3. Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs made their intentions clear this offseason; they are rebuilding. They traded away All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray, sending him to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for three unprotected first-round picks, a pick swap and Danilo Gallinari.
Doug McDermott and Gorgui Dieng are the only players on the roster older than 28. McDermott has been involved in some trade rumors, along with Josh Richardson and Jakob Poeltl. If they are ultimately moved, the oldest player in their rotation could be 24 or 26 years old.
This is a team that will lose a lot of games during the upcoming season, but that creates a prime atmosphere for young players to excel. One player that is primed to break out and shine through all the gloom of losing is Keldon Johnson.
Johnson came onto the radar of casual fans during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics that were held in 2021 as he was part of Team USA’s roster. While he didn’t receive extensive playing time, the experience is something that undoubtedly helped him improve as a player.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Keldon Johnson & San Antonio Spurs Updates
His usage rate and volume have increased every season of his career and it will almost assuredly take another jump this upcoming season. Keldon Johnson is locked in as part of the core after signing a four-year, $74 million deal this offseason.
Without Murray in the fold, Johnson could be asked to handle the ball more this upcoming season. The more chances a player has to produce, the better chance at breaking out.
LATEST NBA NEWS: Keldon Johnson & San Antonio Spurs Updates
There won’t be much winning done in San Antonio this offseason, but Keldon Johnson will produce some eye-popping stat lines throughout the season as the new No. 1 option.
