The San Antonio Spurs could luck into a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and a recent mock has them select a high-level power forward.
The San Antonio Spurs are already one of the best teams in the NBA, and they have the assets to keep loading up.
With trade chips like Jeremy Sochan, Kelly Olynyk, and Harrison Barnes, as well as ample draft capital, the Spurs could land a win-now player and have been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lauri Markkanen, and Trey Murphy III, among others.
The Spurs clearly need to add consistent shooting and a viable, long-term power forward next to Victor Wembanyama. Sochan is clearly not the solution, and Carter Bryant is more of a defensive-minded wing than a true frontcourt player. Luckily, the Spurs have a pick swap with the Atlanta Hawks, and could solve their problem in the 2026 draft.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman recently predicted that the Spurs will add a bruising forward 12th overall.
Mock Draft Lands Spurs Karim Lopez
Karim Lopez is playing in New Zealand by way of Hermosillo, Mexico. He is averagiong 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the NBL, and is shooting a solid 36.4% from 3-point range.
Already, he can get downhill and push defenders out of the way. With a similar playstyle to Jalen Johnson, he could be an elite long-term frontcourt partner for Wembanyama and would benefit heavily by playing next to Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle.
While he is a decent 3-point shooter, he lacks the in-between game, and if he puts the ball on the floor, it's clear he plans on taking it all the way to the rack instead of pulling up for a midrange shot. However, on the plus side, his defense and handles are advanced for his age, and he could be a day-one starter for the Spurs, provided San Antonio surrounds him with ample weapons.
He is 6-9 and pushing 230 pounds, so he should be ready to embrace the physicality of the NBA right away, which is the main concern with young forwards. He has the tools to be an elite defender, although in New Zealand, he usually defends on-ball. Can he adjust to being a tertiary defender? On the Spurs, he would have to.
Only four Mexican-born players have ever made the NBA: Gustavo Ayón, Jorge Gutiérrez, Horacio Llamas, and Eduardo Nájera. Lopez is expected to be the best Mexican NBA player ever, and his fit in San Antonio on and off the court is apparent.