San Antonio Spurs: Who is eligible to be traded at the deadline?

The San Antonio Spurs may be hitting their stride, but that doesn’t mean they won’t shop around for a trade that could further propel them. March 3rd officially marks the day offseason free agents can now be traded, so the NBA table is now officially set for trade season with the March 25th deadline on the horizon.

In a column for ESPN (plus subscription required), Bobby Marks compiled a list of every player available to be traded, including the San Antonio Spurs. While many of these names are untouchable in the eyes of fans and the front office alike, let’s break down the category each member of the roster falls into.

San Antonio Spurs on expiring deals (very tradeable)

The guys on this list are the most tempting for teams because they don’t require a long-term commitment. Any of them could also be a key piece on a contending team, should they find their way to that situation (if they aren’t already). The list is as follows:

DeMar DeRozanLaMarcus AldridgeRudy GayPatty MillsTrey Lyles

Of these, the ones I could see the Spurs trading are Aldridge, Gay, and Lyles. While Lyles has turned it on as of late, the Spurs’ sudden depth has made him more expendable on the team, as seen by his several DNP’s so far this season.

We’ve also mapped out ways to get some return on Gay, should the Spurs decide to fully embrace their youth movement even further. At age 34, Rudy is still capable of lighting teams up and has the size to guard multiple positions.

While he’s a three-time All-Star, it’d be a surprise if the Spurs didn’t at least test the market for what they could get for Aldridge. How comfortable the veteran is with a bench role can ultimately decide if San Antonio chooses to play out the season with or without him.

San Antonio Spurs with 2-4 seasons left on their contract

This category is full of the Spurs’ youth movement that has put them in the position they’re in so far. It’s tough to see any of these guys being traded, but they’re all technically eligible.

Devin Vassell (4 years)Lonnie Walker (2 years)Luka Samanic (3 years)Keldon Johnson (3 years)Tre Jones (3 years)Jakob Poeltl (3 years)Drew Eubanks (3 years)Dejounte Murray (4 years)

San Antonio Spurs on two-way contracts

Two-way contracts are tradeable, but the return value wouldn’t be much at all. San Antonio currently has two contracts that fit this category.

Keita Bates-DiopQuinndary Weatherspoon

Derrick White’s “poison pill” contract

The San Antonio Spurs have zero intentions of moving Derrick White, and their latest contract extension of the rising star proved it. White is currently still on his rookie deal and making $3.5 million, but his salary more than quadruples to $15.1 million and only grows each season.

The “poison pill” provision essentially means he’s on a cheap deal now, but once his extension kicks in, the situation gets complicated for other teams that may end up over the cap with his contract. Derrick is set to make $74 million through 2025. He’s not going anywhere.

To sum it all up, the no-trade clause is becoming a thing of the past, as no NBA players currently have one in their contract. All Spurs are technically eligible to be traded at the deadline, but only a handful will likely even cause the front office to field phone calls.