Open Thread: Add Marcus Morris to the long list of players who never suited up inSilver & Black

Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

Building a team from the ground up isn’t as simple as it seems.

The Spurs have certainly been making moves over these last few years. It makes sense to trade players with value for draft assets as they begun the long process of a full rebuild.

From time to time, PATFO would pick up a player and immediately buy out their contract or flat out waive them having guys like me who do not understand the nuance of taking on a player’s salary for a future second-round draft pick. But that is why they do what they do.

Marcus Morris agreed to a buyout after being traded from Philadelphia to Indiana, then to San Antonio in a three team deal that sent Doug McDermott to Indiana, Buddy Hield to Philly, and Furkan Korkmaz to the Pacers before being waived.

But he is not the only one. Here are a few more names that may sound familiar, though you never saw them in a Spurs uniform.

Marquese Chriss

On March 25, 2021, Chriss was traded along with cash considerations to the Spurs in exchange for the draft rights to Cady Lalanne. Chriss was waived by the Spurs three days later.

Al-Farouq Aminu

Technically, Aminu did suit up, but never made it to the regular season. He, along with Thaddeus Young and several draft picks were traded to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for DeMar DeRozan. On October 18, Aminu was waived after appearing in one pre-season game.

Goran Dragic

Dragić was originally draft by the Spurs in 2008 in the second round, but his draft rights were traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for cash considerations in addition to the draft rights to Malik Hairston.

On 10 February 2022, Dragić and the 2022 first-round pick (that became Malaki Branham) were traded to the Spurs for Drew Eubanks, Thaddeus Young and a 2022 second-round pick (Christian Koloko). He and the Spurs agreed to a contract buyout five days later.

Danilo Gallinari

On 30 June 2022, Gallinari was traded, alongside multiple future first-round picks, to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Dejounte Murray and Jock Landale. On 8 July, Gallinari was waived by the Spurs.

Noah Vonleh

On January 5, 2023, Vonleh was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for draft consideration. The Spurs then waived Vonleh later that day.

Dewayne Dedmon

True, Dedmon actually played for the Spurs. But on February 7, 2023, Dedmon was traded with a 2028 second-round pick, to the Spurs for cash considerations. This time, he did not suit up and instead was waived two days later.

Khem Birch

Another player with a photo op. On February 9, 2023, Birch was traded, alongside a 2024 first-round pick and two future second-round picks, to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Jakob Poeltl. He came to San Antonio injured and did not appear in a single game for the team, and was waived prior to the start of the following season.

Have you heard of Leonard Miller?

He was drafted by the Spurs last year along with Sidy Cissoko and this Wemby fella. Apparently, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded future second-round picks in return for him. He’w now in the G-League.

Cameron Payne

On July 17, 2023, the Suns traded Payne, a 2025 second-round pick, and cash considerations to San Antonio for a protected second-round pick in 2024. From his social media, it was obvious he wasn’t too excited about the move and had no plans to stay. He must have been aware as he was on September 11.

Can you imagine what a different team we could have right now with Morris, Payne, Gallinari, or Vonleh in the line-up?

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