3 overlooked reasons the Spurs must close Trae Young deal

By now, most are aware of the rumors surrounding the possibility of the San Antonio Spurs acquisition of Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young. At the start of the season, the idea of acquiring a player of Young's caliber for the position the Spurs desperately needed seemed like a far-fetched dream.

The potential deal fit is not without its concerns. Trae Young is a smaller guard who, though improved as a defender, is still often targeted in big games. Ball handlers across the league have evolved, allowing teams to put out lineups that can suffocate the small-ball strategy. That size disadvantage cannot be overlooked.

He has also been known to take a lot of shots. This season, Trae Young is averaging 19.4 field goal attempts per game. That ranks 11th in the NBA behind Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving but ahead of Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker. Despite these concerns, neither outweighs the number of reasons the Spurs should make the addition of Trae Young their number one priority.

3. The unknown pushes the timeline back too far

There are a couple of guys in the upcoming draft that analysts are fairly high on, but overall, this is a lower-tier draft in the eyes of many. If the Spurs don't find their point guard this year in the draft and don't make a move for one in free agency or by trade, that means another year of waiting just to find the guy. If that player happens to be in next year's draft, it will likely take time for him to develop into a guard ready to compete at a playoff level.

If the Spurs take a point guard this year, there is always a chance the player does not develop into who this team needs them to be. Trae Young has been in the league for 6 years now, and you know what you're getting with him: dynamic scoring, high assist numbers, and a player who already knows how to win when the game gets tight in the fourth quarter.

Coach Popovich has spoken numerous times about how much he has had to teach the players fundamentals. So, instead of adding another rookie to an already young roster, just add Trae Young. He is still young enough to be with the team long-term, and he has the skills to be the scariest number two in the league right now.