Keldon Johnson faces tough reality after Spurs’ roster overhaul

Keldon Johnson is the longest-tenured player on the roster, and you'd think that his stature would give him a leg up in rotations, but it's not going to work out that way. The sixth-year guard/forward will likely see his fewest minutes since his rookie season, and that may eventually cause him to seek a trade out of San Antonio.

The Spurs have the deepest roster they've had in a long time, and it's forcing KJ down in the rotation. He's improved his defensive focus, but he still isn't great at it, and his offense mostly requires getting downhill and scoring in the paint. He brings energy to the team and positive vibes to the locker room, but that may not be enough anymore. There's just too much meat left on the bone of his game.

Johnson has the power to change his future

Quite honestly, it may be too late for Keldon at this point. The Spurs have spent so many resources on other players that it may only be a matter of time before he's moved. But nothing is set in stone, so he can't approach it that way. Besides, there are other teams that will want him based on what he shows this season, and he could find himself in a great situation elsewhere.

KJ is somewhat of a tweener for the shooting guard and small forward positions, but he doesn't shoot well enough to truly make that work with consistency. He still has an issue with tunnel vision when he catches the rock, making a beeline to the basket to force an attempt among the trees in the paint, often leading to poor attempts.

That area of his game improved marginally last season, but it's still a basic part of his game. He's a physical player who doesn't shy away from contact, so he's going to keep driving with intent to score. When I say it like that, it sounds like he should be formally charged. "Driving with intent to score." It's felt like that at times, too, over the years.

Spurs fans have nearly pulled their hair out watching him make those frustrating plays. We're less than three weeks away from seeing how much he's grown, though. If his decision-making has improved, his outside shot starts falling, and he defends like his hair is on fire, he could earn himself more minutes. But if that doesn't happen, he and the front office could be on the same page; it's time to move on.