Report: Three San Antonio Spurs receive qualifying offers to become RFAs

NBA free agency is set to begin soon, which is why it’s critical that the San Antonio Spurs have put out qualifying offers for three young players.

It’s November 18th, 2020. It’s finally draft day. I bet you all expected to be keyed in on news about qualifying offers, right? The San Antonio Spurs have extended a qualifying off to Jakob Poeltl, Drew Eubanks, and Quinndary Weatherspoon, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Should they accept it, they will become restricted free agents.

Players that have received a Qualifying Offer so far:

Torrey CraigDe'Anthony MeltonDario SaricJevon CarterDenzel ValentineAdam MokokaJohn KoncharJakob PoeltlDrew Eubanks Quinndary Weatherspoon

Deadline to extend a QO is November 19

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 18, 2020

Poeltl is easily the most interesting of the three. Although the 24-year-old big man finished the season with averages of only averaged 5.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, he appears to be part of the Spurs’ future. His combination of youth and upside, something that’s missing in this year’s free agency class amongst centers, will make him a coveted free agent. In the bubble, Jakob gave his stock a slight bump, averaging 8 points and 8 boards per contest, including a strong game against Utah in which he scored 19 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked three shots.

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Eubanks is a familiar name for Spurs fans and just wrapped up his second season with the Silver and Black. They previously had him on a two-way contract and is no longer eligible for a two-way deal. Eubanks has made sporadic appearances with the San Antonio Spurs, but has spent the majority of his time with the organization down in Austin. He got an opportunity in the bubble to make his mark, but struggled offensively. We all remember this, however:

The San Antonio Spurs drafted Weatherspoon in the second round of the 2019 draft and the Mississippi State guard spent most of his time down in Austin; as most young players in the Spurs organization do. He made a few appearances in the bubble, including playing a career-high 19 minutes in a loss to the 76ers on August 3. Weatherspoon, unlike Eubanks, is eligible to receive a two-way deal.

Poeltl will be the only one of the three with any real market. Teams can sign Poeltl to an offer sheet and, should he choose to accept it, the Spurs would have 72 hours to either match it and retain the Austrian big man or let him walk. The Spurs can also present their own offer and, if Poeltl signs that, he would become an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

There’s expected to be some interest in Jakob Poeltl when free agency kicks off in a few days, so the Spurs will have to weigh how much they’re willing to pay him and how he fits into their future plans.