3 Likely next moves the Spurs will make after the Cam Payne trade

The San Antonio Spurs continued their offseason wheeling and dealing by acquiring point guard Cam Payne from the Phoenix Suns. The move netted the Spurs cash considerations as well as a future second-rounder to add to their ever-growing draft pick war chest. It also pushes the Spurs number of players under contract to a total of 18, not including forward Dominick Barlow and the 41st pick in the 2023 draft, Sidy Cissoko.

That will force the team to make some tough decisions to narrow their roster down to 15 NBA players. Fortunately, the roster cutdown date is still months away, and there is still training camp and the preseason.

That will give the team a chance to evaluate what they have. However, the Spurs could also look to make additional moves to try and free up roster space to accommodate some of their new additions before then. But which players will make the final roster? Let's take a look at three roster moves the Spurs can make following their acquisition of Payne to clear out roster space.

3.) Trade Doug McDermott and Devonte Graham

The Miami Heat, along with the rest of the NBA, are left to wait to see what the Portland Trail Blazers decide to do with Damian Lillard. Depending on the trade package or whether the trade happens at all, the Heat would have one of the biggest expiring contracts in the NBA with Kyle Lowry. Lowry is owed nearly $30 million, but most trade proposals involving the Heat and Blazers seem to be centered on Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.

That could mean that the Heat are hoping to make a separate deal after landing Lillard to try to fill out their roster. One option could be a deal with the Spurs in which the Spurs trade Doug McDermott and Devonte Graham for Lowry. That would be a mutually beneficial deal in which the Heat get two short-term rotation players for less than the price of Lowry without having to waive and stretch him.

McDermott is a free agent after next season, and Graham's contract is only guaranteed for $2.85 million for the 2024–25 season, making the trade virtually risk-free for them. More importantly, for the Spurs, they'd clear up a roster spot and add a veteran point guard in Lowry who can clearly still play.