NBA Trade Rumors: Spurs' Keldon Johnson 'Available'?

As the NBA Trade Deadline looms closer, there is speculation about Keldon Johnson's future with the San Antonio Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs have a star in Victor Wembanyama to build around and are looking for talents that complement their star rookie well. Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan have started to gel in the starting lineup led by Tre Jones, and Keldon Johnson has seen his minutes reduced as of late, taking over the sixth-man role over his last 20 appearances. 

With Johnson's diminished role, there are serious questions about whether or not the Spurs see him as a long-term piece.

Dec 15, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts after scoring a three pointer during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Frost Bank Center / © Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

The consensus? That it will take a great offer for the Spurs to consider trading him. 

"The Spurs won't trade Johnson for the sake of trading him, but the fact that he's fallen out of the starting lineup suggests that he's at least available for the right price," CBS Sports writes.

Before the season, Johnson's possible bench role drew comparisons to Manu Ginobili. Ginobili is the greatest Sixth Man of all time, playing below his role to elevate the Spurs to a championship-level squad. If Johnson isn't traded, he could eventually have the same job.

He is on an incredibly team-friendly contract, making $74 million through the 2026-27 season. With Johnson locked down for the foreseeable future, the Spurs have shown a commitment to his further development. 

Since moving to the bench, Johnson has seen his 3-point shooting regress from 35.3 percent to 32.7, and his scoring output drop by 1.2 points per game. Nevertheless, Johnson is still proving his value, scoring only 2.3 points fewer than Tim Hardaway Jr., the presumptive Sixth Man of the Year.

To his credit, Johnson is not disgruntled with his move to the bench. 

“If that’s what we need and that’s what we’re going to try, then that’s what we’re going to do,” Johnson said. “I don’t have an ego about it.” 

Very Manu-esque. 

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For now, the Spurs are still in the midst of a rebuild. Players are growing, and roles are being established. If the Spurs wanted Johnson to get as many reps as possible, he would simply replace Julian Champagnie in the starting lineup, but the Spurs are clearly thinking long-term when it comes to Johnson in the Silver and Black. Is he on the trade block? It seems far-fetched.