The dream starting 5 for the San Antonio Spurs 5 years from now
The San Antonio Spurs were already building an impressive roster of young talent before landing the number one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Now that they have Victor Wembanyana, they have arguably the brightest future of any team in the league. Factor in that they have a near-unrivaled war chest of draft picks, and the Spurs could be the team to beat in just a few years.
In the meantime, they will have to evaluate the young talent that they have on the roster to see which players have a future beyond next season. More likely than not, only a handful of players will have a role on the Spurs after next season, let alone in five years when the team is hopefully back in championship contention.
It is a safe bet that Wembanyama will make the cut, but what about Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan? They could all have a future in San Antonio, but if everything played out perfectly in the team's favor, what would their starting lineup look like then? Let's delve into what a dream starting lineup would look like for the Spurs in five years, starting with a lottery pick at point guard.
The Spurs will have up to three first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft and two project to be lottery picks, including their own and Toronto's. That could give them the opportunity to package those picks together and trade up with 6'10 point-forward Matas Buzelis possibly being the target.
He's currently projected as a top-3 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, though he could end up in the Spurs range, at least in this scenario, and help usher in an era of positionless ball. Buzelis is known for his playmaking, shooting, and ability to attack the basket, and having him would decrease the need for a traditional point guard in the starting lineup.
With as many as three players 6'10 or taller, each with unique skill sets, the Spurs could present opposing defenses with several incredibly difficult-to-stop players. Mismatch opportunities galore and the potential of playing without a point guard would certainly qualify as a dream lineup for the Spurs. Especially if they find themselves in a position to turn their multiple picks in the 2024 draft into
Buzelis.
