The San Antonio Spurs went further than most expected prior to the season, but a run to the NBA Finals means the team is hungry for more. Victor Wembanyama could use a bit more help as the Spurs look to once again be a championship contender next season.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley outlined a few potential trade targets for the Spurs to explore following the team’s NBA Finals loss. One of these top targets would prompt a blockbuster trade.
Could the Spurs make a run at Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown? The analyst makes the case for the Spurs at least kicking the tires on a Brown trade.
“The Spurs might have more good-to-great guards than they can handle, and their center, Victor Wembanyama, is the league’s latest cheat code,” Buckley wrote in a June 13, story titled, “Ranking Spurs’ Top Trade Targets After 2026 NBA Finals Loss.” “So, if they swing a blockbuster trade, it’s a near certainty that they’ll attack the forward spots.
“Brown, an All-NBA second-teamer, is arguably the best wing on the market. Now, ‘on the market’ might be overselling his availability, but his future in Boston has been an actual talking point. While the Celtics would certainly want a fortune for him, the Spurs, who are rich with both draft capital and ascending prospects, are one of the few franchises perfectly positioned to pay an exorbitant price.”
Spurs Rumors: Could San Antonio Make a Push to Trade for Celtics Star Jaylen Brown?
Acquiring Brown would require a bit of salary cap gymnastics as the guard is on a massive five-year, $285 million contract. Brown’s deal is slated to go through the 2028-29 NBA season.
The Spurs have a little bit of financial flexibility as Wembanyama is still on a team-friendly four-year, $55 million contract. San Antonio will have Wemby on this rookie deal through the 2026-27 season.
Pairing Brown with Wemby would make for a dynamic duo, but the Celtics would likely push for a king’s ransom in return for the star. Buckley admits that trading for Brown is going to be a tall task.
“This feels more dramatic than what San Antonio probably wants to do, which is why Brown doesn’t slot even higher (on trade target rankings),” Buckley added.
The Spurs Are Projected to Have About $6 Million in Cap Space During NBA Free Agency
CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn reported that the Spurs can get to about $6 million of cap space this summer. This number would jump to about $20 million if the team trades Keldon Johnson.
Unless this happens, the Spurs are going to find it challenging to land a marquee player with so little cap space.
“If the Spurs merely renounce the rights to their own free agents, they could get to around $6 million in cap space,” Quinn detailed in a June 14, story titled, “What’s next for the Spurs? Why the path to building a champion around Wemby could include trading De’Aaron Fox.” “That’s not much. They could potentially reach more than $20 million in space if they could find a taker for Keldon Johnson’s contract.
“That would have been an unthinkable proposition only a few weeks ago. Johnson is the Sixth Man of the Year and vital to San Antonio’s culture. But he was mostly a non-factor in the Finals; if moving him opens doors to the right additions, it shouldn’t be ruled out entirely,” Quinn added.
“More likely, they’ll keep him and have access to the nontaxpayer mid-level exception at around $15 million in the first year of a deal.”
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