3 Keldon Johnson trade partners that make sense, 3 that don't

The San Antonio Spurs might not have the worst record in the NBA (thank you, Detroit), but it's hard to argue that they haven't been the most disappointing team this season. With number one pick Victor Wembanyama proving to be as advertised, the Coach Gregg Popovich-led Spurs appear to be less than the sum of their parts.

That could lead the Spurs to be active as the upcoming NBA trade deadline approaches. One player potentially on the trade block is Keldon Johnson, who is the team's second-leading scorer but has recently been moved to the bench in favor of starting an inferior player in Julian Champagnie. With the writing on the wall that Johnson could get moved, let's look at three potential trade partners that make sense and three teams that don't.

Makes Sense: Houston Rockets

Former number two overall pick Jalen Green hasn't quite lived up to expectations thus far for the Houston Rockets, though he still has shown flashes of stardom. With better teammates, they have been less reliant on Green, though he hasn't taken advantage of having a better cast around him.

In some ways, the same can be said for Johnson, who led the Spurs in scoring last season but has been more inconsistent this campaign. That likely has something to do with him going from being the first option to being the third, but his play comes and goes. Some nights he's a ball of energy, bullying his way to the rim and knocking down threes, while others he doesn't do much to warrant attention.

Considering that Johnson and Green put up similar numbers last season, are having similar seasons this year, and the Rockets previously shopped him, there might be mutual interest in a trade. Green has star potential—albeit fading—while Johnson can be a good starter on a terrific contract. Perhaps Johnson for Green and former Spur Jock Landale might be enough for both in-state rivals.

Doesn't Make Sense: Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers could be one of the most active teams in the trade market. While the Lakers have been struggling since winning the In-season Tournament and are likely to make a trade, they wouldn't make sense as trade partners for the Spurs for a number of reasons.

For one, the Lakers are short on assets, and the ones that they do have are likely reserved for stars. That almost certainly eliminates them from the list of hypothetical candidates to trade for Johnson, though if they strike out on a deal for a star, the Spurs could be an interesting landing spot for D'Angelo Russell.

After all, the Lakers have plenty of size on the perimeter, with LeBron James, Taurean Prince, Rui Hachimura, and Cam Reddish, decreasing the need for a wing such as Johnson on their roster. This is despite Los Angeles having an aging roster and the need for young players on affordable contracts.

Be that as it may, the Spurs and Lakers appear to be unlikely trade partners ahead of next month's trade deadline, so don't expect Johnson to be playing in Los Angeles this season.

Doesn't Make Sense: Chicago Bulls

Despite going through their own struggles, the Spurs have a vested interest in the Chicago Bulls' success or lack thereof. The Bulls are viewed as possible sellers at the trade deadline, and players such as Zach LaVine and former Spur DeMar DeRozan could be moved. However, neither fit with the Spurs' timeline, and San Antonio probably won't be willing to trade Johnson to Chicago for any other player either.

The Spurs have an incentive not to help the Bulls since they own a future first from Chicago that is top-10 protected in 2025 and top-8 protected in 2026 and 2027 from the DeRozan trade. If the Bulls bottom out, then it may be hard for the Spurs to receive that pick. But then again, if they receive a high pick in one or two of those seasons, Chicago might be good enough for them to lose their selection in 2027.

That would be huge for San Antonio since it could mean that they would end up with a lottery pick in the final season of Wembanyama's rookie contract before his rookie max kicks in. That would allow the team to add a cheap and talented young player to offset his monster contract. Although it's not a guarantee that would happen, the Spurs should do everything in their power, including declining to trade with the Bulls, to make that a reality.

Make Sense: Detroit Pistons

The Pistons and Spurs have been the two worst teams in the league over the last two seasons, and they could potentially help each other out in a trade. One option could be to send Johnson to the Pistons in exchange for Killian Hayes, Marvin Bagley III, and two future first-round picks.

Hayes is known for his playmaking and defense, but he is a poor shooter who is a tough fit in most lineups. Then again, he may be a better fit playing alongside Wembanyama and three other shooters. As for Bagley III, he has been a decent backup center but is overpaid and under contract next season for $12 million, making him a probable trade candidate.

The Spurs could take back his contract with the intention of using it in the summer or next season to help match his salary in another trade. Factor in the top-8 protected first-round picks in 2025 and 2027, and they probably couldn't say no to such a deal.

For the Pistons, moving on from Hayes and Bagley II would help clear out playing time for the likes of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren while adding a more proven offensive player in Johnson. There's definitely potential for a good deal to be made between the Spurs and the Pistons.

Doesn't Make Sense: Toronto Raptors

Much like with the Bulls, the Spurs have little reason to trade with the Toronto Raptors since they also own their future first-round pick. San Antonio owns a top-six protected pick in this year's draft or 2025 if the pick doesn't convey this season.

Better yet, the Raptors are reportedly uninterested in a full rebuild, increasing their chances of being a lottery team, but not one of the six worst teams in the NBA over this season and next. Johnson would potentially help with that goal of being bad but not awful, but the Spurs trading for Raptors star Pascal Siakam or another player on their roster—Immanuel Quickley aside—probably doesn't make sense for their own rebuild.

Never mind that Johnson probably wouldn't make sense on their roster with big wings like Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. Adding Johnson would be redundant, and that is something that the Raptors finally got away from by moving OG Anunoby.

Based on that, there seems to be no reason for the Spurs and Raptors to do another deal before the February 12th deadline, despite being repeat trade partners in the past. Instead, San Antonio will likely sit back and watch to see if the Raptors decide to retool or rebuild and whether the pick will fall into their laps.

Make Sense: Atlanta Hawks

With rumors that former Spur Dejounte Murray could be available, it's hard not to wonder about a potential reunion. While Murray had some harsh words for how he was treated during his time in San Antonio, he still appears to have a good relationship with Popovich, and the Spurs could absolutely use his skillset. He's a skilled pick-and-roll playmaker, thanks to his days setting up Lamarcus Aldridge, and is also solid at feeding the post as a result.

Having Murray there to set Wembanyama up could be just what he needs to become a truly dominant scorer. In fact, the two of them could form a nice two-man game with Murray's ability to knock down mid-range shots and get to the rim. As for a potential trade, the Spurs could offer Atlanta Keldon Johnson, Cedi Osman, the Hawks' 2025 first-round pick back, as well as Chicago's top-10 protected in 2025 for Murray and Spurs legend Patty Mills.

For Atlanta, they'd get a starter on one of the best contracts in the NBA in Johnson, a good bench player in Osman, and two firsts, though the Bulls pick may or may not convey. That's a fair haul considering they overpaid to acquire Murray in the first place.

Meanwhile, the Spurs may be open to moving Johnson; Osman isn't likely to be re-signing; they'd still have plenty of picks remaining and would re-acquire Murray, who signed a 4-year extension over last summer. Ultimately, it would prove to be a fairly low-risk, high-reward opportunity for San Antonio.