The San Antonio Spurs have three veteran players who could draw interest from contenders. They also have several young guys any team wouldn't mind adding in some capacity. In a best case scenario for the Spurs, they'd part ways with little used players and get substantial draft compensation in return.
Unrealistic? Yes. But, a dream scenario? Pretty much.
Breaking down the San Antonio Spurs roster
Though only super rookie Victor Wembanyama is truly untouchable, several members of the team's young core won't get moved either – barring any kind of major surprise. Devin Vassell, especially when you include his recent five year $146 million extension, and Jeremy Sochan are safe.
It would take a fantastic deal for the Spurs to part ways with Keldon Johnson. The youth and potential of Blake Wesley, Malaki Branham and Tre Jones call for some hesitation.
On the other hand, San Antonio has several players who don't figure to draw much interest among teams thinking playoffs. Julian Champagnie, Dominick Barlow, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Charles Bassey, who's recovering from a long term injury, and Zach Collins (to an extent) aren't exactly hot commodities in this environment, though they could be part of any potential deals in efforts to match salaries and values.
That leaves Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman and Devonte' Graham.
Most coveted tradable Spurs
A player like McDermott has a place on any contender. He can shoot. He moves very well without the ball. He's smart. Perhaps, most importantly, the 32-year-old is a veteran who can knock down a big shot and won't be prone to the mistakes that loom large in postseason atmospheres.
Osman fills a need on most rosters. He can also shot. But he can create as well and he's effective with the ball. In his seventh NBA season, the former Cleveland Cavalier is coming off a season-high 20 points in a loss to the Washington Wizards.
Then there's Devonte' Graham. It's easy to forget the sixth-year forward is just four seasons removed from averaging more than 18 points per game with the Charlotte Hornets. And he would be at the center of any scenario that could be described as ‘dream-like' for the Spurs.
A potential market for Devonte' Graham
Graham has played in only ten of 47 games this season. Even more, every one of his appearances has come in a blowout. It's quite the difference from even last year when he started eight of the 20 games he played after arriving in San Antonio in a February 9 trade with the New Orleans Pelicans that involved Josh Richardson. In Graham's first ever game as a Spur, he scored 31, which stands as a franchise record for most points in a debut. He averaged 13 points the rest of the way.
Because Graham isn't yet 29 years old (not until late February at least), he could provide scoring punch. Teams like the Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and, somewhat surprisingly, the defending champion Denver Nuggets, aren't at the top of league leaders in points.
Four second round draft picks are what the Spurs received in addition to Graham in the aforementioned deal. Realistically, second round selections is what they could hope for in return for the former Kansas Jayhawks star.
It's the kind of transaction that doesn't make folks jump through hoops. But getting anything, especially assets that could be packaged later, for a player who doesn't see the court seems like a darn good scenario.
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