5 Players the Spurs should pursue with Team USA ties to Pop

5. Damian Lillard finds a new home with the Spurs

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that the Damian Lillard storyline has become one of the most belabored points of the summer. From the "will he or won't he" request a trade hypotheticals to his agent's alleged statements about warning teams that weren't the Miami Heat against trading for Lillard to Adam Silver eventually having to weigh in it's certainly been a long slog of Lillard rumors over the past few months.

Even if rumblings indicate that Lillard's preferred destination is Miami, I believe that his own sense of professionalism - along with the threat of harsh discipline by the NBA - would be enough to have him give his all to his new team, no matter who it might be. If the Spurs aren't scared off by the potential of a disgruntled Dame, that could be enough to get them to kick the tires on a trade that brings him to San Antonio.

Lillard is owed a ton of money over the next few years. By the time he's 35, he'll be making almost $60 million a year! That's a lot to pay any player but especially one who will be heading towards the end of their career. But, on the other hand, Lillard would fill a tremendous area of need for San Antonio.

Tre Jones is a solid player and I'm glad that the Spurs brought him back but there's no debating that Lillard is better. If the Spurs think that Gregg Popovich's relationship with Dame is enough for him to move past the fact that he didn't end up in Miami then the Spurs trading for Lillard could work out.

I'm sure we're going to hear a lot more about Lillard and his trade request as we inch toward the start of the 2023 season. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Sprus as a dark horse team to trade for him as we learn more.