Analysts forcibly fit 2 intriguing prospects to Spurs in interesting mock draft

After an encouraging start to the season, things have quickly gone sideways for the San Antonio Spurs. They currently have the ninth-worst record in the league, and fans are likely hoping that they continue to plummet in the standings.

With the Spurs also owning the Atlanta Hawks' first-round pick, they could have two top-10 picks in the 2025 NBA draft, and a new mock draft has them landing two promising prospects. But how would the projected players fit on their roster? Let's take a look.

San Antonio is projected to draft Egor Demin 10th overall

BYU prospect Egor Demin is an intriguing player, considering he is a 6'9" guard. Thus far, the 18-year-old is posting 10.6 points and 5.8 assists per game. He is also shooting an impressive 56.4% on 2-point field goals, which helps to offset his poor 3-point shooting.

He has drawn a comparison to Josh Giddy due to his size, shot creation, and lack of shooting, and since he shoots just 27% from three, it's probably a fair one.

He is a terrific passer, and while that is intriguing for a player his size, his questionable shooting and questionable athleticism make him a risky player to take, especially for the Spurs. They already have several projects, with many of their recent first-round picks having shaky jumpers. Demin also wouldn't be the lead guard in San Antonio with De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.

That would probably make him a sixth man or shoehorn him into playing small forward. He has the size, but it's doubtful that he can be successful playing consistently off-ball since it would take away his best skills. That makes his fit with the Spurs a stretch at best. If they think he's a star, then they should take him 10th, but he is far from a good fit for the Spurs.

The Spurs are projected to draft Khamah Maluach 11th overall

With Atlanta's pick, they are projected to select Duke center Khamah Maluach. The 7'2" big man ranks as the tallest prospect expected to be taken in the first round and would give the Spurs a massive front line, considering he also has a 7'6" wing span.

Generally speaking, taking a center in the top 10 is frowned upon nowadays, unless they are a top prospect such as Victor Wembanyama. That said, there's reason to consider taking him in the top half of the lottery.

Maluach is averaging a modest 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 23 minutes per game but has been impactful on both ends. As the backbone of Duke's defense, he has played more conservatively on that end than he had on previous teams.

He has shown more discipline when contesting shots and doesn't leave his feet nearly as often, which makes it harder to pump fake and get a shot off when he's in the area. He is also fairly agile defensively and could develop into a terrific rim protector at the next level.

Maluach also has other positive attributes, such as being an excellent offensive rebounder. Rebounding is something this team desperately needs, and the Spurs could also use a big man who actually rolls to the basket.

Bismack Biyombo has proven that underrated skill still holds value. Maluach has shown that he can set solid screens, and his size would give the Spurs vertical spacing with teams not wanting to get beat by giving up an easy dunk to a giant jogging to the rim.

On top of that, while he has shown limited shooting ability with Duke, there are signs that he has the potential to knock down threes, including his soft touch at the free-throw line and from midrange.

Maluach has more than enough positives to be a high lottery pick, and he checks several boxes for the Spurs. One is that he could be a ready-made and reliable backup for Wembanyama, a big need, and two is that he can rebound, defend, and roll to the basket.

I wouldn't hate the pick, but drafting a pure center leads to problems since it would force Wembanyama back to playing the four for at least 10 minutes a game to justify taking that player so high. The Spurs will need a long-term option to play with and behind Wembanyama, but there are better fits, like Rasheer Fleming.

Ultimately, this mock draft doesn't take fit into account, which is fine, but neither player is the right mold. With the Spurs needing more shooting and size, other options could complement their roster better than these two.