The Victor Wembanyama era has officially begun for the San Antonio Spurs. This team kicked off the 2023-24 NBA season with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks. That’s fine – the Spurs put up a good fight.
This team is supposed to be rebuilding, and the Mavericks are contenders. There’s no shame in a seven-point loss. Wembanyama was largely impressive. Sure, there were some “welcome to the NBA” moments. There always are.
Wembanyama is a rookie. Still, it was evident that he is going to be a force in this league for a long time to come. With that said, he could have used more touches.
It will be interesting to see how Wembanyama’s usage looks as the season progresses. With that said, the Spurs could use better point guard play to help facilitate his growth.
Could they acquire Malcolm Brogdon from the Portland Trail Blazers?
NBA Trade Proposal — San Antonio Spurs Land Malcolm Brogdon
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: G Devonte’ Graham, F/C Khem Birch, 2024 Second-Round Pick (LAL via SAS), 2025 Second-Round Pick (NOP via SAS), 2026 Second-Round Pick (SAS)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: G Malcolm Brogdon
The Scoot Henderson era has officially begun for the Portland Trail Blazers. He was not supposed to be here. For a long time, it was assumed that Henderson would be selected second overall behind Wembanyama. What happened?
Well, it was a combination of factors. The Charlotte Hornets drew the second overall pick. They already had LaMelo Ball at that point, so they were justified in selecting Brandon Miller.
At the same time, if Henderson had dominated as a member of the G-League Ignite, the Hornets may have to have considered a duel point guard model.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs Updates
So it goes. The Hornets took Miller, and the Blazers got their point guard of the future. Henderson may have been slightly underwhelming for the Ignite, but his potential is through the roof.
Should the Blazers clear the runway for him by trading Brogdon?
Why The Portland Trail Blazes Do The Deal
Sure. The Blazers are widely expected to move Brogdon this season. For now, they’re simply showcasing him to see what type of return they could get. In the end, they should take the most draft capital that a team is willing to offer.
That could be a first-round pick. In a vacuum, Brogdon is worth one. Unfortunately, there are significant concerns about his durability. If that hampers his trade value, the Blazers may need to settle for a handful of second-rounders. That’s what they’re getting here.
It isn’t the end of the world. We saw the potential valuer of second-round picks at last year’s trade deadline.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs Updates
Meanwhile, it won’t hurt Portland to take a flyer on some potential steals in that section of the draft. Should the Spurs give up the opportunity to do the same?
Why The San Antonio Spurs Do The Deal
For the Spurs, this is about their team-building philosophy. They may prefer to find their own Brogdon in the draft. That would be understandable. At the same time, it could come at the expense of Wembanyama’s development.
By contrast, getting him acclimatized to playing with an NBA-caliber point guard early could help him grow. Brogdon meets the bill. He’s a do-it-all guard who can shoot, pass and defend. He should elevate Wembanyama’s game, as well as the rest of this young Spurs’ core.
Meanwhile, he shouldn’t destroy their lottery odds, either. As good as Brogdon is, he’s more of a ceiling raiser than a floor raiser.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Malcolm Brogdon, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs Updates
If the Spurs prefer to lose games this year, they can still accomplish that goal after this trade. After all, if Wembanyama hits his ceiling, they won’t be losing games for much longer.
