5 Just-traded players Spurs should've snagged themselves

Tre Mann

The NBA is all about opportunity. Teams around the league draft players based on potential, and sometimes a player's potential gets hidden from the world simply because they are not in position to play significant minutes and put their skill to the test on the hardwood in regular season games.

But when a player is traded out of a restricting situation and the right opportunity comes along, fans can sometimes see a whole new player and wonder where that level of talent was on his old team. There does not seem to be anyone that this notion applies to more at this deadline than Tre Mann.

Traded from Oklahoma City to Charlotte, Tre will be getting a fresh start after seeing his minutes dwindle as the Thunder began winning more games. Bucks superstar Damian Lillard spoke about Mann on a podcast a few months ago. "I don’t know if it’s gonna be in Oklahoma City but wherever he’s at, Tre Mann is nice," said Lillard. "When he gets an opportunity somewhere, I’m telling you."

It is not hard to see why Lillard feels this way. When you watch Mann play, he is shifty, quick, makes good decisions with the ball and has a lethal jump shot. He is the type of athlete that can have a high ceiling in this league. With the Spurs currently looking for an answer at the point guard position, this one certainly feels like a missed opportunity.