The San Antonio Spurs had a -8.8 net rating when Victor Wembanyama was off the floor last season. When he played, the team had -.7 net rating. The -8.1 swing without him on the floor could be attributed to a lot of things, but the backup center was the most glaring flaw. San Antonio used a revolving door of bigs to back up their superstar, including the oft-injured Charles Bassey, Zach Collins (traded for De’Aaron Fox), Bismack Biyombo, and even Jeremy Sochan in spurts.
It’ll be impossible to find a player who can keep up Wemby’s production while he’s off the floor, but finding someone who can keep things more respectable should be a priority this offseason. According to our latest SB Nation Reacts survey, the readers want the Spurs to use the fourteenth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to address that need.
Comments on the previous post identified a few targets that could be available at the end of the lottery. One popular name is Khaman Maluach, who would need to slide down boards to make it to the Spurs at 14. Maluach is a huge, shot-blocking big man with potential as a lob threat. If you buy the three-point shot (hit 25% on 0.4 attempts in one season at Duke), there is a chance he’s someone they could even play next to Wembanyama.
A more realistic option at fourteen would be Georgetown center Thomas Sorber, who averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2 blocks this season. Sorber is a bruiser at 6-10, 255 pounds and makes his hay off dump off dunks and attacking defenders from the top of the key in the short roll. He can’t emulate Wemby’s shot-blocking ability, but could help keep San Antonio competitive defensively when Wembanyama is off the floor. Much like Maluach, his jump shot is smooth enough to make you think he may eventually be able to space the floor.
Another name that’s thrown around a lot as a wing, could actually be an answer for San Antonio at backup center. Rasheer Fleming is a 6-9 tank with a V8 motor. He averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3 stocks (steals + blocks) in his junior season at Saint Joseph’s. He shot 39% from three after shooting below 33% in his previous two seasons. If his shooting is for real, Fleming could give the Spurs an athletic hybrid big who spaces the floor, fitting into a roster that is leaning more and more toward positionless basketball.
An almost equal amount of voters would like to see the Spurs pursue a veteran with the fourteenth pick. Earlier this week, many thought that veteran might be Kevin Durant. Today, ESPN’s Shams Charania said a trade for the Phoenix Suns superstar could happen in the next 24-48 hours, and that the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves are the teams best positioned to trade for KD. Anything could happen over the next few days, but at the moment it’s looking like the Spurs will not be in the KD business this summer.
Don’t overlook the potential for a trade for a less splashy veteran like Cameron Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets. A deal like that would take less assets and be an immediate upgrade for San Antonio.
While it was the least voted for option, the Spurs could pursue a trade out of the draft at 14, looking to acquire future draft capital. A smart move could be to call up the New Orleans Pelicans, who own the Milwaukee Bucks future draft picks, and see if they would be willing to part with some of those assets in an attempt to complete a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade down the line.
Clarity is coming soon. The NBA Draft takes place on June 25th, and there is sure to be plenty of action in the weeks leading up the event. If you’re looking to make any bets on who winds up where, head over to FanDuel following this link: https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba