Spurs’ skyrocketing title odds may drastically alter their trade deadline plans

Although they have had a roller coaster start to the new year, make no mistake, the San Antonio Spurs are indeed contenders. FanDuel even agrees, with them giving San Antonio the fifth-best odds in the NBA to win a championship this season.

That is significant considering that it wasn't a foregone conclusion that the Silver and Black would make the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs, this season. Obviously that's a great thing since it means that they are far ahead of schedule.

On the other hand, it also means that the front office will have to decide whether to make a big move now ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Perhaps to bring in more shooting.

San Antonio doing so could increase their chances of making the NBA Finals this season. That is something that would have seemed like a pipe dream just a few months ago.

Then again, San Antonio is still among the youngest teams in the NBA, and perhaps San Antonio shouldn't look to make a big move now when they don't know how this team will respond during a playoff crucible.

Spurs’ championship odds may change trade deadline plans

San Antonio might still have excellent odds of winning a championship, but there is still plenty of cause for concern. Their shooting has been streaky at best to start the new year, and their guard trio of De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper haven't been able to get into the paint as a result.

Sketchy 3-point shooting and no easy baskets at the rim have resulted in the Spurs' offense struggling at times to put the ball in the basket. In fact, they blew two recent games thanks to awful fourth quarters. They scored just 14 points in the fourth quarter against both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets in two recent losses.

Despite having a big lead in both games, their offense failed them both times. Even against the terrible New Orleans Pelicans, their offense couldn't get going, and even when they managed to go on a big run, they didn't have enough firepower to seal the deal.

All that is to say that the Spurs should prioritize more shooting at the trade deadline. Fortunately, there are a few players that could fit the bill.

Who should the Spurs target at the trade deadline?

Milwaukee Bucks players Gary Trent Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr. are each reliable shooters and could be available ahead of the trade deadline. Trent Jr. could be a potentially cheap trade target, while Portis Jr. could fill a position of need.

Then there is Michael Porter Jr. He is the best-available shooter on the trade market and someone who could help to transform San Antonio's offense. After all, he is averaging nearly 25 points and shooting a blistering 39.4% from deep on 9.4 3-point attempts per game.

Another option could be New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III. He may actually be off the trade block, with teams hesitant about giving up up to three first-round picks for him.

Personally, I believe giving up that much for a non-All-Star seems like a mistake waiting to happen. But if the Pels can be talked down to two firsts, then he'd move to the "maybe" column for me.

Of the four mentioned players. Porter Jr. would be the home-run option, and Murphy III would be a pricey backup option. Portis Jr. would be a realistic upgrade, while Trent Jr. could be a bargain trade target.

Barring someone else hitting the trade block between now and the deadline, those players are the best available shooters. And given how much the Silver and Black have struggled in that department of late, they should strongly consider making a much-needed trade.