Sneaky perfect Keldon Johnson replacement is already on the Spurs

Long-time San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson may be entering his last season with the team, but they may already have his replacement on their roster.

I'm sure the Spurs would love to keep him around, but second-apron concerns will probably prevent them from doing so. In fact, Johnson has yet to receive a contract extension from the Spurs and may very well not receive one entering the last year of his deal.

That would be disappointing considering how much he means to this team, but they already have his replacement on their roster.

Carter Bryant is slated to play behind both Devin Vassell and Johnson at small forward next season. That might not give him much playing time at first. However, if he develops the way we all hope, he could quickly leapfrog Johnson in the rotation.

Carter Bryant is the Spurs' perfect Keldon Johnson replacement

Bryant had a roller-coaster rookie season. He looked completely lost for the first couple of months of the year before having a dramatic turnaround following a short G-League stint. Bryant not only turned his game around, but he also proved to be an above-average defensive player even as a rookie.

Better still, he shot the ball surprisingly well last season, drilling 35.1% from 3 post-All-Star break and 41.4% from three in the postseason. That means he has significant three-and-D potential, and that archetype is extremely difficult to find.

Johnson has been a key player for the Spurs for years. That said, with his contract situation and Bryant fitting a bigger need, it's hard to justify bringing him back after next season.

The Spurs may be paving the way for more Carter Bryant

It's not just that Johnson hasn't gotten a contract extension; the addition of Tobias Harris limits his role for next season. After all, he played more than 300 minutes at power forward.

Of course, with Harris in the mix, he will play almost exclusively at small forward next season. Combine that with him splitting minutes with Vassell and Bryant getting spot minutes at the three, and Johnson will have less time to earn a new contract.

We're all pulling for Johnson to redeem himself after a poor playoff run, especially in a contract year. The best-case scenario is that he will be better next season and help the Spurs win a championship.

Hopefully, Bryant will be better too, giving the Spurs plenty of depth on the perimeter. That would potentially set the table for a changing of the guard with Bryant replacing Johnson after next season.

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