5 Free Agent targets that would fit perfectly with Wembanyama on the Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have a chance to transform their franchise this summer. The NBA Draft Lottery night will determine precisely what that looks like on Tuesday. If the Spurs are lucky enough to get the first overall pick, there's no doubt they'll use it on the once-in-a-generation frontcourt talent Victor Wembanyama.

The 7-foot-4 Frenchmen has enamored NBA scouts and fans for a few years and we're just months away from seeing him finally shine under the brightest lights this sport has to offer. But as skilled as Wembanyama is, he alone won't solve all a franchise's problems.

Wemby is out-of-this-world talented. There's no debating that. But no rational GM should think that they can pick him, pat themselves on the back for making the right decision, and mail it in for the rest of the offseason. There's still a lot of work to do in free agency to build a legitimate contender.

The Spurs have the bones of a contending team. Between Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan, they have three budding young stars. Wembanyama can make them a play-in candidate. But they'll need to add free agents to compliment him if they're serious about contending for an automatic playoff berth next season.

5. Sandro Mamukelashvili

Whether it's in support of Wembanyama or not, the San Antonio Spurs should prioritize re-signing Sandro Mamukelashvili this summer. Mamu wasn't in San Antonio for long - he played just 19 games for the Spurs down the stretch - but during his time in Texas, he showed enough flashes to merit being brought back.

A smooth-moving, 6'11" big man with a solid three-point touch and a creative eye for passing is the kind of player that any team would love to have. Starting his career with the playoff-contending Milwaukee Bucks didn't do Mamu any favors as he had a hard time finding his spot in the rotation. But he showed real promise in San Antonio once he got a chance to play.

What's most exciting about the possibility of pairing Mamu and Wemby together is what it could unlock for San Antonio on the offensive side of the ball. Both can shoot the ball and are willing and creative passers. They can dually operate as the hub of the offense from the high post and you can look down the road and see them giving opponents fits if they can nail down pick-and-roll actions with each other. Defending a pick and roll between a 6'11" Mamu with a 7'4" Wembanyama rolling to the rim as a lob threat is something I'd love to see teams try to counter.

Wembanyama can also cover for Mamu's weaknesses on the defensive end of the floor. Mamu tries, you've got to give him credit for that, but he's still not an intimidating defender. He can step out and provide passable perimeter defense but he doesn't protect the rim at a high rate and can get muscled around in the post That's something he needs to work on, but it's a lot less of an issue when the shot-erasing Wembanyama is there to cover for him.

Whether the Spurs end up drafting Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Amen Thompson, or some other high-end prospect, bringing Mamu back should be one of their priorities this summer. But his potential pairing with Wemby is unquestionably exciting.

4. Nikola Vucevic

I've long thought Nikola Vucevic would be a good fit in San Antonio. With a deep bag of scoring tricks, Vuc has seen his fair share of success across stints in Orlando and Chicago. Now that he's nearing the twilight of his career, maybe he's open to coming to San Antonio and acting as a complement and mentor to Victor Wembanyama.

Vuc could re-sign in Chicago, but there's not much keeping him there. They barely snuck into the play-in tournament this season, and with limited cap space to bring in complementary players, it looks like this Bulls team is running up against its ceiling. A fresh start with a promising young team and a lucrative contract could be enough to lure Vuc.

Vucevic has been a dangerous three-point threat in past years but lost his touch a bit this season. It wasn't long ago he was shooting 40 percent from behind the arc. If he can rediscover his form, he'd give the Spurs another three-point threat they desperately need.

More importantly, Vucevic has the build the Spurs need to play him full-time at center. Long-term, that's probably Wemby's position, but right out of the gate there are some legitimate concerns about his ability to handle the physicality of that position for 82 games.

And while Vucevic isn't a strong defender in the post, he can at least hold his own and handle the more physical matchups. That combined with Wemby's ability to leap from the weakside to contest shots with his condor-like wingspan should give the Spurs what they need to be respectable on the defensive end.

Adding Vucevic probably wouldn't lock the Spurs into a postseason spot, but it would be a smart stop-gap move to help them sneak into the play-in and buy some time to add muscle to Wembanyama's frame so he can eventually take over the center position full-time.

3. Grant Williams

One of the more intriguing free agents on the market this summer is Celtics forward Grant Williams. Williams will be a restricted free agent, and if Boston wants to go in another direction or are unwilling to meet his asking price, he could be a viable fit in San Antonio.

Of the two possibilities, the Celtics' hesitancy to pay Williams what he feels he's worth is the more likely of the two. According to Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports, Williams wants as much as $20 million per year on his next contract. That's a hefty price to pay, but it could end up being a bargain if Willams reaches his potential.

With Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum demanding opponents' attention, Williams hasn't been asked to carry much of an offensive load over his four years in Boston. But he's owned his role and looks ready to take on more.

There aren't many guys in the league who shoot 40% from deep, have the quickness to corral Kevin Durant, and possess the physicality to go toe to toe with Giannis Antetokounmpo. But Williams has done all of that over the past two seasons, and it's that kind of defensive versatility that would make him a perfect complement to Victor Wembanyama.

Being undersized hasn't stopped Williams from taking on some of the most physical players in the NBA. There are nights when the 6'6" forward is overmatched, but generally, he has the physicality to handle those matchups and free up Wembanyama to use his wingspan to operate as a rim-protecting free safety.

One noteworthy complication of a potential Grant Williams signing is what it could mean for Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson. Sochan looks like the Spurs' long-term starter at power forward, and it sounds like Williams wants a starting role with his next contract. Is moving Keldon to the bench something the Spurs would entertain?

Given Williams's reliable three-point shot and defensive versatility, it might be worth it in the long run, especially if the Spurs get Wembanyama.

2. Cameron Johnson

The blueprint of the ideal free agent signing for San Antonio is a young wing who can provide some much-needed three-point shooting while also helping improve the Spurs' horrendous defense. That sounds a heck of a lot like Cameron Johnson.

Johnson would bring everything the Spurs need to San Antonio. His brightest contribution on offense is his exceptional three-point shooting. Throughout his career, he has shot 40% from beyond the arc. And during his time with Phoenix this season, he nailed an outstanding 46% of his long-range attempts before being traded to the Nets.

Given Wembanyama's dominant presence in the post, Gregg Popovich should have no trouble scheming up off-ball actions that create open opportunities for Johnson. And with Wembanyama's budding passing abilities and unobstructed court vision, finding Johnson on kickout passes for effortless three-pointers should become a staple of the Spurs' offense.

On the defensive end, Johnson is a smart and rangy defender. He doesn't rack up steals or blocks, but he's switchable between wings and forwards, holds his own against players outside his weight class, and always seems to be in the right position at the right time.

He has an innate sense of what the offense wants to do and positions himself to disrupt it better than most players in the league. When paired with Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Wemby, he could help round out the rotation of what could turn into a competent defense for San Antonio.

Finally, Johnson is only 26 years old and doesn't immediately step on the toes of any of the other important Spurs. His game is malleable enough to complement any style of play, he fits a position of need, his age aligns with the Spurs' timeline, and his best basketball is still ahead of him. He's exactly the kind of free agent San Antonio should pair with Wembanyama or any other draft pick.

1. Brook Lopez

First and foremost, I'm well aware of how unlikely this is. There is a snowball's chance in hell that the San Antonio Spurs are going to sign Brook Lopez this summer. But that chance is never an absolute zero, so let me make my case.

The Milwaukee Bucks have some critical decisions to make this offseason. Khris Middleton needs to be re-signed, as does Brook, Giannis is up for an extension, and the team needs to find a new head coach. And while bringing Lopez back after his incredible season is undoubtedly a priority it wouldn't be surprising to find out Milwaukee has some hesitations about signing the 35-year-old to a three-year deal that would keep him as a core part of their title hopes until he's pushing 40.

If Lopez doesn't end up back in Milwaukee - and that's probably how this is going to shake out - the Spurs need to make the call. He would make the perfect mentor for a young Victor Wembanyama. I don't care how much it costs, the fit between the two is pristine and the knowledge that Lopez could pass along to Wemby would be more than worth the price of the contract.

From an on-court perspective, Lopez and Wembanyama are a match made in heaven. Both of them can stretch the floor as reliable three-point shooters, and it's fair to assume that both will be near the top of the league in blocks, shots contested, and deflections when we reach the end of next season. Having two switchable seven-footers like that would instantly transform a Spurs team that was lacking in both rim protection and three-point shooting.

Off the court, there is so much that Lopez could teach Wembanyama. Over his 15-year career, he's seen everything the NBA has to offer. He's been an All-Star, a role player, been on bad teams, won a championship, and contended for Defensive Player of the Year. He's also spent the last five years playing alongside Giannis, a player Wembenyama should absolutely be looking at as a blueprint of how to develop and dominate the NBA.

It's almost certainly not going to happen, but maybe putting this out into the universe will help just a little bit. Spurs fans should be over the moon if San Antonio somehow pairs Brook Lopez with Victor Wembanyama next season.