Are The San Antonio Spurs Gearing Up For A Trade This Coming Season?

Forbes

5 days ago

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: Interim head coach Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs ... More looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at Chase Center on April 09, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by)
The San Antonio Spurs had a very strong draft, selecting Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, both of whom could become foundational pieces moving forward.
In free agency and on the trade market, however, the Spurs made some decisions that now, collectively, seem curious.
Spending big on backup centers
San Antonio first signed Luke Kornet to a four-year deal worth $41 million, albeit just under $24 million are guaranteed.
They then traded for Kelly Olynyk, via the Washington Wizards, and took on his $13.4 million for 2025-2026 on top of it.
That's $24.4 million for both of them this season, which is a fair bit of financial cheddar when you consider neither will have a starring role, as both play behind Victor Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan.
Of course, one can argue that Olynyk in particular should be able to play alongside the star Frenchman, but nevertheless, it seems optimistic to expect Olynyk to play an enormous amount of minutes given that he's 34 and played just over 20 minutes per game last season.
As such, it's fair to wonder if the Spurs are gearing up to a mid-season trade, if they're in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Endless possibilities
The Spurs have a plethora of trade assets, both in form of player contracts and draft selections, so it'd make sense if the team is actively looking to make a move near the February trade deadline, especially by using the contracts of Kornet or Olynyk to facilitate a deal.
After all, investing over $24 million on backup big men seem at-best optimistic, even if it's only for one year. It thus lends itself to the theory that the Spurs did it to keep their options open.
Last trade deadline, San Antonio acquired point guard De'Aaron Fox, and it isn't inconceivable that they're planning on making an acquisition of similar quality, to pair with Fox and Wembanyama.
They can easily match salaries for most players, as Keldon Johnson's $17.5 million, and Harrison Barnes' $19 million are also movable, and then align value via draft selections.
This isn't to say the Spurs are looking to dramatically accelerate their timeline. The organization have shown patience, even after the selection of Wembanyama, and seem to insist on creating a long-term competitive window, which is the right play.
It'll be interesting how to see how they play this over the next 6-12 months.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.