Spurs make puzzling selection in latest Athletic mock draft

The latest mock draft from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has the Spurs selecting Arizona freshman Koa Peat 11th overall. At first glance, that seems like a great get, as Peat’s a high-potential prospect with a ton of buzz around his name. However, Peat’s perimeter-averse playstyle would make this a potential disaster pick for San Antonio.

Koa Peat would not fit on the Spurs

Peat’s game is centered around brute force and athleticism. He’s 6’8” with an uber-strong 235-pound frame, and he comes from an NFL family, which shows in the way he hoops. In the mock draft article, Vecenie describes him as an “excellent mismatch shot creator for an awesome team.”

Peat plays bully ball, looking to plow defenders out of the way and score inside. The big fella is converting 68.6% of his shots at the rim this season, according to CBB Shot Charts. He’s at his best as a play finisher, working off of looks others create for him, but he also has some nice feel as a passer, averaging 2.7 assists per game.

The burly forward has been a key contributor to what’s been one of the best teams in the country in Arizona. He’s posting 13.7 points per game on 53.8% from the field, playing very well off of the Wildcats’ backcourt of Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries. His impact can’t be denied, but there is one not-so-small problem that may hold him back in the pros: he can’t shoot.

The Spurs don't need another non-shooter

Peat has gone 6/18 from deep on the year, good for 33.3% on an average of 0.7 attempts per game. His jumper is relatively flat and stiff, something he’ll have to work hard on if he’s ever going to make triples at even an average clip. His 61.9% free throw clip doesn’t bode well for shooting development either.

To succeed as an undersized power forward in the NBA, Peat will need to be able to shoot it at least a little bit. That claim would be extra true if he got drafted to San Antonio.

They haven’t been hindered by it much this season, but the Spurs are a weaker perimeter shooting team. They’re 15th in 3PA per game and 20th in percentage as a unit. Their rotation is full of shaky shooters, namely Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Keldon Johnson.

Simply put, the Spurs just don’t need another guy with shooting question marks. They have too many of them, especially after drafting Harper and Carter Bryant last summer. Now, this chink in their armor hasn't stopped them from being a borderline-elite offense yet, but the dam will burst eventually if they keep adding to the issue.

We just saw the Silver and Black cut ties with Jeremy Sochan, and while Peat is much more gifted than the 2022 ninth overall pick, it would be very questionable if they turned around and got another non-spacing forward right away. The Spurs would be better off choosing a more versatile wing like Baylor’s Cameron Carr or a backcourt sniper like Alabama’s Labaron Philon.