Latest report signals the Spurs are out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes

For weeks, Spurs media have been keyed in on possibly bringing future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant following his pending trade request. Fans have been relentlessly mocking up trades and debating whether he would be a good fit. However, it appears those conversations will be coming to a close.

According to Shams Charania on The Pat McAfee Show, "In the last 24 hours, the focus has been on the Rockets, the Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves." Notice how one team in particular is missing from this list? It appears the Spurs have pulled out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes.

Is trading for Durant the right move?

With Victor Wembanyama, newly acquired De'Aaron Fox, and the reigning rookie of the year Stephon Castle, it is in the Spurs' best interest to go all-in on winning next season. However, as the Western Conference improves year after year, it is an arms race to build the best team.

With their current roster, they are likely a piece away from being a true contender, thus inserting themselves into the running for Durant. Durant would perfectly fill the power forward position in the starting lineup and give the Spurs an unstoppable offense.

However, while the concept is fun, it may not be the best idea. With Durant's talent and a near $50 million contract, the Spurs would have to give up the 14th overall pick and a slew of valuable role players.

With Durant, the Spurs would have a dominant starting lineup but severely lack depth, which is becoming increasingly important in the modern NBA. Additionally, there would be a lot of mouths to feed in this hypothetical lineup. Nearly every player in this potential Durant-led offense would need the ball in their hands to be successful.

The Spurs may be dodging a bullet here.

Who will the Spurs target next?

With Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo likely off the table, what's next for the Spurs? The trade options are quickly falling off the board as we inch closer to draft day. As the Spurs would likely include the 2nd or 14th pick in a deal, it's either now or never.

The more likely scenario is that the Spurs target a strong role player such as Brooklyn's Cam Johnson or New Orleans' Trey Murphy III. This route could be more advantageous in building a roster ready to compete for a championship. Instead of housing multiple on-ball scorers, the Spurs can pick up weapons to fit around their current core who won't need as much attention.

There is also a chance the Spurs don't make any deals at all. With their prime star targets coming off the board, they may elect to stay put and work with what they have. The Spurs would be banking on the success of their rookies and development from key role players. While this path is risky, it would pay off greatly in the long run.

The Spurs' off-season picture has just become clearer, and all we can do now is sit and wait patiently for draft day to arrive.