Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs is the future face of the NBA, and it’s tough to deny that. However, at some point, Wembanyama will have to do some winning, despite the losing not being on him. The Spurs have done an excellent job assembling a strong young team around him, but they still need to add more.Â
If the Spurs want to compete as early as 2025-26, it might require them to go out and make another move.Â
On the flip side, one could argue that it wouldn’t be wise for the Spurs to do as such. The Spurs have a great young core, and if Wembanyama is going to be the face of this franchise for the next two decades, they’ll be in a good position to compete for a very long time.Â
Rushing that just to attempt to grow now isn’t the end-all be-all.Â
Plus, it isn’t as if the Spurs didn’t just go out at the deadline a year ago and land DeâAaron Fox. This team wants to win, and Wembanyama has signaled that, too.Â
In a recent trade proposal from Sports Illustrated, they’d be going all in, but the deal would involve moving on from Fox. It was an intriguing trade proposal by Hawks on SI.
Hawks Receive: Svi Mykhailiuk
Spurs Receive: Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, 2027 1st-round pick (via LAL, from UTA, top-4 protected)
Jazz Receive: De’Aaron Fox, Jeremy Sochan, 2027 1st-round pick (via ATL, from SAS, unprotected), 2029 1st-round pick (via SAS, unprotected), 2029 2nd round pick (via ATL)
âMarkkanen was one of the most desirable players after the 2023-24 season due to a fantastic season where he averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds on 63% TS, 40% from three on eight attempts per game and 41.4 percent on catch-and-shoot threes.Â
âSwapping him in for Harris would be an instant upgrade and his down season last year still yielded 19 points and 5.9 rebounds on 42.3/34.6/87.6 shooting splits despite struggling with injuries for most of the year. He’s a massive wing who can line up at either SF or PF, firmly in his prime at 28 years old and he’s already signed for the next four seasons,â they wrote.Â
Would the Spurs Part With Fox So Soon?
While Lauri Markkanen would be an excellent piece for the San Antonio Spurs, it’d be tough to justify in some sense. Sure, the Spurs are somewhat heavy on guards after selecting Dylan Harper, but Fox is an incredible player and brings exactly what the team needs next to Wembanyama.Â
âSan Antonio finished 20th in 3P% and struggled to find floor spacing to complement Wemby, Swapping out Fox for Markkanen would fit better with their roster and he’d be instantly able to start at PF, which improves their depth because they can bring Barnes off the bench,â they added.
Spurs 2025-2026 Outlook
Regarding what the San Antonio Spurs might look like next season, some have suggested they could be a very good team. That includes ESPN, which recently noted that their decision to trade Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley for Kelly Olynyk suggested that the Spurs will be going into next season looking to win games and compete for a postseason bid.
âThe subtext here is San Antonio getting more serious about winning in 2025-26. That meant no more room for developing Branham and Wesley, first-round picks in 2022 who have yet to contribute to winning. Both fell to the fringes of the Spurs’ rotation last season, playing barely 1,100 minutes total after combining for nearly 2,500 in 2023-24,â they wrote.
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