The Spurs have historically been averse to mid-season trades, having not completed a deal outside of the offseason since February 2014, when they sent Nando De Colo to Toronto in exchange for Austin Daye. However, as Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News writes, after a 9-15 start to the season, the organization will have to consider both the upside and potential downside of simply standing pat again.
Four-time All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan will have the ability to opt out of his contract during the summer of 2020, and while the Spurs seem unlikely to make a blockbuster deal by February 6, it might represent their last real opportunity to acquire something of value in exchange for DeRozan — if he opts for free agency and signs elsewhere, the club likely won’t have the cap flexibility to adequately replace him, Finger observes.
As San Antonio considers its options, let’s round up a few more notes from around the Southwest…
- When the Spurs weigh what to do with DeRozan, they’ll attempt to determine what type of contract he might be able to command on the open market. Only rebuilding teams are projected to have cap room this summer, creating uncertainty about where a big payday for the veteran might come from, if not San Antonio. “I like DeRozan as my third option, and those type of players are not earning near max-type money,” one league executive tells ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link).
- Kelly Iko of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at the renaissance of Ben McLemore, a former No. 7 overall pick whose days as an NBA rotation player appeared numbered before he bounced back with Houston this season. According to Iko, McLemore received a pair of guaranteed contract offers in the offseason, but chose the Rockets‘ partially guaranteed offer because they offered the best combination of playing for a contender and potentially earning a regular role.
- Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said this week that this year’s team is one of the quietest he has been around during his time in the NBA, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. As Guillory notes, that’s one reason why New Orleans’ defensive communication has been an issue all season long.
Whoever they’re getting back, he’d better be a bloody monster.
A monster like Kawhi Leonard perhaps? Probably not. But it would be so typical for the Clippers if he fails to get them a championship.
Spurs: Gary Harris, Malik Beasley and a second rounder
Nuggets: DDR and a protected first
Nuggets get a real star player who can consistently score points for them. Think DDR would really suit cutting to the rim off Jokic playmaking but DDR could also take over some ball game doing also. It would put less pressure on Murray to score and handle so much, he could focus on spacing and his shot. The Nuggets take the risk of getting DDR on his expiring deal so get a protected first just in case but they should be able to resign him. Millsaps got a huge expiring deal so DDR could just eat into some of that and the team still keep Millsap if they want him.
Spurs get back Gary Harris who I think would play really well under Pop. Malik Beasley could be a really good player coming off the bench and spacing the floor. Both SG’s would fit well with either Murray or White in the back court and both could be long term pieces. Because they gave up a protected first I’d say the Nuggets send back a second so that the spurs still get some kind of pick.
I’d say the first should be protected 1-1) for this draft, top 10 protected next year, and if still not gone through conveys into 2 second rounders.
– DeRozen to Detroit for Filler (Jackson’s contract) and Dembouya. Reunite him with Coach Casey.
– Aldridge to Portland for Filler (whitesides deal) and Collins.
– shop Gay around for best you can get. Maybe a bad deal and a pick.
Coach Casey isn’t going to help him, he has a butthurt attitude that he will never get over…he is done…we need to ship him for a bag of chips before he eats into our cap next year
Who cares about what helps. It’s about whether DET thinks there is a fit.
I like the idea of DDR in Detroit would help Griffin a lot on offence. Only thing issues i see is that the spurs probably want more than just Jackson, and Pistons won’t want to part in Sekoyu and Drummond would be alright return but would leave a big hole at centre.
Maybe DDR and J. Poetl for Drummond and K. Thomas and a second
Yeah, Jackson most definitely is not the prize. He’s just filler for contracts to match. Spurs would want Dembouya or a first. If latter would also want a ForbesKennard swap since the trade likely means the first won’t be that good.
De Rozan is no longer an asset but rather a burden. He can’t hit a three, his decision making is often questionable and is a terrible defender. He couldn’t take the Raptors to the next level and it seems he cannot take the Spurs even to the playoffs. I don’t really think he’ll have too many suitors. The Spurs will probably have to wait, hoping he declines his player option.
He’s a good third option. Shouldn’t be first. Send him to DET where he can be number two to Griffin
Third options don’t come at 28M. At a different prize tag, DDR could be a good fit in several teams, indeed.
That’s what happens when u have Brandon Ingram on the team.