From 1998 to 2019, the San Antonio Spurs stood as one of the most successful franchises; even fans joked that there were three certainties in life to that point: death, taxes, and a Spurs playoff berth. And it seemed like the Spurs' train of contention would just continue to chug along for all eternity, especially when they had Kawhi Leonard to take over the reins from Tim Duncan.

Alas, Leonard grew discontented with the franchise and forced his way out, essentially crushing the Spurs' future outlook. Nearly five years after trading Leonard, the Spurs have become one of the worst teams in the NBA. And that seems to be by design, as the Spurs, of all franchises, would know the value of drafting a game-changing presence at the top of the draft.

Even then, given how putrid the Spurs have been during the 2022-23 campaign, there will be no easy fixes that would magically erase all the flaws their roster has as presently constructed. Even prime Michael Jordan would have difficulties lifting this current iteration of the Spurs to relevancy.

It will be a slow and painful rebuilding process, especially if the Spurs fail to nab the number one overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. But the best they can do is figure out which pieces to improve upon, little by little, for even the smallest of progress is still progress. And who knows? Given the track record of the Spurs' front office over the years, especially when it comes to unearthing hidden gems, it's not out of the question for them to turn things around more quickly than anyone would think is possible.

Thus, here are the three fixes the Spurs must make to try and compete, as unexpected as it may be, for a spot in the 2024 NBA playoffs.

1. Figure out their starting point guard situation

Tre Jones has done an admirable job in his stint this season as the Spurs' starting point guard. In 65 games (62 starts), Jones has averaged 12.7 points and 6.4 dimes for the floundering Spurs. Standing at 6'1, Jones makes the most of his frame on the defensive end by getting up on the offensive player's airspace and by having active hands on the passing lane.

But as solid as he has been in his stint as the Spurs' starting point guard, it's clear that San Antonio must improve upon him if they were to try and make some noise next season.

Most good NBA teams function with a dynamic scoring option at the point of attack. Even contending teams built around big men, such as the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers, boast the services of lead ballhandlers who are a threat from everywhere on the court. Meanwhile, floor generals who don't have the best shooting range (think Ja Morant or even Russell Westbrook) make up for it with their ability to put pressure on the rim.

For all of Jones' hard-to-teach basketball smarts which allows him to set his teammates up nicely, he doesn't possess the most threatening off-the-bounce game, both from the outside or on the interior. Jones should have a long NBA career based off his basketball IQ and ballhandling alone, but his skillset makes him the ideal backup, not necessarily a starter on a playoff-caliber team.

It'll take a lot more than a point guard upgrade for the Spurs to make the playoffs. But adding a dynamic ball-handler to ease the burdens Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have to prop up the offense would go a long way towards making that lofty goal a reality.

2. Acquire a strong point-of-attack defender

Not only do the Spurs have a scoring problem, they also have a ton of defensive issues to work on. And for a game based on putting the ball through the hoop more often than your opponent, that is simply a recipe for disaster. At the moment, the Spurs rank dead last in defensive rating.

There's not a single defender that would solve the Spurs' issues, that's for sure. Even Jakob Poeltl, who was traded at the deadline, couldn't prop up their defense. But acquiring a perimeter defender who could act as the team's defensive spine would help towards preventing the team from hemorrhaging points.

3. Draft Victor Wembanyama

It all boils down to this, doesn't it? If there was ever a realistic addition that the Spurs could make during the offseason that would bolster their chances of making the 2024 NBA playoffs, it's Victor Wembanyama, arguably the most hyped up prospect in NBA history. And the hype surrounding Wembanyama is justified; his feel for the game, along with his ball-handling, shooting, and defensive potential makes him one of the most gifted prospects the world has ever seen.

Drafting Scoot Henderson wouldn't be such a bad consolation prize either. But Wembanyama gives the Spurs a foundation to be a good team as soon as next season, especially if he transitions seamlessly to the pro game.