Predicting the Spurs perfect starting lineup after a home run offseason

If things go the way San Antonio Spurs fans hope this summer, the team will make a series of moves that will speed up their rebuild and get them back into title contention. That appears possible with up to $25 million in cap space, at least one potential top-10 pick, and, of course, Victor Wembanyama to work with.

If the Spurs were to make full use of those assets and nail their offseason, how would that impact that roster? Let's go through and predict the Spurs' perfect starting lineup after a potentially huge summer.

Center: Victor Wembanyama

Starting with the most obvious position, Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama will slot in at center next season. After starting this season at power forward, many expected him to stay in that role for at least the next couple of seasons. Nevertheless, the team's 20-game losing streak forced the Spurs to try him out at center, and the results were staggering.

In 52 games at the five, he averaged an incredible 22.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, and 4.4 assists while shooting 34.5% from three on 5.7 attempts per game. With numbers like that, the Spurs would be crazy to move him back to the four and instead see what he and the team can do with him at center full-time. Particularly with better players around him.

That would hopefully result in San Antonio making the play-in tournament in a stacked Western Conference, with Wembanyama leading the charge on both ends of the floor. On offense, he showed off improved shooting down the stretch, including hitting pull-ups and even step-back threes with impressive efficiency.

Give him better playmaking, and he could easily see his scoring jump from 21.4 points to around 27 points per game. We all know that Wembanyama will start at center, but who will play next to him at power forward next season? 

Power forward: Jeremy Sochan

Barring something unforeseen, like, say, I don't know, him starting at point guard, Jeremy Sochan will play power forward for the Spurs next season. Sochan had an up-and-down season after Coach Gregg Popovich opted to play without a traditional point guard and put the ball in his hands.

That resulted in him and the Spurs getting off to an ugly start, including losing 20 straight games. That might have tanked the team's chances of making the play-in tournament this season, but the Spurs seem likely to end up with a top-five pick. Better still, Sochan eventually showed off an expanded skillset and his 3-point shot looked much better.

Although his 30.8% 3-point percentage was well below the league average, he did manage to increase his average number of 3-point attempts to 3.1 per game. That marked a 6.2% increase from outside, while he also increased his free-throw percentage by 7.3%. That proves that he has steadily gotten better as a shooter and could develop into the versatile player that Spurs fans hoped for when he was selected 10th overall in 2022.

He also displayed growth as a playmaker, particularly after reverting to his natural position. That shows that Sochan wasn't a failed experiment and bodes well for the Spurs going forward.

Small forward: Julian Champagnie

Depending on the draft lottery and how the draft plays out, the Spurs could potentially select a wing. However, they may roll with Julian Champagnie as a stopgap starting small forward next season. Champagnie was a low-minute starter this year, and while he didn't lock down the position, he was decent enough to warrant him continuing in that role.

In just under 20 minutes per game, he averaged 6.8 points and shot 36.5% from three on high volume. Nearly 69% of his shot attempts were from three, showing that he knows his role. For him to solidify his role in the starting lineup, he'll have to be even better as a shooter. The hope is that he can carve out a role similar to that of Spurs legend Danny Green, and Champagnie is young enough to do so at just 22 years old.

As a result, giving him more time in that role makes sense, even if he is currently projected to be the weakest link in the starting lineup, regardless of a perfect version of that lineup. With Champagnie projected to be the small forward next season, who should start at shooting guard?

Shooting Guard: Devin Vassell

With speculation that the Spurs may pursue a star this summer to pair with Wembanyama, Devin Vassell has sort of gotten lost in the discussion about the team's future. Vassell showed off elite shotmaking this season, and while he doesn't project to be the second-best player on a good team, he would be perfect as a third option who can get hot in a hurry.

Having less pressure to help carry the offense would allow him to put forth more effort on the other end of the floor, where his impact has slipped as his scoring has improved. Assuming that he does slide into more of a supporting role, his being a high-volume 3-point shooter who can also create and nail-tough pull-up jumpers while being able to defend would be extremely valuable.

Especially since he has five years remaining on his contract after signing an extension prior to the season. His play during 2023–24, averaging a career-high 19.5 points, suggests that it could be a value deal going forward, and as the Spurs payroll gets more expensive, the more they will need Vassell to outperform that contract. That is entirely possible, particularly as Wembanyama comes into his own and if the Spurs pair him and Vassell with an upgrade at point guard.

Point guard: Trae Young

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young has been linked to the Spurs and he would mark a major upgrade over Tre Jones. Assuming Jones isn't included in a potential deal to acquire Young, he would revert to being a backup point guard. Were that to happen this summer, Young's arrival would be exciting since it would be the first time that the Spurs have landed a star via trade and a sign of Wembanyama's star power.

In theory, the duo should become an elite offensive pairing that could terrorize opposing defenses in the pick-and-roll. Young can bomb threes off the dribble or attack and finish in the paint using floaters, while Wembanyama would be an easy target to hit when he dives to the rim and can knock down open threes.

Teams couldn't trap, switch, or play drop coverage as a result, and Wembanyama would feast on lobs that Young had mastered throwing. The goal of adding him would be to fast-track the Spurs rebuild. With teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers' futures uncertain, there is a chance that the Spurs make the playoffs next season by pulling off a big trade to add Young this summer.