Honestly, not much. The team’s commitment to its youth movement was surprisingly effective. Despite jettisoning productive veterans such as DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills, Rudy Gay, Bryn Forbes, Gorgui Dieng, and Derrick White, the team still was able to win 34 games and qualify for the play-in tournament. The one real uncertainty is how long will legendary coach Gregg Popovich continue to man the sidelines and who will replace him once he steps away. While the organization has a strong infrastructure, replacing possibly the greatest coach in NBA history will not be an easy task.
WHAT WENT RIGHT
Dejounte Murray increased his points, rebounds, and assists per game for the 5th consecutive season, culminating in his first All-Star appearance. Murray, always known as a strong defender, led the league in steals per game while nearly averaging a triple double (21/9/8). He clearly established himself as a centerpiece for the team to build around, something that it wasn’t clear that they had at the beginning of the year.
In addition to Murray, the team had 7 players under age 26 who were part of the rotation: Zach Collins, Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, Jakob Poeltl, Joshua Primo, Devin Vassell, and Lonnie Walker IV. Poeltl and Collins could potentially form a reliable platoon at center; both are skilled shot blockers who operate well on offense within a team concept. Johnson and Vassell in particular looked like they will be key parts of the team’s core going forward. Both players took advantage of their expanded roles, increasing their overall production and being more consistent from game to game.
In flipping DeRozan, Forbes, White, and Young, the teams secured 3 additional 1st round picks, 2 additional 2nd round picks, and the rights to swap picks with the Celtics in 2028. This extra draft capital can only help the Spurs round out their team around Johnson, Murray, and Vassell.
PAYROLL
UNDER CONTRACT:
NAME
2022-23 SALARY
FUTURE OBLIGATION?
Murray, DeJounte
$16.6m
2023-24 ($17.7m)
McDermott, Doug
$13.8m
2023-24 ($13.8m)
Richardson, Josh
$12.2m
Expiring
Poeltl, Jakob
$9.4m
Expiring
Langford, Romeo
$5.6m
QO 2023-24 ($7.8m)
Vassell, Devin
$4.4m
TO 2023-24 ($5.9m), QO 2024-25 ($8.1m)
Primo, Joshua
$4.1m
TO 2023-24 ($4.3m), TO 2024-25 ($6.0m), QO 2025-26 ($8.2m)
Johnson, Keldon
$3.9m
2023-24 Restricted Free Agent
CONTRACT PENDING:
NAME
2022-23 SALARY
TYPE
Collins, Zach
$7.4m
Half guaranteed; full amount guaranteed if not waived before 6/24/22
Bates-Diop, Keita
$1.9m
Fully guaranteed if on the roster on Opening Night
Jones, Tre
$1.8m
Fully guaranteed if on the roster on Opening Night; $500k on 8/1/22
Landale, Jock
$1.6m
Fully guaranteed if on the roster on Opening Night
acquired from WAS (08/06/21), traded to TOR (02/10/22)
2
39
traded to UTA 07/07/16
FUTURE DRAFT ASSETS: OWN PICKS
YEAR
ROUND
NOTES
2023
1
2023
2
To IND if #56-#60 (08/08/21)
2024
1
2024
2
2025
1
2025
2
2026
1
2026
2
SAS have right to swap with IND, for less favorable pick from IND, MIA (08/08/21)
2027
1
2027
2
2028
1
SAS have right to swap with BOS (02/10/22)
2028
2
2029
1
2029
2
OTHER PICKS
YEAR
ROUND
NOTES
2023
2
from IND if #56-#60 (08/08/21)
2025
1
from CHI (2 years after R1 to ORL, protected 1-10 year 1, 1-8 years 2-3, else R2 in year 4)
2025
2
from CHI (08/11/21)
2027
2
from either HOU, IND, MIA, or OKC (02/09/22)
2028
2
from DEN if #34-#60 (01/19/22)
2022-23 GAME PLAN:
Year one of the Spurs rebuilding plan went as well as could be expected. The goal for year two will be for the team to improve by a few games to get to .500, make the playoffs, and get the young core some playoff experience. Unfortunately, the expected internal improvement will make the team better but that may or may not translate to more wins; several teams in the Western Conference, such as the Nuggets, Clippers, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers, were hit hard by injuries this year and are expected to be much improved next year.
Key focus areas will be:
Adding more talent to the frontcourt. The team has 3 1st round picks to work with; while there are many talented young big men in the draft, the team might be better off parlaying 1 or 2 of these picks with some of their young talent for an established player who can immediately pay dividends and take some pressure off the talented backcourt.
Establish a coaching succession plan. The Spurs would be wise to determine who Popovich’s successor will be and bring that person is as an assistant coach, with the understanding that they’ll be elevated to the lead role within the next couple of years. This continuity will help ensure long-term success.
Commit long-term to the team’s best players. Murray has two more years on his current deal. The team would be wise to lock him to a long-term deal. This once exemplary organization took a bit of a PR hit with their last prominent player, Kawhi Leonard, and how they handled things when he was injured. It would send a positive signal to the younger players on the roster to see Murray and the organization commit to each other long-term. Poeltl is the other player that the team should take care of. The last remnant of the Leonard trade is in the last year of his deal. He’s the type of effective role player that, while he will never be a star and has his limitations, can be difficult to replace.
ASSESSMENT OF ASSETS:
KEY BUILDING BLOCKS
Murray, Johnson, Vassell, #9 Pick
KEY ROLE PLAYERS
Poeltl, McDermott, Landale
DEVELOPMENTAL RESERVES
Primo, Collins, Jones
EXPENDABLE VETERAN RESERVES
Richardson
EVALUATE
Langford, Walker IV
TRADE
WALK AWAY
Bates-Diop, Cacok, Stewart Jr., Wieskamp, Woodard II
