Would proposed D'Angelo Russell trade help or hurt Spurs long-term?

The NBA trade season is rapidly approaching, and the San Antonio Spurs figure to be a player in trade talks ahead of the deadline. Especially with them on pace to be one of the worst teams in the NBA. While they are more likely to be sellers than buyers, an intriguing trade proposal has them picking up a former all-star as the third team in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers.

The proposed trade would see the Spurs trade Doug McDermott and two second-round picks to the Blazers, with the Blazers shipping Malcolm Brodgon to the Lakers and the Lakers shipping D'Angelo Russell to the Spurs.

Would the Spurs agree to the proposed three-team deal?

Trading McDermott and two second-round picks for a starting point guard in Russell would be a wise move for the Spurs. Although Russell doesn't necessarily fit the team's time, he is still just 27 years old, an underrated passer, and a capable shooter who can knock down threes off the dribble.

Considering the Spurs' options at point guard, he'd be a sizeable short-term upgrade who could give the offense a boost and help ensure that Wembanyama gets the ball more. Of course, he has a player option for next season and may not want to play in a small market.

However, San Antonio could afford to re-sign him, and given their need for a starting point guard, he might make sense on a two-year deal after the season. That might even be the case should they draft a point guard in the lottery, with point guards often taking longer to develop.

Overall, the hypothetical deal involving the Spurs would be low-risk, high-reward, with them potentially ponying up only two second-round picks for a starter. However, the Lakers might be opposed to the deal, with Russell's contract being crucial to them matching salary in a deal for a star, so this deal may not happen as proposed.