Spurs Trade Wish: Acquire Raptors PG Malachi Flynn?

This hypothetical trade welcomes Toronto Raptors point guard Malachi Flynn and three future second-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for forward Doug McDermott.

The San Antonio Spurs have their sights fully set on winning the 2023 NBA Draft lottery and selecting the highly-coveted French center Victor Wembanyama. With most of their veterans gone, does management wish they could have made a move for Toronto Raptors point guard Malachi Flynn?

Bleacher Report compiled a list of trades that every NBA team wishes they had extended time to pull the plug on, saying this about the Spurs:

"The Spurs have shipped out most of their useful veterans, but McDermott is one of the few still awaiting his ticket out of town. San Antonio shouldn't make him wait any longer.

He's a 31-year-old specialist, but his specialty happens to be one of the more sought-after skills in the Association. Any shooting-starved squad would welcome his 41.0 career three-point percentage. His eight-figure salary isn't quite as inviting, but it's not overly onerous.

San Antonio would probably send McDermott to whichever team offers the most picks, but maybe Flynn could become more than a throw-in. The 24-year-old was a first-round pick in 2020, is shooting a personal-best 37.8 percent from distance and is a career per-36-minutes supplier of 4.7 assists against 1.3 turnovers."

A deal of this magnitude makes much sense for the Spurs in an ideal world. McDermott owns the second-largest contract on San Antonio's payroll for the 2023-24 season at $13.75 million. While he is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2024, getting something in return for the former Creighton University standout would pay dividends. 

Flynn, 24, plays a graceful brand of basketball. His stats -- 4.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 13.7 minutes per game -- do not jump out to the casual fan. Watching Flynn play, however, shows a floor general that brings tenacity on the defensive end and is a capable three-point shooter (37.8 percent). 

His inefficient shooting from the field causes concern, where he has yet to connect on 40 percent or greater in any of his three career seasons, yet is placed in a precarious position where he has to make the most out of limited minutes and sparing touches (4.7 FGA).

Regardless, San Antonio only possesses two true point guards on their roster, being Tre Jones and Devonte' Graham. Adding Flynn to the fold would give coach Gregg Popovich more depth at the one spot. Flynn's game is reminiscent of Boston Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard, and assuming he could fill a role of that magnitude with the Spurs, he'd be a welcomed addition to the team. 

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Spurs? Click Here.

Follow Inside the Spurs on Twitter.

Follow Inside the Spurs on Facebook.

Want even more San Antonio Spurs news? Check out the Si.com team page here.