Spurs pull off Devonte’ Graham trade with Hornets
Many fans believe the San Antonio Spurs are up to something this offseason, and their latest move will only strengthen that notion. The team is trading guard Devonte' Graham and a second-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets , according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
In return, the Hornets are paying the former Kansas Jayhawks star the $2.85 million partial guarantee in his contract. The selling point for them is the future asset, though, not Graham. Hence, they are waiving the No. 34 overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Graham scored just 5.0 points per contest on 35.2 percent shooting from the floor in 23 games for the Spurs. There could still be a couple of teams out there who want to take a shot on the former consensus First-Team All-American.
While Charlotte maps out its long-term vision under new executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson, San Antonio could be setting itself up for a big deal some time soon. The Spurs puzzled people by trading the rights of incoming rookie Rob Dillingham to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the organization's intentions seem more clear following this maneuver.
Victor Wembanyama displayed instincts and poise far beyond his years in his inaugural NBA campaign in 2023-24, so there is pressure on ownership to commit to building a formidable squad around him now rather than waiting for things to naturally take shape the next couple of seasons. Gregg Popovich and company are bringing in 12-time All-Star Chris Paul to expedite the process, but another established talent can quickly make the Spurs relevant in the West.
Who would they consider targeting, though?
The big splash the Spurs could make this offseason
Although this young squad should benefit tremendously from Paul's veteran leadership, it skill needs an influx of shooters, or at least a high-end one who can significantly impact the game. Trae Young is the name that immediately comes to mind for many people. That might no longer be a practical route for San Antonio to explore, however.
Trade interest for the Atlanta Hawks star point guard is said to be low due to the franchise's high asking price. Considering the Spurs just used a top-five draft selection on national champion Stephon Castle and signed Chris Paul in free agency, they might find it unnecessary to invest a ton of capital in Young. Instead, their focus may turn to acquiring a versatile forward.
Lauri Markkanen has broken out with the Utah Jazz, averaging 24.5 points and 8.4 rebounds while knocking down 39.5 percent of his 3-pointer attempts in his last two seasons with the team. He has one year remaining on his contract, making him a natural candidate to be shipped out elsewhere. San Antonio is firmly in pursuit of the 27-year-old Finn, per reports.
It remains to be seen if the Spurs will go all in for a bigger name this summer, but the Devonte' Graham trade suggests that they have a distinct plan in mind. Fans will wait in anticipation to see how everything shakes out.
