The San Antonio Spurs have been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo, although a recent report suggests that they won't make a competitive offer.
The San Antonio Spurs have been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent days, and for good reason. Not only do they have a win-now core dominated by Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, but they are one of the few teams that can make an offer good enough to land the Greek Freak.
The only hangup? The Spurs might not want to mortgage their future for a star, even one as good as Antetokounmpo.
Matching salary isn't an issue. Between Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Kelly Olynyk, the Spurs could balance the books. They also have draft capital they could part with, sweetening the pot.
Fans, of course, don't want to see the Spurs part with Dylan Harper, seemingly ready for Stephon Castle to move on, provided San Antonio gets an elite return.
It turns out the Spurs are content to stay the course.
If the Spurs are unwilling to part with either Castle or Harper, how would they land Giannis? The Spurs extended Fox to a maximum deal after Harper was drafted, so it's hard to imagine them agreeing to move on from him after only half a season, especially as he's stepped into a leadership role.
Maybe the Spurs think that if Antetokounmpo demands a trade instead of just swapping petty blows with his team, they can weasel their way in without giving up a premier package.
Of course, the simplier truth is that the Spurs don't feel like they need to add a superstar.
They are 7-2 this season without Wembanyama. Clearly, they can stay afloat even without one of the best players in the NBA. It's much more realistic that the Spurs will wait for Wembanyama to get healthy and for their schedule to heat up before they make any definitive evaluations.
As Wemby remains out, the Spurs are playing with house money. No one expected them to be this good, especially not without their best player. There's no reason to make a rash move.
Instead, the Spurs are expected to stay the course. For now, it doesn't seem that Antetokounmpo is going anywhere. Without a rush, the Spurs can just keep winning games with their current lineups, and will win even more once they finally get fully healthy for the first time since before the trade that got them Fox last February.
Keep in mind, a fully uninjured Wembanyama and Fox are yet to share the floor. Once they do, the Spurs will be even scarier than they are now.