Inside The Spurs

NBA Mock Draft: Spurs Trade Keldon Johnson, Move Back Into Top 10?

The San Antonio Spurs could make another splash in this year's NBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener

NBA Mock Draft: Spurs Trade Keldon Johnson, Move Back Into Top 10?
NBA Mock Draft: Spurs Trade Keldon Johnson, Move Back Into Top 10? /
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The San Antonio Spurs are already penciling in Victor Wembanyama as the No. 1 overall pick in next month's NBA Draft, but could they look to add another top prospect?

Bleacher Report has written up a potential trade that would send Spurs forward Keldon Johnson to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jusuf Nurkic, Keon Johnson and the No. 6 pick, which was acquired in a separate trade with the Orlando Magic.

"On the surface, Johnson looks a member of San Antonio's core as a 23-year-old who just averaged 22 points per game," Bleacher Report writes. "Yet, he may not be guaranteed a starting spot going forward, and after backtracking as an outside shooter (32.9 percent, down from 39.8), it's possible he's an inside-the-arc scoring specialist."

If Nurkic came to San Antonio, he could be a strong European veteran presence for Wembanyama and could help shoulder the load at the center position, allowing the No. 1 pick to play more of a forward role.

"The Spurs have cap space to burn anyway, and they could lean on Nurkić to absorb some of the interior wear-and-tear that Wembanyama isn't ready to handle," Bleacher Report writes.

But the reason why the Spurs make the trade is to acquire that No. 6 pick. With that pick, the Spurs could select Overtime Elite guard Ausar Thompson.

"Like his twin brother, Amen, Ausar has all of the physical tools to become an elite defender," Bleacher Report writes. He isn't quite as good of a playmaker, but his shooting offers more room for optimism."

Many would say the Spurs have already won the 2023 NBA Draft because they will select Wembanyama, but coming away with him, a veteran in Nurkic and another talented rookie in Thompson could blaze the trail for San Antonio's long-term plans.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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