Spurs should make bold trade for breakout wing instead of adding Kevin Durant

Instead of trading for Kevin Durant, the San Antonio Spurs should target Trey Murphy III.
ByJack Simone|
San Antonio Spurs, Kevin Durant, NBA Trade Rumors, Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
San Antonio Spurs, Kevin Durant, NBA Trade Rumors, Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans | Chris Coduto/GettyImages

As the Kevin Durant trade rumors swirl, the San Antonio Spurs should instead consider a different option: Trey Murphy III. Bill Simmons brought up the idea on a recent episode of his podcast: “Be like, ‘Are we getting Durant? He’s 37. Let’s give up some of the same stuff we were going to give up for Durant, throw some more picks in it, and actually try to get Murphy, who’s hitting his mid-20s. And try to get somebody who’s actually more on our timeline, who’s going to give us a lot of the stuff we would have wanted anyways.,”

The New Orleans Pelicans wing enjoyed a breakout season last year, and with his team in a state of flux, they could potentially be interested in a deal.

It all depends on what the Spurs could offer.

What would a Spurs trade for Trey Murphy III look like?

Adding Murphy wouldn’t be a walk in the park for the Spurs. He was a crucial part of the Pelicans’ lineup last year. That said, considering how stuck-in-the-middle they currently seem, he may not be untouchable.

Here’s what a potential deal could look like:

Spurs receive: Trey Murphy III

Pelicans receive: Devin Vassell, Malaki Branham, No. 14 Pick (2025), Two future first-round picks, Future first-round pick swap

A pick in this year’s draft and a plethora of future first-rounders seems like the prerequisite to get the Pelicans to pick up the phone for a Murphy trade. They will ask for someone like Stephon Castle and they will want the second-overall pick, but San Antonio likely won’t budge there.

Perhaps the Pelicans wouldn’t want Devin Vassell, either. He’s a solid player, but if they value cap flexibility more than talent right now, trading for Harrison Barnes’ expiring contract could be intriguing.

Why Trey Murphy III instead of Kevin Durant?

The easy answer is age. Durant will be 37 years old for the entirety of next season. He doesn’t fit the Spurs’ current timeline at all, and if they have to give up a ton of assets to get him, he’ll likely only be a pre-retirement rental for a few years.

Meanwhile, Murphy will be 25 years old for all of next season. That’s a 12-year difference, and the current Pelican is already under a long-term contract.

He’s on the books through the 2028-29 season and will only make $31 million at the most by the time the deal comes to a close. That’s a phenomenal contract for a guy as talented as Murphy..