Keldon Johnson suddenly has the most to lose from Spurs' rapid rise

We're two weeks past the end of the Spurs' magical season, and the question of what comes next is on the minds of fans everywhere. Being three wins away from a title means the time for patience dwindles. Not for the young guys, of course. They'll be given plenty of rope to grow into who they're supposed to be. But Keldon Johnson has been here for six years, giving him few excuses for poor play.

San Antonio has already added to the roster via the draft, and free agency will begin on Tuesday, June 30. There are lots of decisions to be made, and what to do with Johnson will be one of them.

The former Kentucky Wildcat will be entering the final year of his contract, and what San Antonio chooses to do with that information will tell fans a lot about which direction the organization is leaning.

Spurs could be signaling an impending exit for Johnson if they don't extend him

Keldon received an extension in 2022. He was looked at as part of the future at that point, and he has been. But we're four years past that, now. The dynamics of the team have changed, and Big Body hasn't evolved enough with them. The playoffs showed us that. San Antonio can sign him to an extension when the moratorium ends on July 6, and if they don't, it puts KJ on the clock.

Johnson just won the Sixth Man of the Year award, so it feels wrong to write these words about the longest-tenured player on the roster, but he's yet to show the Spurs he can truly get the Jekyll and Hyde trend out of his system.

His shooting, finishing, and rebounding are all inconsistent. His hustle should always be present. That's the type of player the Spurs needed in the playoffs. Even when his shots weren't falling, diving on the floor, fighting for more offensive rebounds, and doing everything possible to get extra possessions could have been enough to prove he belonged. Every team needs those kinds of guys.

But when he's not as involved in the offense, he can fade completely. It's no secret that Johnson has never been a strong defender either. With the addition of Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., the space in the paint will be at a premium, and he's less equipped to demand it over guys who will play bigger and stronger down low.

KJ has been the heart of the team for a long time, but he needed to show consistency on the floor. He didn't do that, and during the playoffs, it cost him minutes when Mitch Johnson had already shrunken the rotation. Not extending him when he's eligible would be a sign that the Spurs are probably feeling the same way, and that could spell the end of the Keldon Johnson era in San Antonio.

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