Could Spurs Get Top-5 Pick For Keldon Johnson?

Keldon Johnson could net the San Antonio Spurs another major piece to their rebuild in a trade this offseason.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 14, 2023

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

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San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have a positive veteran to build around in Keldon Johnson.

Johnson, 23, averaged a career-best 22 points per game and was often seen as a leader for one of the youngest rosters in the league.

But, for a team like the Spurs looking to acquire as many assets as possible, Johnson could be seen as a trade asset towards a team looking for win-now pieces like the Portland Trail Blazers.

"That could mean sending Keldon Johnson to the Portland Trail Blazers in a package for their 2023 first-rounder, which should land within the top five," Bleacher Report writes. "Johnson profiles as a solid starter, and San Antonio shouldn't surrender him lightly. But a top-five pick should yield someone with more potential."

The Blazers currently hold the fifth-best odds for the No. 1 pick and could easily yield a top selection. Portland may look to trade its pick if it isn't atop the draft and San Antonio could be a destination for that selection.

Would trading Johnson be worth the potential a top-5 pick could bring? Absolutely.

Johnson's four-year contract extension kicks in next season. Instead of costing $3.8 million, he will make $20 million. And while the Spurs have the cap space to keep a player at Johnson's price, San Antonio may benefit from selling high when the iron is hot.

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Published Apr 14, 2023

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.