The San Antonio Spurs don’t have enough scoring, which might prevent them from making a run at the playoffs.
Of course, a savvy trade could get the Spurs right back in the mix. One of San Antonio’s problems is that two of its rotational wings — Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson — aren’t reliable shooters. Johnson showed flashes in 2022-23 as a 22.0 point-per-game scorer but regressed last year and was removed from Gregg Popovich’s starting lineup during stretches.
Then there’s Sochan, who is a complete non-threat as an outside shooter.
San Antonio’s offseason acquisition of Harrison Barnes was nice, and underrated wing Julian Champagnie provides three-point shooting, but the Spurs could use one more talented scorer to capitalize on all of the attention that Victor Wembanyama draws.
Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards would be an excellent fit in San Antonio, but the Spurs would have to give up more than they might be willing to acquire Kuzma.
A Kuzma-Johnson straight-up swap would match financially, but Washington would also potentially demand multiple draft picks, according to new intel from Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley.
“Kuzma’s contract is considered “highly attractive” around the league,” Buckley said. “That’s surely why the Wizards have set such a steep asking price. Back in January, NBA insider Marc Stein reported Washington was seeking “at least two first-round picks” in exchange for Kuzma.”
“Who knows if anyone will meet that price—or whether the Wizards will drop it—but what seems certain is that Kuzma’s name should continue being discussed in deals. Sure, he could be more consistent with his … defensive activity, but he’s still a 6’9″ forward offering versatility at both ends and shot-creation for himself and his teammates.”
If the Wizards truly don’t budge from demanding two first rounders in a package for Kuzma, maybe the Spurs should just walk away. But if San Antonio could talk Washington down to a more reasonable deal, acquiring Kuzma would be huge.
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