Inside The Spurs

Spurs Trade Victor Wembanyama to Thunder For Chet Holmgren?

In a recently proposed mock trade, Victor Wembanyama would find a new NBA home with the Thunder, while Chet Holmgren — their 7-0 rookie center — would try again to make his NBA debut, but in a Spurs jersey.

Matt Guzman

Spurs Trade Victor Wembanyama to Thunder For Chet Holmgren?
Spurs Trade Victor Wembanyama to Thunder For Chet Holmgren? /
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The San Antonio Spurs seemingly struck gold by winning the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery just nine days ago. 

It gave them the right to draft Victor Wembanyama — the NBA's highest touted prospect since LeBron James entered the league — and a chance to make their way back into contention in the Western Conference.

Naturally, coach Gregg Popovich and company like the idea of adding a top-tier player to their roster, but the same can be said for just about any other team in the league. 

So what would teams be willing to give in order to draft Wembanyama — the 7-4 French phenom who is looking to take the league by storm? 

ESPN thinks it knows, recently creating a mock trade that would send the center to Oklahoma City before even stepping foot on an NBA court. 

The blockbuster trade sends last year's No. 2 overall pick, Chet Holmgren to San Antonio, along with a plethora of draft picks that Thunder GM Sam Presti has collected in recent years — and if the trade were real, it would place real value on Wembanyama. 

In addition to a 7-1 Holmgren, the Spurs would get a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 first-rounder via Houston, a 2025 first-rounder via Philadelphia and a 2026 first-rounder via the Los Angeles Clippers. All in all, five first rounders including the former Gonzaga center. 

A proposed Wembanyama-Holmgren trade would be intriguing for both parties. Neither center has played any real NBA minutes, as Holmgren went down with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot prior to last season. In theory, both centers could become the "next big thing," though odds are in Wembanyama's favor, should he remain healthy. 

But the draft picks aren't something for the Spurs to laugh off, either. A deal involving four first-rounders is relatively unheard of, and when that many go at once, it's typically for a bona fide superstar from a desperate team in need of some wins. 

Wembanyama could be that superstar for the Thunder, then again, so could Holmgren. And giving away a third of the picks that Presti has collected is rather concerning for a team without any real proof of Wembanyama's league durability. 

If OKC did make a trade proposal like the one ESPN drafted, it would be placing higher value on the French star than its current 7-foot center of the future, which could be all the Spurs need to know. 

If they decide to keep Wembanyama, which they more-than-likely will, the Spurs will become the French phenom's home for years to come, ready to make noise in the West. Should they decide to deal away Wembanyama, however, they will undoubtedly be bringing back a rather large haul of picks, players or both. 

Either way, San Antonio sits in a good place. 

The NBA Draft is set for Thursday, June 22, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Coverage begins on ESPN at 7 p.m. 

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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