Fresh mock draft ignores nonnegotiable needs and sends Spurs in puzzling direction

ESPN's latest mock draft dropped Monday morning, and Spurs fans will be shocked to see who Jeremy Woo had heading to the Alamo City. Texas swingman Dailyn Swain is a 6'7" swingman with a knack for getting to the basket and explosive athleticism. He'll likely be available at the 20th spot in the first round, and Woo marked him down for San Antonio.

As talented as the near 21-year-old is, he's not the kind of player the Silver and Black need to add right now. Not even close, in fact. The playoffs reinforced what most fans knew throughout the season: this team could use some more size and some more shooting. Swain doesn't provide either.

Not to mention, there doesn't seem to be much consensus on this prospect. The Longhorns' wing is projected as high as 12 or as low as 25. San Antonio doesn't need to take someone with so much volatility in their potential when there are safer picks that actually address their weaknesses on the board.

The Spurs shouldn't take chances with their draft pick

Swain just doesn't fit the Silver and Black's needs. He's a downhill scorer, creating pressure on the rim relentlessly, but if that sounds familiar, it's because the Spurs already have it. De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have that archetype sewn up. Dailyn also isn't a strong shooter. He has inconsistent mechanics, and he's raw offensively overall. SA doesn't need that.

It's hard enough to find contributors in the back half of the draft without making some obscure pick in the hopes of finding a diamond in the rough. Though I don't think that's what Woo was suggesting. He even acknowledged Swain's inability to help San Antonio in the areas they need most right now.

"While Swain doesn't directly address that, nor is he a great perimeter shooter, he has good length and is a solid enough rebounder and defender to shore up the margins of their rotation," Jeremy wrote.

San Antonio's biggest needs couldn't be more obvious

Shoring up the margins should mean adding shooters, though. We have to be clear about what San Antonio is and is not lacking. Paint presence isn't a problem. They have that locked down with their three guards, Victor Wembanyama, Luke Kornet, and Keldon Johnson. Defense isn't an issue. They're tremendous in that area, and they'll get better as Carter Bryant earns more minutes.

They could stand to use more big men who offer Wemby more backup and Mitch Johnson more versatility in his lineups. Despite a great regular season and a playoff run sprinkled with some glory moments, Kornet was unplayable for too many stretches when the Spurs needed their depth the most.

The other centers on their bench were apparently just there for moral support, so that put undue pressure on their 22-year-old superstar. Adding some fresh legs to that position group would be huge for the Silver and Black.

The need for shooters is secondary but a need nonetheless. San Antonio was top 3 in three-point percentage over the last two and a half months of the year and was one of the best from behind the arc in the postseason. It let them down in the NBA Finals, but one series doesn't erase three and a half months of work.

These are the margins. The Spurs are rolling out a 9-10 player rotation. They don't need another player without the real size they need, who also can't bring the shooting they covet. That's just bad business.

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