Latest spicy NBA rumor is another sign of Wembanyama superstardom

For all the Spurs naysayers, at least they aren't the Bulls...

How about we circle back to Spurs Twitter being the nervous, childless friend? The social media meltdowns after every loss are becoming inescapable. People have thrown fits when this young team makes mistakes and harped on Coach Pop when he experiments with lineups. Take a deep breath, please. As a fellow fan, I can say we are incredibly spoiled. Only two franchises competed for titles each year for the first two decades of the 21st century, and both built their dynasties around all-time greats. Tim Duncan and Tom Brady.

It's only fair the Spurs have reset and given other teams a chance to shine. Understandably, some are worried about all the losses affecting the culture, though having Popovich around to maintain a sound team environment should negate those concerns. At least we don't root for the Bulls, a franchise that went all-in on a trio of LaVine, DeMar, and Vucevic that will likely never win a playoff series. They're down multiple first-round picks, have no promising young players, and own an almost identical record to San Antonio. Tough.

Trading for LaVine could cost San Antonio a pretty penny

The Spurs are one of the most loaded teams in the league, only trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder in terms of future draft assets. Between their young talent and treasure trove of picks, San Antonio likely has multiple moves in its future as the front office rebuilds. LaVine would add experience, self-creation, consistency, and shooting to a roster that sorely lacks those traits. Trading for him would be costly as Chicago is reportedly looking for “packages that are equivalent to those of recent superstar returns.”

Our John Villareal pitched the above trade, and his proposal fits what Chicago wants for LaVine. The Bulls receive a talented young player like Keldon, veterans on expiring contracts to match salaries, and multiple first-rounders, including one they sent to San Antonio in the DeRozan sign-and-trade from the 2021 offseason. The Spurs face some risk in this deal. Not only does LaVine have an extensive history of serious injuries, but there are three years and $135 million left on his contract.

San Antonio is still so early into their rebuild. While lucking into Wembanyama gave them a jumpstart into future contention, the Silver and Black are probably a few years from making any real noise. This rendition of the Spurs with a veteran scorer would be better and a lot more fun to watch— a lineup that includes Vassell, LaVine, Sochan, and Wemby would be must-see television. However, Brian Wright and the front office can afford to be patient and wait for the right move.