Why the Spurs should make this trade
The San Antonio Spurs currently hold the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and the Spurs know that they must try to build a winner around Djounte Murray. But if they cannot, and there is little hope to do so this year with a lukewarm draft, why hover in limbo?
The Spurs could conceivably cash in Murray’s upside this year, land a solid starting PG, and then use a combination of the ninth and 19th overall draft picks to move up in this draft to land Iowa’s Keegan Murray, a player who the Spurs are reportedly quite sweet on. And with the pieces that the Spurs can receive in this trade, both in 2022 and in the future, the team has far more flexibility to strategize for a rebuild.
D-Lo is ideal for the Spurs
Russell is no slouch, either. While he is not an ideal fit for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he is a blue-chip point guard who can run the floor, put up a ton of points, and help herd the young rebuilding Spurs team through the choppy waters until the team is truly in a position to compete once more.
Getting draft picks is the name of the game in the NBA when you are attempting to rebuild the roster. And getting both a very good starting point guard plus two firsts for Dejounte Murray should warrant sitting up and listening. Yes, the Spurs can hold onto Murray. But how do they build around him quickly enough? They are struggling right now, and that was with the benefit of Murray’s excellent play.
Russell can be the Spurs’ solid point guard, and he is a veteran of NBA Playoff games. While Murray has NBA Playoff experience, he was a young rookie in his first round, and a second-year player when the Spurs last competed in the post-season.