Keldon Johnson is a stand-up guy. He's been that way since he set foot in San Antonio after being drafted out of Kentucky. That's why it wasn't a surprise when he gave up his long-time number to the legendary Chris Paul last season after the Point God joined the team. Now that CP3 has signed elsewhere, the Spurs have announced Johnson's return to his old number.
KJ3 is 𝙗𝙖𝙖𝙖𝙘𝙠 😤 pic.twitter.com/pzPMTiiKQ2
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) July 31, 2025
When this announcement was made, my first thought was that it would be odd to send out a tweet like this if you planned on moving him this offseason. Of course, it doesn't automatically rule out that possibility, but at this point, it feels like it won't be happening unless something special comes along.
Honestly, it's understandable. He's only making $17.5 million this year, and San Antonio likes to keep their homegrown guys with the organization for as long as possible. They spent so much time developing him; it would be a shame to see him thrive elsewhere. Unfortunately, that's still where this story is going to end for KJ.
It's only a matter of time before Keldon Johnson is traded
The CBA has made teams more wary of adding money to their cap sheets, and that is likely a big reason why the Spurs haven't moved KJ yet. The teams that would want him are going to be contenders, and most of those teams are already stretching themselves thin financially. That luxury tax is petrifying to owners who aren't sure they can make a real run.
At this point, it would be great to just get assets back for Johnson, but that's the issue. The teams vying for a championship wouldn't want to take away too much from their rosters. They'd be looking to add and bolster their teams, so even though he's on a fair contract, adding money is a problem for many of them.
I also don't see San Antonio wanting to ship him to a desolate franchise with no hope of competing. They didn't do that to Derrick White, and being the class-personified organization that they are, probably wouldn't want to do it to KJ. He's been a model citizen for his entire tenure.
The reality is that there is not much room for Johnson anymore. Carter Bryant and Julian Champagnie just fit what the Spurs need more than he does. Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell will all be sharing minutes at the shooting guard and small forward spots with small-ball, defensive, or pace lineups.
What's likely to happen is a mid-season trade once some team either has an injury or they just decide that it's time to add a bit more to their puzzle. It'll be the best thing for both parties.