3 Lessons from past drafts Spurs should use when selecting in 2025

The Spurs are currently projected to pick 8th and 14th overall in the 2025 NBA draft, and that gives them a giant opportunity to address two of their biggest issues. Shooting and size are two flaws that San Antonio needs to prioritize, and there are plenty of shooters, power forwards, and centers in this year's draft class to choose from.

However, San Antonio hasn't been as infallible in recent years when it comes to drafting. They would be wise to take these three lessons to heart when drafting in June.

Lesson 3) The San Antonio Spurs should be wary of the draft-and-stash approach

For a team that has made the draft-and-stash approach famous, they have largely abandoned the method when selecting in the first round in recent years. Not since the 2015 Nikola Multinov draft debacle, in which the Spurs essentially burned a first-round pick, have they opted to keep a first-round pick overseas.

To remind fans, back in 2015, San Antonio chose Multinov, a burly center known for his rebounding and finishing ability at the rim, 26th overall. However, they likely chose him due to his willingness to stay overseas.

San Antonio believed that they needed to draft and stash to be able to resign Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard and also to have enough cap space to sign LaMarcus Aldridge. They managed to do all three and had enough cap space left over to actually sign their first-round pick but opted against doing so.

To this day, he has yet to come over and play in the NBA, and his draft rights were later traded after several seasons of waiting for him to make his silver and black debut. San Antonio can't afford to waste first-round picks, and they passed up on serious talent to stash a player that seemed outdated as a player type even then.

Second-round picks are different since the likelihood of some players ever cutting it in the NBA is much lower. But the Spurs need to be able to bring in first-round players, who will begin immediately developing their skills with the expectation of contributing.

Lesson 2) The Spurs shouldn't reach for talent

In perhaps the most infamous Spurs draft decision of the last 25 years, they reached to pick Joshua Primo 12th overall in 2021 when most mocks didn't have him going in the first round. But had it not been for the situation that led to his release, he might have made good on being drafted so high.

Then again, most Spurs fans wanted them to pick Alperen Sengun. Those fans were right. San Antonio can't make that mistake again, especially if the option to trade back is available.

With teams such as the Brooklyn Nets having four first-round picks, they could be an option if the Spurs needed to trade down. There is something to be said about taking the player they think is going to be good when they get the chance. However, if said player is expected to go around 10 or 20, then it might make sense to trade down for an additional asset while still getting that player.

Lesson 1) The Spurs should take the best player available but account for roster fit

This lesson may seem contradictory, but hear me out. The Spurs should take the best player available at eight and fourteen but account for roster fit. For instance, the Spurs were projected to select 7'2 center Khaman Maluach in an earlier mock draft. He is an intriguing prospect, and he projects to be a very good starting center at the very least.

However, the Spurs already have Wembanyama at the starting five, and he has thrived playing center, as has the team when he's been on the court. Pairing him with another center, presumably for the long haul, wouldn't make sense. Maluach projects to be a dominant rim protector and rebounder, with a decent chance to knock down open threes at some point in his career.

It's possible that he could be Jakob Poeltl plus, but San Antonio may take a step back on offense if they are tasked with having to pair him, Fox, Castle, Vassell, and Wembanyama together. Defensively, that could be a terrific lineup, but if there is a prospect that the team believes has similar potential, then taking fit into account makes sense.

With San Antonio having a chance to add to an already impressive young core, they would be wise to avoid these three draft pitfalls.