The San Antonio Spurs appear to be in no rush to make a playoff push despite drafting Victor Wembanyama this summer. Despite being flush with salary cap space this offseason, they've acted as a dumping ground for unwanted contracts during free agency. They've been paid second-round picks to eat Reggie Bullock's ($10.4 million), Cedi Osman's ($6.7 million), and Cam Payne's ($6.5 million) expiring contracts. The only signing they've made was to bring back Tre Jones (two years $20 million), Summer League star Julian Champagnie (four years $12 million), and Sandro Mamukelashvili (one year $2 million). That doesn't exactly scream playoff push.

Spurs' Doug McDermott: Shooting Specialist

Nor should it. Even with the addition of Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are still a very young team. Unless Wembanyama steps into the league as an All-NBA caliber player already (not outside the realm of possibilities), they should slow play this offseason and look to make their push in the future when it is their time.

What would help with that push is trading some of the vets they've acquired for more picks in the future. It's unlikely Bullock, Osman, or Payne would fetch a first-round pick in return, but one of them, or other veterans on the Spurs, like Doug McDermott or Zach Collins, could bring back a few more second-round picks or an intriguing young player to add to their core.

The Spurs veteran who could attract the most interest is Doug McDermott. Every team could use more shooting and McDermott is one of the better ones out there, especially on catch-and-shoot jumpers. McDermott's 40.8% percent mark from deep ranked 18th among players with at least 240 catch-and-shoot threes in the 2022-23 regular season according to NBA.com.

Shooting is Magic

A team that could make sense for Doug McDermott is the Orlando Magic. They're a team, unlike the Spurs, who seem poised to make a playoff push despite being a young team. After starting last season 5-20, they finished it 29-28. They added two more lottery picks to their roster in Anthony Black (6th overall) and Jett Howard (13th overall) this offseason and added Joe Ingles with their midlevel exception. Anthony Black was a talent play, while the additions of Howard and Ingles were additions for fit. More specifically, for shooting purposes. Ingles' 39% mark on catch-and-shoot threes wasn't too shabby either. Howard shot 36.8% on 9.2 three-point attempts per-40 minutes in his lone college season. He flashed that shooting ability during Summer League.

As mentioned earlier, NBA teams could always use more shooting, especially the Magic. Only three teams had a worse collective three-point percentage than the Orlando Magic in the 2022-23 season: the Chicago Bulls (28.9%), New Orleans Pelicans (30.1%), and Atlanta Hawks (30.5%). Orlando's offseason additions definitely will help, but just how much is the question.

Howard is a lottery pick but is still a rookie. Joe Ingles will be 36 years old by the time the season starts. It would be understandable to ease Howard into his role as a rookie, though one wonders just how effective Ingles still is after a creaky season in Milwaukee. That's where the Spurs' Doug McDermott comes in.

Not only is Doug McDermott one of the better shooters in the NBA, but he is an excellent cutter and mover without the ball. For a team that already incorporates a ton of movement in their halfcourt offense and has an excellent playmaking hub in Paolo Banchero, McDermott should be able to fit right in.

The one problem area for McDermott is on defense. He is not a stout defender and probably would get played off the floor in a playoff setting. But the Magic are massive at every position with stout defenders across the board in Anthony Black, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Gary Harris, Markelle Fultz, and Banchero, among others. They could help McDermott there the same way he could help them on offense.

Conclusion

The San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic are on similar timelines. The Magic, though, have a head start on the Spurs and are more ready to compete for a playoff spot than they are. For that reason, a swap of Doug McDermott could make sense. It's unknown if the Spurs would even be willing to make that swap but adding a couple more intriguing prospects (especially Chuma Okeke, who is still on a rookie contract) and second-round picks for an older player on an expiring contract would be good business for both sides.