Our Spurs should trade the farm for Giannis!

[LeBowen]

What about possibly trading Fox/Castle/Keldon (plus a couple picks, say 2025 #14 + SA28 w/BOS swap) to the Bucks for Giannis? Since the Bucks don't control their own draft picks for the next 7 years they wouldn't be interested in tearing everything down. This would allow the Spurs to field a Harper/Vassell/Barnes/Giannis/Wemby lineup, which should have sufficient shooting and allows Harper to play to his strengths.

I would be shocked if this actually happened because it would totally be against the Spurs MO, giving up on Fox and Castle so soon after acquiring them, but when a top 3 player becomes available strange things can happen. It's at least an interesting idea.

Fox would be worthless in that trade since he'll be on an expiring contract and wouldn't extend.
The only way Fox gets traded is if he ends up on a legit contender, which won't happen.

[RC_Drunkford]

the problem with a Giannis trade is that our roster would be 6 players deep. The rest we add is a bunch of scrubs. We'd have that for 2 seasons and then by 2027 we'd be in cap with 3 max contracts on the books and Castle due for extension the season after. At that point we'd then have to trade Fox. Furthermore we would not have any picks to trade until 2030. So yeah, I'm not doing that. Too big of a chance to shoot yourself in the foot and end up in the same situation the Bucks are in right now.

I'd much rather add Harper, have him, Fox, Castle and Wemby on the team. Am able to add high level forwards around them and can trade Fox once Harper is due for an extension for new role players while I still have all my picks with swaps attached. If one of them gets you another prospect who can develop into an All-Star you have a decade long le window.

Playing the long game should get us a lot more chips. Adding Giannis would give us 2 back to back championships max, if we even get there and then we'd flame out and would look like the Lakers right now.

[LeBowen]

The only win now offseason that would be feasible without ruining our future is getting Murphy+Herb from the Pelicans.

#2, #14, 3 NOP SRPs returned, Devin, Jeremy, Branham for #7, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones
#7, Keldon, Barnes for John Collins, Walker Kessler
Bring back CP3 on a minimum deal or get another veteran PG.
Bring back Mamu or a similar bench PF on a minimum deal.

Fox/CP3
Castle/Herb
Murphy/Champagnie
Collins/Mamu
Wemby/Kessler

Castle to run the second unit with CP3 as emergency backup.
Wemby/Collins/Kessler 3 man big rotation, any pairing works.
Three wing shooters, one can slide to PF against benches with no size.

Castle would be the second worst shooter after Kessler in that rotation.

[pookenstein]

the problem with a Giannis trade is that our roster would be 6 players deep. The rest we add is a bunch of scrubs. We'd have that for 2 seasons and then by 2027 we'd be in cap with 3 max contracts on the books and Castle due for extension the season after. At that point we'd then have to trade Fox. Furthermore we would not have any picks to trade until 2030. So yeah, I'm not doing that. Too big of a chance to shoot yourself in the foot and end up in the same situation the Bucks are in right now.

I'd much rather add Harper, have him, Fox, Castle and Wemby on the team. Am able to add high level forwards around them and can trade Fox once Harper is due for an extension for new role players while I still have all my picks with swaps attached. If one of them gets you another prospect who can develop into an All-Star you have a decade long le window.

Playing the long game should get us a lot more chips. Adding Giannis would give us 2 back to back championships max, if we even get there and then we'd flame out and would look like the Lakers right now.

But don't you think winning one or two chips with Giannis would be very benefcial in securing/keeping Wemby in SA long term? And let's say we get two les out of a Giannis/Wemby pairing, after Giannis leaves/retires we'd have Wemby who knows how to win. Don't you think (star)players would want to come to the Spurs and chase rings? Also, maybe Wemby might grow in Giannias shadow, by not having to carry the franchise by himself.

[CGD]

Let’s take a different approach to this: what do we think Houston’s best offer is assuming they won’t add Amen.

[scottspurs]

Let’s take a different approach to this: what do we think Houston’s best offer is assuming they won’t add Amen.

The Rockets offer will be Sengun, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Reid Sheppard

5 1st round picks
4/5 pick swaps.

This is why I’m out on any Giannis Trade. Once the bidding begins it’s going to be something unlike we have ever seen. Otherwise the Bucks would just keep him. Now next offseason or the trade deadline? The price goes down. That’s when it could get interesting.

[CGD]

The Rockets offer will be Sengun, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Reid Sheppard

5 1st round picks
4/5 pick swaps.

This is why I’m out on any Giannis Trade. Once the bidding begins it’s going to be something unlike we have ever seen. Otherwise the Bucks would just keep him. Now next offseason or the trade deadline? The price goes down. That’s when it could get interesting.

Hmm, if im Milwaukee I’m not sure I really want Green. Im also not sure how they view Sengun tbh — is he really a foundational piece? And then, how do they make the salaries work without also sending out their only point guard?

Basically, Houston only really has to beat us out. I do think us getting #2 forces a conundrum for them re Amen. If he’s on the table after all, I also want nothing of that trade war.

[RC_Drunkford]

But don't you think winning one or two chips with Giannis would be very benefcial in securing/keeping Wemby in SA long term? And let's say we get two les out of a Giannis/Wemby pairing, after Giannis leaves/retires we'd have Wemby who knows how to win. Don't you think (star)players would want to come to the Spurs and chase rings? Also, maybe Wemby might grow in Giannias shadow, by not having to carry the franchise by himself.

or Wemby is in the same spot Giannis is right now and knows he can't win with a Spurs team that has no cap space and next to no draft picks to trade?

Star players can want to come here, but if we don't have draft picks nor contracts to match salaries, nobody will come to the Spurs, because we won't be able to trade for them. And if we do, we'd be in the same spot we were when we traded for Giannis, if not worse. Where we have Wemby and 1 All-Star with a bunch of scrubs on minimum deals.

[scott]

I'm probably 75-25% in favor of picking and keeping Harper.
I'd like some of the Giannis fans to make an in-depth post about how would they build the roster around him and Wemby.

My best offer would be:
Castle or Harper, not both. Including both would be too crippling for our roster.
Devin
Keldon
Jeremy
'25 #14
'27 ATL
'29 SAS
And a bunch of SRPs because Bucks have just 2 between now and 2032.

Post-trade rotation:
Fox/?
Castle/?
Barnes/Champagnie
Giannis/?
Wemby/?

Around $8M cap space left and MLE available.
Wesley, Branham still on the roster, $9.6M combined.

Leftover FRPs:
'26 SAS/ATL
'28 SAS/BOS
'30 SAS/DAL/MIN
'31 SAS/SAC
With '31 being the only tradeable FRP outright since '25, '27, '29 would be gone.

With backup PG, backup C and one more 3-D perimeter player needed.

I like how you called this out.

The Vecenie article laying out how a Fox/Wemby/Giannis would look makes a very compelling case... but as you point out here we would have zero depth and a depleted set of assets to which to add depth over time.

I don't like it... we've seen these strong core lineups with no depth really struggle.

[scott]

The only win now offseason that would be feasible without ruining our future is getting Murphy+Herb from the Pelicans.

#2, #14, 3 NOP SRPs returned, Devin, Jeremy, Branham for #7, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones
#7, Keldon, Barnes for John Collins, Walker Kessler
Bring back CP3 on a minimum deal or get another veteran PG.
Bring back Mamu or a similar bench PF on a minimum deal.

Fox/CP3
Castle/Herb
Murphy/Champagnie
Collins/Mamu
Wemby/Kessler

Castle to run the second unit with CP3 as emergency backup.
Wemby/Collins/Kessler 3 man big rotation, any pairing works.
Three wing shooters, one can slide to PF against benches with no size.

Castle would be the second worst shooter after Kessler in that rotation.

I've thought about this a little more and I don't think you need to be quite as aggressive to get TMIII/Herb and I wouldn't do the Utah trade.

Deal with NOP would have to be dependent on Tre or Kon being there at 7 (so it happens after pick 7, not before the draft).

Spurs send: Harper, Vassell, Keldon
NOP sends: Kon (let's say Kon because Tre seems unlikely), TMIII, Herb

Say the Spurs take Yaxel or Fleming at 14.

Bring back CP3 like you said. Sign Adams or Kornet. Resign Mamu.

Fox/CP3
Castle/Kon
TMIII/Champ
Herb/Barnes/Yaxel
Wemby/Adams/Mamu

It's a smaller lineup than yours with Collins, but TMIII and Herb have the size to play the modern 3/4.

Your lineup and mine are very different but I like them both for different reasons.

[scott]

The Rockets offer will be Sengun, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Reid Sheppard

5 1st round picks
4/5 pick swaps.

This is why I’m out on any Giannis Trade. Once the bidding begins it’s going to be something unlike we have ever seen. Otherwise the Bucks would just keep him. Now next offseason or the trade deadline? The price goes down. That’s when it could get interesting.

The good news, in my opinion, for those of us who don't want to pay a hefty price for Giannis is that someone like HOU can and likely will easily up the price to this level and this isn't the stakes of poker Brian Wright likes to play at and he'll quickly peace out from the negotiations.

This isn't even a criticism, but our FO isn't the one who is going to play this kind of high stakes poker. And I think that conservative approach has largely served them well and will continue to do so.

[Atl Spur]

Let’s not forget we still have the big joker ( Wemby )! If Houston does that, it will be perfect!

[mo7888]

The good news, in my opinion, for those of us who don't want to pay a hefty price for Giannis is that someone like HOU can and likely will easily up the price to this level and this isn't the stakes of poker Brian Wright likes to play at and he'll quickly peace out from the negotiations.

This isn't even a criticism, but our FO isn't the one who is going to play this kind of high stakes poker. And I think that conservative approach has largely served them well and will continue to do so.

Agreed, but our FO should put out a good offer so Milwaukee has leverage to fleece Houston.

[exstatic]

Hmm, if im Milwaukee I’m not sure I really want Green. Im also not sure how they view Sengun tbh — is he really a foundational piece? And then, how do they make the salaries work without also sending out their only point guard?

Basically, Houston only really has to beat us out. I do think us getting #2 forces a conundrum for them re Amen. If he’s on the table after all, I also want nothing of that trade war.

The players are for salary purposes. The picks and swaps are why they make the deal.

[Davidicus]

the problem with a Giannis trade is that our roster would be 6 players deep. The rest we add is a bunch of scrubs. We'd have that for 2 seasons and then by 2027 we'd be in cap with 3 max contracts on the books and Castle due for extension the season after. At that point we'd then have to trade Fox. Furthermore we would not have any picks to trade until 2030. So yeah, I'm not doing that. Too big of a chance to shoot yourself in the foot and end up in the same situation the Bucks are in right now.

I'd much rather add Harper, have him, Fox, Castle and Wemby on the team. Am able to add high level forwards around them and can trade Fox once Harper is due for an extension for new role players while I still have all my picks with swaps attached. If one of them gets you another prospect who can develop into an All-Star you have a decade long le window.

Playing the long game should get us a lot more chips. Adding Giannis would give us 2 back to back championships max, if we even get there and then we'd flame out and would look like the Lakers right now.

This. There’s a cost to acquire Giannis, and then there’s a cost to have Giannis on the team. The internet and ESPN are all talking about cost to acquire, but not diving into the cost to keep him on the team. Cap-wise, gameplan wise, and what happens in a few years when he’s past his prime.

Only way I’m pro Giannis is if the market for him bottoms out and no other teams line up for him, and he still wants out of MIL. So the cost to acquire is extremely low. I’m talking we still keep #2 pick and Castle. Which of course isn’t going to happen.

[rankingtear]

I've thought about this a little more and I don't think you need to be quite as aggressive to get TMIII/Herb and I wouldn't do the Utah trade.

Deal with NOP would have to be dependent on Tre or Kon being there at 7 (so it happens after pick 7, not before the draft).

Spurs send: Harper, Vassell, Keldon
NOP sends: Kon (let's say Kon because Tre seems unlikely), TMIII, Herb

Say the Spurs take Yaxel or Fleming at 14.

Bring back CP3 like you said. Sign Adams or Kornet. Resign Mamu.

Fox/CP3
Castle/Kon
TMIII/Champ
Herb/Barnes/Yaxel
Wemby/Adams/Mamu

It's a smaller lineup than yours with Collins, but TMIII and Herb have the size to play the modern 3/4.

Your lineup and mine are very different but I like them both for different reasons.

That is easily the skinniest starting lineup in the league for the last 20 years.

[Pauleta14]

Checking if the hype went down a it, but it's the opposite I see...

Trading for Giannis this summer is STUPID AF

Not only we're not in a win now mode with the pressure and expectations that comes with it, Wemby has to come back from a long hiatus, cp3 will prob retire, we don't have a starting 3 or 4 and Castle will discover the full time PG job in a usually difficult sop re season and don't forget who's our coach...

Then you have Giannis who's going to be 30 with a game based on his athleticism and not finesse that would help him save his body and last longer, meaning we'd pay an insane price for a very short term production and very high risk of injury.

Oh... also the guy can't shoot so forget the in/out game with Wemby, meaning Victor will become a full time perimeter player smh

nd lmao at those ready to give up Castle in a heart beat...

[spurraider21]

i dont like sending 2 for murphy/herb. if it was 3/4 id be all for that. if we really see harper as a cade-tier prospect it would be really bad to let that go for good not great players.

edit: brainfarted and kind of forgot about geting 7 back as well while keeping 14

thats a tough one tbh, which probably means its fair. Trey just plays the game so well. he's able to put up points in bunches without pounding the air out of the ball like devin. he knows how to play that off-ball demon role while actually having legit forward size/length. vassel is a good sized SG who can masquerade as a 3 but it somewhat miscast. but more importantly, he just doesnt have the same off-ball play.

[scott]

i dont like sending 2 for murphy/herb. if it was 3/4 id be all for that. if we really see harper as a cade-tier prospect it would be really bad to let that go for good not great players.

edit: brainfarted and kind of forgot about geting 7 back as well while keeping 14

thats a tough one tbh, which probably means its fair. Trey just plays the game so well. he's able to put up points in bunches without pounding the air out of the ball like devin. he knows how to play that off-ball demon role while actually having legit forward size/length. vassel is a good sized SG who can masquerade as a 3 but it somewhat miscast. but more importantly, he just doesnt have the same off-ball play.

Yeah, 2 for 7 and Trey/Herb is what makes it a tough call for me... NOP might actually say no anyway... I think it's pretty close value wise but I think I just stick with Harper for the reasons you outlined.

[Chillen]

The Rockets offer will be Sengun, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore, Reid Sheppard

5 1st round picks
4/5 pick swaps.

This is why I’m out on any Giannis Trade. Once the bidding begins it’s going to be something unlike we have ever seen. Otherwise the Bucks would just keep him. Now next offseason or the trade deadline? The price goes down. That’s when it could get interesting.

If the Rockets are crazy enough to offer that I don't think they will get a better deal than that for Giannis. Than the Bucks can look to move Lillard. Spurs would have to up their offer.

[ismael-robert]

The Spurs already made clear they want to form another dynasty, not win now or just win for a couple years. Can't believe yall have fluffed bigsacks thread for 17pgs n he ain't even here anymore keeping his own dumb thread going

[tbdog]

Durant is still a good option at a cheaper price, and a cleaner fit.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I'm probably 75-25% in favor of picking and keeping Harper.
I'd like some of the Giannis fans to make an in-depth post about how would they build the roster around him and Wemby.

My best offer would be:
Castle or Harper, not both. Including both would be too crippling for our roster.
Devin
Keldon
Jeremy
'25 #14
'27 ATL
'29 SAS
And a bunch of SRPs because Bucks have just 2 between now and 2032.

Post-trade rotation:
Fox/?
Castle/?
Barnes/Champagnie
Giannis/?
Wemby/?

Around $8M cap space left and MLE available.
Wesley, Branham still on the roster, $9.6M combined.

Leftover FRPs:
'26 SAS/ATL
'28 SAS/BOS
'30 SAS/DAL/MIN
'31 SAS/SAC
With '31 being the only tradeable FRP outright since '25, '27, '29 would be gone.

With backup PG, backup C and one more 3-D perimeter player needed.

I'm going to have a go. Not because I'm all in on Giannis but for exercise's sake. If the Spurs can get Giannis for only one of Harper/Castle + future picks + contracts then you can argue this is the smart way to go, so let's see what they'd have.

So after your proposed trade the Spurs would have 8 players on the books - Wemby, Giannis, Fox, Barnes, Castle, Branham, Wesley, Champ. I'll assume they're going to operate over the cap, they can't use cap space and the MLE, it's either or. So what they'll have are the non-taxpayer MLE ($14.1) and BAE ($5.1), plus vet mins and non-bird rights on Chris Paul.

After this trade the Spurs will be hard capped at the first apron (~$196 mil) and they'll have plenty of room to operate below it. Spurs give NAW the MLE, Brook Lopez gets the BAE and Chris Paul is re-signed using non-bird. Then they'll have to make some smart vet min signings and possibly work on the margins with Wesley's and Branham's contracts.

Fox/Paul(non-bird)
Castle/Burks(vet min)
NAW(MLE)/Champ
Giannis/Barnes
Wemby/Lopez(BAE)

Not great, not terrible.

This team would be below the luxury tax line as well, so they'll have some flexibility left. Shooting will be a big issue, to be sure.

I'm on the fence on going all in vs building organically around Wemby, Castle and Harper. I certainly wouldn't do #2 and Castle for Giannis, unless they have another major move with future draft picks, but at the end of the day the NBA is a superstar's league and 3 good players don't equal a star, so I can be convinced either way. Just want this team to be good and I fully expect that, with the way the CBA is, roster construction will be different compared to the past, contending windows will be shorter and there'll be more player movement. I'd expect 3 separate 3 year windows in Wemby's time vs one 10 year window, so the timeline talk is sort of useless. However, this approach means they can't exhaust all of their future picks at a time and be left with nothing to open championship windows in the future. Tough job, the GM one.

[Spurs Brazil]

[mystargtr34]

Giannis is asking for a trade imo.