Explosive NBA Draft prospects Spurs must consider with the 20th overall pick

Next month's NBA draft is fast approaching, and unlike recent years, the San Antonio Spurs have the NBA playoffs to keep them occupied. The Spurs have the 20th pick in this year's draft thanks to a pick swap with the Atlanta Hawks, allowing the Silver and Black to jump nine spots in the draft order.

With that asset at their disposal, the Spurs should be looking to shore up their front court, particularly at power forward and center. They have better depth at both positions compared to recent years but could still use a young, long-term prospect at either position.

Luckily, there are several prospects that should be available around the 20th pick. Let's take a look and see which one makes the most sense for the Spurs to draft!

Spurs prospect: Joshua Jefferson

With the Spurs in need of more frontcourt help, Joshua Jefferson might be a realistic draft target. The 6'8", 22-year-old, 240 lb big man is a burly power forward with a 6'11" arm span.

His size could allow him to toggle between the four and five, where his skill set would be intriguing. Jefferson posted a solid 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, with his passing being a big plus.

It's not hard to imagine him being able to put that court vision to use as a passer in a short-roll situation. Setting a screen, rolling to the rim, and finding open shooters when the defense collapses.

Defensively, he isn't the most athletic player but has great hands, allowing him to force plenty of turnovers. In fact, he averaged an impressive 1.6 steals in just 30.6 minutes per game, and that stat tends to translate well to the NBA.

He wouldn't be my first choice for the Spurs to draft, but he'd be a decent option with a reasonably high floor and perhaps a low ceiling.

Spurs prospect: Chris Cenac Jr.

Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr. is a bit of a gamble given his inconsistent play but dazzling measurements. He measured out at 6'11" with a 7'5" wingspan. Add in a large 240 lb frame and a 37-inch vertical leap (ridiculous for a player of his size)

Offensively, he was sort of a mixed bag. He attempted a lot of jumpers but shot just 33% from three and 62.1% from the line. That calls into question whether he could actually become a stretch five in the NBA.

He also wasn't especially good in the post but could potentially fill a role as an athletic roll man who can also grab offensive rebounds and (maybe) hit open threes.

Despite his size, he wasn't all that impactful as a rim protector, and his actual defense pales in comparison to what his potential on that end can be. To his credit, he plays hard and is good on the glass.

Overall, his college production was mediocre at best. But after strong combine numbers, his stock may improve with teams tempted to take him given his size, length, and elite athleticism. If he's available around 20, where the Spurs would be picking, taking a flyer on a player with that theoretical skill set might be tempting.

Spurs prospect: Karim Lopez

19-year-old forward Karim López has a unique resume for his age. He has already played two seasons of professional ball despite still being a teenager. Him going toe-to-toe with grown men instead of players his age potentially makes him better suited to adapt to the NBA.

Even so, he isn't a complete player. He has good size at nearly 6'10" in shoes, with a 6'11 1/2" arm span. Offensively, his shot can come and go. His form looks fine, but he doesn't have the highest release.

Combine that with him being a 33% 3-point shooter and 73% free-throw shooter, and it's up in the air whether he'll be able to space the floor. If he can knock down threes, that combined with him being a physical finisher at the rim, a talented offensive rebounder, and a promising passer makes him an intriguing offensive prospect.

Defensively, he has the size of a four but can guard wings. His lateral quickness leaves something to be desired and is a bit foul-prone. Still, the potential is there to be a capable defender, albeit perhaps not a great one. If available at 20, he'd be a worthwhile prospect to see if he could thrive in the Spurs environment.

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