After Jakob Poeltl Trade, Keldon Johnson Now Longest-Tenured Spurs Player

After Thursday's trade deadline for the 2022 season, the San Antonio Spurs' roster looks different. Again. There is one similarity, however: a young forward from the University of Kentucky who is now the longest tenured player in San Antonio.

And then there was one. 

Since the retirement of San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan before the 2016 NBA season, the franchise has seen its share of roster turnover — the pinnacle being when the Spurs lost Manu Ginóbili to retirement, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green via trade to the Raptors and Tony Parker to free agency all in one offseason in 2018. 

That next season, Pau Gasol was bought-out, joining the Milwaukee Bucks for the remainder of the year and leaving just eight returning players from the prior season. San Antonio's lack of consistency within its roster has not improved much, either. 

Now, following center Jakob Poeltl's departure before Thursday's trade deadline, third-year forward Keldon Johnson is officially the longest-tenured member for the Spurs, dating back to the 2019 season.

The 23-year-old has spent his time in San Antonio well, however. 

Since being drafted in the first round in 2019, Johnson has made increasingly impactful contributions to the Spurs offensively, averaging 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in his rookie season — increasing that number each year. 

This season, in the first year of his 4 year, $74 million contract, Johnson is averaging a team-best 21.7 points and 4.8 rebounds — ranking in the top-30 in the league scoring-wise.

Not bad for a young player who entered the league like "a bull in a China shop," as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich described Johnson during a press conference following back-to-back 30-point performances from him in early January. 

Popovich credited Johnson's development throughout his time with the Spurs, specifically in his ability to shoot 3s and position himself well on the court — both important skills for any player to master, especially in an increasingly 3-point heavy league.

Johnson even made some noise during the All-Star voting, earning the team's highest fan vote to make a push at becoming a Western conference reserve. Though he did not make the cut, Keldon Johnson's status as an up and coming playmaker in the NBA is not to be denied. 

So, as long Johnson continues to develop his game in the league, San Antonio has hope, and for a Spurs team in dire need of some consistency, they seem to have found that too in their fourth-year veteran. And he is not leaving just yet.

---

You can follow Matt Guzman on Twitter.

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.