PTR Mailbag: Offseason Trade Scenarios
Well, lookie here, it’s the PTR Mailbag!
We’re back like Mack The Knife and ready to dig into some off-season conversation.
After an extended break, we thought it might be nice to fill some of the pre-free agency vacuum by chasing some wild hares, particularly when it comes to a very specific vein of trade conversation — De’Aaron Fox.
(For our non-Euro readers, Reynard the Fox is the hero of a series of adventure tales from the Middle Ages. You probably know him best from Disney’s animated Robin Hood from 1973, which used the anthropomorphic animals of the Reynard stories as a tribute to the late Walt Disney, who spent decades trying to find a way to adapt them for the screen)
Following San Antonio’s Finals loss (still feels to soon to type that), and an extended rough stretch while playing injured, the NBA world is a-twitter (pun intended) with ideas about how the Spurs should move on from Fox, in spite of the Spurs somewhat public declaration of support.
So, as far as this edition of the Mailbag is concerned, I’m going to be taking you through a bunch of those proposed trades (which a bunch of Spurs Twitter users were lovely enough to provide) and ranking them according to various scales of feasibility and fit.
As always, feel free to drop related (and unrelated) questions down below in the comments for use in future mailbags. If you have questions that didn’t get answered today, you can continue submitting it (and others) in the comments below, as we will absolutely be combing through them.
Additionally, you can also submit questions in the comments on our Twitter Mailbag posts, just as you would in the comments here. And of course, you can always DM me your question directly. (Please note that rhetorical questions and declarative statements are less likely to make the mailbag)
All right, now let’s get to it!
Extremely Unlikely/Borderline Insane (possible trolling)
Ok, I felt the need to embed the above tweet so that we all can see and understand that I told people that their ideas could be as outlandish as they were realistic.
Was this the right call? I have no idea. I do know that I spent an almost equal amount of time laughing and facepalming.
De’Aaron Fox + Keldon Johnson + three 2nd round picks (’26, ’29, ’30) for Giannis Antetokounmpo submitted by @ChiChiandPato
To be fair, this person admitted to a bit of pie-in-the-sky trolling, but this is obviously unrealistic for several reasons, chief among them being the complete lack of reported interest in the Alamo City on the part of both Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Front Office. The Spurs do have a solid combination of assets and salaries with which they could make an offer, but to do so for one guaranteed season of a soon-to-be 32-year-old who is pretty athleticism dependent is almost certainly a no-go for San Antonio, and Fox’s postseason swoon makes it even more unlikely that the Bucks will see him as a favorable asset (and that’s without considering Keldon’s postseason inconsistency). Much more likely the Bucks would want to make a demand for Dylan Harper, and I think we can all agree that that’s a no-go, even without considering shipping out the ’27 Atlanta, ’31 Sacramento, and/or the ’30 Minnesota swap.
Grade: -1/10 (Updated Grade -1,000/10, the Miami Heat had to gut their team for Giannis)
De’Aaron Fox for Ja Morant + Ty Jerome submitted by @flygodd22
The lack of picks here actually feels somewhat realistic, given Memphis’ reported desire to move on from Morant. However, San Antonio seems like one of the most unlikely destinations due to: 1. A pretty significant personal character conflict for the franchise, 2. Already possessing a high-floor + high-ceiling back-court of the future in Castle and Harper that would again become cramped with Morant, 3. No evidence that Morant would be willing to adapt his ego and/or playing style accordingly, 4. Bigger needs at other positions, 5. Visible decline and an injury history that suggests that Fox is still the better and more reliable option. If the Spurs front office is going to take a risk, it’s probably not going to be on another guard, and almost certainly not on someone who has consistently displayed the opposite of their preferred ‘over themselves’ ethos. You risk upsetting the chemistry of a Finals team, the possibility of adding an internal power-struggle between Morant and your unquestioned franchise pillar, more guard rotation issues, and the possibility of it all ending up dead money anyway due to injury/regression. And according to Sam Amick, the Grizzlies are hoping to dangle Morant as a ‘Plan B’ for teams that miss out on Giannis. In other words, Memphis is hoping to take advantage of a desperate sucker. That’s just not the Spurs. Nor should it be. Unless the Spurs could somehow get draft assets back (and a blood-oath on pain of self-immolation from Morant for best-behavior), I don’t see this happening.
Grade: Tree Fiddy
De’Aaron Fox to The Clippers + Kawhi Leonard to The Heat + Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jović to The Spurs submitted by @RomanSATX
Yep, it’s our first three-team trade, and I felt nauseous just typing it out. Ignoring the fact that no one really seems to know what the hell is going on with Leonard, The Clippers, and the theoretical consequences of their arboreal money-laundering scheme, there are still the issues of Wiggins being the wrong size forward, Jović being a milquetoast rim protector whose long-distance shot fell off a cliff, and neither player helping much with the rebounding issues. Add to the equation that the Heat are pretty Spursian in their ability to elevate and make use of role-players, and you basically get that Jović is a lesser version of Kornet who will be paid more than Kornet, for more years, and that Wiggins solves none of San Antonio’s issues at the 4 (though his contact will be expiring), and only increases the existing log-jam at the 3. And the Spurs get no picks. I would rather have someone give me a pedicure with a cheese grater than to have to watch a trade like this go down.
Grade: 1 chum bucket full of my disgust
De’Aaron Fox for Luka Dončić submitted by @HarperEasy2
I have almost no complaints about this trade other than some recently developing concerns that Spurs fans have been infected by whatever one-sided trade-related malady it is that ails the brains of Los Angeles Laker fans. Still, you can’t really call this sort of thing an impossibility anymore, and if the Lakers were to fire Rob Pelinka and then hire Nico Harrison, all bets are off. Even then, though, there would have to be some picks involved. Nico Harrison loves him some picks.
Grade: 2.5 audacity points + 1 gif of a guy doing the insane math of what it would take for that to actually happen
Possible Yet Improbable/Questionable
De’Aaron Fox + Luke Kornet (or picks) for Immanuel Quickley + Jakob Poeltl submitted by multiple people/accounts
This was the most popular submission by far, and it came with different variations of picks and/or Kornet, and it looks fairly rational on the surface. Poeltl is familiar with San Antonio and their system, and is still an above-average rim defender and rebounder, and a decent passer for his position. And Quickley is capable of handling bench and starting duties as needed, can definitely shoot the three, and has also has an ideal disposition for joining the roster seamlessly. Both players are more than capable of spot-starting and offer high-floor depth. However, issue number one is that Poeltl is on the decline, and his health has been an issue pretty much since he got to Toronto, and he’s about to get really expensive proportionate to his value (with 3 years fully guaranteed) which is why Toronto would be looking to get off him. Issue two is that Quickley still has 3 years left on a contract that’s about 20% of the cap, which is a bundle for a player who will get a lot of his minutes with the bench. I don’t think that this is a bad trade, per se. But I do feel like it presents just as many problems as simply keeping Fox, especially with his current trade value probably being lower than the Spurs would like. It may raise the floor, but almost certainly doesn’t raise the ceiling, and if Kornet is in the swap, it actually doesn’t really help depth. Most of all, it doesn’t really reduce cost. And if it doesn’t reduce cost or raise the ceiling, I don’t see the Spurs doing it.
Grade: 4.5/10 (depending on asset variation)
De’Aaron Fox for Julius Randle + Donte DiVincenzo submitted by multiple people/accounts
This was the 2nd most popular submission, and I understand the reasoning. Randle and DiVincenzo actually fill needs for the team, potentially raising the floor and the ceiling. DiVincenzo is a dead-eye shooter with terrific off-ball skills and is a decent defender capable of adding to the starting unit and/or the bench. Randle is a unicorn in terms of talent at Power-Forward, and at his best, is capable of stretching the floor, defending forwards and big men, making sharp passes, and out-rebounding bigger players. ‘At his best’ remains the operative phrase, though, as Randle has been confoundingly inconsistent over his career, season-to-season, game-to-game, quarter-to-quarter. Ironically, Randle’s inconsistent execution and effort level have been among the most consistent aspects of his game at each of his stops. It’s unlikely he would have bounced around so much for a player with his skillset had he been capable of greater focus and (per both reporters and fans) actually listening to his coaches. When you add DiVincenzo’s almost certainly year-long Achilles rehab to the equation, this is basically the Morant trade, just with better positional fits. If this trade featured Naz Reid instead, it might really be interesting, but Reid is as beloved and valued by his team and Minnesota fans as DiVincenzo is (Thilo Widder of Canis Hoopus gave glowing reviews of both during Fraternizing with the Enemy), and because of that, I expect the Wolves to hold onto both of them. Likewise, I expect the Spurs to avoid a solo swap for Randle. At best, they might help facilitate something for the Wolves for an asset (as they seem very motivated to move Randle), but considering Minnesota’s status as a Western Conference contender, I doubt it.
Grade: 4/10 (because of positional fit) (Updated Grade: 3/10, Minnesota had to send assets to trade Randle to the Nets, but it was really just a pick swap. Not worth it.)
De’Aaron Fox + pick for Kevin Durant submitted by multiple people/accounts
I’ve started to see this one more over the last several days, and again, I understand the reasoning need-wise. The Spurs need scoring, shooting, and size. Durant offers all three, and then some. His arrival has been a longstanding desire for a large cohort of Spurs fans since his tenure at the University of Texas, and then gained more steam around the NBA’s 75th anniversary, when Durant put on a George ‘Iceman’ Gervin jersey for a photo-op. And to be clear, the money works, and Durant’s contract only lasting two seasons seems ideal. Theoretically, the skill-set fits. But nothing about Durant has been simple over his career, and the injuries have really started to stack up over recent years. There have been rumors about Durant sabotaging team chemistry long before his recent stint with the Rockets, and once again, a lot of fingers are being pointed. Will Durant try to force an extension as he has in the past, and then throw a trade-value sabotaging fit when denied? Will he be willing to play second (or even 3rd) fiddle again in pursuit of more titles? Will he want to play within the relative confines of San Antonio’s system? Will he respect the still-developing head coach and younger ascending talents as his star begins to wane? All important questions when it comes to one of the most perplexing yet undeniably pure talents of his generation. However, I think the biggest factor is likely going to be Houston’s reluctance to send him to the Spurs, a long-time rival and current opponent for regional dominance as well as Western Conference seeding. The last time these two teams got together for a trade was 2007, when the Spurs shipped Luis Scola to Houston. Prior to that, you have to go back to 1992. Prior to that? 1984. In fact, the Spurs and Rockets have combined for exactly 4 trades with each other, total. It’s an interesting thought exercise, but it’s just not happening. If it does, though, you might want to think about buying a lottery ticket.
Grade: 5/10 (too many questions + too little chance)
De’Aaron Fox + late 1st to The Nets, Michael Porter Jr. + a Spurs 2nd to the Kings, Domantas Sabonis to The Spurs submitted by Yours Truly
Ok, hear me out. The Nets badly need a point guard, and just took on Randle and his salary as they continue their rebuild (ie: hoarding picks). With Randle in the fold, it feels like Porter could be on the move, and the Kings could really use his shooting, scoring, and relative youth + cap reduction. The Nets get a 1st and an upside play that Fox will return to form, allowing them to either keep or trade him for more assets. The Spurs get Sabonis, who is not only slightly cheaper than Fox, but only has two years left on his contract. And Sabonis is actually a pretty compelling fit for San Antonio when you break it down. Not only is he capable of playing both Center and Power-Forward, he’s also arguably the best passing big-man outside of Nikola Jokić (I’m not putting Karl-Anthony Towns over Sabonis until I see some consistency), is a tenacious rebounder, and averaged .389 from three over the 3 consecutive seasons prior to last year. In short, the Spurs would be able to use him the way that the Knicks have used Towns, except that Sabonis is a more efficient scorer and is smarter when it comes to fouls. And while Sabonis does showcase some defensive vulnerability, he’s had a positive Defensive Box Plus/Minus for most of his career, and will be protected a bit when playing with Wemby or Kornet. The biggest issue with this trade is feasibility. After getting fleeced by the Spurs twice in the past couple of years, will the Kings want to deal with them again? Will the Nets want more compensation? Do they want to keep Porter? Will their owner force them to make win-now moves? (as he has in the past) Will both teams try to extract maximum value from the Spurs? It’s just a lot of moving parts and ‘ifs’ and supposedly the Spurs don’t want to move Fox anyway. The fit could be amazing, and the trade has upsides for each team, but it just seems like a major stretch. Man could it be fun, though.
Grade: 5/10 (too many unknown variables)
Good Fit + More Feasible
De’Aaron Fox + Multiple 1sts for Jaren Jackson Jr. submitted by @DonMegaBets
If you wanna talk about fit, this might be even better than Sabonis, though Jackson is decidedly not as impressive a rebounder or passer. Offensively, Jackson’s a more consistent floor stretcher on a higher diet of long-distance shots, and is a pretty efficient scorer in his own right, but it’s the potential for outright defensive terrorism that gives this mouth-watering potential. You’re talking about pairing two of the most smothering rim protectors since San Antonio’s Twin Towers, both of whom can switch back and forth between the 4 and the 5 any given possession, and who can legitimately space the floor like no other front-court. I really only see three issues: 1. Jackson has had some trouble staying healthy as of late, 2. Juggling Jackson’s contract (and possible future contracts) in addition to other budding Spurs stars and Wemby, 3. Danny Ainge. The first issue I would feel less concerned about when considering the reputation and kid-glove handling of the Spurs medical team, and shrewd playing time allocations. The second issue just feels like champagne problems. ‘Oh no! How can they afford to pay all the great players they have on the roster?!’. The third issue, however, is almost certainly the biggest one. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to steer clear of wheeling and dealing with Danny Ainge. For starters, he already pulled off a small heist in order to land Jackson, and there’s no indication that he’d want to move him. Secondly, Ainge has a long history of fleecing teams + extracting maximum value once he knows they want a player. There are no discounts, no real weak moments, no real leverage. Ainge is going to get what he wants, or no dice. And that means this almost certainly empties the last of the San Antonio’s excess pick hoard. Would it be worth it? Yeah, probably. Would the Spurs actually do it? I sincerely doubt it.
Grade: 6/10 (Ainge seems unlikely to do it)
De’Aaron Fox + 1st for Lauri Markkanen submitted by @TheFinalQuan
Full disclosure, I’ve never been big on Markkanen, but he sure looks like a perfect fit in this scenario. Within the context of this Spurs team, he’s basically Kevin Durant-lite. He’s a very efficient shooter from all three levels who adds size, rebounding, and scoring punch, minus all of the drama. The contract is basically a perfect swap, and Markkanen should be able to slide right into the existing ecosystem without much trouble. The defense isn’t great, but his size + the Spurs existing corral of defenders should make up for a lot of that. And with only three years left, the Spurs should be able to move off of him pretty quickly if it doesn’t pan out. The snag is, once again, Danny Ainge, who will probably be prefectly content waiting until he gets exactly the offer he want, as keeping Markkanen really isn’t a problem for him, even if the Jazz draft another forward. With no real rumors of discord or desire to move him, you can expect Ainge to extract a premium for Markkanen’s services. And the Spurs don’t make a lot of trades to begin with, so I wouldn’t bet on this one happening. These are two trade partners who really prefer to dictate their own terms. Spurs fans would owe the front office yet another apology if they pulled it off without getting disemboweled by Ainge, though. But that’s a tall order.
Grade: 7/10 (or higher, depending on cost)
De’Aaron Fox + Multiple 1sts (2-3) for Trey Murphy and Herb Jones submitted by @DonMegaBets
For the perfect mixture of fit and feasibility, though, I think this feels right. The fit isn’t quite as compelling as some of the other propositions, but it’s close, as Herb Jones has seemed like an ideal Spur since he arrived in the NBA, and Murphy shares a somewhat combined profile of two previous Spurs additions in Rudy Gay and Harrison Barnes. Per ESPN’s Marc Spears, the Pelicans are actually looking to move Murphy, and they are exactly the kind of team the Spurs like to take advantage of. The entire organization is in a state of flux with “at least 25 vacancies across basketball operations and business departments so far’, including the medical and analytics departments, which were reportedly “gutted”, which doesn’t bode well, disregarding new president of basketball operations Joe Dumars’ already inconsistent front-office history. The real question in this scenario will be whether the Pelicans will try to continue their long-standing win-now attempts to build around Zion Williamson, or if they’re only interested in collecting assets. If it’s the former (or even an attempt to do both at once) this suddenly becomes very feasible, and might not even cost San Antonio their coveted 2031 Sacramento Kings swap. A front-office in flux and in search of direction (in combination with the right mixture of desperation), with good players who are being ignored for flashier options, is the perfect recipe for a good-old-fashioned Spurs heist. I still don’t think the Spurs are trading Fox this season, but of all the trade ideas, this one seems actually seems possible.
Grade: 8.5/10 (Joe Dumars is the epitome of chaotic good)
Well, that’ll do it for this edition of the PtR mailbag! Let us know your thoughts and/or drop your trade ideas in the comments below. We’ll see how things go tonight in the Draft. And, as always, Go Spurs Go!
