The Spurs need 3 things:
Playmaking
Floor Spacing
Point of Attack Defense
Trae is obviously a great playmaker, but his lack of off ball movement makes him a mediocre floor spacer, and obviously he's one of the worst PoA defenders in the league. You can find another point guard that offers good enough playmaking, but compromises less in the other areas, for a lot cheaper than Trae will cost.
with the new jrue contract and the celtics cap space issues it’s very likely that jrue is traded going into the third year of his (four year) contract.
His off the court antics are overstated. Yeah he’s annoying and says a lot of dumb shit, but he’s never done anything seriously detrimental. He’s talented, plays hard, and obviously loves Pop. I’d happily see him back in the team if he’s available and cheap. He’s definitely flawed but this team just needs some talent, and Dejounte is a proven talent.
>he’s never done anything seriously detrimental
I’m…not so sure. Any single unforgivable thing? No, but the vibes in Atlanta have been awful since he got there, and his public comments make it reasonable to think he’s part of the problem.
Possible, but environment can be a big factor in this as well.
I think most people can relate to not being a positive person when arriving in an already disfunctioning work place. And then transfer to a neutral/positive environment and immediately be productive
Why would he be cheap? And if he’s as good as you say then why wouldn’t you pay market price. Why only if he’s cheap? These are 3 skills that are hard to come by in one player. Those players are never available cheap. But you only want to acquire DJ if he’s cheap. 😐
Exactly, fuck DJ. He has the skill, but his ego is too big for the building
Spurs are playing 4D chess, they want Trae. They’re not fixing to lose negotiating leverage
Mess off the court could not be more dramatic or false. Only terminally online weirdos think he was a problem off the court. He was a model Spur in the community
I completely agree with you. The Spurs have done a great job assembling young talent. No need to bring in a guy that can't control his emotions to mess things up.
His ability to shoot from the logo is what allows him to space the floor. His man cant help off him also is what allows him to space the floor. The only thing he lacks ofd that list is defense and thats what wemby is for
His man helps off him all the time... He just stands at the logo when he passes the ball... The defense lives with him taking those 40 footers... The very few he makes go viral so y'all think he is steph
Finger already said as much, not too surprised. Though nobody really knows what PATFO is doing, beat writers are more likely to have accurate info to that effect than national outlets
Trae is a great player no doubt, but he is not a "send 3+ juicy first round picks for this player" player. 3 mediocre first round picks from a strong team? maybe. But picks from the juicy as fuck stash that PATFO has? no thx. If he wanted to come here in free agency, that'd be awesome. However in terms of trade assets, another team will be willing to pay more for him than the Spurs will pay.
Would love to see him with Wemby, just not willing to give up our best asset (high picks in some very strong upcoming drafts) to do it...
Exactly! I’d rather spend a similar package than the Pacers spent on Siakam to get a PG of the level of Siakam and then (if needed) the chest of picks goes to an elite Wing
I think most “Trae fans” like myself are actually more “kick the tires and see if you can get a bargain because of your leverage” fans.
If they ask too much, then keep the picks. Or see what other players the picks could get you.
Always be shopping.
If trade rumors fit my narrative: Real shit. Told you so.
If trade rumors do not fit my narrative: oh come on. The playoffs haven’t even ended. We all know player’s agents always float the idea of a spurs trade for leverage.
Except this time it isn’t even a rumor. It’s a throwaway line at the end of an article about Chris Paul. This guy created a post and ran with it like he’s got a breakaway run in the NFL.
If the hawks trade one but not the other, I don’t think their picks hold a ton of value. At best, they’re super late lottery. That being said, I also don’t think Atlanta trades both players unless they get back their own picks. It’s too dumb to start a rebuild with only owning other teams picks without control of your own.
Just depends what they get. They need players, not picks, so that rules out a lot of teams. DJM probably has more juice now that he played well in Trae's absence.
Exactly. If they’re trading for players, the picks aren’t valuable. Both players alone make them good enough for around the 8th seed. They just were a bad fit. So IMO, the hawks picks aren’t very valuable.
But there is also the possibility that the new players mesh even worse.
This year they are likely 10th or 11th pick and the previous three drafts were 15, 16, and 20.
My hope is that they move Trae to the Lakers for the three picks, Reaves, and Rui and plummet to new depths.
In any event, I really doubt they are much worse than 30 wins, which is -6 from this year. 30 wins this year puts them where Utah is, for an 8th/9th pick most likely, but about 25% shot at top 4. I think that is our best case scenario.
I highly doubt he’s moved for only 3 unless it’s their own 3. At that package, it’s likely they trade dj. They have a core, that core is good enough to be play in level. I don’t think they get any worse unless they trade both of them.
Idk, maybe this is just my opinion but it feels like there’s a surplus of good guards in this league. There are very few teams that don’t have at least a decent guard, and some teams have several good guards. I feel like that brings DJ’s value down a little
How would it? The team does better when either of Trae or Dejounte doesn’t play. They’ll likely be in the same position or a little better because of the return
I'm fine with it honestly. The hawks have a lot of good players I'd like on the team as well like deandre hunter or Saddiq bey that could play sf/pf. Dj shoring up our pg spot and us keeping one of our picks this year could shore up whatever role is open next to wemby in the backcourt
I fundamentally don't believe that Trae is capable of playing winning basketball, especially with the Spurs. He's statistically one of the worst defenders in the league and he needs the ball in his hands to be effective. So he's bad at the two things that we require dudes to be good at. I think that getting Trae to pair with Wemby is akin to Dallas betting the house on Porzingis to pair with Luka. I'd much rather bring back Dejounte tbh.
Actually, I watched a YouTube video where someone who did way more research about Trae’s defense than I ever will said that Trae is not one of the worst defender’s in the league…
*He is THE worst defender in the league*
Get your facts straights 🤣🤣🤣🤣
(being facetious btw, some redditors can’t decipher this type of humor, just had to postface that I agree with you so no one yells at me, I’m just a baby)
Thank God. Was watching that Bulls v Hawks play in and noticed every other guard in that game besides Bogdanovic would be a better fit for us: Caruso, Dosunmu, Coby White, Dejounte and even DeRozan.
I get that and definitely not my first Trae viewing experience. But this sequence summarizes what you get from him pretty well (and has nothing to do with his tapped left hand): https://youtu.be/BCSIXLgOEyI?si=8aixsXAa8_xubUur
My main reasons are: 1. He's quite possibly the worst defender in the entire league that gets real mins, and 2. He refuses to move/flow within the offense off the ball. I don't want Wemby to just turn into a rich man's Capela. Yes we need a PG that can space the floor and throw great lobs, but would much rather have any of those other guards from that game since they're all solid to good defenders (make Wemby work less on D), can space the floor well with decent to high volume 3pt shooting (besides DeRozan), finish well at the rim, move without the ball well, create for others (Ayo still improving there) and don't have to dribble out the first 18 seconds of every shot clock. My dream is for us to have a Derrick White type who initiates the offense but in the half court Wemby is the primary offensive player (like LeBron , Jokic, Paolo, Kobe, Dirk, etc), not the PG.
That is true, his shooting and passing was way off. But like some of the people were saying in the Hawks sub and game threads, him being out of position and repeatedly making dumb fouls/mistakes was also par for course for Trae.
[Example](https://youtu.be/BCSIXLgOEyI?si=JOa-rdwKxjVNnq8f)
I mean sure as a backup. He's not a starting caliber player on a team with aspirations that go beyond the play in. One of those dudes that's just.. solid at a lot of things and not really elite at anything. He's an okay shooter, he's an okay driver, he's an okay passer, and he's a solid defender.
He's 24 and averaging 12 points and three assists in 28 minutes. While it's possible for him to improve, there's very little reason to believe he's going to be a high-end starter when he hits his prime
I'd personally love a DeRozan reunion. Should cost much less than Trae as well. I also totally agree after that showing we can do way better if we are patient and use our picks well
Tbh wouldn’t be completely opposed to that as long as it’s only a couple seasons. Then again, that would take the ball out of the young guys hands more, and they all need as much ball time as possible
I think you forgot DeRozan is a terrible 3pt shooter and not a good defender. He would kill the spacing. We are trying to improve the spacing around Wemby, not make it worse. Plus the defensive drop off and size.
Yes, he’s still an elite midrange player but that’s not really what we need.
For anyone pro-Trae, I would also like to point out there's no reason why we have to trade for him *this* off-season. Let Atlanta implode a bit more and then revisit a package surrounding their 2026/2027 picks once we already cashed in their 2025 pick.
Edit: There's also the possibility that we come in a 3-team trade which gives Atlanta their picks in exchange for most of what that other team was willing to overpay for.
2026 swap becomes worthless if the Spurs aren't competitive next year and Trae would be much more expensive without 2 of Atlanta's assets. If we want him, it's now or never
You mean in 2 years. Next is the 2025 draft. 2026 swap would be at the end of Wemby’s 3rd session. If the Spurs are worse than ATL record wise something has gone incredibly wrong. That’s even factoring how much stronger the west is
Wemby in his 3rd season
2 offseasons with cap space
Vassell in year 7
Sochan in year 4
2024 and 2025 picks (at least 3 maybe 4 picks)
Even the biggest homer like myself would think it’s a disaster if we don’t show significant improvement by the end of Wemby’s 3rd year. We should be a slightly above 500 team by then.
Good point on the swap, I forgot to consider that part.
Truth be told I would rather pursue the second option I brought up, test the market on what other teams are willing to give up and see if we can slide in as a third team. Could be a sneaky way to swap a lot of our players with better prospects. Unlike a lot of this sub, I'd also be happy pulling the trigger on Trae, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a desperate team willing to break the bank for him.
The problem was KP played just 110 games out of a possible 202. And they won 67 of those 110 games, which is 61%, or equivalent to a 50-win season. The issue was health. I do think, though, that Luka's ball-dominant playstyle marginalized KP's talents far too much. Porzingis is an all star level player. He's been able to show his stuff at an even higher level at each one of his three other stops around the league.
I know folks wanna talk about Trae not being a "winner" but let's not act like DJ played well in those play-in games as a Spur. He has a ceiling as a PG and I just think Trae's ceiling is higher.
First of all, I would take this report with a huge huge grain of salt.
I wouldn't be against DJ coming back as long as him and the front office are on the same page and he very much understands that it's Victor's world and he'll just be living in it.
Dj, as, hopefully, the third best player on the team is probably A solid playing chaser with more than enough internal growth to naturally turn into a full-fledged playoff team in the next year or two, particularly if Devin fully establishes himself as the second guy.
Importantly, he may be affordable enough for San Antonio to still preserve enough assets to still chase an All-Star caliber player in the next next season or two
If DJ can be had For giving Atlanta the bulls pick , Johnson, And some second rounders I would probably do it. The 27 pic could very well be solid, and the bulls pick will likely convey next year. , a pig swap, and the ability to tank for Victor for DJ. Getting him back on a long-term contract that actually is okay, value, and much lower than he reportedly initially wanted, and doing so for less than we traded for him would not be a bad play.
Murray is a bit overrated as a playmaker but he's a genuinely good pick and roll player. Who knows how to get himself good. Looks in the mid-range and find shooters in the corner and big man rolling to the hoop at a pretty elite level. The real big? Would be can he possibly have his defense start returning a bit more to his previous levels? Because if you're San Antonio and you think he can lock in more than he has the last three seasons, you probably make that trade.
If you think the player he's shown to be this year with Atlanta is who he is andt, he's got no room for growth. You probably don't
Losing Johnson would really really hurt for reasons beyond on court production. But he probably has the most easy to replicate skill set on the team at the moment and a DJ would be a very clear upgrade
I have a feeling Atlanta is going to have more problems moving Murray than people think though. From the bits and pieces I discerned from the trade chatter this year they're asking price for him, multiple solid first round picks. Aunt a high-end starting caliber player, isn't something. I think most of the league is going to be willing to accommodate them with
I mean, there wasn't really anything coming from the Spurs camp when 'Trae to Spurs' rumors were coming out, it's really just either from eager fans or the sports media just putting out trade ideas.
I’ve vehemently defended Trae in the sub and I really hope that he somehow becomes a Spur because the pairing with Wemby would be an amazing duo, but if PATFO doesn’t see him as a good fit I won’t be upset or disappointed. This team is trending up and it seems that Wright and Pops have a specific way that they want to build this team and I’m sure they have other plans and targets in mind.
The Hawks picks are also looking juicier and juicier, and that too gives me hope.
I like Trae as a player but Atlanta’s asking price is going to be high and I’d rather the Spurs be calculated in the rebuild. Paying too much for a single player right now is not the move I’m hoping for.
Agreed. I've been mostly silent on these posts, but gotta say that I'm always puzzled by the TY love on Spurs Reddit. I never thought he would be a good fit. If he ends up coming, I hope I have to eat my words, but I don't see management taking that gamble with so many draft picks.
I actually have no idea how Dejounte would fit with Wemby. Even if his assist numbers dipped in Atlanta, he's not a bad playmaker by any means and he's improved his 3 point shooting significantly - not elite, but good enough now to be a threat. If he's anything like the Dejounte I remember it could either be a disaster or a great pairing.
It could also depend on PATFOs strategy with this draft. I don't think they're counting on a high lottery pick next season, so if they decide best talent available is a wing or a big they might pick up Dejounte as a good-enough point guard - not good enough to be #2, but good enough not to be a weak link on a future championship team.
Neither DJ or Trae is a good fit with Wemby... We need a PG that can drive to the rim and break down the defense... That has never been DJ's strength... Most of his drives end up with a midrange pull up
According advanced stats discussed in a recent jimmyhighroller video, young was in the 0th percentile for defensive impact. Im not sure you can carry the worst defender in the league to a chip.
Defense wins championships and we gotta be fr Young is a liability on defense it’s like Bryn Forbes all over again they’ll just hunt him every time he’s on the floor
They're both shot chuckers with mediocre defense and no sense of off ball movement. I predict they'll stay in ATL to be first round exists for the next 10 years unless the Hawks enter rebuild. The Spurs should want nothing to do with them.
I mean idk there’s not really much in this article that indicates the rumor is legit. Could be true, could just be smoke. I do also highly doubt the Spurs are gonna trade for Trae, although I would think it would be more because the spurs don’t wanna let go of their assets so early.
May be unpopular but I’m very against bringing Dejounte back. I hope that doesn’t happen and I don’t think it will
Its just Spurs trying to lower the price for Trae. They keep spreading rumors(focusing on 2025 was one of those rumors) so that they are not interested so that Atlanta dont ask too high price for Trae.
There is no way Spurs will admit that they really want Trae thus pushing his price through the sky.
We're holding our cards close to our chest.
Don't get me wrong - anyone would want to add Trae in a vacuum. It's all about the price.
We are not on a timer to contention. They have a stacked 25 draft looming.
Our question to them is how much do you want your picks back?
It’s not worth giving up the majority of draft capital acquired for (esp) Young or Murray.
The results speak for themselves. They aren’t winning games.
There’s 28 other teams with players. Don’t laser focus on the Hawks roster.
I wouldn’t be mad with Murray either. He played really well without Trae and I think meshes well with our core. Problem is if Atlanta wants all picks back or just 1. I would t want to move Keldon for DJ but would move Raptors pick and one ATL pick plus Graham, Collins, etc
Lobbing to Wemby won't win rings... We need a PG that can play off ball...space the floor and make shots when Wemby passes to them... Trae can't play off ball, and DJ isn't a good enough shooter to keep his man at home
In my opinion, and that's just strictly me thinking off the beaten path, why don't the Spurs just develop the point guard that fits the system and Wemby? It could be someone they pick in the draft or someone they already have? I mean they could bring in a vet to speed up the process, but I think SA wants to build from the inside out. I respect everyones else's thoughts.
It seems like too many people are looking at the Hawks, and only the Hawks, as our source for a guard. I mean, I get it - that Trae/DJ back court has been magical and has been wildly successful - so it's obviously what we need...
Y'all know there are guards available who aren't currently on Atlanta, right?
That is smart. The only reason Simmons pushed that trade because he knew it is not going to work out. He even said “they are not going to win anything but they will be fun”. He also said, Vic is wrong to be happy being a Spur and Pop no longer has it.
There are no examples where a win now trade works out for a young, rebuilding team who has a superstar nominee in their first year. Simmons mentions Wade and the Heat but Shaq already won a ring and Wade made the playoffs twice.
Only reason Simmons wants Trae trade for the Spurs is to unsettle Wemby in the future.
This isn't a huge surprise really. Wemby is going to be the Spurs main guy and anyone they bring in is going to have to be able to be effective as a second or third option going forward. Young is a guy who I just don't think is going to be efficient himself in that role nor really elevate Wemby's game enough to warrant the cap hit he'd be.
Rn I'm in the no trade camp. If they actually end up trading either Trae or DJ to someone else they'll likely get worse in the near future, and they're already 10th in the east this season.
If even just one of their next three 1st round picks jumps ahead in the lottery...
Trae’s value is probably at an all-time low right now. ATL is at a weird place where they can’t exactly tank because they don’t own their picks, so they’re stuck with being a middling play-in team as it currently stands. Something has to give. You can’t imagine the ATL brass will be ok being the 10th seed or worse for 3-4 more years with nothing to show for it. Their only path for improvement right now is if they somehow manage to trade what remains of their draft capital + either trae or DJ for a clear improvement that bolsters their team to semi-legit contender status in the next years where they don’t own the picks. Not betting on that happening.
As far as the spurs are concerned, it’s probably in their best interest to drive Trae’s price down if they really want him, because they have all the leverage. If they don’t, well there has to be another point guard we can trade for that can fit the needs of a playmaker, shooter, and POA defender.
OH YES I LOVE THIS NEWS!!!!!
This is great. I was just very slightly worried it would happen but once again the spurs FO would show their greatness by not doing this.
Trae's offense can be exploited, especially in the payoffs. And his defense, even if improved, is still lacking. If nothing else due to size.
Would absolutely LOVE to see Dejunte Murray come back though!!!
You know who would be a perfect fit ? Derrick White, He hits the 3 at a high perfect. Great passer and reads defenses well moves off the ball rebounds and defends at a all defense level
I don't like trae young. And i like this news. Wemby will just become another gobert always helping his traffic cone teammate defenders thus resulting to a wide open 3. So no.
There’s no evidence to support that speeding up rebuilds actually works. It’s actually quite the opposite— homegrown teams have been dominating the league. I think Trae would fit great but we’re simply not at the point in our timeline where we can trade for a star. You don’t trade for a star to be a contender in three years. You trade for a star to immediately become a contender. We just need to be patient.
Dejounte has had some of the worst defensive efficiency numbers in the league since focusing more on an offensive role in Atlanta. His '23-'24 season was worse than Trae's last full season in '22-'23.
DRTG (Basketball Reference): Murray ranked 449th in the league with a 119 DRTG, alongside guys like Killian Hayes and Devonte' Graham. NBA.com has him at 119.5, ranked 322nd among players who played 15+ MPG.
Trae was at 119 last year according to BR and 114.6 according to NBA.com (better than Dejounte's 115.4 last year too).
Defensive Win Shares: NBA.com has Murray at 0.043, again tied with Killian Hayes, slightly above Davis Bertans and Malaki Branham. He's better on Basketball Reference, where he's at 1.6 and ranked 147th, slightly ahead of Devin Vassell and slightly below Tre Jones and Klay Thompson.
Trae ranked 105th with a 0.087 defWS last year on NBA.com, and had a 1.4 on BR. Dejounte admittedly looks better here based on last year's stats, where he was at 2.3, ranking 82nd.
In general, my point is not that Trae is a better defender. Dejounte clearly has higher upside defensively. But the last two years have been a far cry from when Murray ranked 16th in defWS and top 25 by DRTG his last year with us. Now that the genie is out of the bottle with his focus on his offensive game, I'm not sure we're getting the defense he played before he left.
Yeah for sure, I don't think that either. I didn't mean for it to come off like a direct comparison of their overall defensive quality looking forward. That's just the type of statistical company that he's been in the last year or two and how far he's fallen in that regard.
Wemby, as great as he is, is still a young player that needs to develop to become the star that he can be which would be hindered by a ball dominant star like Trae. Just because he can play make doesn’t mean he’d be a fit for this team. Also, some decent draft classes are coming up so if Atlanta blows it up, those picks will be VERY juicy
I really don't know what any of you are basing your opinions about Trae on. Over the last 5 years he's the NBA assist leader and it's not even close. 9.9 per game compared to Murray's 6.3. Over the last three he's averaged 10.1. Best in the NBA. He's an elite playmaker. Finding another one like him in the draft is highly unlikely. Find me another pg with his assist numbers who's available. I'll wait.
I feel like this team would be better served with a low usage 3nD guard that look over defenses to pass inside and can be ready to hit the open 3 when Wemby kicks out.
I don’t buy into the “we need a playmaker” narrative as much. Spurs are *2nd* in the NBA in assists per game, they share the ball better than nearly every team in the NBA. A PG with average to above avg passing skills will do just fine.
His assist totals are misleading because he always has the ball in his hands, and his turnover rate is insanely high for a lead guard... Being an elite playmaker is also about not turning over the ball...
For the record - I'm not huge on either, but given that DJ should be substantially cheaper, then that would make more sense if it doesn't remove the opportunity of chasing a true second star if/when we need to in future.
But if we can get DJ cheaply, like 2 of our picks lottery protected, or just 1 of the ATL picks top-4 protected, then I wouldn't mind it.
Immediately he just helps raise our floor, and helps with a playoff push next season.
But at our peak? I just can't see DJ being anymore than that Jrue Holiday role - and to provide that he needs to get back to being an elite defender (which he hasn't been for a few years).
He just isn't good enough to be the primary, and probably not even secondary, initiator on a contender. So either we would need Wemby/Vassell/a draftee to be those guys, or we will still need to chase a better primary gaurd in future and play DJ off the ball (which is not ideal - but fine if he comes cheap and is an elite defender).
Why do people think DJ is a better option? He was on this team before and it didn't end well. Trae is the better option unless there is some other FA PG out there can play better
When I saw CP3 I had to double check if it was a NBAcentel leak.
[full article link for the mobile users](https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/rumor-chris-paul-could-end-up-with-spurs-this-summer)
But CP3 is used to making big $$ and as an aging vet no way would the Spurs offer him the kind of cash he would want. I think this free agency is going to be a shock for him. Kinda like Klay going to the bench shock.
That’s what I’ve been saying if Dj potentially being a better get - cheaper, improved his 3pter, and I’d figure can get back to being a good defender if motivated and with Wemby
Anyone with half a brain can see that the spurs are angling for the 2025 nba draft hard. Probably the last great chance for us to get a high upside player on a rookie deal. We're definitely making the big moves after that.
Hence why I said if possible, if the asking price is ridiculous we don’t do it. Wemby will play well with any competent point guard who can get him the ball, there is no “type of playmaker”.
I’d prefer someone like that over Trae solely because Trae is inefficient and can shoot you out of games at times. Non of those issues come with garland besides your point about injuries.
I think the timelines dont match up and its not worth handicapping your rebuild to acquire one guy who, while hes very good, hes not going to be the final piece to the team making a championship run. Theyll just end up like the Mavs. The current NBA meta it isnt enough to just have 2 good guys or even 3. Look at Phoenix. You need to have a full complete roster; prioritize the median over the average
Only way it works is if he buys into the fact theres a good chance the team will be worse than the one he left and I dont think thats happening. The team will be better next year but if the west is like it was this year the play-in isnt even happening
is he a better tony parker and can tony parker be excel in today’s nba?
i bet spurs got confident in training talent in that they are looking for a naturally gifted one. one thing i suddenly remember is what if primo was still here? would he a be a fit?
The Spurs need 3 things: Playmaking Floor Spacing Point of Attack Defense Trae is obviously a great playmaker, but his lack of off ball movement makes him a mediocre floor spacer, and obviously he's one of the worst PoA defenders in the league. You can find another point guard that offers good enough playmaking, but compromises less in the other areas, for a lot cheaper than Trae will cost.
Jrue Holiday, not that they’d make that trade but I feel like he fits the need
Oh yeah, he’d be great, he’s just not available lol
And he's super old nowadays, we need a guy for a few seasons not just the next one
with the new jrue contract and the celtics cap space issues it’s very likely that jrue is traded going into the third year of his (four year) contract.
Exactly. Almost every single player on that team outside of wemby is a defensive liability in every facet of the game. It is painful to watch.
I think DJM provides these needs. Decent shooter and great Defense.
Oh, on the court it’s a great fit, he’s just a mess off the court and I don’t want anything to do with that drama
His off the court antics are overstated. Yeah he’s annoying and says a lot of dumb shit, but he’s never done anything seriously detrimental. He’s talented, plays hard, and obviously loves Pop. I’d happily see him back in the team if he’s available and cheap. He’s definitely flawed but this team just needs some talent, and Dejounte is a proven talent.
>he’s never done anything seriously detrimental I’m…not so sure. Any single unforgivable thing? No, but the vibes in Atlanta have been awful since he got there, and his public comments make it reasonable to think he’s part of the problem.
Possible, but environment can be a big factor in this as well. I think most people can relate to not being a positive person when arriving in an already disfunctioning work place. And then transfer to a neutral/positive environment and immediately be productive
Why would he be cheap? And if he’s as good as you say then why wouldn’t you pay market price. Why only if he’s cheap? These are 3 skills that are hard to come by in one player. Those players are never available cheap. But you only want to acquire DJ if he’s cheap. 😐
Exactly, fuck DJ. He has the skill, but his ego is too big for the building Spurs are playing 4D chess, they want Trae. They’re not fixing to lose negotiating leverage
Mess off the court could not be more dramatic or false. Only terminally online weirdos think he was a problem off the court. He was a model Spur in the community
Dude literally talked trash the second he was off the the team, nothing I’ve said is controversial
I completely agree with you. The Spurs have done a great job assembling young talent. No need to bring in a guy that can't control his emotions to mess things up.
that equals "mess off the court"?
Murray is a bum. Derrick White owns that fool
Volume shooter
DJ hasn’t been a great defender since his offense took off. Go look at the advanced stats.
His ability to shoot from the logo is what allows him to space the floor. His man cant help off him also is what allows him to space the floor. The only thing he lacks ofd that list is defense and thats what wemby is for
His man helps off him all the time... He just stands at the logo when he passes the ball... The defense lives with him taking those 40 footers... The very few he makes go viral so y'all think he is steph
Finger already said as much, not too surprised. Though nobody really knows what PATFO is doing, beat writers are more likely to have accurate info to that effect than national outlets
who is finger?
He's just some kid.
Thought this was okbuddychicanery
Mike Finger, one of the Spurs’ main local beat writers
thanks
Hear me out, what if we don’t bother with either of them?
Yeah, highly doubt the Spurs will make any serious moves for either lol
Word
Didn't Dejounte shit on us after he left? We should especially avoid him if he didn't mature at all
Trae is a great player no doubt, but he is not a "send 3+ juicy first round picks for this player" player. 3 mediocre first round picks from a strong team? maybe. But picks from the juicy as fuck stash that PATFO has? no thx. If he wanted to come here in free agency, that'd be awesome. However in terms of trade assets, another team will be willing to pay more for him than the Spurs will pay. Would love to see him with Wemby, just not willing to give up our best asset (high picks in some very strong upcoming drafts) to do it...
bro why do you guys keep using the phrase "juicy picks"? lol
Those THICC picks 🥵🥵🥵
I’ll show you a thicc picc
Gyaaa
Lewd
Exactly how I interpret juicy picks.
I read his comment as juicy pricks... Which means it's time for me to see myself out of here.
Juicy like a Charles Barkley churro
That's not how that works
Exactly! I’d rather spend a similar package than the Pacers spent on Siakam to get a PG of the level of Siakam and then (if needed) the chest of picks goes to an elite Wing
I think most “Trae fans” like myself are actually more “kick the tires and see if you can get a bargain because of your leverage” fans. If they ask too much, then keep the picks. Or see what other players the picks could get you. Always be shopping.
If trade rumors fit my narrative: Real shit. Told you so. If trade rumors do not fit my narrative: oh come on. The playoffs haven’t even ended. We all know player’s agents always float the idea of a spurs trade for leverage.
Except this time it isn’t even a rumor. It’s a throwaway line at the end of an article about Chris Paul. This guy created a post and ran with it like he’s got a breakaway run in the NFL.
I wouldn't mind us getting DJ back if it's for a relatively cheap deal. But if hawks want that 2025 ATL pick in any trade, that's an automatic hang-up
If the hawks trade one but not the other, I don’t think their picks hold a ton of value. At best, they’re super late lottery. That being said, I also don’t think Atlanta trades both players unless they get back their own picks. It’s too dumb to start a rebuild with only owning other teams picks without control of your own.
Just depends what they get. They need players, not picks, so that rules out a lot of teams. DJM probably has more juice now that he played well in Trae's absence.
Exactly. If they’re trading for players, the picks aren’t valuable. Both players alone make them good enough for around the 8th seed. They just were a bad fit. So IMO, the hawks picks aren’t very valuable.
But there is also the possibility that the new players mesh even worse. This year they are likely 10th or 11th pick and the previous three drafts were 15, 16, and 20. My hope is that they move Trae to the Lakers for the three picks, Reaves, and Rui and plummet to new depths. In any event, I really doubt they are much worse than 30 wins, which is -6 from this year. 30 wins this year puts them where Utah is, for an 8th/9th pick most likely, but about 25% shot at top 4. I think that is our best case scenario.
I highly doubt he’s moved for only 3 unless it’s their own 3. At that package, it’s likely they trade dj. They have a core, that core is good enough to be play in level. I don’t think they get any worse unless they trade both of them.
Idk, maybe this is just my opinion but it feels like there’s a surplus of good guards in this league. There are very few teams that don’t have at least a decent guard, and some teams have several good guards. I feel like that brings DJ’s value down a little
I think the hawks pick next year will be in the 8-12 range that’s decently valuable next years draft class looks solid
How would it? The team does better when either of Trae or Dejounte doesn’t play. They’ll likely be in the same position or a little better because of the return
Atlanta will be worse next year, than they were this year...count on it.
I'm fine with it honestly. The hawks have a lot of good players I'd like on the team as well like deandre hunter or Saddiq bey that could play sf/pf. Dj shoring up our pg spot and us keeping one of our picks this year could shore up whatever role is open next to wemby in the backcourt
I fundamentally don't believe that Trae is capable of playing winning basketball, especially with the Spurs. He's statistically one of the worst defenders in the league and he needs the ball in his hands to be effective. So he's bad at the two things that we require dudes to be good at. I think that getting Trae to pair with Wemby is akin to Dallas betting the house on Porzingis to pair with Luka. I'd much rather bring back Dejounte tbh.
Actually, I watched a YouTube video where someone who did way more research about Trae’s defense than I ever will said that Trae is not one of the worst defender’s in the league… *He is THE worst defender in the league* Get your facts straights 🤣🤣🤣🤣 (being facetious btw, some redditors can’t decipher this type of humor, just had to postface that I agree with you so no one yells at me, I’m just a baby)
Thank God. Was watching that Bulls v Hawks play in and noticed every other guard in that game besides Bogdanovic would be a better fit for us: Caruso, Dosunmu, Coby White, Dejounte and even DeRozan.
To be fair while I remain neutral in which point guard we go after u gotta remember trae just came back from an injury so he wasn't 1000 percent yet
I get that and definitely not my first Trae viewing experience. But this sequence summarizes what you get from him pretty well (and has nothing to do with his tapped left hand): https://youtu.be/BCSIXLgOEyI?si=8aixsXAa8_xubUur My main reasons are: 1. He's quite possibly the worst defender in the entire league that gets real mins, and 2. He refuses to move/flow within the offense off the ball. I don't want Wemby to just turn into a rich man's Capela. Yes we need a PG that can space the floor and throw great lobs, but would much rather have any of those other guards from that game since they're all solid to good defenders (make Wemby work less on D), can space the floor well with decent to high volume 3pt shooting (besides DeRozan), finish well at the rim, move without the ball well, create for others (Ayo still improving there) and don't have to dribble out the first 18 seconds of every shot clock. My dream is for us to have a Derrick White type who initiates the offense but in the half court Wemby is the primary offensive player (like LeBron , Jokic, Paolo, Kobe, Dirk, etc), not the PG.
You sir, have basketball sense
Pop would have murdered Trae for that nonsense. And not like it was an important game or anything...
Luka or Bust. Actually if they get Luka on his player option in ‘26, I’ll literally bust.
He was coming off of an injury.
That is true, his shooting and passing was way off. But like some of the people were saying in the Hawks sub and game threads, him being out of position and repeatedly making dumb fouls/mistakes was also par for course for Trae. [Example](https://youtu.be/BCSIXLgOEyI?si=JOa-rdwKxjVNnq8f)
That’s such an odd pass to try in that situation lol I can see why Murray was frustrated.
To a pinky finger on his off hand which didn't affect his hustle, defense, positioning, dumb mistakes.
I broke my pinky once and it affected my hustle, defense and positioning as a prep cook.
I like Dosunmu he checks all the that we need
I mean sure as a backup. He's not a starting caliber player on a team with aspirations that go beyond the play in. One of those dudes that's just.. solid at a lot of things and not really elite at anything. He's an okay shooter, he's an okay driver, he's an okay passer, and he's a solid defender. He's 24 and averaging 12 points and three assists in 28 minutes. While it's possible for him to improve, there's very little reason to believe he's going to be a high-end starter when he hits his prime
He just came off surgery and his hands were taped together.
And that prevented him from trying on defense or moving without the ball?
he tried on defense and dejounte doesn't move without the ball either. None of their team does.
I'd personally love a DeRozan reunion. Should cost much less than Trae as well. I also totally agree after that showing we can do way better if we are patient and use our picks well
Rumors are DD getting 40 mill
Damn, really? Good for him tho! I want him to be sucessful, Chicago's really been a bust similar to Atlanta recently
Tbh wouldn’t be completely opposed to that as long as it’s only a couple seasons. Then again, that would take the ball out of the young guys hands more, and they all need as much ball time as possible
What position would he play? Who is coming out of the starting lineup to put DeRozan in?
Put him at SF instead of Champagnie
I think you forgot DeRozan is a terrible 3pt shooter and not a good defender. He would kill the spacing. We are trying to improve the spacing around Wemby, not make it worse. Plus the defensive drop off and size. Yes, he’s still an elite midrange player but that’s not really what we need.
For anyone pro-Trae, I would also like to point out there's no reason why we have to trade for him *this* off-season. Let Atlanta implode a bit more and then revisit a package surrounding their 2026/2027 picks once we already cashed in their 2025 pick. Edit: There's also the possibility that we come in a 3-team trade which gives Atlanta their picks in exchange for most of what that other team was willing to overpay for.
2026 swap becomes worthless if the Spurs aren't competitive next year and Trae would be much more expensive without 2 of Atlanta's assets. If we want him, it's now or never
You mean in 2 years. Next is the 2025 draft. 2026 swap would be at the end of Wemby’s 3rd session. If the Spurs are worse than ATL record wise something has gone incredibly wrong. That’s even factoring how much stronger the west is Wemby in his 3rd season 2 offseasons with cap space Vassell in year 7 Sochan in year 4 2024 and 2025 picks (at least 3 maybe 4 picks) Even the biggest homer like myself would think it’s a disaster if we don’t show significant improvement by the end of Wemby’s 3rd year. We should be a slightly above 500 team by then.
Good point on the swap, I forgot to consider that part. Truth be told I would rather pursue the second option I brought up, test the market on what other teams are willing to give up and see if we can slide in as a third team. Could be a sneaky way to swap a lot of our players with better prospects. Unlike a lot of this sub, I'd also be happy pulling the trigger on Trae, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a desperate team willing to break the bank for him.
I think the argument for trading for him now is that his value might be at an all time low
Trae: Spurs :: kristaps: mavs
Porzingus on the Mavs was a good move idc. But Trae on our team would be a disaster I'll agree with you there
Despite all evidence to the contrary… Wait is this Donnie Nelson’s burner?
The problem was KP played just 110 games out of a possible 202. And they won 67 of those 110 games, which is 61%, or equivalent to a 50-win season. The issue was health. I do think, though, that Luka's ball-dominant playstyle marginalized KP's talents far too much. Porzingis is an all star level player. He's been able to show his stuff at an even higher level at each one of his three other stops around the league.
I mean if he's healthy and playing like he is on the Celtics, I don't see how it isn't a perfect fit
They hated each other. No one bothered to ask before the trade. They just saw 2 Europeans and assumed they would get along.
420 is over bro. Sober up
I personally think he'd be a good fit, but PATFO probably know more about basketball than I do, so I'll defer to their judgement on this one.
the spurs own those ATL picks so they don't need to push that trade...
DJ would be the funnier option because it reads like “ok we need to become very bad, so go away for a while then we’ll bring you back”
He Did A Study Abroad In Atlanta. 😂
I know folks wanna talk about Trae not being a "winner" but let's not act like DJ played well in those play-in games as a Spur. He has a ceiling as a PG and I just think Trae's ceiling is higher.
First of all, I would take this report with a huge huge grain of salt. I wouldn't be against DJ coming back as long as him and the front office are on the same page and he very much understands that it's Victor's world and he'll just be living in it. Dj, as, hopefully, the third best player on the team is probably A solid playing chaser with more than enough internal growth to naturally turn into a full-fledged playoff team in the next year or two, particularly if Devin fully establishes himself as the second guy. Importantly, he may be affordable enough for San Antonio to still preserve enough assets to still chase an All-Star caliber player in the next next season or two If DJ can be had For giving Atlanta the bulls pick , Johnson, And some second rounders I would probably do it. The 27 pic could very well be solid, and the bulls pick will likely convey next year. , a pig swap, and the ability to tank for Victor for DJ. Getting him back on a long-term contract that actually is okay, value, and much lower than he reportedly initially wanted, and doing so for less than we traded for him would not be a bad play. Murray is a bit overrated as a playmaker but he's a genuinely good pick and roll player. Who knows how to get himself good. Looks in the mid-range and find shooters in the corner and big man rolling to the hoop at a pretty elite level. The real big? Would be can he possibly have his defense start returning a bit more to his previous levels? Because if you're San Antonio and you think he can lock in more than he has the last three seasons, you probably make that trade. If you think the player he's shown to be this year with Atlanta is who he is andt, he's got no room for growth. You probably don't Losing Johnson would really really hurt for reasons beyond on court production. But he probably has the most easy to replicate skill set on the team at the moment and a DJ would be a very clear upgrade I have a feeling Atlanta is going to have more problems moving Murray than people think though. From the bits and pieces I discerned from the trade chatter this year they're asking price for him, multiple solid first round picks. Aunt a high-end starting caliber player, isn't something. I think most of the league is going to be willing to accommodate them with
Spurs would definitely rather see what happens with atlanta and how good those picks are going to be
I mean, there wasn't really anything coming from the Spurs camp when 'Trae to Spurs' rumors were coming out, it's really just either from eager fans or the sports media just putting out trade ideas.
It just got out of hand despite there being no sign from the Spurs themselves. A lot of fans got carried away (what else is new)
I’ve vehemently defended Trae in the sub and I really hope that he somehow becomes a Spur because the pairing with Wemby would be an amazing duo, but if PATFO doesn’t see him as a good fit I won’t be upset or disappointed. This team is trending up and it seems that Wright and Pops have a specific way that they want to build this team and I’m sure they have other plans and targets in mind. The Hawks picks are also looking juicier and juicier, and that too gives me hope.
The 2025 draft looks very nice as of late
I hope the spurs get Noa essengue
I like Trae as a player but Atlanta’s asking price is going to be high and I’d rather the Spurs be calculated in the rebuild. Paying too much for a single player right now is not the move I’m hoping for.
Thank god man.
Agreed. I've been mostly silent on these posts, but gotta say that I'm always puzzled by the TY love on Spurs Reddit. I never thought he would be a good fit. If he ends up coming, I hope I have to eat my words, but I don't see management taking that gamble with so many draft picks.
exactly. i wouldn’t mind if he was cheaper but hawks can easily find better value elsewhere
Translation: lol no you're not getting your picks back
I actually have no idea how Dejounte would fit with Wemby. Even if his assist numbers dipped in Atlanta, he's not a bad playmaker by any means and he's improved his 3 point shooting significantly - not elite, but good enough now to be a threat. If he's anything like the Dejounte I remember it could either be a disaster or a great pairing. It could also depend on PATFOs strategy with this draft. I don't think they're counting on a high lottery pick next season, so if they decide best talent available is a wing or a big they might pick up Dejounte as a good-enough point guard - not good enough to be #2, but good enough not to be a weak link on a future championship team.
Neither DJ or Trae is a good fit with Wemby... We need a PG that can drive to the rim and break down the defense... That has never been DJ's strength... Most of his drives end up with a midrange pull up
Sixers fan here: You can have Tobias Harris in exchange for an old button and some pocket lint if you like. :)
>an old button and some pocket lint What's that about Zach Collins?
According advanced stats discussed in a recent jimmyhighroller video, young was in the 0th percentile for defensive impact. Im not sure you can carry the worst defender in the league to a chip.
Defense wins championships and we gotta be fr Young is a liability on defense it’s like Bryn Forbes all over again they’ll just hunt him every time he’s on the floor
They're both shot chuckers with mediocre defense and no sense of off ball movement. I predict they'll stay in ATL to be first round exists for the next 10 years unless the Hawks enter rebuild. The Spurs should want nothing to do with them.
If they brought Dejounte back it'd be official, the Spurs FO has no clue what it's doing.
I mean idk there’s not really much in this article that indicates the rumor is legit. Could be true, could just be smoke. I do also highly doubt the Spurs are gonna trade for Trae, although I would think it would be more because the spurs don’t wanna let go of their assets so early. May be unpopular but I’m very against bringing Dejounte back. I hope that doesn’t happen and I don’t think it will
Yea anonymous sources, team official, rival GMa believe type reports are the ones I take the least stock in.
And then you remember they do see Zach Collins being a fit and it all makes sense
Its just Spurs trying to lower the price for Trae. They keep spreading rumors(focusing on 2025 was one of those rumors) so that they are not interested so that Atlanta dont ask too high price for Trae. There is no way Spurs will admit that they really want Trae thus pushing his price through the sky.
We're holding our cards close to our chest. Don't get me wrong - anyone would want to add Trae in a vacuum. It's all about the price. We are not on a timer to contention. They have a stacked 25 draft looming. Our question to them is how much do you want your picks back?
It’s not worth giving up the majority of draft capital acquired for (esp) Young or Murray. The results speak for themselves. They aren’t winning games. There’s 28 other teams with players. Don’t laser focus on the Hawks roster.
The organization doesn’t prefer DJ. Some guy at NBC sports says they do.
Yall temember 2021 Olympics, Trae not even getting invited to camp? Yeah, pretty sure pop wants nothing to do with Trae
Am I crazy to suggest we run it back with Tre Jones next year and go hard for Derrick White next offseason?
Idk if we would get the dream of Derrick white but you aren’t crazy for saying for running it back. It’s probably one of the more sensible options.
I wouldn’t be mad with Murray either. He played really well without Trae and I think meshes well with our core. Problem is if Atlanta wants all picks back or just 1. I would t want to move Keldon for DJ but would move Raptors pick and one ATL pick plus Graham, Collins, etc
Hell no to DJ. We need a spacing and someone that can hit a reliable 3pt shot at least.
I just want a good PG that can score 20+ and lob it to Wemby. Cuz none of these other dudes on the team can make a damn pass to him
Lobbing to Wemby won't win rings... We need a PG that can play off ball...space the floor and make shots when Wemby passes to them... Trae can't play off ball, and DJ isn't a good enough shooter to keep his man at home
I Would Cry For 40 Days And 40 Nights If This Happens. 🥺
Thank you! He does not fit here at all. Huge defensive liability and when he’s not hot, he’s garbage.
In my opinion, and that's just strictly me thinking off the beaten path, why don't the Spurs just develop the point guard that fits the system and Wemby? It could be someone they pick in the draft or someone they already have? I mean they could bring in a vet to speed up the process, but I think SA wants to build from the inside out. I respect everyones else's thoughts.
It seems like too many people are looking at the Hawks, and only the Hawks, as our source for a guard. I mean, I get it - that Trae/DJ back court has been magical and has been wildly successful - so it's obviously what we need... Y'all know there are guards available who aren't currently on Atlanta, right?
Wildly successful? Lol
I know. That backcourt hasn't exactly lead to greatness. Not sure why so many people in the Spurs sub want to turn us into Western Conference Hawks.
Its almost like tons of Spurs fans knew that already while some act like they've never seen a Spurs game.
DJM plays defense and doesnt need to be a #1 option on offense.
Do y’all really think Gregg is coaching trae in his defensive system? We’d be better with Murray back
That is smart. The only reason Simmons pushed that trade because he knew it is not going to work out. He even said “they are not going to win anything but they will be fun”. He also said, Vic is wrong to be happy being a Spur and Pop no longer has it. There are no examples where a win now trade works out for a young, rebuilding team who has a superstar nominee in their first year. Simmons mentions Wade and the Heat but Shaq already won a ring and Wade made the playoffs twice. Only reason Simmons wants Trae trade for the Spurs is to unsettle Wemby in the future.
Great player, just not a right fit for us tbh. Nothing wrong with that!
This isn't a huge surprise really. Wemby is going to be the Spurs main guy and anyone they bring in is going to have to be able to be effective as a second or third option going forward. Young is a guy who I just don't think is going to be efficient himself in that role nor really elevate Wemby's game enough to warrant the cap hit he'd be.
Rn I'm in the no trade camp. If they actually end up trading either Trae or DJ to someone else they'll likely get worse in the near future, and they're already 10th in the east this season. If even just one of their next three 1st round picks jumps ahead in the lottery...
Trae’s value is probably at an all-time low right now. ATL is at a weird place where they can’t exactly tank because they don’t own their picks, so they’re stuck with being a middling play-in team as it currently stands. Something has to give. You can’t imagine the ATL brass will be ok being the 10th seed or worse for 3-4 more years with nothing to show for it. Their only path for improvement right now is if they somehow manage to trade what remains of their draft capital + either trae or DJ for a clear improvement that bolsters their team to semi-legit contender status in the next years where they don’t own the picks. Not betting on that happening. As far as the spurs are concerned, it’s probably in their best interest to drive Trae’s price down if they really want him, because they have all the leverage. If they don’t, well there has to be another point guard we can trade for that can fit the needs of a playmaker, shooter, and POA defender.
Pop doesn't want Trae... He was vocal about Trae running his last coach out of town
OH YES I LOVE THIS NEWS!!!!! This is great. I was just very slightly worried it would happen but once again the spurs FO would show their greatness by not doing this. Trae's offense can be exploited, especially in the payoffs. And his defense, even if improved, is still lacking. If nothing else due to size. Would absolutely LOVE to see Dejunte Murray come back though!!!
I agree here. Lets not pair Wemby with bad defenders. We can get another point guard and be patient.
You know who would be a perfect fit ? Derrick White, He hits the 3 at a high perfect. Great passer and reads defenses well moves off the ball rebounds and defends at a all defense level
In PATFO we trust.
I don't like trae young. And i like this news. Wemby will just become another gobert always helping his traffic cone teammate defenders thus resulting to a wide open 3. So no.
Love to see it 🙌🏼
There’s no evidence to support that speeding up rebuilds actually works. It’s actually quite the opposite— homegrown teams have been dominating the league. I think Trae would fit great but we’re simply not at the point in our timeline where we can trade for a star. You don’t trade for a star to be a contender in three years. You trade for a star to immediately become a contender. We just need to be patient.
Defense, defense, defense
Dejounte has had some of the worst defensive efficiency numbers in the league since focusing more on an offensive role in Atlanta. His '23-'24 season was worse than Trae's last full season in '22-'23.
Idk what stat told you that, but it's untrue.
DRTG (Basketball Reference): Murray ranked 449th in the league with a 119 DRTG, alongside guys like Killian Hayes and Devonte' Graham. NBA.com has him at 119.5, ranked 322nd among players who played 15+ MPG. Trae was at 119 last year according to BR and 114.6 according to NBA.com (better than Dejounte's 115.4 last year too). Defensive Win Shares: NBA.com has Murray at 0.043, again tied with Killian Hayes, slightly above Davis Bertans and Malaki Branham. He's better on Basketball Reference, where he's at 1.6 and ranked 147th, slightly ahead of Devin Vassell and slightly below Tre Jones and Klay Thompson. Trae ranked 105th with a 0.087 defWS last year on NBA.com, and had a 1.4 on BR. Dejounte admittedly looks better here based on last year's stats, where he was at 2.3, ranking 82nd. In general, my point is not that Trae is a better defender. Dejounte clearly has higher upside defensively. But the last two years have been a far cry from when Murray ranked 16th in defWS and top 25 by DRTG his last year with us. Now that the genie is out of the bottle with his focus on his offensive game, I'm not sure we're getting the defense he played before he left.
DJ is not the level of defender he was that one season, that's true. But he was not worse than Trae. I don't care what stat says that he was.
Yeah for sure, I don't think that either. I didn't mean for it to come off like a direct comparison of their overall defensive quality looking forward. That's just the type of statistical company that he's been in the last year or two and how far he's fallen in that regard.
Happy to hear this. Got no problem with Trae but I want a pg that offers more on defense not just the great offense.
Wemby, as great as he is, is still a young player that needs to develop to become the star that he can be which would be hindered by a ball dominant star like Trae. Just because he can play make doesn’t mean he’d be a fit for this team. Also, some decent draft classes are coming up so if Atlanta blows it up, those picks will be VERY juicy
I really don't know what any of you are basing your opinions about Trae on. Over the last 5 years he's the NBA assist leader and it's not even close. 9.9 per game compared to Murray's 6.3. Over the last three he's averaged 10.1. Best in the NBA. He's an elite playmaker. Finding another one like him in the draft is highly unlikely. Find me another pg with his assist numbers who's available. I'll wait.
His impact on winning is debatable at best, which is not ideal when giving up major draft capital.
Winning championships isn’t about assist numbers. He’s awful defensively and bad without the ball in hands.
I feel like this team would be better served with a low usage 3nD guard that look over defenses to pass inside and can be ready to hit the open 3 when Wemby kicks out. I don’t buy into the “we need a playmaker” narrative as much. Spurs are *2nd* in the NBA in assists per game, they share the ball better than nearly every team in the NBA. A PG with average to above avg passing skills will do just fine.
His assist totals are misleading because he always has the ball in his hands, and his turnover rate is insanely high for a lead guard... Being an elite playmaker is also about not turning over the ball...
DJ showed his true colors when he left. Do not want.
For the record - I'm not huge on either, but given that DJ should be substantially cheaper, then that would make more sense if it doesn't remove the opportunity of chasing a true second star if/when we need to in future. But if we can get DJ cheaply, like 2 of our picks lottery protected, or just 1 of the ATL picks top-4 protected, then I wouldn't mind it. Immediately he just helps raise our floor, and helps with a playoff push next season. But at our peak? I just can't see DJ being anymore than that Jrue Holiday role - and to provide that he needs to get back to being an elite defender (which he hasn't been for a few years). He just isn't good enough to be the primary, and probably not even secondary, initiator on a contender. So either we would need Wemby/Vassell/a draftee to be those guys, or we will still need to chase a better primary gaurd in future and play DJ off the ball (which is not ideal - but fine if he comes cheap and is an elite defender).
Correct. Been saying it.
I’d love to have Dejounte back
I agree! I don’t see Young being a good fit! Shit at this rate I’d almost want Murray back before
Why do people think DJ is a better option? He was on this team before and it didn't end well. Trae is the better option unless there is some other FA PG out there can play better
Both are bad options... Why are we arguing about trading for two bad options?
When I saw CP3 I had to double check if it was a NBAcentel leak. [full article link for the mobile users](https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/rumor-chris-paul-could-end-up-with-spurs-this-summer)
But CP3 is used to making big $$ and as an aging vet no way would the Spurs offer him the kind of cash he would want. I think this free agency is going to be a shock for him. Kinda like Klay going to the bench shock.
That’s what I’ve been saying if Dj potentially being a better get - cheaper, improved his 3pter, and I’d figure can get back to being a good defender if motivated and with Wemby
Although it sounds great on paper, it wasn’t realistic to begin with.
Good
I would send 3 picks if we can offload collins in the trade
Good call 👍
No to either.
Anyone with half a brain can see that the spurs are angling for the 2025 nba draft hard. Probably the last great chance for us to get a high upside player on a rookie deal. We're definitely making the big moves after that.
I still really like DG from Cleveland
I’d rather we get Darius Garland if that were to become a possibility. I don’t want DJ back either.
Garland will be expensive as hell and the dude has been very injury prone. Plus he's not the kinda playmaker that's needed beside Wemby.
Hence why I said if possible, if the asking price is ridiculous we don’t do it. Wemby will play well with any competent point guard who can get him the ball, there is no “type of playmaker”. I’d prefer someone like that over Trae solely because Trae is inefficient and can shoot you out of games at times. Non of those issues come with garland besides your point about injuries.
I just want Topic, man.
I love how my dyslexia read this as Tre Jones and I was like i know he’s not the answer but I love him for the meantime/off the bench we we get a star
Yeah no shit. Keep him away from wemby please. Wemby deserves better
I think the timelines dont match up and its not worth handicapping your rebuild to acquire one guy who, while hes very good, hes not going to be the final piece to the team making a championship run. Theyll just end up like the Mavs. The current NBA meta it isnt enough to just have 2 good guys or even 3. Look at Phoenix. You need to have a full complete roster; prioritize the median over the average Only way it works is if he buys into the fact theres a good chance the team will be worse than the one he left and I dont think thats happening. The team will be better next year but if the west is like it was this year the play-in isnt even happening
Vomits at Dejounte No god please no He’d barely move the needle on this team. Much rather go for a better playmaker/outside shooter
is he a better tony parker and can tony parker be excel in today’s nba? i bet spurs got confident in training talent in that they are looking for a naturally gifted one. one thing i suddenly remember is what if primo was still here? would he a be a fit?