Spurs Prospect Profile: The Field
Catching up on the prospects that could be surprise picks for San Antonio.
NBA teams are scrambling to solidify their draft boards with just a week until the 2024 NBA Draft. While reporters and draft analysts release their “big boards” and “mock drafts” there is a level of uncertainty that makes this draft a mystery. There seems to be a consensus opinion on who the top-10 players are, but not in what order they will be selected. Even this week new players are being rumored to be drawing the attention of lottery teams.
Over the last month and some change, Pounding the Rock has profiled the ten prospects most likely to be targets for the San Antonio Spurs. Yet, in a flat draft class such as this one, it doesn’t feel like we’ve entirely covered our bases. Especially with rumors floating about Cody Williams sneaking into the top-5. So we decided to do a quick catchup on some of the other prospects the Spurs could be looking at with both of their top-10 selections. These are the guys that aren’t clearly in the top-10, but could surprise us on draft night.
Cody Williams, 6-foot-8 wing, Colorado
2023-2024 stats: 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 55.2% FG, 41.5% 3PT, 71.4% FT, 59.5% eFG
Player comparison: Jaden McDaniels
Williams is the hottest name in the draft right now. If the Colorado wing is really elevating into the top-5, it’s most likely based on his upside. The younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder wing, Jalen Williams, is a long, toolsy player. After a strong start to his season, suffered an ankle, wrist and face injury that left him banged up for most of the Buffaloes’ 2023-24 campaign. During that time he showed enough upside to entice NBA teams.
Williams is at his best offensively when he’s getting downhill or cutting to the rim. He shot over 40% from three albeit on low volume (1.7 attempts per game.) He doesn’t have a reliable mid-range shot and needed to be more aggressive offensively. He showed signs of connective playmaking, but was inconsistent, with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio. His instincts moving without the ball show that he’s a smart player. Teams that are high on Williams will bank on his length and instincts translating to the defensive end. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Williams has the ability to be a switchable defender who can contest shots at the rim and from deep. He needs to add some strength to his 178-pound frame.
San Antonio could use help on the wings. Williams would provide them with a player who has the potential to space the floor and defend at a high level. Williams, like his brother, could be a late bloomer who matures into his body 2-3 years down the line. A swing on Williams would likely be an upside play, rather than a bet on a year-one contributor.
Ja’Kobe Walter, 6-foot-5 guard, Baylor
2023-2024 stats: 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 37.6% FG, 34.1% 3PT, 79.2% FT, 47.4% eFG
Player comparison: Ben McLemore
What do you do with a shot creator who didn’t shoot the ball well? Walter came into this draft as one of the more intriguing shot-creating prospects. He started out the season on a hot shooting streak, but as defenses adjusted to him, he struggled to hit shots and took some bad ones. Walter is a natural movement shooter who has some juice on pull-ups. But it’s hard to entirely buy-in to a player whose best skill is shooting while he shot sub-35% from three and 40% from the field.
Defensively, Walter is a mixed bag. He’s got the tools to be a solid defender, but the tape is inconsistent at best. He was often out of position off the ball and could give up drives while guarding one-on-one. The hope is that Walter develops into a three-and-D prospect. At Baylor, he didn’t prove to be great at either of those skills.
San Antonio has reportedly worked out Walter. While they are likely just doing their due-diligence, Walter could be someone they look at if they believe in his shooting. The Spurs need all the shooters and wing defenders they can get. If Walter develops, he could provide that.
Jared McCain, 6-foot-3 guard, Duke
2023-2024 stats: 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 46.2% FG, 41.4% 3PT, 88.5% FT, 57.7% eFG
Player comparison: Bryn Forbes
McCain is one of the best shooters in the draft. He’s a smaller guard, much like some of the other star college players in the 2024 class. McCain shot the lights out in his freshman season at Duke, hitting 41.4% of his threes. He can shoot off movement, off the dribble and from deep range. His shotmaking prowess is the basis for his draft stock. He’s not a bad rebounder, either.
McCain isn’t a creative ball-handler and didn’t show the capabilities NBA teams are looking for in a point guard at the next level. He’s prone to getting tossed around a bit defensively, but has good instincts off the ball that can lead to steals. He will most likely be a small shooting guard at the next level, making him a shakier prospect than other small shooters who can also distribute like Reed Sheppard or Rob Dillingham.
If San Antonio is looking for a sweet shooting guard with the eighth pick, and Sheppard and Dillingham are off the board, McCain could be considered. His fit with the Spurs is shaky due to his lack of playmaking.
Carlton “Bub” Carrington, 6-foot-5 guard, Pittsburgh
2023-2024 stats: 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 41.2% FG, 32.2% 3PT, 78.5% FT, 49.6% eFG
Player comparison: Slower Coby White
“Bub” Carrington has a skill a lot of NBA teams want – pull-up shooting. He has great poise getting to his spots and hitting open jumpers for a young guard. The freshman was a good playmaker and shot creator in the pick and roll at Pitt. With plus size at 6-foot-5, it’s easy to understand why NBA teams are intrigued by Carrington. He was an inconsistent scorer in his freshman season who struggled to hit catch and shoot threes. He wasn’t a great rim finisher, either. If Carrington hits his upside he could be a jumbo playmaker and shooter in the pick and roll.
Defensively there is a lot to like. Carrington is a good screen navigator who reads plays well and is able to contest shots with his size. At 6’5”, he could become a player who guards multiple positions.
Carrington could become a long-term pick and roll partner with Victor Wembanyama. He would take some time to develop, but could pay off as a big guard adept at finding Wemby on the roll or finding his own shot on pull-ups. If the Spurs elect to draft a developmental guard with one of their selections, Carrington could be a candidate.
Alex Sarr, 7-foot center, Perth (NBL)
2023-2024 stats: 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 52% FG, 29.8% 3PT, 71.4% FT
Player comparison: Jaren Jackson Jr.
It wouldn’t make a lot of sense for the Spurs to draft another big man after taking Wembanyama in the 2023 Draft. Last season, San Antonio learned that playing Wembanyama at center is the best path forward for them. Why draft another big that might force Wemby back to the four spot? If that big man can play alongside Wembanyama at center, there is a hypothetical fit.
Sarr is a rangy, skilled seven-footer who has tantalizing upside. He’s a defensive monster who can stick with ball-handlers and erase shots at the rim. He has one of the best defensive upsides in the 2024 class. He needs to rebound the ball better, and find a distinct offensive skill. He’s shown some ability to put it on the ground and space the floor from deep, but shot just 29.8% from deep last season. Right now his best offensive role will be as a roll man and lob threat in the pick and roll.
The Sarr fit next to Wembanyama is interesting. On one hand, the Spurs would have an awesome defensive duo inside and out. On the other, they would have to figure out how to make those two players work together offensively with modern NBA spacing. Sarr is unlikely to fall to San Antonio’s fourth overall selection, but if he did, they’d have to consider the fit with Wembanyama, at least for a moment.
Donovan Clingan, 7-foot-3 center, UCONN
2023-2024 stats: 13 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 63.9% FG, 25% 3PT, 58.3% FT, 64.3% eFG
Player comparison: Rudy Gobert
Sarr would give the Spurs some versatility in the front court. Clingan would be a bet on size. Wembanyama and Clingan would give the Spurs two monster bigs that would lock down the paint for years to come. Clingan would likely need to come off the bench, as the fit with he and Wembanyama on both ends is murky. It would give the Spurs elite rim protection for 48 minutes a game, however.
Clingan is a mammoth at 7-foot-3, 282 pounds with a 7-foot-7 wingspan. He’s an eraser around the rim and a strong presence on the boards. Clingan showed good passing ability on hand-offs and in the short roll at UCONN. His low post game is simple, he’s bigger than most posts and he will use that to his advantage with dropsteps or hook shots around the basket. His size and strength are his best assets. What is his offensive upside? He hasn’t proven he’s able to space the floor, although there have been reports of him shooting the ball well in draft workouts.
It doesn’t seem like Clingan is a strong fit with Wembanyama. Playing the two of them together would be extremely clunky offensively, and might be overkill defensively. If the Spurs wanted to sure up their big man rotation long-term, Clingan could be in the running with the fourth overall pick. Although, using a top-5 pick on a back-up center isn’t necessarily the smartest use of the asset.
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