The Top 3 prospects at every Spurs' NBA Draft spot

The 2022 NBA Draft is fast approaching, and the San Antonio Spurs will have an impressive four picks to work with. Those picks give the team several options and could prove key to the team's long-term future.

In fact, they give the Spurs a chance to add future rotation players, which could help them return to the playoffs. If they really hit it big, they could even find another star to pair with All-Star Dejounte Murray. With that in mind, let's look at the top three prospects at each of the Spurs' draft spots.

9th pick: Keegan Murray, Jalen Duren, Johnny Davis

Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery had the Spurs land exactly where expected at 9th. Power forward Keegan Murray may be the best fit of players in that range but has often been projected to go fifth or sixth. However, there's a chance that he could drop as other players' draft stock rises.

It happens every year. Players who weren't expected to be in the top half of the lottery end up being selected there. Just last season, Josh Giddey was selected 6th overall after being projected to go in the back half of the lottery. That could definitely happen this year, and Murray would be the player most likely to fall out of the top five.

If he falls, then there's a chance the Spurs could select him, and he'd make for a terrific addition. Murray would give the team a starting-caliber four who can score in the paint, knock down threes, and defend multiple positions.

That said, if Murray doesn't fall, then there are two other options that the Spurs should look hard at. The first is Jalen Duren, an explosive 6'11 center who'd give San Antonio some much-needed front-court athleticism. Duren should be available at nine and, if selected, he'd add valuable rim protection, excellent rebounding, and a serious lob threat. The potential is definitely there, and he could make for a very good two-way starter in the NBA, maybe even on the Spurs.

Rounding out the top three players for the ninth pick is Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis. Davis was one of the best scorers in college basketball this past season, averaging 19.7 points per game, which ranked 25th in the nation.

He accomplished that by being effective scoring in the mid-range, bullying his way to the rim with strong drives, and drawing an impressive number of free throws. On the other hand, he did struggle shooting from beyond the arc, but that hasn't deterred San Antonio from taking players in the past.

What could, however, is that the Spurs already have several guards including Dejounte Murray, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones, and Joshua Primo. Despite that, drafting Davis still makes sense because he should be a reliable scorer in the NBA for years to come, especially if he develops into a 3-point shooter. Defensively, he is a capable defender and should be able to hold his own on that end of the floor.

Altogether, Davis' skillset could make him a nice backcourt mate for Dejounte Murray. But with limited minutes to divide among Murray, Davis, Vassell, Primo, and Jones, the Spurs would be forced to make difficult decisions later.

Between Murray, Duren, and Davis, Murray may be the best fit for the Spurs, but Duren is more likely to be available and could provide San Antonio with the best athlete they've had at center since David Robinson. Additionally, Davis could add an above-average perimeter scorer and a solid defender to the team.

20th Pick: Ousmane Dieng, Patrick Baldwin Jr., E.J. Liddell

There are several tantalizing options that should be available with the 20th pick for the Spurs, with Ousmane Dieng being at the top of that list. Dieng is an 18-year-old, 6'9 small forward who has played increasingly well in the NBL, leading to more attention ahead of the draft, particularly with his unique skillset.

He looks comfortable playing with the ball in his hands, has good court vision, and displays the ability to create on the perimeter, all of which are unusual for a player his size. Those skills are valuable in the NBA, thus making him a very intriguing prospect and one who would be difficult to pass up if available.

If Dieng is off the board by the time the Spurs select, then Patrick Baldwin Jr. and E.J. Liddell would be good consolation prizes. Baldwin Jr. has lottery talent but played more like a late second-round pick in his only season at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He should be available in the late teens or early 20s and could be an absolute steal, given his offensive potential.

After all, at 6'9, with a 7'0 wingspan, he has the skill set of a guard but the size of a power forward. Baldwin Jr. possesses very good handles, which allow him to generate shots for himself from behind the arc or in the paint. When he's on, he looks great, effortlessly nailing step-back and pull-up threes or hitting floaters in the lane.

On the other hand, he struggled with shot selection and was alarmingly inefficient. That's something that he'll obviously have to work on, as well as his defense, but all three are correctable. Despite the red flags, a team like San Antonio could see a diamond in the rough and take a chance on him. The Spurs do need help at power forward and could use Baldwin Jr. as a modern four, where his shooting ability and versatility could shine.

Liddell is the most polished of the top prospects projected to be available at 20 but doesn't have the ceiling of Dieng and Baldwin Jr. Still, his potential role in the NBA could be very useful. The 6'7 power forward is a talented scorer who can knockdown pick-and-pop threes, hit pull-up jumpers, score in the post, or bully his way through taller defenders at the basket.

He's also a skilled shot blocker and can guard away from the basket. At the very least, he should have a long career in the NBA, but in the right situation, Liddell could be a high-level role player.

25th pick: Nikola Jovic, Kendall Brown, Jaden Hardy

The 25th pick may be the most likely of the Spurs' four selections to be moved but if they decide to keep it, then there should be several worthwhile prospects available. Nikola Jovic would be the ideal choice, given how high his upside is.

Jovic is a 6'10 small forward who's an effective playmaker and an exceptional shooter that can create separation by burying step-backs or spot-up threes with a hand in his face. In theory, he could thrive in the NBA playing either on or off-ball, but a lot will depend on which team ultimately drafts him and how he's used.

Meanwhile, Jaden Hardy and Kendall Brown are two other possibilities for the 25th pick if Jovic is off the board. Brown is a 6'8 small forward with a 6'11 wingspan and awesome leaping ability but would likely toggle between the three and the four in the NBA.

While he has the size of a power forward, he plays much more like a wing despite being a limited 3-point shooter. Brown has decent handles but mainly plays off-ball, where he usually scores by running the floor hard in transition. He's also a skilled cutter who makes defenders pay for ignoring him on the perimeter. Defensively, he has the physical tools to be a very good defender but isn't there just yet.

On the Spurs, his role would probably be that of a switchable power forward who'd play primarily on the wing. Brown could thrive in a role like that and get most of his buckets running the floor, finishing off back-door passes, chilling out in the dunker's spot, or hitting the occasional spot-up three.

As for Hardy, he spent this season playing in the NBA G League, where his scoring ability was on full display with an average of 17.6 points. He's fantastic at attacking the basket and has a killer crossover that allows him to shake his defender, get into the paint, and finish effectively at the rim. Hardy is also a problem in transition, where his speed enables him to get out ahead of the pack and get easy buckets.

He'll have to improve as a shooter after hitting just 26.9% of his threes, but the overall ability is certainly there. Actually, he'd be a reasonable gamble for the Spurs if they believe that they can fix his shooting and utilize his relentless slashing ability.

38th pick: David Roddy, Max Christie, Kris Murray

There should be a few decent options left when San Antonio selects 38th overall. One of them is David Roddy, who could be worth a flyer. Roddy is a physical, 6'6 shooting guard who can score in several ways, including posting up a surprising amount and using his big frame to bully his man down low for easy baskets.

Roddy is also a very good shooter, hitting 43.1% of his threes, and a capable ballhandler who's adept at using screens, hesitation dribbles, and a quick first step to get into the paint and finish with a big dunk. He's even a solid passer and a great rebounder, all of which could make him a solid pick for the Spurs.

Max Christie was underwhelming in his only season at Michigan State and shot the ball poorly despite being known as a shooter. If his shot comes back around, Christie could carve out a role in the NBA, similar to that of former Spur and Michigan State alum Bryn Forbes. He's much taller, however, and is barely 19-years-old, suggesting that he has plenty of room to grow and could do so in the NBA G League if signed to a two-way contract.

Kris Murray is the older identical twin brother of Keegan Murray, and, while not as talented, could be a good second-round prospect. Similar to his brother, Murray is 6'8, with a 7'0 wingspan and also projects to be a stretch four in the NBA. Moreover, he shot the ball well from three this past college season, hitting 38% of his 3.2 attempts per game.

Murray also showed that he could put the ball on the floor and drive, allowing him to attack closeouts. He's also a versatile defender and should be able to hold his own against other fours while also being able to guard out on the perimeter. That said, Murray probably won't be the best player available at 38, but the second round is more about finding players who have a chance to stick in the NBA, and he could.

Ultimately, while the Spurs may not keep all of their picks in the 2022 NBA Draft, there appears to be plenty of talent available at each selection. That's great for San Antonio, who's already constructed a young and talented team -- and they're about to add to it.