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Constructing a Spurs “dream team” if they nailed every NBA Draft

ByCal Durrett
San Antonio Spurs guard Tomas Satoransky (31) defends Miami Heat
San Antonio Spurs guard Tomas Satoransky (31) defends Miami Heat | Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
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Alperen Sengun
Denver Nuggets v Houston Rockets | Alex Bierens de Haan/GettyImages

2021: Alperen Sengun over Joshua Primo with the 12th pick

Spurs fans knew this was coming. From the moment Commissioner Adam Silver announced Joshua Primo's name, it proved to be a controversial decision. Primo's name didn't appear on most first-round mock drafts or even on some second-round ones as well. That made the Spurs' decision to draft him all the more surprising, especially with center Alperen Sengun also available at 12. The team had a need at center, even with Jakob Poeltl starting, and Sengun would have given the Spurs a highly skilled offensive big that they could have molded.

In many ways, he was the safe pick, but Primo was a mystery box. He might've worked out had it not been for his alleged misconduct, but the team gambled with a lottery pick, and it failed miserably. Houston ended up taking Sengun at 15, and he has turned into a terrific player. Things still worked out for the best with the Spurs signing Zach Collins to a value contract later in the summer of 2021, and that has begun to pay dividends.

They also later traded Poeltl for a first-round pick and two second-rounders, and now they are in a position to select Wembanyama first in this year's draft. Even then, it would have been nice to extract some value from a lottery pick.

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