After making the NBA Playoffs in 22 consecutive seasons and winning five championships along the way, the San Antonio Spurs missed the postseason in both 2019-20 and 2020-21. The Spurs weren’t a terrible team during either campaign, but gone are the days in which San Antonio could (figuratively) roll out of bed to 50 wins and a healthy stature in the Western Conference pecking order. Still, there are talented players on the roster, a legendary head coach in place and a lottery pick on the way to bolster the team’s roster talent.
San Antonio has a big decision to make with DeMar DeRozan hitting free agency, as the veteran wing has been the team’s lead shot creator since arriving in the deal for Kawhi Leonard. Beyond that and other free agent decisions like Patty Mills and Rudy Gay, the Spurs have something of a blank canvas for their draft pick, allowing the team to pursue the best available prospect with limited hindrance.
Roster Needs: Lead shot creator, a starting-caliber wing, general depth
Josh Primo (No. 12 Overall), Grade: C-
The Spurs stay the Spurs in that no one ever knows what they’re doing. Primo was seen as a second round guy in some circles just a few weeks ago. There’s been some helium for him recently, but it was still a stunner when he went in the lottery. The thinking would be that Primo is clearly quite talented and, if he returned in a larger role at Alabama, it’s possible he could’ve been a consensus lottery pick in 2022. Make no mistake, I firmly believe this is far too high (and Moses Moody is still on the board, making things uglier), but Primo does have upside.
2021-22 Roster
Dejounte Murray
Derrick White
Jakob Poeltl
Lonnie Walker IV
Devin Vassell
Josh Primo
Luka Samanic
Keldon Johnson
Drew Eubanks (non-guaranteed)
Tre Jones
2021 Free Agents
Keita Bates-Diop (RFA)
DeMar DeRozan (UFA)
Rudy Gay (UFA)
DaQuan Jeffries (Team Option)
Trey Lyles (UFA)
Patty Mills (UFA)
Quinndary Weatherspoon (RFA)
