Grade the trade: Spurs land ideal center to pair with Victor Wembanyama in proposal

Would the San Antonio Spurs accept this trade?

The Spurs have more draft picks than they can make over the next seven years, so giving up two second-rounders to upgrade would be an afterthought. They acquired Reggie Bullock to facilitate the Mavericks' sign-and-trade for Grant Williams, and he will likely be moved on before the deadline. San Antonio is parting with a few extra pieces to get the perfect fit at the five.

Victor Wembanyama is an elite rim-protector and shot-blocker, but the Spurs do not want him guarding Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and the opposition’s biggest player on a nightly basis. Jonas Valanciunas has the size to match up against those players and can stretch the floor when San Antonio has the ball. He is nearly the perfect complement to the 7’3 rookie.

The Spurs do not want to put pressure on Wemby in year one. Their focused on his growth and development as they improve their young team. Trading for a veteran like Valanciunas upgrades their roster, but it is not a massive move that would thrust them into contention. This is nearly the perfect deal for San Antonio.

Grade: A

The San Antonio Spurs do not want to give up the draft picks, but the Cavaliers will want more to part with Jarrett Allen. It is a small price to pay for a team loaded with capital. Flipping just Bullock for Valanciunas would make this an A-plus, but San Antonio is just excited to get a starting center that can take the pressure off their centerpiece in year one.