The San Antonio Spurs have taken the first steps towards building a contender with recent acquisitions of Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes adding veteran leadership to the worst team in the West last season. The Spurs are taking a measured approach by adding talent to surround Victor Wembanyama, with Paul and Barnes the first additions to the winning culture the team is expecting to make.
To expect Paul and Barnes to turn the Spurs into a playoff team is a little presumptuous given they were role-players on non-playoff teams last season, which means San Antonio could do with one elite addition to further develop their championship-winning core. They could find that in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans and add a certified scorer to their roster who they’ve been looking to trade recently.
Trade Details
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Brandon Ingram
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins, 2027 First-Round Pick (ATL), 2028 First-Round Pick (BOS), 2029 First-Round Pick (SAS, Top-10 Protected)
This trade allows the Pelicans to acquire a starting-caliber center and a wing scorer to come off their bench, along with a healthy pick return for Ingram. The Spurs stake assets that don’t belong to them along with a protected pick for when Wembanyama is in his prime.
The San Antonio Spurs Get Ready For A Playoff Fight
The Spurs making Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes their primary offseason acquisitions shows they believe that the development of Wembanyama and Devin Vassell can help them compete for a Playoff spot, with the veterans adding a winning structure. But talent is a major part of being viable in the West, and this deal allows the Spurs to acquire a certified on-ball wing scorer.
Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season in a down year but has established himself as someone who can consistently average 20 points on a Playoff-caliber roster. The Spurs could use his scoring ability, as Barnes is inconsistent and Paul isn’t an effective scorer at this point in his career. In addition, it takes pressure off Devin Vassell, who is still developing as an on-ball scorer.
Ingram isn’t an astute defender but could see improved results within a team defensive structure marshaled by Wembanyama in the paint. It gives the Spurs team multiple dimensions, as they can reliably score and defend based on the talents of their stars. A distributor like Paul would also simplify the looks Ingram gets when he’s operating off-ball, with Ingram also showing talented passing abilities.
The New Orleans Pelicans Add Assets And Players
The Pelicans have a lot of scoring talent in their starting lineup with C.J. McCollum, Zion Williamson, and their newest addition Dejounte Murray. Ingram seems surplus to the requirements of what they’re trying to do, as Herb Jones needs to retain his starting spot to be the team’s POA defensive option. Moving Ingram off for two players who can contribute and a bevy of draft picks would be an undeniable deal for the Pelicans.
Collins averaged 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season as Wembanyama’s backup, showing his continued development as a competent NBA-level center. Collins would be an upgrade over playing rookie Yves Missi or the aging Daniel Theis, making the team’s center rotation more robust with various options.
Keldon Johnson averaged 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists but seemed to have fallen out of favor in San Antonio, with the 2020 Olympian reportedly on the trade block. He would fit into the Pelicans wing rotation, adding a scoring punch off the bench most likely in rotation with Trey Murphy III. The draft picks that come along in this trade could be used to add a major player down the line if the Pels want to move off CJ McCollum’s contract.
Both Teams Add Power In A Competitive Western Conference
This deal makes both teams considerably better in their quest to compete in the West this season. The Pelicans add more rotational depth for a franchise that’s had multiple seasons blown up due to injuries to their star players. Having more playable depth is an inarguable positive for the team as they hope to secure a top-six seed for the first time in the Zion Williamson era. The picks might not be valuable as individual assets, but putting them together could allow the Pels to make a gigantic acquisition down the line.
The Spurs are one of the most pick-rich teams in the NBA right now, so the price wouldn’t scare them off. Ingram is extremely talented and can thrive within the right system. He could be a fantastic No. 1 option on offense for the Spurs given how closely the franchise monitors Wembanyama’s rotations and workload to avoid injury trouble. Ingram could shoulder an additional load offensively as a scorer and creator, along with talents like Paul, Vassell, and Barnes in the lineup.
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