5 Creative ways Spurs can clear their roster logjam

The San Antonio Spurs were unquestionably one of the winners of the offseason after nabbing the number one overall pick in the draft lottery and the right to draft Victor Wembanyama. The most-hyped prospect since LeBron James was added to one of the NBA’s model franchises. San Antonio has young talent, but they are taking their time to build a contender around Wemby.

The Spurs re-signed three players that hit free agency and have opportunistically used their cap space to accumulate more assets. San Antonio is positioned to make a splash whenever they see fit, but they have more moves to make before the start of the regular season.

The Spurs currently have 17 players on guaranteed contracts and must get down to 15. They could just waive two players and move on, but San Antonio is still exploring the trade market in hopes of getting value back in return. How can they do that?

Creative ways San Antonio Spurs can clear their roster logjam

5. Get involved in a blockbuster as a salary matcher

This has been the Spurs' strategy this summer. They were the third team in the Max Strus and Grant Williams sign-and-trades, plus they took Cameron Payne in a salary dump. San Antonio did not look to make a massive splash in free agency. They were happy re-signing a few players and making some wise trades to accumulate assets.

Three marquee names are waiting to get dealt before training camp, but none of the deals appear close. The Spurs can get in the mix and help facilitate those deals. Their cap space is virtually dried up, but San Antonio could move multiple players in hopes of landing a bigger name.

The San Antonio Spurs need to make at least a 3-for-1 trade to clear the logjam. That means acquiring a marquee name, but it would also force the franchise to put more assets on the block.

Damian Lillard, James Harden, or Pascal Siakm will get traded this summer and it could be all three. Can the Spurs make themselves part of the deal? If not, there are other avenues to explore.

4. Take offers on everyone not named Wembanyama

The Spurs do not have to wait for a larger deal to go down. They could control things by gauging the trade market of every player on their roster and figuring out what deal makes the most sense. San Antonio has said Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are virtually untouchable, but what if some team is willing to blow them away with a massive offer?

The Spurs would have zero qualms about trading Reggie Bullock, Cedi Osman, Cameron Payne, Khem Birch, Doug McDermott, or Devonte Graham. Is there a package on the table that makes sense for one or more of those players? They are the most likely to be traded before the opener.

Fans can bet that the front office has explored nearly every avenue this summer, but what has changed since adding Bullock, Osman, and Payne? Teams know the Spurs have too many players, and they could be waiting to see who they waive at the end of training camp. It is on the Spurs to get in front of that and ensure they get value in return for the players they let go.

If the San Antonio Spurs do not find a trade offer that suits them, they could take a gamble and try to trade multiple players and draft assets in one blockbuster move.

3. Acquire a star

It is too soon for this move, and fans should consider it the least likely on the board. The Spurs want to give Victor Wembanyama time to develop without the pressure of winning games. They are going to let him make mistakes and see how he improves. San Antonio wants a center next to him early on, but in a few years, Wemby may be best suited to play the five.

The Spurs have the assets to make a massive splash, including all of their own first-round draft picks plus multiple ones from other teams. San Antonio could field the best offer if the right star became available. Damian Lillard and James Harden are in their mid-30s and would be on the decline by the time Wembanyama reached his prime. Even Pascal Siakam is a decade older than the number one overall pick.

Do not expect this to happen before the start of the regular season, but it would be interesting to see the Spurs strategy if a young star requests a trade. Would San Antonio go all-in for a Luka Doncic or Zion Williamson if the situation arose?

If the San Antonio Spurs do not want to get into the mix for a star or wait around, they could get aggressive in trying to fill their needs.

2. Turn 2 role players and prospect into starting point guard

The Spurs entered the offseason looking to add a starting point guard and a center to pair with Victor Wembanyama. There were rumors about targeting Fred VanVleet and Brook Lopez in free agency, but it never became a reality. San Antonio re-signed Tre Jones and currently have Devonte Graham and Cameron Payne battling for the backup role in training camp.

Jones does not feel like the Spurs' long-term starter. The 23-year-old continues to improve, but his defense and shooting are question marks. At 6’1, how much impact can he make defensively? Jones is a career 27.1 percent 3-point shooter after three years and the improvements have not been there. Can they win a championship with an undersized point guard that struggles to defend and space the floor?

Could the Spurs look to turn Reggie Bullock, Doug McDermott, one of their young prospects, and draft picks into a starting point guard? Tyus Jones figures to be available in Washington, and the Celtics have explored moving Malcolm Brogdon. Other names could pop up as the remaining blockbusters go down. San Antonio could be opportunistic and turn multiple salaries into a starting point guard.

Those moves are easiest to make in the offseason, so the Spurs should act quickly if that is their plan.

1. Trade 3 players for starting center

The Spurs want a big man that can play next to Victor Wembanyama and take some of the heavy lifting off the teenage prospect. They do not want Wemby matching up against Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and the league’s biggest and strongest players on a nightly basis. The goal is to maximize his development in year one, which means keeping him healthy and on the floor.

Could San Antonio get down to 15 players by trading three pieces for a starting center? Several names continue to circulate on the trade block, including Jonas Valanciunas and Clint Capela. Both would be fantastic short-term fits that could help Wemby in year one but wouldn't stand in his way of being the Spurs' long-term option at center.

San Antonio has more draft picks than they can make over the next seven years, so they should not be afraid to use them to improve their roster. The Spurs want a center and should acquire one that fits their needs.

Will the San Antonio Spurs get aggressive and make another trade before the start of the regular season? Fans should not be surprised to see a deal go down. Can they clear their logjam via trade or will Gregg Popovich and company be forced to cut players before opening night? Stay tuned to find out.