Possible downside for 8 prospects mocked to Spurs

Nikola Topic, Matas Buzelis and Stephon Castle

Spurs need to be wary of players with unproven shooting ability

Point guards and wing players should be the priority for the Spurs this time around. Good news here; there are plenty to be found in the range where San Antonio will be picking. The bad news is that most of them haven't proven they can help with the Spurs' three-point problem.

San Antonio had the 3rd worst three-point percentage in the NBA last season. Their best and most reliable shooter was Doug McDermott, and he was shipped back to Indiana at the trade deadline. They desperately need shooters.

Stephon Castle, Nikola Topic, and Matas Buzelis have all been suggested as options for San Antonio with either one of their lottery picks. There's something with each of them that you can use to rationalize such a high selection.

Castle brings a pugnaciousness to defense that will help him be an immediate difference-maker on that end of the floor and win the hearts of Spurs fans while he's at it. Buzelis and Topic would bring size and shot-creation ability that would help build on a Spurs offense that lacks a clear floor general but has playmakers at every position.

Castle shot just under 27 percent from behind the arc during his lone season at UConn. Buzelis barely cleared that mark, making just over 27 percent of his three-pointers last season for G League Ignite. Topic is the best of the bunch and that's saying something for a guy who just recently managed to make 30 percent of his looks from behind the arc.

The Spurs coaching staff has helped shooters blossom in the past. Tre Jones went from being ignored from behind the arc to making 42 percent of his three-point attempts post-All-Star break last season. But that's been four years in the making.

Again, it comes down to timing. If the Spurs feel confident that one of these players can someday become a legitimate shooter and they're willing to take the time to make that happen, then they're great picks.

But they also have to acknowledge the possibility that these players never develop a reliable shot and only add to the Spurs three-point woes. Is that a risk they feel comfortable taking?