Shams: Spurs Trading Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, & a 2026 SRP to the Wizards for Kelly Olynyk

[mystargtr34]

Hollinger says they likely took Branhams salary into their own existing trade exception (their Johnny Davis trade exception) and Wesley’s salary into either their BAE or non tax MLE.

[poopbox]

Yes, I agree. We need a change. I don't want to see the Spurs lose Caste or Harper, or even De'Aaron really.

So are the Spurs going to be able to keep Victor, Steph and Dylan if both Steph and Dylan become max players? If not, this is going to suck not being able to have a big three again after building the right way instead of trading/buying players like teams like the Lakers do.



I asked this question the other day, so you can take a traded player into the BAE. Interesting. I didn't know you could combine the BAE and MLE to create a trade exception, though. Did Washington still have their full MLE? Can you do the same if you have partial money left on the MLE to absorb a player into that?

The spurs can keep all 3 of Victor Steph and Harper if they are on max contracts. They just have to pay that money and be willing to possibly be a tax team.

Which is perfectly fine. It should be difficult and expensive to keep a championship team. The little Holts need to step up, be real owners, and pay what it cost to be winner. Every other team that competes for titles does.

And there is no "right way" to build. Recent data actually suggest that you are more likely to build a title contending team when your best players are not players you drafted.

[twodeep]

2025, and there are still NBA fans who think that European players have more to learn in the D-League than in a European professional league, even with low playing time...

Young players in Europe learn with short playing time in big teams or by gaining responsibilities in less prestigious clubs. Why? Because no one learns in an environment in which no one defends and where there is no game system but players who "develop".

Basketball is a team sport. Núñez is a collective player, like most Spanish players. His market value is linked to his game intelligence, his game vision. What would he “develop” in the D-League? And what for? His 3 points? Defenseless? He will learn much better in match conditions, with the intensity of ACB and Euroleague matches at a level a thousand times higher than the d-league. For a two-way? A two-way for a professionnal European player, seriously? How many drafted European players end up in the D-League? Very little. Because they develop much better, in competitive leagues and earning money. That’s what second-round drafts are for. When a good surprise arrives and a player is considered useful and efficient, he is offered to come to the NBA before he signs big contracts in Europe. No European player agrees to get lost in the d-league. We must put an end to this idea that the d-league is an incubator, it is above all a purgatory.

It is even likely that Núñez will not progress that much and that we will have to take him as he is. He is a precocious player, he played very early in the national team. If he is good, he will gain minutes. Sometimes it's just a matter of trust. Nadir Hifi also had the confidence of a coach who today is the head coach of an NBA team. He would have been drafted and his team would have sought to move him to the D-League.

Other drafted players were left in Europe to "develop" and that was the right option. As it always has been since... Manu Ginobili. "D-League" is not for "development", it's for "dead-end". And all European players know that.

More NBA teams need to start treating the G league like a minor league team in baseball yes you are going to work on your game but also it is about the team game and winning. That means if you don't play defense you may not hit the floor or have limited playing time. Lets see if the NBA ever figures that out

[tmtcsc]

Happy to see the Spurs move on from projects and bring in NBA proven players. Wesley & Branham may have roles in the NBA but its not here. I have no issue moving on from Sochan, Vassell & Keldon next. We know who they are. Let’s bring in some consistent, impactful talent. It’s time to win.

[Darkwaters]

Happy to see the Spurs move on from projects and bring in NBA proven players. Wesley & Branham may have roles in the NBA but its not here. I have no issue moving on from Sochan, Vassell & Keldon next. We know who they are. Let’s bring in some consistent, impactful talent. It’s time to win.

Well, if we're being totally honest, Carter Bryant is going to be something of a project. He's certainly not a turn-key NBA-ready stud day one.

[tmtcsc]

Well, if we're being totally honest, Carter Bryant is going to be something of a project. He's certainly not a turn-key NBA-ready stud day one.

Carter is an unproven, young player but has more upside than Branham and Wesley.

[Darkwaters]

Carter is an unproven, young player but has more upside than Branham and Wesley.

Undoubtedly true

[Mr. Body]

Carter is an unproven, young player but has more upside than Branham and Wesley.

At this point, yes. But we have to understand they were better college players than he was.

[Raven]

Carter is an unproven, young player but has more upside than Branham and Wesley.

does he?

[tmtcsc]

does he?

Yes