The San Antonio Spurs have been linked to some of the best players in NBA trade rumors, although there is one overlooked issue with any offer they could make.
The San Antonio Spurs have been linked to almost every player on the NBA trade block, although the two that stand out are Trey Murphy III and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Both the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks would expect a pick-laden trade package for their best players, although the Spurs have the draft capital to get a deal done.
They also have the means to match salary, provided they are willing to part with either Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, or Kelly Olynyk.
However, all of those players hold a valuable role in San Antonio. Vassell spaces the floor. Jophnson is the heart and soul. Barnes is the veteran presence and clutch shooter.
Maybe the Spurs would be eager to part with some of those players to add a star, although it's more within their interests to part with their draft picks instead. After all, how many more young players do they need?
However, as the Spurs improve, their draft capital's value decreases. Does anyone want a San Antonio pick in 2029? By then, Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle will all be entering their prime. It's not the elite asset it may have been three years ago.
That presents a problem. What assets are both worth anything to a suitor and easy for the Spurs to part with?
Suddenly, a blockbuster player like Giannis seems out of reach, although Murphy III could still be on the table, provided the Spurs are willing to overpay.
"If there's a way to engineer it, where it's a more picks-oriented return for New Orleans, if that's enough to dangle in front of them, the problem, as you'd mentioned earlier in some of the trade conversations with the Spurs, is those picks going to be valuable?" asked The Ringer's Rob Mahoney. "Like, are San Antonio's own draft assets actually that enticing to teams anymore? I would think you would have to hesitate if you're a team like the Pelicans."
New Orleans traded away its 2026 first-round pick, so getting any draft capital back is a priority. Murphy III would fit in very well with the current roster, although the Spurs have been warned not to make too many drastic changes to add just a singular star.