%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20663%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20663%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23121212%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23ADADAD%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23222222%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%2320201C%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%2302B1A5%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23EE2F6C%3B%7D%0A%09.st6%7Bfill%3A%23F47920%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M581.3%2C133.9c2.6-6.8%2C5.1-13.7%2C7.5-20.5c2.9-7.9%2C4.6-15.8%2C3-23.5c-1.2-5.9-8.7-10.7-16.6-5.8%0A%09%09%09%09c-5.8%2C3.7-9.9%2C8.8-14.3%2C13.6c-2%2C2.2-3.6%2C4.5-5.4%2C6.8c-0.2%2C0-0.4-0.1-0.6-0.1c0.1-1.2%2C0-2.5%2C0.2-3.7c0.7-4.8%2C0.4-9.3-1.9-13.3%0A%09%09%09%09c-1.7-2.9-7.5-5.5-11.9-3.8c-4.2%2C1.7-7.7%2C4.3-10.7%2C7.6c-4.3%2C4.7-8.3%2C9.5-12.8%2C14.8c0.1-1.2%2C0-2.2%2C0.3-3c1.3-3.9%2C0.9-7.3-0.8-10.5%0A%09%09%09%09c-2.2-4.1-5-7.5-10.4-8c-4.7-0.4-7.1%2C1.3-8.5%2C5.7c-1.7%2C5.7-3.2%2C11.4-5.2%2C17c-2.1%2C6.1-4.8%2C12.1-7.1%2C18.1%0A%09%09%09%09c-1.6%2C4.2-3.5%2C8.5-4.5%2C12.8c-1.6%2C6.9-2.8%2C13.9-1.6%2C20.7c1.1%2C6.1%2C5.2%2C11.6%2C12.5%2C12c3.2%2C0.2%2C4.2-1%2C3.7-4c-0.5-2.7-1.5-5.8-0.5-8.4%0A%09%09%09%09c2.1-6.1%2C4.7-12.3%2C8.1-18.1c4.7-8.1%2C10.1-15.9%2C15.6-23.5c2.6-3.6%2C5.9-6.7%2C9.2-9.8c0.9-0.8%2C2.8-1%2C3.9-0.8c0.5%2C0.1%2C0.8%2C1.8%2C0.7%2C2.9%0A%09%09%09%09c-0.1%2C1.2-0.7%2C2.4-1.2%2C3.6c-1.4%2C3.2-2.8%2C6.4-4.3%2C9.6c-2.1%2C4.7-4.2%2C9.4-6.2%2C14.1c-3.4%2C7.9-5.9%2C15.8-4.5%2C23.8%0A%09%09%09%09c1.1%2C6.5%2C8%2C10.5%2C12.3%2C10.7c0.8%2C0.1%2C3.1%2C0.2%2C4.3-1.2c1-1.2%2C0.8-3%2C0.8-3.4c-0.6-6.1%2C5.6-23.8%2C11.2-34.8c1.1-2.2%2C4.4-8.7%2C9.8-15.2%0A%09%09%09%09c2.4-2.9%2C4.8-5.1%2C8-8.3c1.2-1.2%2C2.7-2.4%2C4.2-3.2c2-1%2C3.4-0.1%2C3%2C2c-0.3%2C1.8-0.9%2C3.7-1.6%2C5.5c-1.2%2C2.9-2.6%2C5.8-3.9%2C8.7%0A%09%09%09%09c-2.2%2C5.1-4.6%2C10.1-6.5%2C15.3c-2%2C5.4-4.1%2C10.9-5%2C16.3c-1%2C6.4-0.2%2C12.5%2C5%2C16.6c1%2C0.7%2C2%2C1.3%2C3%2C1.8c0.7%2C0.3%2C5.2%2C2.2%2C10.3%2C0.4%0A%09%09%09%09c0.4-0.1%2C4-1.4%2C3.9-2.8c-0.1-0.7-1.2-0.9-2.5-2.4c0%2C0-0.9-1-1.7-2.7c-1.8-3.8%2C2.7-12.8%2C2.7-12.9%0A%09%09%09%09C576.3%2C144.9%2C579.1%2C139.4%2C581.3%2C133.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M472.8%2C131.9c3.4-7.3%2C6.9-14.7%2C10.2-22c1.3-2.8%2C2.8-5.6%2C2.3-8.6c-1-5.6-3.7-9.9-8.2-13%0A%09%09%09%09c-4.1-2.8-8.4-1.7-10.7%2C2.7c-2.1%2C4.2-4.2%2C8.4-5.7%2C12.8c-2.2%2C6.3-5.4%2C12.1-9%2C17.8c-5%2C7.9-10.3%2C15.6-15.8%2C23.2%0A%09%09%09%09c-3.3%2C4.6-7.1%2C9.1-12.2%2C12.2c-1.4%2C0.9-3.8%2C1.4-5.1%2C0.8c-1-0.4-1.5-2.8-1-4.1c1.3-4%2C2.6-8.2%2C4.8-11.9c4-6.7%2C8.5-13.2%2C13.3-19.5%0A%09%09%09%09c5.9-7.9%2C12.3-15.4%2C20.4-21.5c1.7-1.3%2C3.7-3%2C3.2-5.2c-0.9-4.2-2.9-7.7-7.4-8.9c-5.2-1.4-10.4%2C0.2-15.3%2C3.3%0A%09%09%09%09c-7.9%2C5-14.2%2C11.6-20.1%2C18.7c-9.1%2C10.9-16.6%2C22.5-21.6%2C35.3c-2.8%2C7.2-3.9%2C13.9-0.5%2C20.2c3.8%2C6.9%2C9.5%2C11.3%2C18.2%2C12%0A%09%09%09%09c1.5%2C0.1%2C3.7%2C0.1%2C6.1-0.9c2-0.8%2C3.3-2%2C4.1-2.8c3.7-3.8%2C8.4-8.7%2C13-13.6c2.1-2.2%2C3.5-3.7%2C4.3-4.5c2.3-2.5%2C4.7-4.9%2C7-7.4%0A%09%09%09%09c0.3%2C0.1%2C0.6%2C0.2%2C0.8%2C0.4c-0.1%2C1.7-0.1%2C3.3-0.2%2C5c-0.3%2C5.1%2C0.9%2C9.7%2C3.6%2C13.6c4.3%2C6.2%2C13.5%2C7.1%2C17.8%2C5.1c0.2-0.1%2C2.8-1.2%2C2.7-2.4%0A%09%09%09%09c-0.2-1.4-4.3-1.2-6.1-4.1c-0.3-0.5-0.8-1.3-0.8-3.2c0-3.1%2C0.4-6.3%2C0.9-9.5C467%2C145.1%2C469.8%2C138.5%2C472.8%2C131.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M659.6%2C94.7c-2.2-7-5.9-12.3-13.5-14.6c-5.3-1.6-10.4-0.9-15.4%2C2.5c-2.4%2C1.6-4.3%2C4-6.5%2C6%0A%09%09%09%09c-1.2%2C1.2-2.3%2C2.2-3.7%2C0.6c-1.2-1.3-2.8-2.2-4.4-3.2c-2.3-1.4-6-1-7.2%2C0.9c-2.6%2C4.1-5.4%2C8.1-7.3%2C12.4c-3.6%2C8.3-6.6%2C16.7-9.9%2C25.1%0A%09%09%09%09c-3.8%2C9.6-4.4%2C18.8-1.7%2C27.6c1.4%2C4.7%2C4.1%2C8.5%2C8%2C11.5c3.9%2C2.9%2C8.4%2C4.5%2C13.3%2C5.6c7.6%2C1.7%2C15.1%2C0.2%2C22.4-4%0A%09%09%09%09c7.7-4.4%2C13.2-11%2C17.5-18.3c5.1-8.6%2C8.4-17.6%2C9.8-27C662.4%2C111.1%2C662.1%2C102.7%2C659.6%2C94.7z%20M646.3%2C101.2c-1.7%2C8.3-3.9%2C15.7-7.3%2C23%0A%09%09%09%09c-3.6%2C7.7-7.6%2C15.2-13%2C22c-2.9%2C3.7-6.6%2C7-10.2%2C10.2c-2.5%2C2.2-5.6%2C2.7-8.3%2C1.4c-2.3-1.1-2.8-3.3-2.7-6c0.4-6.6%2C2.9-12.9%2C6-19.2%0A%09%09%09%09c2.1-4.1%2C4.2-8.2%2C6.1-12.4c1.3-2.8%2C2.3-3.1%2C4.2-1.3c3.1%2C3.1%2C9.3%2C4%2C13.9%2C1.7c1.7-0.9%2C3.3-2.5%2C4.3-4.1c2.3-3.7%2C0.8-5.5-3.3-4.8%0A%09%09%09%09c-1.2%2C0.2-2.4%2C0.5-3.6%2C0.5c-3.3%2C0.1-5-1.9-4-5.1c1.7-5.3%2C4.1-10.2%2C8.1-14.6c1.7-1.8%2C3.6-3.5%2C6-3.1c2.7%2C0.4%2C3.4%2C2.8%2C3.7%2C5.1%0A%09%09%09%09C646.5%2C96.9%2C646.3%2C99.5%2C646.3%2C101.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M389.3%2C135.9c2.4-5.7%2C4.8-11.4%2C7.3-17.1c2.1-4.8%2C4.4-9.5%2C6.6-14.3c2-4.4%2C4.1-8.7%2C6.2-13.1%0A%09%09%09%09c2.4-5%2C4.8-9.9%2C7.1-14.9c2.2-4.7%2C4.4-9.3%2C6.4-14.1c2.1-4.9%2C3.9-9.8%2C5.8-14.7c1-6.5-1.8-10.9-5.5-14.9c-2.5-2.8-6-3.7-10.2-3%0A%09%09%09%09c-3.1%2C0.6-4.9%2C2.1-5.3%2C5.1c-1.5%2C10.8-6.4%2C21.1-10.7%2C31.5c-4%2C9.6-8.9%2C19-13.1%2C28.5c-3.9%2C8.8-7.7%2C17.6-11.4%2C26.5%0A%09%09%09%09c-4.3%2C10.4-7%2C20.9-7.8%2C31.6c-0.3%2C4.5%2C0.1%2C8.6%2C1.6%2C12.5c3.2%2C8.2%2C15.3%2C9.9%2C19.5%2C7.9c0.5-0.2%2C2.2-1%2C2.2-2.1c0.1-1.7-3.7-1.8-5.8-4.1%0A%09%09%09%09c-3.6-4-0.3-12.7%2C4.2-24.6C387.1%2C141%2C387.8%2C139.3%2C389.3%2C135.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M348.2%2C169.1c2.4-18.3%2C10.4-42.7%2C18.6-71.7c8.1-29%2C19.2-69.3%2C20.4-77.3c1.2-8-14.9-17.5-26.1-19.4%0A%09%09%09%09c-11.2-1.9-10.9%2C1-10.9%2C1c6.7%2C4.8-2.8%2C19.5-2.8%2C19.5s-27.6%2C42.2-52.6%2C79.7c-1.5%2C0-2.9%2C0-4.2%2C0c-17.8-0.3-50.8%2C7.1-51.8%2C15.7%0A%09%09%09%09c-1%2C8.6%2C6.7%2C14.3%2C11.7%2C16.6c0%2C0%2C7.4%2C5.1%2C15.2%2C4.2c0.2%2C0%2C0.8-0.1%2C0.9-0.4c0.2-0.6-1.3-1.7-1.7-2c-2.8-2.1-8.9-8.6-7.6-12.4%0A%09%09%09%09c0.6-2%2C2.6-3.7%2C6.6-4.9c8.8-2.6%2C14.8-3.5%2C21.6-3c-14.3%2C21.2-26.3%2C38.7-29.7%2C42.4c-9.7%2C10.6-12.3%2C6.6-12.3%2C6.6%0A%09%09%09%09c3.5%2C16%2C10.8%2C19.8%2C15.3%2C20.4c4.5%2C0.7%2C6.4%2C3.5%2C27.1-24.5c10.6-14.4%2C20.3-30.6%2C28.2-44.9c1.5-1%2C2.8-2%2C4.8-2.3%0A%09%09%09%09c4.1-0.6%2C12.3-1.6%2C19-2.2c-5.4%2C19.8-9.4%2C37.3-10.4%2C49.4c-2.2%2C26%2C6%2C37.7%2C23.3%2C40.2c3.6%2C0.5%2C9.6%2C1%2C12.9-2.9%0A%09%09%09%09c2.3-2.7%2C2.3-6.3%2C2.2-7.9C355.4%2C194.1%2C345.8%2C187.4%2C348.2%2C169.1z%20M322.4%2C99.4c3.7-7%2C6.8-12.9%2C9-17.1c7.7-14.2%2C28.5-44.9%2C28.5-44.9%0A%09%09%09%09c-6.2%2C19.7-12.8%2C40.7-18.4%2C60.2C338.6%2C97.9%2C331.1%2C98.7%2C322.4%2C99.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M110.7%2C169.1c2.4-18.3%2C10.4-42.7%2C18.6-71.7c8.1-29%2C19.2-69.3%2C20.4-77.3c1.2-8-14.9-17.5-26.1-19.4%0A%09%09%09%09c-11.2-1.9-10.9%2C1-10.9%2C1c6.7%2C4.8-2.8%2C19.5-2.8%2C19.5s-27.6%2C42.2-52.6%2C79.7c-1.5%2C0-2.9%2C0-4.2%2C0c-17.8-0.3-50.8%2C7.1-51.8%2C15.7%0A%09%09%09%09c-1%2C8.6%2C6.7%2C14.3%2C11.7%2C16.6c0%2C0%2C7.4%2C5.1%2C15.2%2C4.2c0.2%2C0%2C0.8-0.1%2C0.9-0.4c0.2-0.6-1.3-1.7-1.7-2c-2.8-2.1-8.9-8.6-7.6-12.4%0A%09%09%09%09c0.6-2%2C2.6-3.7%2C6.6-4.9c8.8-2.6%2C14.8-3.5%2C21.6-3c-14.3%2C21.2-26.3%2C38.7-29.7%2C42.4C8.7%2C167.6%2C6%2C163.6%2C6%2C163.6%0A%09%09%09%09c3.5%2C16%2C10.8%2C19.8%2C15.3%2C20.4c4.5%2C0.7%2C6.4%2C3.5%2C27.1-24.5c10.6-14.4%2C20.3-30.6%2C28.2-44.9c1.5-1%2C2.8-2%2C4.8-2.3%0A%09%09%09%09c4.1-0.6%2C12.3-1.6%2C19-2.2c-5.4%2C19.8-9.4%2C37.3-10.4%2C49.4c-2.2%2C26%2C6%2C37.7%2C23.3%2C40.2c3.6%2C0.5%2C9.6%2C1%2C12.9-2.9%0A%09%09%09%09c2.3-2.7%2C2.3-6.3%2C2.2-7.9C117.8%2C194.1%2C108.3%2C187.4%2C110.7%2C169.1z%20M84.9%2C99.4c3.7-7%2C6.8-12.9%2C9-17.1c7.7-14.2%2C28.5-44.9%2C28.5-44.9%0A%09%09%09%09c-6.2%2C19.7-12.8%2C40.7-18.4%2C60.2C101%2C97.9%2C93.6%2C98.7%2C84.9%2C99.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M217.1%2C113.1c-3-0.5-6.2-0.4-9.3-0.7c-5.8-0.5-9.8-4.2-8.1-9.9c0.9-2.8%2C2.2-5.6%2C3.8-8.2%0A%09%09%09%09c2.3-3.9%2C5-7.7%2C7.5-11.5c0.8-1.2%2C0.9-2.3-0.1-3.3c-2.8-2.8-6.4-4.4-10.3-5.6c-4.1-1.3-9.3%2C0.5-12.2%2C4.5%0A%09%09%09%09c-5.3%2C7.4-8.6%2C15.2-9.4%2C23.7c-0.3%2C3%2C0.3%2C5.7%2C1.5%2C8.2c0.5%2C0.9%2C0.6%2C2.4%2C0.2%2C3.4c-3.5%2C7.9-7%2C15.8-10.8%2C23.7%0A%09%09%09%09c-4.1%2C8.3-8.6%2C16.6-14.4%2C24.1c-2.3%2C2.9-5.3%2C5.5-8.2%2C7.9c-2%2C1.7-3.5%2C1-3.6-1.4c0-1.5%2C0-3.1%2C0.1-4.6c1-10.4%2C5.3-20.3%2C9.5-30.2%0A%09%09%09%09c2.6-6.2%2C6.1-12.2%2C8.9-18.4c0.9-2%2C1.6-4.4%2C1.5-6.4c-0.3-6.1-3.4-10.7-8.2-13.8c-4.7-3-7.8-1.4-10.3%2C2.7c-1.3%2C2.1-2.2%2C4.4-3.1%2C6.7%0A%09%09%09%09c-2.3%2C5.7-4.7%2C11.5-6.9%2C17.2c-3.6%2C9.2-6.5%2C18.5-7.7%2C27.9c-0.9%2C7.2-1.9%2C14.4%2C1.1%2C20.8c3.5%2C7.5%2C14.1%2C8.1%2C16.3%2C8.4%0A%09%09%09%09c1.9%2C0.3%2C5.7%2C0.7%2C10.1-0.7c1.8-0.6%2C4.1-1.4%2C6.4-3.6c7-6.5%2C10.2-14.8%2C14.2-22.7c2.5-4.9%2C4.4-10%2C6.6-15c2.5-5.8%2C5-11.7%2C7.4-17.6%0A%09%09%09%09c0.9-2.2%2C1.8-2.7%2C3.8-1.8c1.3%2C0.7%2C2.2%2C1.5%2C2.9%2C2.6c1.4%2C2.4%2C0.6%2C5.2%2C0.2%2C6.6c-3.1%2C11.1-5.8%2C16.4-6.6%2C24c-0.1%2C1-0.1%2C2.8-0.2%2C5.2%0A%09%09%09%09c-0.3%2C5.8%2C0.7%2C10.7%2C3.7%2C14.5c0.7%2C0.9%2C3.1%2C4%2C7.4%2C5.5c6.7%2C2.3%2C14.2-0.8%2C14.2-2.2c0-0.4-0.5-1-1.5-1.1c-4.3-0.1-6.8-4.5-6-8%0A%09%09%09%09c1-4.8%2C2.1-9.6%2C3.7-14.3c2.1-6.3%2C4.9-12.6%2C7-18.9c1.4-4%2C2.6-8.1%2C3.2-12.2C221.9%2C114.3%2C221.3%2C113.8%2C217.1%2C113.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M161.5%2C69.9c1.3%2C0.2%2C2.4-0.7%2C2.6-1.9c0.2-1.3-0.7-2.4-1.9-2.6s-2.4%2C0.7-2.6%2C1.9%0A%09%09%09%09C159.4%2C68.6%2C160.3%2C69.7%2C161.5%2C69.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st1%22%20d%3D%22M151.9%2C68.1L143%2C79.5l13.4-2.5l6.2%2C12.9l3.9-13.6l16.1%2C4.1l-9.7-10.6l12.6-9.2l-13-0.8l3.2-11.2l-12.3%2C7.7%0A%09%09%09%09l-8-10.7l-0.5%2C14.8l-14.5-1.4L151.9%2C68.1z%20M158.1%2C64.1l0.4-7.3l4.2%2C4.9l6.9-5.3l-2.2%2C6.8l6.1%2C0.9l-5%2C4.9l4.7%2C5.6l-9.4-2.1%0A%09%09%09%09l-1.8%2C7.2l-2.8-7l-7.4%2C1.3l4.7-6l-6.1-5.2L158.1%2C64.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Grade the Mock Trade: Spurs land superstar center to support Wembanyama
Would the Spurs say yes?
Karl-Anthony Towns may not be the two-way anchor of a championship contender, but he has all the skills to be the supercharged co-star who commands defensive attention and generates open shots for his younger teammates. The two-time All-NBA honoree averaged 24.6 points, 9.8 boards, and 3.6 assists per game on .529/.410/.822 shooting splits during his last fully healthy season, and the Spurs could use his floor spacing and back-to-the-basket playmaking.
San Antonio would be responsible for paying KAT approximately $222.7 million in guaranteed money over the next four years since his contract extension kicks in this season, which could leave the front office strapped for cash on the free agent market for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, a one-two punch of Towns and Wembanyama could form a formidable frontcourt tandem that launches the Spurs into perennial playoff runs and immediate title contention status.
Popovich and the rest of the decision-making brass have made it clear this team will have a chance to develop organically, and they should stay true to that direction unless someone comes knocking with a no-brainer proposition. The benefits of taking a risk on an All-Star talent like Karl-Anthony Towns far outweigh the potential drawbacks. Regardless, Minnesota is likely not desperate enough to toss their long-time centerpiece for reserves and an up-and-coming forward.
Grade: A-
manual