3 different scenarios next season based on Spurs draft decisions

The importance of this offseason can't be overstated if San Antonio plans to maximize their competition window with Victor Wembanyama on the roster. There are several differences between good and great coaches; one of them is how quickly they can improve once you give them a star player. That seems to be a forgotten factor in this equation. Coach Popovich is the leader of the team, and his basketball acumen plays a part in the trajectory of the team.

There is no one way to improve at this point in the offseason. The options are bountiful, and the Spurs are in the perfect position to delicately choose which path they want to take to reestablish their elevated status in basketball relevancy.

Spurs trade up to number one to draft Zaccharie Risacher

Zaccharie Risacher has endless potential. His length and versatility at 6'9 will make him a matchup problem for just about every team in the league but he'll have to get there first. He's still only 19 years old and just because Victor Wembanyama became a top 20 player in his rookie season does not mean that Risacher will. The benefit would likely yield astronomical long-term results.

The Spurs development staff is superb. If you put in the work, you can make leaps in your game, so the onus is on him. However, it would be difficult to see Atlanta trade the pick without the inclusion of San Antonio's fourth and eighth lottery selections.

If they did pull the trigger on such a deal, once everything was set, Wembanyama and Risacher could be an all-time one-two punch. But next season, the Spurs likely won't make the playoffs without another significant move being made in free agency or the trade market.

Spurs keep picks 4 and 8 to draft a point guard and Dalton Knecht

The pick at four can be used for Stephon Castle, Rob Dillingham or Reed Sheppard. The result would be the same: a play-in spot as a ninth or 10th seed. These players all have vastly different styles but they are all dynamic at what they do best. The added defense that Castle would bring to the backcourt as a 6'6 guard would be invaluable. That's a trait that translates immediately.

Rob Dillingham, Reed Sheppard and Dalton Knecht bring the offensive dynamite the Spurs need to go nuclear on teams next season. Dillingham's shiftiness and creativity with the ball allow him to get into the paint and open up opportunities for the team. Devin Vassell will be the second most important beneficiary of Dillingham's presence, as Dillingham can help Vassell get easier shots by breaking down the defense.

Sheppard and Knecht's three-point shooting was special. Knecht shot 40%, and Sheppard posted 52% from behind the arc. Knecht is a senior who can score on all three levels. He is a senior and can come into the system to contribute immediately. Everyone else is so young that they will need to be taught more about playing high-level basketball before they can be relied on for consistency, but they're all dynamic enough to cause headaches for the opponents.

Spurs trade the 4th pick for a point guard and draft Dalton Knecht

I know what you're thinking. Dalton Knecht again? Yes. Again. The Spurs have fallen into a consistent trend of drafting players so young that there is little to no chance they will be ready to contribute to a playoff run for years. There is so much to teach them.

After a loss to the Orlando Magic in February, Coach Popovich was asked about the issues facing the team. "It's just a development situation," Popovich expressed. "The challenges are teaching young guys that have never really had the time to get the fundamentals in a lot of different ways."

If the coaching staff has to spend precious time teaching and reinforcing some of the basics of basketball, it only prolongs the growth process. You won't have to worry about that with Knecht.

As far as the point guard, the Spurs could trade for Darius Garland, Dejounte Murray, Trae Young, or some young veteran unforeseen. Your starting lineup is immediately reinvigorated with a presence on offense and defense. You should expect significant improvement from Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan because that's a reasonable expectation.

The result would be making the playoffs, possibly without needing to compete in the play-in. It would be an astronomical jump, but when you have an alien on your roster, something out-of-this-world becomes possible.