How the Spurs can improve their roster this offseason

The NBA Playoffs can be hard to stomach with your team watching from home. The San Antonio Spurs find themselves on the outside looking in for the fifth season in a row. Yet, there is reason for hope. Victor Wembanyama has brought the franchise another superstar big man who looks primed to dominate the NBA for years to come. Now the Spurs are tasked with putting a roster together around him that can get them back into the playoffs.

San Antonio has some glaring holes on the current roster that they should be able to address this offseason. It’s unclear how aggressive PATFO will be, but with two potential first-round picks and $20-$25 million in cap space, it feels inevitable that the team will make some moves toward improvement. Here are some of the areas they should focus on when improving the roster.

The Spurs finished the season 28th in three-point shooting percentage (34.7%) and 16th in three-pointers made per game (12.6.) San Antonio struggled with their deep shooting consistency all season long. Devin Vassell and Cedi Osman were the only Spurs to shoot over 37% from three. Often times the Spurs moved the ball well and generated an open look, but the shot came from a non-shooter. Teams were able to pack the paint and send doubles at Wembanyama with little threat of being punished by San Antonio’s shooters.

As Wembanyama becomes a dominant presence inside, the Spurs need shooters who can space the floor around him. Double teams are always going to come the big man’s way. Wemby is a good passer who should be able to punish teams by spraying out to shooters. It’s imperative the Spurs prioritize acquiring shooters this offseason.

In the draft, players like Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard would provide shooting at a high level. In free agency there are a few players who could offer some floor spacing for the Spurs. Tyus Jones, Malik Beasley, Gary Trent Jr., Malik Monk and Royce O’Neal are just a few names that could be on the Spurs radar this offseason. There will be plenty of opportunities for the Spurs to add shooting this offseason, it’s on PATFO to seize them.

Every team needs players that can create offensive opportunities for their team. Watch the NBA playoffs and you’ll see teams with multiple players who can beat their man off the bounce and create an advantage for their team. The Spurs currently have a few players capable of doing so. Wembanyama is a walking mismatch who can create for himself and others in the half court. Vassell is developing as a three-level scorer who uses a tight handle and change of pace to beat the defense. With Tre Jones pick and roll playmaking and blow-by ability, he can also create advantages for the Spurs.

It’s hard to find other guys on San Antonio’s roster who can do that consistently. Too often the Spurs offense sputtered without Wembanyama or Vassell on the floor. They need to find another player or two who can make something happen offensively in the half court. There are some intriguing upside swings in the draft who could become offensive creators. Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis flashed playmaking skill and 1-on-1 scoring ability in the G Leage. Nikola Topic, Isaiah Collier and Dillingham look like guards who can generate offense at the next level.

The Spurs could also acquire more creation via trade. Judging by the NBA playoff outcomes, there may be a few stars on the trade market this summer. Spurs fans are familiar with the Trae Young rumors. Despite his lack of size and defensive ability, he would immediately give the Spurs a player who can create an advantage offensively with his shooting and passing. Other names to watch for are Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell and Brandon Ingram, should they become available.

Veteran presence

San Antonio shot themselves in the foot over and over again with unforced errors. The Spurs were 27th in the NBA in turnovers with 15.1 per game. The Silver and Black play fast (3rd in the NBA in pace) so some giveaways are to be expected. But throwing 20+ turnovers almost nightly will not win you many games. It’s also typical of a young team. A few steadying veterans could help the Spurs cut back on their giveaways.

Just having a few high-IQ players who can supplement the Spurs young core would help San Antonio tremendously. That doesn’t mean they should blindly pay for veterans just because they have experience. However, some help at key positions could smooth out the turnovers and help in other areas of need. If the Spurs don’t trade for a star playmaker, or draft a guard in the first round, it would be great to see them target the other Jones brother, Tyus, who leads the league in assist to turnover ratio.

Help on the wings

Look at all of the playoff contenders and you’ll see one obvious trend – two-way wings. Boston has Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Denver has Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon. The Timberwolves have Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. All of these wings play major roles in their teams success. They are good connectors who can hit open shots created by their stars, and don’t hurt the team defensively.

The Spurs are thin on wings who can space the floor AND defend. They have a lot of players who can do one or the other. Jeremy Sochan is a strong defender but hasn’t figured it out offensively. Julian Champagnie has shown signs of being a two-way player when his jump shot is falling. Keldon Johnson can get hot off the bench, but his defense leaves a lot to be desired. San Antonio would benefit from adding a player who fits the three-and-D wing archetype.

Free agency should have a few players who can help fill that void. Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin and Isaac Okoro are interesting names. In the draft, Buzelis, Holland, Zaccharie Risacher and Cody Williams could become that type of player down the line. As wings continue to be an important position for team building, it makes sense for the Spurs to invest some draft capital to find a high-level player at the position.

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