The San Antonio Spurs are expected to be one of the biggest sellers during the NBA trade season, and some of the pieces that could be moving on are veterans Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson.
The Athletic reports that Poeltl and Richardson are two names to watch as potential targets for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Poeltl, 27, is in his seventh NBA season and is putting up respectable numbers of 12.1 points and nine rebounds per game. As the team’s starting center, Poeltl is blocking opportunities for players like promising two-way big Charles Bassey and Isaiah Roby, who the team signed this offseason.
Richardson, 29, provides scoring and defense off the bench. His 10.7 points per game ranks fifth on the Spurs and could be valuable for a team that needs distance shooting. If he were to be traded, rookie first-round picks Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley could see a spike in minutes.
Both Poeltl and Richardson are free agents after the season, only increasing the need to make a trade or fear that either or both could walk this summer.
The trade deadline isn’t coming until Feb. 9, but this is the time for players like Poeltl and Richardson to build their value in order for the Spurs to get the most out of them.
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