If you’re an NBA fan, you’re excited to watch Victor Wembanyama. If you’re a San Antonio Spurs fan, you may be having trouble sleeping. We don’t blame you. How are you supposed to wait for this moment any longer?
At the same time, we’ll preach patience. The Spurs have Wembanyama for the foreseeable future. The time is coming, and if Wembanyama hits his ceiling, it’s going to mean sustained success. This is a generational prospect. Wembanyama is the type of player who can change a team’s fortunes moving forward. With that in mind, the Spurs are now responsible for managing their roster as well as they can.
What does that look like? Should the Spurs make a win-now push, or should they continue rebuilding? We’re not sure. The Spurs could justify a lot of directions. With that in mind, if they’re not in a rush to get back into the playoffs, they could consider trading Keldon Johnson. Here’s a deal that sends him to the Miami Heat.
The Trade Proposal
San Antonio Spurs Receive: G/F Duncan Robinson, F Nikola Jovic, 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Miami Heat Receive: G/F Keldon Johnson
With that said, Wembanyama could hardly have landed in a better situation. The Spurs have a sterling reputation around the NBA for player development. This organization seems to have a knack for instilling good habits in young men. Have the Heat taken a page from their book?
It seems possible. We’ve all heard the term “Heat culture”. The Spurs are renowned for their culture as well. Perhaps the Heat brass watched the Spurs win five championships and thought they could learn something from them. Alternatively, it’s possible that Miami simply understood the value of team culture for themselves.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs & Miami Heat Updates
Either way, they’ve got it. Like the Spurs, the Heat never seem to go away. After an underwhelming 2021-22 season, the Heat made a Finals run last season. They’ll be hoping to replicate – or exceed – that success next season. Would this deal help them accomplish that goal?
Why The Miami Heat Do The Deal
We know that Miami wants to make improvements. Everyone is waiting for this team to trade for Damian Lillard. Perhaps they will. Still, if Miami is unable to do so, they should look to improve their roster. That could come by way of a new point guard, but, the Heat could use some wing depth as well.
From that perspective, Johnson would be a sensible addition. He’s a solid defensive wing who spaces the floor. Johnson can create his own shot as well. He’d give this Heat team a more dynamic offense to head into 2023-24 with.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs & Miami Heat Updates
They shouldn’t be concerned with the price tag. Johnson is a tremendous upgrade over Robinson. Jovic has potential, but the win-now Heat may not have the bandwidth to explore it. Should the Spurs see what his upside looks like?
Why The San Antonio Spurs Do The Deal
Some will question this deal from the Spurs’ perspective. Johnson is young. He may have untapped potential. Why would the Spurs move him? Shouldn’t he be considered part of their young core?
Perhaps. On the other hand, Johnson is strikingly similar to Devin Vassell. The Spurs may want to diversify their roster by adding a playmaking forward like Jovic. Meanwhile, the Spurs are also netting a first-round pick here. For rebuilding teams, few assets can be as valuable as that.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs & Miami Heat Updates
More broadly, the Spurs are expected to ease Wembanyama into NBA life. His load is likely to be managed over the year. With that in mind, the Spurs may want to maximize their lottery odds in 2023-24. From that perspective, downgrading the roster makes sense for San Antonio. They may be gunning for a second consecutive number-one pick – even though they’ve already got Wembanyama.
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