[Saba Sports News] Amid a challenging 18-game losing streak, the San Antonio Spurs might be contemplating major changes. ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, speaking on “The Hoop Collective,” hinted that Spurs’ player Keldon Johnson could be a potential trade asset as the February deadline approaches. Spears, quoted by USA Today, expressed uncertainty about Johnson’s fit with the team’s future direction, suggesting he might be more suitable in a bench role. He speculated that if the Spurs were to make a trade, Johnson could be the likely candidate.
Johnson, 24, is a vital component for the Spurs, averaging 17.2 points per game, contributing significantly in rebounds, offering secondary playmaking, and providing solid defense with his 6-foot-5 stature and 6-foot-9 wingspan. However, his propensity for seeking his own shots sometimes hampers the team’s offense. With players like Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama, who are more natural scorers, and others like Jeremy Sochan and Cedi Osman fitting well into role-player positions, Johnson’s role may seem somewhat redundant in the current Spurs setup.
San Antonio might prioritize acquiring a transformative point guard to synergize with Wembanyama, particularly given the ineffectiveness of this season’s point guard experiments. Johnson, in the first year of a four-year, $74 million contract that is relatively economical and frontloaded, could be a valuable asset for the Spurs to offer in potential trade discussions.