6 Players the Spurs may replace Keldon Johnson with by the trade deadline

The San Antonio Spurs are in the Play-In Tournament mix and over .500 so far this season. Victor Wembanyama keeps sending his game to new heights, and Stephon Castle has exceeded expectations as a rookie. The Spurs are a few pieces away from serious contention and may not want to wait.

San Antonio has assets and money to trade. Keldon Johnson is playing just 26.2 minutes per game and coming off the bench. His $19 million salary would be the perfect matcher in a trade and would allow the Spurs to add some needed shooting and perimeter defense.

Expect the front office to explore every avenue, but who is a realistic target? Several teams have significant restrictions on making moves that take options off the table. The Spurs would love to add a player like Donte DiVincenzo, but even a three-team deal featuring Johnson is nearly impossible as the Wolves cannot take back more money they send out or aggregate salaries in a trade. Here are six realistic options if San Antonio decides to deal Keldon.

6. Dorian Finney-Smith

The Brooklyn Nets are rumored to open for business (subscription required) and have several players that could help the Spurs. Brooklyn is hard-capped at the first apron and just $5.2 million below. Trading Finney-Smith for Keldon and draft capital would have to be part of a series of moves the Nets make before the deadline.

San Antonio would be getting the 3-and-D forward they desperately need. Finney-Smith has shot over 39 percent from 3-point range in two of the last three seasons and can guard multiple positions. He would be the perfect three/four hybrid next to Wemby and is comfortable standing in the corner and sinking open looks.

5. Kevin Huerter

The 6’7 wing is no stranger to trade rumors, and the Kings have Malik Monk and Keon Ellis eager to get more run. Huerter was just demoted to the bench and is shooting just 28.7 percent from 3-point range. This could be a swap of disappointing wings in hopes that new surroundings unlock both player's value.

Huerter is a career 37.7 percent 3-point shooter with the size to hold his own defensively. He produced a positive defensive box score plus-minus in just one of his first six NBA seasons, but Gregg Popovich and the Spurs may be able to get more out of him on this end of the floor with Victor Wembanyama on the backline.

4. Grayson Allen

The Suns have had an up and down season. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal dealt with injuries, but the expectation is championship contention. Phoenix is well into the second apron with limited draft capital. They would have to get creative to make any trade.

This would have to be a three-teamer with the Suns acquiring a center upgrade and the Spurs landing Allen. The 6’4 guard led the NBA in 3-point percentage last season and is a career 40.8 percent shooter.

If the Spurs want floor spacing, they will struggle to find a better option. Allen won’t solve their defensive woes, but he is coming off the bench and could be expendable at the deadline. Phoenix is a situation to monitor closely, despite their restrictions.

3. Bruce Brown

The 6’4 wing has yet to play this season because of a knee injury, but fans saw his playmaking and defensive impact in the Nuggets 2023 championship run. Brown can guard multiple positions and would be a fantastic fit in San Antonio next to Stephon Castle.

He becomes an unrestricted free agent in the 2025 offseason and is not extension-eligible. This deal would have to come with a handshake agreement on a future deal, but that is not out of the question. San Antonio certainly needs more veterans with postseason experience if they want to make a run.

2. Kyle Kuzma

The Wizards nearly traded Kuzma during the 2023-24 season, and the veteran forward figures to be back on the block ahead of this deadline. Washington is in the early stages of a rebuild and would be smart to maximize Kuzma’s value. He is a proven scorer and rebounder.

Consider this deal unlikely as Kuzma and Johnson are similar players. The current Wizards' forward offers more size, but both struggle to defense and to stretch the floor. Fans saw Kuz play more of a 3-and-D role during the Lakers title run in 2020. Unlocking that option may be difficult after five years, but the Spurs might be able to do it.

1. Cameron Johnson

The Spurs have been searching for an elite shooting forward for years, and Johnson may be the perfect option. He is 6’8 and a career 39.5 percent long-range shooter. The 28-year-old helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021 and could be a difference-maker in San Antonio.

Johnson is not an elite defender, but adding a stretch four next to Wemby could make the Spurs impossible to guard. The Nets are willing to trade anyone on their roster as they enter a total rebuild, and San Antonio figures to call on multiple players.

The San Antonio Spurs are just a few pieces away from becoming a playoff team in the crowded Western Conference. They have their superstar and several ancillary pieces. Expect the front office to keep building and it could be as soon as the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Keldon Johnson feels like the player headed out, and fans should certainly keep an eye on the rumors.