The Hawks are officially playing the role of spoiler for the red-hot Spurs

This season has gone better than any San Antonio Spurs fan could have possibly expected. The Spurs are poised to finish with a top-three record in the NBA and may win 60 games. They could even have a lottery pick courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks, at least for now.

The Hawks have disrupted the Spurs' carefully crafted plans by winning nine consecutive games. This streak has transformed them from a fringe playoff team to a team that appears capable of making the postseason.

Obviously, that would rain on the Spurs' parade, possibly resulting in Silver and Black receiving a non-lottery pick. What did we even do to them? It's not like the Spurs trade heisted the Hawks and sabotaged the Trae Young era—oh, wait, we did.

The Spurs are still reaping the benefits of the Dejounte Murray trade

San Antonio has already gotten a lottery pick from the Hawks, which became Carter Bryant. Even if the Spurs end up with the 15th pick from Atlanta, that would result in them jumping 13 spots in this year's draft.

Additionally, San Antonio would also receive Atlanta's unprotected first-round pick in 2027. That doesn't project to be nearly as good as it did when the Hawks traded Young.

On the bright side, it should still give San Antonio the opportunity to draft far higher than they would otherwise. Hopefully, the Hawks will fail to make the playoffs by falling short in the play-in tournament.

The Spurs have the Hawks to thank for the rapid turnaround

Depending on how that shakes out, the Hawks' pick could fall anywhere from 12th to 15th. That will still be a valuable pick, but it will not be as valuable as Spurs fans hoped.

San Antonio's back-to-back-to-back drafting of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper may have spoiled us. After all, the Hawks set those wheels in motion by trading for Murray, which inadvertently helped San Antonio bottom out and tank.

How great would it be if the Hawks' pick ends up being another key rotation player? Specifically at power forward, helping the Spurs solve a potential roster weakness without having to break the bank in free agency.

It wouldn't be the first time that the Hawks have helped San Antonio, with them making that fateful trade back in 2022. That single trade has been among the most consequential in team history.

San Antonio will continue to reap the benefits of it, no matter where the Hawks' pick ultimately ends up.