The San Antonio Spurs have the 4th and 8th picks in the 2024 NBA Draft and it’s no secret they are looking to build a competitive young roster around Victor Wembanyama. According to league insider Marc Stein, however, the Spurs may opt to trade their picks in order to move up and draft the top prospect, Alexandre Sarr.
“Sarr is widely projected to go No. 2 overall to Washington, as we covered here Wednesday, but rumbles about [the Spurs’] interest in jumping up from No. 4 to No. 1 by constructing a trade with the Hawks haven’t gone away.”
Sarr, 19, is a 7’1″ big man from France who is one of the best prospects from this draft class. Over 27 games for the Perth Wildcats this season, he averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 17 minutes per game. His long wingspan and impressive athleticism make him a naturally skilled defender and he can finish with ease when he goes up strong around the rim.
While Sarr’s place as the likely No. 1 pick recently got overtaken by Zaccharie Risacher, Sarr is almost sure to be picked up by either the Wizards at No. 2 or the Houston Rockets at No. 3. By the time the Spurs are on the board, it’s highly unlikely that Sarr will be available, especially since this is a notoriously weak draft.
But if the Hawks or Wizards are left feeling unimpressed with either prospect, it will be the opportunity that the Spurs need to try and move up using their two first-rounders. In a similar situation to Trae Young and Luka Doncic, the Spurs could orchestrate a swap to ensure that they end up with the guy they want the most.
At 20 years old, Victor Wembanyama is on the rise and the Spurs have no time to waste building him a supporting cast worthy of his talents. Last season, the Spurs finished 14th in the West and endured a stretch where they lost 18 straight games. With averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game, Victor was dominant through it all, but the Spurs are dedicated to ensuring that Wembanyama has some more help on a regular basis.
With Sarr in the lineup, another big man from France, Victor could share some of the workload and play with some peace of mind knowing that he’s got a dominant presence in the paint. It would be a similar situation to the Tim Duncan and David Robinson frontcourt that managed to win a championship in 1999. At the very least, Sarr’s arrival would give the Spurs another young star to develop which they can trade later for some more pieces to surround Wembanyama.
For now, the top pick still belongs to the Hawks and it will be their decision whether to keep it or trade it. With Wembanyamna, the Spurs are in good hands either way but it’s going to be hard for them to get anywhere if they don’t find him a top-notch sidekick. Besides the upcoming free agency period, this year’s draft is arguably their best bet to find another potential championship piece.
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