Dreaming up the Spurs' ultimate starting 5, 5 years from now

Few teams have as much potential as the San Antonio Spurs. They not only have the future face of the NBA in Victor Wembanyama but several talented prospects and plenty of picks. That should put them in a great position to contend in the near future and potentially for the next decade.

That is dependent on a number of factors, including if Wembanyama can become one of the best players in the NBA and if the Spurs can build around him. But for now, we'll take a look at the team's dream starting five years from now, starting with center.

Center: Victor Wembanyama

If Victor Wembanyama develops the way that many expect him to, he may be the best player in the NBA well before the 2029-30 season. By then, he will be 25 years old and hopefully taking the NBA world by storm. Unsurprisingly, having the best player in the league usually leads to perennial success and often trips to the NBA Finals.

With several teams in the West, such as the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, built to win now, the Spurs will be well positioned to lead the West in a few years. They will have competition from teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder but they will have to stop Wembanyama in a seven-game series. That increases the need for the Spurs to build around him to make sure that the Thunder or another can't double-team him without consequence.

The team's hopes over the next five years rest primarily on his shoulders and his reaching his full potential. Even so, he will need above-average teammates in the starting lineup to help him get the Spurs back into contention. Up next, we will see who makes for the ideal front-court partner in five years.

Power forward: Cooper Flagg

The odds that the Spurs find themselves in the position to draft a generational prospect in two of the last three drafts seem low but here's hoping that they find a way to land Cooper Flagg. Flagg is highly regarded as an elite two-way prospect who can change the fortunes of a franchise. Imagine that type of player paired with Wembanyama in the frontcourt.

His play on both ends of the floor would make him a terrific fit, with him being an excellent shot blocker and rebounder in addition to being able to score in the post and shoot. He would only be 24 years old in five years and not even in his prime but would likely be a superstar by then.

Better still, he would only be starting his rookie max contract, giving the Spurs time to make other moves to ensure that they could afford to pay both him and Wembanyama. Whatever the cost, the reward may be even better with San Antonio having two big building blocks in that wild scenario, with both of them being 25 years old or younger.

They do have the Hawks' unprotected first-round pick in 2025 and if they underperform, San Antonio might share the top odds of landing the number-one pick and could potentially draft Flagg.

Small forward: Luka Doncic

It wouldn't be a dream starting lineup with at least one pipe dream and mine would be Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic's contract is set to expire in 2028, but if things fall apart in Dallas, he might be traded before then. The Spurs own an unprotected first-round pick swap in 2030 that the Mavs would likely love to have back in that scenario, and the Spurs would have a bunch of picks still in their treasure chest to offer.

The Timberwolves' 2030 top-1 protected pick swap and 2031 unprotected first could be helpful in a potential trade. That, along with whatever picks they have left and, of course, tradeable salary to make a play for Doncic. Adding Doncic would pair a top-5 player in the NBA with potentially the best player in the league in five years.

Doncic will still only be 30 in five years and he and Wembanyama together would be an offensive nightmare that could make the Spurs the perennial favorites to win a championship. That assumes a lot: Doncic being disgruntled, demanding a trade, the Spurs having enough to acquire him, the Mavs trading him to an in-state rival, etc. However, one can dream.

Shooting guard: Devin Vassell

Spurs guard Devin Vassell's future with the team is up in the air. Not so much as far as his contract, with him still having five remaining years on his deal but his potential. He has the potential to be the second-best player on the Spurs when they are actually good again and has shown the skills to be a second option. He is a terrific shooter, knocking down 37% of his seven 3-point attempts per game last season.

He is also a tough shot maker, including hitting 54.2% from the field on 7.9 contested or very contested shots per game compared to shooting 53.4% on open or wide-open shots. That skill should help in the playoffs, where easy shots are tough to come by and it is unusual for a player that is barely 24 years old to have that in his bag.

If he continues to develop as a scorer, including attacking and finishing in the paint more, drawing more free throws, and expanding his shot-creation abilities. All of those things are things that he seems capable of expanding upon. If he can, then he could be a star and a terrific option at shooting guard for the Spurs in five years.

Point guard: Stephon Castle

2024 for overall pick Stephon Castle has the chance to be a difference-maker for the up-and-coming Spurs. As a rookie, he will likely get playing time on the wing, though he has shown the potential to be able to play point guard.

If Castle can play point guard, then it opens up significant possibilities for the Spurs, given his size at 6''6 and his defensive potential. Having a big point guard who can defend every perimeter position would all but ensure that the Spurs have a strong defense with him and Wembanyama helping to fortify it.

His shooting is a major question mark but the Spurs have a history of turning non-shooters into at least passable ones, particularly point guards. They could model Castle into the same build as Tony Parker or Corey Joseph, guards who never became high-volume three-point shooters who were effective in knocking down mid-range jumpers with a ball in their hands.

Having him be a credible shooter is possible, and he has shown that he is capable of being a playmaker for others. If he can be an effective scorer and passer, then his defensive versatility should put him over the top and make him at least a good starting guard who can help San Antonio on both ends.