to prove
The San Antonio Spur with the most to prove in the second half of the season is none other than Keldon Johnson. Johnson has been sharp since the departure of White, averaging 19.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in the four-game span, while knocking down 2.3 3-pointers per game at a 40.9% clip. His scoring numbers are up from his season averages of 15.7 points per game during this small sample, but it suggests that Johnson is getting more, and possibly better, looks at the basket. Johnson has been making steady improvements during his third year in the league, and with more opportunities to shoot the ball coming his way with the absence of White, he should be able to step up and become an even bigger contributor for the Spurs.
White was averaging 11.6 field goal attempts per game for the Spurs, which opens up a lot more shots for guys in that unit, particularly Johnson, who is the best outside shooter in the starting five, knocking down 40.5% of his shots from 3-point territory. While Richardson could stand to eat up some of White's vacated shots, the Spurs would probably feel more comfortable letting Johnson get the ball in his hands more often.
Johnson has looked promising throughout his entire career, but after an injury cost him most of his rookie season, there was some question as to whether his development would be stalled. That was not the case, however, as Johnson has strung together excellent seasons over the past two years, and is now stepping into his role as the clear-cut No. 2 option for San Antonio.
Gregg Popovich is a big fan of the 22-year-old and has unleashed him for a career-high 31.3 minutes per game in his third season. With Popovich in his corner, Johnson should have the confidence to continue getting shots up at a high rate, while continuing to develop as a scorer on the inside, too. Having a star facilitator and playmaker like Dejounte Murray running the offense allows Johnson to get some great looks at the basket. The synergy between the two can often be seen on the court, with Murray frequently distributing dazzling passes to an open Johnson for a good look at an outside shot.
Johnson has the biggest opportunity of his young NBA career to go and leave his mark on the Spurs' organization. He has the potential to take some strides in the second half of the season, and possibly even help the Spurs contend for a play-in spot. He's already showing great signs of growth in his third year in the league, but if he can continue to progress in the final stretch of the season, the Spurs will be feeling very good about the 2022-23 season.
