Draft Roundup Volume 4: Draft Morning has Arrived
Let's dive into all the latest rumors for the San Antonio Spurs with the draft officially here, and answer some other questions.
It’s been 11 days since the last Draft Roundup, but, before diving into the latest draft rumors and mock updates, you can read Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3 from the previous weeks.
The Workouts
After I put the names of the players the Spurs have worked out, I’ll also provide the players’ latest mock average based on the Spurs Draft Board.
The Spurs have worked out or met with the following prospects according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony:
Stephon Castle (4.5 mock average), Devin Carter (9.9), Rob Dillingham (13.1), Reed Sheppard (3.3), Zaccharie Risacher (1), Nikola Topic (13 mock average, met with), Tidjane Salaun (10), Ja’Kobe Walter (15.1), Tyler Kolek (23.5), Pacome Dadiet (31.4)
In his most recent mock update, Givony also mentions the Spurs worked out, or met with more prospects:
Donovan Clingan (5.8, met with), Matas Buzelis (5.6)
Jake Fisher of Yahoo! Sports added two other names to the workout list:
Ron Holland (10.9), Carlton Carrington (16.4)
While most of the players the Spurs have worked out or met with are projected to be in the 4th pick or 8th pick range, a few names stand out.
Donovan Clingan - Both Givony and Fisher mentioned how the Spurs recently interviewing Clingan could be a move to try to see if one of the teams that really wants Clingan may be willing to try to trade up to 4th for him. If this wasn’t a move to acquire more trade assets, I wrote about how Clingan would fit alongside Victor Wembanyama in my scouting report on Clingan.
Ja’Kobe Walter, Carlton Carrington, Tyler Kolek - Based on their mock averages, Walter and Carrington are projected to be mid-first rounders. Kolek is projected to be drafted in the 20s. With rumors of the Spurs maybe moving back from 4th or even 8th, these three guards are players to monitor in the event the Spurs agree to move back in the draft.
What kind of cap space possibilities would moving the 4th pick or 8th pick present?
Sticking with the rumors of the Spurs potentially moving back in the draft, let’s just take a look at their cap sheet in the event they moved one or both first round picks.
If all Spurs free agents walked, and all players on non-guaranteed deals were waived, San Antonio could open as much as $21.3 million in cap space.
What if they trade the 8th pick, but keep the 4th pick? In this scenario, the Spurs would be able to open $26.4 million in cap space.
What if they trade the 4th pick, but keep the 8th pick? In this scenario, the Spurs would be able to open $29.2 million in cap space.
What if they trade both picks? This is an extreme example, but since we’re here, let’s just find out the answer. The Spurs would be able to open $34.4 million in cap space by moving both picks.
Should the Spurs move one of these first round picks without taking back salary, that could be a hint that they’re gearing up for a) a significant trade, or b) a free agent offer.
How can the Spurs draft Zaccharie Risacher?
If the Spurs were to have Risacher as their first pick on their draft board, there’s two scenarios for them to try to draft him:
Scenario A - Trade up to 1: If the Atlanta Hawks are planning on drafting Risacher with the first overall pick, the Spurs would need to trade up from 4th to 1st to try to get him. As Givony has mentioned before, this could be an option, but if the Hawks want their 2025 unprotected first round pick back from San Antonio, the Spurs may not be willing to go that far.
Scenario B - The Perfect Sequence: Atlanta drafts Donovan Clingan. Washington drafts Alexandre Sarr. Houston drafts Reed Sheppard. This of course is the easiest path for the Spurs to get Risacher, but a lot of dominoes have to fall in the right order.
How can the Spurs draft Reed Sheppard?
Let’s go through a scenario now where the Spurs have their sights set on drafting Reed Sheppard. Atlanta would have to draft Risacher, Washington again drafts Sarr, but now, Houston agrees to a trade with a team that wants a center (Memphis?) and drafts Clingan at 3rd. In this scenario, Sheppard would be there for the Spurs at 4.
If the mocks go according to plan…
Regarding Stephon Castle and some of the draft prospects after him, Castle and the other players should be available for San Antonio at 4, IF, the mocks go according to plan…
A note on the second round picks
Even though the Spurs have the 35th pick and 48th pick in the second round, it’ll be interesting to see if the Spurs use or trade one or both of those picks.
Why? Because of roster limits. When a second round pick is drafted, that player typically ends up on a two-way contract or they can earn a full roster spot with their NBA team, with Sidy Cissoko as a recent example of this with San Antonio.
The Spurs have limited roster room with their two-way slots, with RaiQuan Gray and Jamaree Bouyea occupying two of the three two-way roster spots.
The Spurs are also going into free agency Sunday with 11 players on guaranteed contracts when you include the 4th and 8th picks. Add the three players on non-guaranteed deals (Devonte’ Graham, Julian Champagnie, Charles Bassey), and roster is up to 14 players. That means just one more player can be added in free agency before the Spurs have to look at roster cuts before the beginning of the regular season in October.
With some playoff teams on the verge of going into the second apron, they may want to look at trading for one of the Spurs’ second round picks, so those teams can sign players using the second round pick exception. If the Spurs were willing to part with their second round picks, they could acquire more future assets.
Who should the Spurs draft with the 4th pick, 8th pick, 35th pick, and 48th pick?
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