The San Antonio Spurs are a team that traded away All-Star Dejounte Murray this offseason, and there’s no doubt that they are aiming to try and get a top-tier pick next season. This is the first time that the team has truly entered a rebuild in recent memory. Obviously, the Spurs doing so is justified, as the 2023 NBA Draft features elite prospects such as Victor Wembanayama and Scoot Henderson.
Obviously, the San Antonio Spurs will likely need more than just their own picks to have a successful rebuild. The more elite prospects they draft, the higher their chance of being a competitive team in the future.
San Antonio Spurs Want First-Round Picks For Their Veterans
It seems as though the San Antonio Spurs are willing to move their veterans to acquire future first-round picks. An article by Spurs insider LJ Ellis revealed that the San Antonio Spurs are willing to move Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson in exchange for first-round picks.
Sources say Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson are the two Spurs players most commonly involved in trade talks. While the Spurs have dropped their asking price for the utilization of their salary cap space, their asking price for Poeltl and Richardson remains high. For Richardson, the Spurs are requesting a first round pick. For Poeltl, the Spurs are asking for two first rounders.
Although it’s definitely possible that the Spurs trade Poeltl and/or Richardson before the start of the regular season, a team insider tells me the franchise is willing to hold onto both players until the trade deadline if that’s what it takes to get an acceptable package in return.
“There’s no rush,” said the insider of trade talks involving Poeltl. “It has to be the right deal.”
There is no doubt that both Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson have utility for a championship-caliber team. Jakob Poeltl is an elite rim protector and finisher near the rim, while Josh Richardson is an elite 3 and D wing. Both players can thrive in supplementary roles, and it remains to be seen which teams end up trading for them. The Hornets were notably a team connected to Jakob Poeltl at last year’s trade deadline.
Hopefully, we see the San Antonio Spurs find some success in trading those veterans. It is clear that their priority right now is the development of their young players, and they are obviously trying to move Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson to free up playing time and minutes for their prospects.
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