Have you been there? The San Antonio Spurs have two players in the top 10 in the most uncertain draft since 2013. Everyone has an opinion on who they should pick, but no one knows who to trust. You watch endless highlight tapes trying to decide which prospects would look best in the Silver and Black, only to end up less sure of who to pick than you were before you started.
Worry no more. We've assembled a panel of draft experts who've done the research for you. They've watched the footage, looked at the data, talked to scouts, and created their draft boards. We asked them what they would do if they were in the Spurs front office and which prospects Spurs fans should be watching on draft night.
YouTuber and Sportskeeda writer Ben Pfeiffer, No Ceilings co-founder and writer Tyler Rucker, former D1 basketball player and Game Theory Podcast co-host Bryce Simon, and Spurs draft expert and Silver and Black Coffee Hour co-host Evan Townsend all offered their opinions on the Spurs draft.
If you were in the Spurs front office, would you draft the best player available at No. 4 and No. 8, or would you look for the best fit next to Victor Wembanyama?
Ben Pfeiffer: It may be difficult in this draft, but I think the Spurs should move up or down. I really like the idea of maxing out Wenbanyama's rookie contract, and if they can get a star player with the 4th or 8th pick, I think it would be a good move.
Tyler Rucker: As NBA scouts and evaluators will always say, it's always about “fit” in the draft. With so many questions about the top picks this year, San Antonio is in a position to get value. At No. 4, you'd bet on upside. You don't want to pick that high anytime soon, so if you pick high, it pays to “gamble” a little. With the No. 8 pick, San Antonio might not have high upside, but they might get a player with a higher base by playing with Wembanyama and others.
Bryce Simon: With this class, you can really look at the fit. There are eight or nine guys that are basically in the same tier, so you can look at the fit and pick more in the draft. San Antonio always needs more shooting and floor spacing around Wenbanyama, and I'll look for that with one of the picks. In a mock draft I did recently, they got Zachary Lisacher and Rob Dillingham, two guys that can really shoot the ball.
Evan Townsend: If they can't trade for a starter-caliber player on a fair contract that fits their schedule, they have to go with the best player available.
Who among your top 10 prospects would you like to see play alongside Wenbayama?
lacquer: It won't be long before Spurs fans get excited about the idea of Dillingham or Reed Sheppard playing alongside “The Alien.” Despite their doubts, I believe both would be great puzzle pieces for the Spurs moving forward. I think the acquisition of Nikola Topic would be a great acquisition for the Spurs. He's 6'6″ tall and a talented playmaker with great feel. Adding some shooters around him, as well as Wenbanyama, would be a dangerous combination to build on going forward, with size and playmaking upside.
Simon: Dillingham is a player I don't rate very highly, but I think San Antonio is an ideal landing spot for him because Wenbanyama will protect him defensively. He can shoot and spread the floor. He can handle the ball and attack. Anyone would make sense next to Wenbanyama, but Dillingham is a special player who should do great in San Antonio.
Townsend: If I had to narrow it down, I'd pick Dillingham, Topic, Matas Buzelis, Sheppard, Donovan Clingan, and Dalton Knecht, in that order. I don't think the rest of the players will perform as well as they did with the Spurs. Some players are better with a championship contender, while others need a patient system with a staff to get the most out of them.
Pfeiffer: Wenbanyama is one of those rare players who fits well with everyone. I think they need a lead guard. My first priority is Dillingham. He is the best off-ball player among guards. He is a dynamic creator, has great handles, and is very creative and instinctive as a scorer. He is a great moving shooter who moves smart off-ball and can sprint for 3-pointers. He is good at everything that doesn't require a dedicated possession to be given to him. If you play with Wenbanyama, who is going to take the offensive possessions? That's the type of player you need.
Point guard is a big need for San Antonio, who do you think is the best long-term point guard in the draft?
Simon: I don't really rate Stephon Castle as a true point guard, especially as a lead guard. He might be a second unit point guard. I think Shepard is the same. I don't think he plays with the ball as much as a primary initiator. If you're looking for a lead guard, Topic is the primary initiator. He's good with the gaze and can also do the pick-and-roll. I think Dillingham can pass, but he's not the primary guy to play with the ball.
Townsend: Topic is the only true lead guard among the top four guards. He is a huge initiator who plays a great position and has a defined game. He is a walking paint touch. Shepard is a connector/defensive stopper type combo guard who will be an off-ball shooter and secondary playmaker. Dillingham is an interesting case. He is a Tyrese Maxey, Allen Iverson, and Jamal Murray build. Dillingham is a hybrid guard who can create more opportunities for himself than others, a true scoring guard. Castle is also not a true point guard. He is not a shooter or a scoring guard. He is more of a defensive-minded secondary playmaker. He is 6'6″ and can defend the 1-3. I don't know how the Spurs will use him, but I think he will play in their system right away.
Pfeiffer: I think Topic is a reasonable pick as he is an incredibly explosive player when healthy. His playmaking is also solid. I love Isaiah Collier and consider him a top 3 player in this class. His combination of upside and incredible explosiveness, strength, advantage creation and playmaking is too good to pass up. I wouldn't be worried about taking Shepard and Castle around 8th. They are players with low ceilings. Shepard especially doesn't have the size, defensive ability, athleticism or creation ability to get to a high level. Castle doesn't have the upside to create and the shooting.
lacquer: Point guard is definitely a million-dollar question for the Spurs. I'm in the camp that the Spurs should target a wing in this class while also looking to acquire a plug-and-play “veteran” floor general. It's always exciting to try to acquire a star point guard prospect, but it's the hardest position to adapt to in the NBA.
As far as guard prospects in the draft go, I'm still all in on Castle. He has the potential to be one of the best prospects in this class. Castle started out as a goalie in high school and tried a different role at UCONN because he wanted to be a “winner.” Castle entered the year as a dynamic, offensive-minded guard and has developed into one of the top defensive guards in this class with his multi-level scoring ability. We're talking about a dynamic, athletic guard who can impact the game on both ends of the court if he gets his chance (which I believe he will).
There are a lot of intriguing wingers in the top 10. Are there any in particular that would be a good fit for the Spurs?
Townsend: There aren't many of these wingers who are screaming that they should join the Spurs. Of these, Buzelis is my favorite. He needs to get stronger. He's a good team defender, but not a true lockdown player. He's big and athletic, can play multiple positions, and is sneakily athletic. His shooting form could use some work, but he'll be a three-level scorer. Lisacher needs to learn how to create his own chances. Unless he's a threat off the dribble, he needs to become a true three-and-defense sniper who can guard the other team's best player. I don't think that's going to happen.
Pfeiffer: My favorite Spurs wing is Ron Holland. Not only because he is the best wing in the draft, but because he has great defensive chemistry with Wenbanyama and Devin Vassell. They could strengthen the Spurs defense. I think he will thrive in San Antonio's transition attack. Wenbanyama's offensive momentum will create easy shot opportunities for Holland. He is also a great passer. Holland is probably the best passer of the wings in this draft. Lisacher will also be a great off-ball spacing wing.
lacquer: The sleeper that I think makes sense in most situations is Knecht. I think he's just a shooter, but he's a problem offensively. Knecht is dangerous when he has the ball in his hands and runs around looking for catch-and-shoot opportunities. Tennessee asked Knecht to do everything, but all Aggressively. Despite being older, the Knechte of A next level player. With all the attention on Wenbanyama, consider what he does without the ball.
Lisacher is one to watch. If you're looking for a wing with scoring ability, Lisacher probably won't be your favorite. But if you're looking for a wing with length, potential, room to spread the floor, and defensive awareness, Lisacher could be your guy. Buzelis and Holland will both be on the list at some point. Colorado freshman Cody Williams is one to watch. He was a great talent before his injury, and I'd pick him as a “swing” if I'm willing to be patient and wait for him to develop his game.
Simon: Lisacher is the best three-and-defensive wing in this class. He can play defense and has great length. I know his shooting hasn't been that great over the past month, but he's still just under 40%. His shooting percentages in over 50 games this season are a good indicator that he has the ability to make shots, especially as an 18-year-old playing in that league.
Then there's a guy like Knecht. He's an older prospect. You might think he shoots better than the other wings, but there are concerns about his defense. I don't know if Buzelis can shoot. He had a bad shooting season with the Ignite. Same for Holland. If you're looking for a three-and-defense wing, Lisacher is your best option.
Are there any potential talents in SA right now that aren't being talked about?
Simon: No specific player in mind, but I would like to suggest something: Spurs trade their No. 4 and No. 8 to acquire a No. 1 and pick Alex Sarr to pair with Wembanyama. It would be great to see the duo score goals in the future.
lacquer: Draft projections are going to be a little crazy this year. There are already a lot of names with a very wide range if you ask around the league. I think Jared McKane out of Duke and Devin Carter out of Providence could be big name “sleepers” to keep in mind. McKane might not have the best potential, but he's a great talent who knows how to play to win and can really make the shot. Devin Carter is a pit bull and had a great week at the combine.
Townsend: While I don't believe the Spurs should keep their two second-round picks, there are plenty of potential players who could thrive after a short stint in Austin and work their way into the rotation by the end of the season. Some notable names to look out for are Izan Almanza, Melvin Ajinca, Tyler Kollek and P.J. Hall.
Pfeiffer: Tijan Saloon. He's French, he's a promising young player and an interesting target. If you want to develop a player like that, he's a hidden talent you can acquire.
