Players with multiple years but all end in the 2023 offseason.
1) Kevin Love
2) Andrew Wiggins
3) Danilo Gallinari
4) Bogdan Bogdonovich
5) Harrison Barnes (2022 - Team USA)
There are many trades that can be thought up for the Spurs with these players. If the Spurs are worried about salary bleeding into their plans in the offseason, they are looking to bid on someone. Of all the FA this upcoming offseason, the two players that fit the Spurs biggest need at PF are Lauri Markkanen and John Collins.
If you trade for Wiggins with LMA, will the contract keep the Spurs from bidding on Markkanen or Collins, because Wiggins is a more expensive lateral move than keeping DeRozen. Plus you have KJ already. And if you add a pick or Wiseman, for argument sake, they are too young to be major help on POP's time frame. He'll move past Don Nelson next year, and don't think Pop doesn't know that.
You could trade for Collins with Atlanta but you'll be using DeRozen to do it, not LMA, and would be taking Bogdan to help make the money work. Here's the rub. Do you put DeRozen through this trade to a town he may not want to go to, right after he buries his dad. You could say it's a business, suck it up. But if DeRozen went after Toronto FO for the trade to the Spurs, what is he going to do to Pop and the Spurs on his way out under those cir stances? And is Collins werth that to the Spurs??
My opinion, the Spurs have a big bullseye target on Lauri Markkanen in the offseason. They don't want to jeopardize their cap space because between Collins and Markkanen, Atlanta would match Collins and trade Bogdan away to help the roster. The Bulls on the other hand, thanks to the play of Thad Young, drafting Pat Williams, and gearing toward Lavine's next contract, won't match Markkanen if the Spurs overpay a bit for him. He can start with Jakob and play 5 with Samanic on the floor. Is he a China doll, yes!! But he's played in this league, and would fill a major hole in the SL. Plus I think the Spurs tried to trade Aldridge to get in the top 10 in a draft after Aldridge requested a trade, preferably in the top 5 and couldn't. Markkanen was chosen 7th in that draft by Timberwolves and packaged with Lavine to Chicago. I think Markkanen has been a target for Pop for a while and the FO doesn't want to extend itself with a trade now and in the end LMA and DeRozen will walk. LMA now, because he's an ass. DeRozen later so he can choose where he gets his last contract.
Windhorst mentioned the deals being offered. There is interest, so the Spurs FO has choices. LMA is most likely GS, but is Wiggins, Wiseman, and a pick werth more than what Markkanen can do for you at the 4, is less expensive, would mesh with Jakob and Samanic, and has experience in this league. Or trade DeRozen to Atlanta for Collins, and deal with the fallout. If DeRozen is back before the trade deadline, the Atlanta deal is dead. If LMA walks, Markkanen is the target in the offseason. But those salaries are the only ones that would fit LMA or DeRozen salary wise and end in 2023.