The San Antonio Spurs only won 22 games in the 2023-2024 season, but the future is bright for Gregg Popovich’s squad with the emergence of rookie big man Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs particularly struggled on the perimeter last season, and they’ll look to find a guard or wing as their second star to complement Wembanyama.
Trae Young is a superstar point guard who has been the leader of the Atlanta Hawks since he was drafted in 2018. However, Atlanta has struggled to contend with Young at the helm and rumors are beginning to pop up that the point guard could be dealt as the Hawks consider a rebuild to develop their next championship core.
The Hawks haven’t showed their hand quite yet, but where there’s smoke, there is often fire. One of the latest rumors has Young going to the San Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio already has one superstar in second-year big man Wembanyama. The recent number one overall pick electrified during his rookie season, and expectations are sky high as he heads into sophomore year with the Spurs.
Wemby won’t be able to do it all by himself, though. He’ll need a sidekick, and if the Spurs can pair Wemby with Young, could the duo become the next Tony Parker and Tim Duncan? Let’s find out.
How Trae Young fits with Spurs
Young would be a perfect fit for the Spurs. He’s a dynamic scorer who shoots well from outside the arc. Furthermore, Young a reliable threat from deep, shooting a respectable percentage on elite volume and he often takes shots with a high degree of difficulty.
The skill Young is most known for his shooting, but he excels in other areas offensively as well. He’s an elite dribbler who keeps the ball on a string and dribbles low to the ground, making it harder for defenders to swipe at the rock and knock it loose.
Atlanta’s point guard is also an excellent playmaker with strong court vision and crisp, accurate passing. He’s an instinctive player who sees the court well and makes good, quick decisions with the ball in his hands. He has elite reaction time and knows when to take what the defense gives him while also having the ability to manipulate the defense and set up plays for his teammates.
What Spurs must offer Hawks in trade
Hawks receive: Three first-round picks, two second-round picks, Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins
Spurs receive: Trae Young
While it seems that Young is interested in joining the Spurs and Gregg Popovich would certainly love to have his services, the hardest part would be finding a deal San Antonio can offer that would pique Atlanta’s interest. The Spurs don’t have a ton of talented young players that they could give up without gutting their roster and defeating the purpose of the deal, but what they do have is a plethora of draft picks that could be used in this acquisition.
In fact, the Spurs currently own the rights to two of Atlanta’s future first-round picks. The Hawks are likely to struggle in the near future, and there is a good chance they will be downright dreadful if they deal Young.
If Atlanta is prepared to punt on any opportunity to compete with this core and they decide to trade Young instead of continuing to build around him, a great start would be for the team to regain control over its own picks. These picks are likely to be very valuable assets for whichever team controls them.
Atlanta’s front office should demand three first-round picks with the least one of those picks being one of their own. If they can regain both of their future firsts, that would be ideal. In addition, they should request Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell.
The Spurs certainly shouldn’t let either player stop them from acquiring Young, but they should counter with both of Atlanta’s first-round picks along with another first-rounder of their choice in an effort to keep at least one of the two young wings.
A trio of Young, Johnson/Vassell and Victor Wembanyama would make for a dynamic core with a championship window that could remain open for five to seven years. The Spurs should prioritize keeping Vassell, perhaps adding an extra second-rounder as a sweetener.
Hawks grade
It’s difficult to get an A on any deal where you are sending away the best player in the deal, and it’s even more difficult when that player is a superstar like Young. However, given the circumstances they are facing, gaining the rights to their own future draft picks could be incredibly valuable. Regaining these picks along with additional assets is a great start.
Spurs grade
To put it simply, in any version of this hypothetical transaction, the Spurs would be acquiring a dynamic point guard who embodies the play style that matches perfectly with their superstar center. There’s no situation in which the Spurs walk away from this deal with a grade of anything less than an A.
The question is if they can get an A+. By pulling off this deal without giving up one of their key young players, they indeed earn an A+.
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