Grade the Trade: Spurs land Cavaliers star to give Wembanyama help in latest proposal

In an alternate universe, perhaps in most of them, the San Antonio Spurs would be taking things slow next season.

Their best player will be in his second season, the 2025 draft class looks incredible, and they have a team currently in place around that star that is not very good. That's how things usually go for a team at the bottom of the standings, and another losing season to add another piece in the draft would be a reasonable outcome.

The problem that the Spurs have with that plan is that in this universe, their young star is not simply a rising sophomore, he is a rising MVP candidate. Victor Wembanyama came from space to the Alamo via France and is already too good for the Spurs to just assume they can tank for another season.

The Spurs must find a star to pair with Victor Wembanyama

Wembanyama was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up as a teenage rookie and it would be something of an upset if he wasn't on an All-NBA team next season. He is good enough right now to win a lot of basketball games, and his competitive drive may not allow the Spurs to punt on another season in the name of a draft prospect.

That could lead the Spurs to pursue a second star for Wembanyama via the trade market. San Antonio has a collection of future assets acquired in other trades and they could use them to pursue a perimeter co-star for Wemby. The question becomes, which player should they pursue?

The best option may come from the shores of Lake Erie. The Cleveland Cavaliers were just eliminated in five games by the Boston Celtics and now face an offseason fraught with decisions and pitfalls. If All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell doesn't sign an extension, he could be on the trade market this summer.

If he does commit to the team, and some early reporting suggests that the Cavaliers at least expect him to do so, it has also been reported that All-Star point guard Darius Garland will ask for a trade if Mitchell commits long-term.

Should the Spurs make a trade offer for Darius Garland? Let's buiild out what a trade could look like and see how it works for both teams.