The San Antonio Spurs have proven that, with a healthy Victor Wembanyama, they have the chance to be title contenders for a long time.
With that being the case, the Spurs have subsequently been mentioned in trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Though they were recently predicted to bow out of the sweepstakes for the Milwaukee Bucks star, they’ve now been linked to another big-name player, one who could form a dangerous duo with Wembanyama.
Reporting for HoopsHype.com, NBA insider Michael Scotto wrote that San Antonio could be in the race to land Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz in a trade. Markkanen has an uncertain future with the Jazz, considering his strong play and their apparent direction of the team, meaning that, along with several other teams, the Spurs could offer a package for the star.
“Rival NBA executives have linked the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, and Detroit Pistons as potential suitors for Markkanen in the past,” he wrote. “Those executives cited Markkanen as an ideal floor spacer next to Victor Wembanyama and young enough at 28 to fit San Antonio’s surrounding young core.”
Spurs Linked To Markkanen In Trade Rumors
Markkanen’s status in Utah as now potentially on the trade market is nothing new. The Los Angeles Lakers have had reported interest in him for a while. However, a team like the Spurs could likely offer a better package.
San Antonio has more and better draft assets, as well as arguably some more promising young players. But as the Spurs were reluctant to send over either Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in a deal for Antetokounmpo, it seems unlikely that they would do the same for Markkanen, a player with a fraction of the career accolades.
But still, with the assets the Spurs have now, they shouldn’t be ruled out in bidding against teams like the Grizzlies, Pistons, or even Lakers, for the chance to add Markkanen in a deal. As Scotto mentioned, the spacing he’d create on both sides of the floor with Wembanyama would be dangerous for opponents on a nightly basis, and though he has a major price tag, he could be what helps them get over the hump.
Even with their strong showings in the past, Markkanen would only make San Antonio longer, taller, and more versatile as it relates to the team as a whole, and what Wembanyama brings to the table.
Spurs Giannis Trade Rumors
While there is reported interest in Markkanen for the Spurs, their place in the Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes appears to be dwindling. San Antonio has been named as one of the few teams that don’t feel it is necessary to make a franchise-changing move at this point, along with the fact that the Bucks don’t feel the need to move him now.
“In fact, rival executives interested in trading for Antetokounmpo who’ve spoken with HoopsHype said they don’t believe Milwaukee wants to move him right now,” Scotto added. “With that said, it’s unlikely to keep teams such as the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, …and others from continuing to monitor Antetokounmpo’s situation to varying degrees, looking ahead.”
Overall, the sentiment around the league is that teams might not want to risk half their current assets for Antetokounmpo, who is currently out with a calf strain and is on the wrong end of 30. He’s still a top-five player, but specifically in the case of the Spurs, why mess up what is working now, regardless of how green the grass looks on the other side.
Additionally, insider Zach Lowe believes that, with how well they’ve performed, despite their loss to the Knicks in the NBA Cup, there’s no need to make massive changes to their core.
“I suspect the Spurs at this point are like, ‘We got to see what we have, before we even entertain the idea of, as great a player as [Giannis] is, the type of roster upheaval that indicates for this season,’“ Lowe said.
Whether they go ahead with a deal for Markkanen or Antetokounmpo or not, the Spurs appear to be fine without either, as seen with the performance of their roster this year.
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