3 Bold predictions for Spurs' 2022 offseason

Prediction #3: The Spurs will sign Zack LaVine

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and teams such as Portland, Indiana, Detroit, and Orlando are expected to pursue him. However, the Spurs could also join the chase for LaVine, and I actually expect the Spurs to sign him. 

Of those teams, only Portland makes sense, as they have an all-NBA player in Damian Lillard and they're the closest to his home state of Washington. Still, Lillard is nearly 32, and the window to compete in Portland could be very small. 

Enter San Antonio, who has a promising young team led by All-Star and fellow Washingtonian Dejounte Murray. Murray and LaVine appear to be close and Murray has already seemingly begun recruiting him. That could give San Antonio a leg up over the other teams, who can't sell playing for the winningest coach in NBA history and playing with an All-Star in their mid-twenties.

While there would be long-term financial issues that come with signing LaVine, the Spurs can easily clear out max cap space now and worry about that later. In doing so, they could run back most of the same team minus Walker and Zach Collins but with LaVine and potentially three first-round picks as additions.

That would give the Spurs a ready-made playoff team with a rock-solid 10-man rotation that could fit Murray and LaVine's strengths like a glove. Considering that the Spurs are in the midst of the longest playoff drought in their nearly 50-year history, pursuing LaVine could definitely be worth it and may be obtainable come June.

All in all, San Antonio has the tools needed to make a big splash this summer but it remains to be seen what they'll actually do. That said, if last summer and this season's trade deadline are any indications, then the off-season could be full of bold moves.