5 Spurs who undoubtedly need to be traded or released before next season

2. Keldon Johnson

Keldon Johnson signed a fully guaranteed, 4-year, $74 million deal before the season started. When he received the extension, the Spurs had to hope he would take a step forward. It was a reasonable belief considering Keldon was forced to play in a phone booth last season due to the lack of space provided in the offense and still managed to average 20 points per game.

With Devin Vassell stepping forward to take on more as a scorer and the addition of Victor Wembanyama, he should have used the extra space allotted to raise his scoring efficiency. That did not happen. Last season, Johnson had a field goal percentage of 45%, only to follow it up this season with a field goal percentage of 45%. His three-point shooting was streaky, showing an ability to get hot but his overall percentage for the year was 34%.

His number by the year decreases so as the cap rises, it only becomes more team-friendly. Some might consider that a reason to keep him but it mostly ensures that he is an appealing asset to other teams.

If the Spurs' desire to win games this year was not clear before, it was made obvious when they concluded the season by winning six out of their last 10 games. That tells fans the expectation was much higher. After just barely winning enough games to avoid a franchise-worst record, changes need to be made and Keldon is an obvious trade piece that must be utilized.