Spurs Acquire Juan Nunez, Draft Harrison Ingram
The San Antonio Spurs acquired Juan Nunez in a trade for the 35th pick, and drafted Harrison Ingram with the 48th pick Thursday.
SPURS DRAFT HEADQUARTERS - Thursday the NBA Draft resumed with the second round taking place. When the San Antonio Spurs were on the clock with the 35th pick, the Spurs selected Johnny Furphy of Kansas, but then reports came out that San Antonio had agreed to trade Furphy to the Indiana Pacers for the 36th pick and cash considerations.
With the 36th pick, the Pacers drafted Juan Nunez, who will now be with the Spurs.
Nunez is a 6’4” crafty point guard from Spain, who will be playing with the Spanish National team this summer.
Some Nunez’s NBA comps are shades of a bigger JJ Barea and Facundo Campazzo.
Here was Spurs General Manager Brian Wright on the Spurs acquiring Nunez via trade:
“Really, really talented point guard, crafty passer, probably the best pick and roll player in the draft as a passer and creator, but he's tough, he's got Moxie, he's competitive, he's a winner, and he's done it on the highest stage. You know, he's done it on the national team level. He's actually going to play national team in the Olympics. So at just a young age, he's already accomplished a lot in his early career in Europe. And we expect more to come.”
After Nunez was drafted, reports started to circulate about Nunez being a draft-and-stash player.
Nunez was under contract with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, but he was reportedly going to sign in Spain with Barca. Similar to NBA free agency, Real Madrid in Spain has the ability to match his contract with Barca. The latest reports say Real Madrid won’t match Barca’s offer.
We don’t yet know if the Spurs would have to buyout Nunez’s contract overseas or if he has an NBA opt-out clause in his deal.
This would only be a concern if the Spurs plan on adding Nunez to the team this coming season.
When asked whether Nunez will play for the Spurs this season or remain overseas, Wright said, “that stuff is kind of still TBD, but, you know, we’re excited to watch him, you know, embark on the Olympic journey.”
Spurs Draft Harrison Ingram with 48th Pick
With the 48th pick in the Draft, the Spurs selected 6’5” forward Harrison Ingram out of North Carolina. Ingram will wear number 55 with the Spurs.
Ingram is a wing player who plays more like a post player, but he also played more a 3-and-D role at UNC.
Ingram’s NBA comps are shades of Grant Williams and Naji Marshall.
Here’s what Wright had to say about the Spurs drafting Ingram:
“But Harrison's been somebody we've known for a long time. Obviously, he was a McDonald's all American as well. Started at Stanford. I think we saw one of his first practices, college practices, and to see the evolution in him, he came into the college game as like a ball handling point forward, and you see him in North Carolina this past season, and he's played more of a 3-and-D role that can rebound and still pass and do some of the playmaking, but went from more of a primary to a secondary. And again, you heard me talk about sacrifice for the betterment of the team last night, and with him, you saw that as well. So it's not easy to transition your game the way that he did. And he did a great job.”
While it’s unknown what type of contract Ingram will sign, the Spurs do currently have one open two-way contract available.
Brian Wright on the Spurs moving the 8th pick via trade for future draft assets
Since the trade had been made official with the Spurs trading the 8th pick Wednesday to Minnesota for future draft assets, Wright was asked about the Spurs trading the 8th pick, who ended up being Rob Dillingham, a player the Wolves wanted San Antonio to draft at 8.
“Yeah, those decisions are always difficult ones, because, you know, you do all the work on the draft, and there's, you know, definitely players that you like, but you have to weigh the calculus on, you know, what's best for ultimately, for the future. And we felt like the package that we got was one that made sense to move off of the eighth pick.”
Early Summer League Roster Coming into Form
Wright said third year guards Blake Wesley and Malaki Branham won’t be on the Spurs’ Summer League roster, but Stephon Castle, whom the Spurs selected with the 4th pick Wednesday, is expected to be on the team.
Two-way players RaiQuan Gray and Jamaree Bouyea are also expected to be on the team.
Because he’s preparing with the Spanish National team, Nunez won’t be on the Summer League team. Harrison Ingram would be expected to be on the Summer League team as well.