Spurs Forward Cedi Osman On Trade Block?
The San Antonio Spurs taking Victor Wembanyama with the top pick in the draft gave the team a much-needed boost in their rebuild.
Adding a 7-4 phenom is a great first step, but following that is immersing him into a team with complimentary talent. Whether by a signing, trade or draft pick, the Spurs will have to bring the right talent to help Wembanyama develop and win.
Cedi Osman may not be a viable long-term forward option for the Spurs. An Osman trade could be on the horizon for something as simple as draft capital.
"Cedi Osman seems like a good trade candidate if they wanted to move him," HoopsHype said.
Osman, 28, is set to earn $6.7 million in the last year of his initial four-year contract. He was moved to the Spurs in a three-team trade that helped facilitate Max Strus' move to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In his first season in the NBA, Osman was on a LeBron James-led team that went to the NBA Finals. While he wasn't a key player in that run, he was able to gain valuable experience along the way.
If the Spurs were in a stage of their team building where cap space was important, Osman's one-year deal might be valuable. Instead, they can trade him to a team that will need the cap relief ahead of the next offseason, which is where the value of a trade comes in. The Spurs could help another team out and take draft capital in doing so.
The Spurs have flexibility to manage their roster in any which way, but providing Victor Wembanyama long-term help while developing him as much as possible as quick as they can.
Each small trade or move now could hold long-term implications in either a good way or a bad way. While moving off Osman could be a minor move for now, it may be more beneficial or helpful in the long game.
You can follow Kade Kimble on Twitter @KadeKimble.
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