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you forgot the most famous one: "keep pounding the rock"
Meaning if it doesn't work, just keep trying the dumb you been doing.
Keldon is prime evidence that holding on for too long can be a big issue. At one point he was a 20 ppg starter and Draymond Green was saying he'd be a future All Star. He almost certainly would've brought a worthwhile return at that point, but that shipped has sailed. Now he's viewed as a low impact bench player. I think sometimes the Spurs get lost in generic statements like "you have to take all of the steps" or "there are no shortcuts," which are often just unintended code for "we're very cautious by nature." I mean, trading for an impact player, underrated guy, or a high draft pick IS a shortcut to team building, and maybe another generic statement the Spurs should embrace equally is something like "strike while the iron is hot" or "there's no time like the present." They lost out on a return for Aldridge and waited too long (imo) on DeRozan, so I think it's a legit concern. I'm not as high on Fox as many here, but I'm glad they made that move, even if he's eventually just a stepping stone to an eventual playoff level team.
you forgot the most famous one: "keep pounding the rock"
Meaning if it doesn't work, just keep trying the dumb you been doing.
I am fine at this point just having Keldon be a starting player for the second unit as he is on a good contract and he seems to still care and compete hard. The player who we really need to look at is Vassell as he is getting starting level money and at this point I would not even want him in the 6th man role. If his play is because of his foot surgery then I would have to seriously think of drafting a SG in the next draft.
As far as need:
1st. Starting SF
2nd. Big Man PF
3rd. Sixth man SG
4th. Backup Center
5th. Backup PG
Wonder what his before/after USG% is. I’ll bet it skyrocketed.
21.0 for the season, 21.0 for the last 5 games. It’s not his USG that’s up, it’s his efficiency. 78.6% TS% over the last 5 games compared to 57% for the season.
We should be featuring Keldon as much as possible to up his trade value.
I don't see where he'd be successful as a no 3, no D wing in this league that prioritizes both. He's one of the prime parts of the roster that needs to be churned.
In theory he’s a good change of pace guy off the bench in the mold of Bonzi Wells. That dude would come in and beat up on second units with his physicality. A team like Miami or New York could value.
IDK Bonzi had a skillset tailor made for an era everyone played through the post where he was devastating, while Keldon seems to have the exact opposite skillset vs what is valuable in today's NBA.
Works both ways though… featuring Keldon has the possibility of further lessening his trade value. Though he and Dev seem to have a back for performing once the games no longer matter
Should they trade Castle for a legit star? Holding out on the DJ trade is what kick started the rebuild and holding out on Jakob reinforced it. Sometime it works, sometimes it doesn't. Waited too long for Derozan is what the Fox is trade is rooted from that sign and trade with CHI a few years back.
Last edited by rankingtear; 03-01-2025 at 08:58 PM.
It feels like he is playing PF a lot in small lineups. Seems like that's where his heart is - near the rim, slamming into people, occasionally stretching the floor with an open 3. Just my uninformed eyeball assessment.
I put Keldon ceiling with a good team is to be a 20mpg bench player. I wouldn't call that "successful" but he could be an useful rotation player.
Offensively, his best setup is to be the 2nd/3rd offensive option and to be surrounded with enough outside shooting. For example, he is fine offensively in a Fox/Vassell/Keldon/Barnes/"Defensive minded C" lineup. When Spurs main players are all on the court (Fox, Castle and Wembanyama), Keldon is an atrocious fit with them.
And I agree with you, it's tough to make a player like Keldon work in today's nba.
Keldon Johnson Makes Spurs History vs Clippers
The San Antonio Spurs aren't likely to create more chaos in the Western Conference Tuesday night against the LA Clippers, but they did witness another milestone.
Keldon Johnson, still logging minutes from the bench, became the highest-scoring Spur in the second unit in a single season, passing Manu Ginóbili. He's logged 928 points in 74 games played.
The entire list is as follows:
1. Keldon Johnson - 928 (this season)
2. Manu Ginóbili - 927 (2007-08)
3. Dave Corzine - 857 (1980-81)
4. Chuck Person - 845 (1994-95)
5. Marco Belinelli - 820 (2018-18)
Darn, what do you think the Spurs are going to do with that stat? Try and keep him, or still look to trade him hoping he has higher value?
was Manu injured for most of that season ?
Darn man, Keldon is such a nice guy, but I'm not sure I want him on the team anymore. If only he had Manu's basketball smarts and decision making on the court, he'd be worth keeping around. His decision making feels like a Westbrook lite.
Manu never logged huge minutes on a tanking team and the game is faster pace now and higher scoring overall. I can't imagine the difference in team results if we had prime Manu instead of Keldon this year.
Manu started 23 games that season.
“If only he was more like the greatest 6th man in NBA history”
People’s expectations for any player post big three era are so damn out of whack and unrealistic it’s ridiculous.
Well, maybe I don't expect him to have Manu's BBIQ (I probably shouldn't have used Manu as the example), but the Spurs are looking to be a Championship level team. Can you trust his decision making in Championship level games? I'm just not sure, as he seems very Westbrook like at times (not as bad) with the decisions he makes on the court.
Great game from Keldon last night, though.
Keldon seems to be flourishing in his solidified bench role. The sooner he understands that embracing this role is how he will maximize his value to the Spurs the sooner he can ensure his tenure on the squad. He's a glue guy. He gets along with everyone and seems to care enough. If Wemby, Fox, Castle are the future stars on the Spurs you will still need guys like Keldon to make deep playoff runs. I know it would help his case if he could further refine his 3 point shooting accuracy - but honestly the mechanics are there, mentally he is in a better spot and that's when they seem to drop for him.
Since Wemby went out Keldon has been rock solid off the bench. He punishes the other team and imposes his will with his relentless drives to the basket. If you watch the games, it was him or Castle when we needed to just bully our way to the basket to try and draw a foul or and one. Other teams, I can assure you, have to account for KJ. Other teams would like to acquire KJ.
I made the mistake of wanting Derrick White gone because of too low a 3PT shooting percentage. Lo and behold, he gets on a better team and the looks are more open and he's deadeye from three. Not saying KJ is going to shoot at that level, but he only needs to come up a little and we have one of the more formidable bench scorers in the league.
Though he has no midrange game, otherwise he has a little bit of Charles Barkley (lite) in him. I like KJ and think he has solidified his place on the team and role. Much more so than Vassell did down the stretch consistently. If KJ does get traded, it is only because he was a valuable trade chip on a deal too good for us to pass up.
Yes trade Vassell definitely . Trade Keldon only if there is a much better player wants to sign with Spurs, like Naz Reid.
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