With NBA Free Agency set to begin on June 30 at 5:00 pm CT, the San Antonio Spurs should reach out to these players immediately.
The NBA offseason is usually a blast. Front offices are known for their aggressiveness, so players tend to switch teams, providing added intrigue for the following season, like clockwork. The San Antonio Spurs are not often heavy players in that game, but if you’re a fan of the sport in general, it’s an exciting time. This year is different, and everyone knows it’s due to the big 7’4 star drafted by the team in 2023, Victor Wembanyama.
It feels like anything can happen this summer, whether it be a notable trade or a free-agent pickup. Not doing anything is also on the table but that’s the norm, so that wouldn’t be a surprise. However, the Spurs need shooters. Harrison Ingram shot 39% from three in his final college season but it’s going to take time to earn Pop’s trust enough for consistent minutes. Hopefully, some of the returning players improve their shots but regardless, there may be some shooters on the market for San Antonio.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
KCP would fill several needs for the Silver and Black. He brings veteran leadership with experience on a championship team; he’s shot 39% or better for five straight seasons and he defends. Caldwell-Pope is 31 years old so he would not be a long-term solution but this team is still in need of a vet. He could fill that role.
Buddy Hield
Hield is also 31 years old, so he could play the part of veteran just like KCP but he doesn’t defend like Caldwell-Pope can. He’s a bit undersized for a shooting guard at 6’4 but Buddy Hield is also a career 40% marksman. Leaving him alone would be perilous for opponents, providing plenty of space for Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell to operate.
Isaac Okoro
Okoro is a restricted free agent, so the Spurs would have to pry him from Cleveland but as stated earlier, anything is possible in the NBA. The young Cavalier is only 23 years old and shot 39% from distance and 49% from the field last season. He’s 6’5 with a 6’8 wingspan and can add more tenacity on the defensive end.
Patrick Williams
Patrick Williams is 22 years old and has the ‘restricted’ tag on him as well but if San Antonio could pull off a steal, they would be adding a 6’7 forward with a 7’0 wingspan. He drilled threes at a 40% clip, with an average of 41% over his three-year career. He only played 43 games last season due to a foot injury, but that may be the reason the Bulls are hesitant to match an offer.
Any of these options bring value to the team in similar ways. Hield is the only one without a strong defensive character, but he may be the most pure shooter in the group. If the Spurs could get any of these players, it would be a large sigh of relief for everyone desperate to see improvement on the perimeter.
