Why Kristaps Porzingis could be exactly what the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama need
The San Antonio Spurs may not have won an NBA championship this season, but it’s clear they’re here to stay.
The Spurs knocked off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and made it to the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade. While they only lasted five games against Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, their core of stars are all under 23 years old. This is only the beginning for Victor Wembanyama and this generation of Spurs.
That’s why, with this team so close to the mountaintop, this upcoming free agency is so crucial. What can the front office do to ensure they finish the job next year?
CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn ranked Kristaps Porzingis No. 13 among the top 40 free agents and specifically called out the Spurs as a team to watch, and after what we just witnessed in the Finals, it makes total sense.
“The high-risk, high-reward swing of this free-agent class. Shooting big men are worth their weight in gold in Wembanyama’s NBA, and Porziņgis is one of the best,” Quinn wrote. “A new deal with the Warriors is the likeliest outcome, but if the Warriors need to preserve their money for (LeBron) James, a trade or some other move, somebody could swoop in with a deal in the mid-level range. Keep an eye on the Spurs here. They’ve been interested in the past, and Luke Kornet’s minutes were a real problem deep in the playoffs.”
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Porzingis averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks in just 23.7 minutes across 15 games after being traded from Atlanta to Golden State at the NBA trade deadline in February. The issue is that he shot just 31.1% from 3-point range and missed 16 of a possible 31 regular-season games.
Porzingis appeared in just 32 games total last season while dealing with multiple health setbacks, including calf problems, illness, and knee issues. He has a long history with injuries, which Quinn pointed too and has ultimately put a cap on his ceiling throughout his career. But the upside is undeniable. He’s a 7-foot-2 center with a career 3-point percentage of 36.4% who has averaged 1.8 blocks per game across his career.
The Warriors reportedly want to bring Porzingis back on a short-term deal at a reduced rate from the $30.7 million he played on last season, and there’s apparently growing momentum toward a deal. But while Golden State remains the frontrunner, there are also reports of the Warriors going after stars like LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, or Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. A deal for any one of those players would require significant cap space, which might not leave much left for Porzingis.
That leaves the door open for San Antonio to pounce.
Coming into the playoffs, Luke Kornet was considered one of the best backup centers in the NBA. But as the postseason rolled on, it became increasingly apparent that he can’t be relied on for heavy minutes playing against more athletic and versatile big men like Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Kornet dropped from 6.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 21.0 minutes per game during the regular season to just 3.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 12.9 minutes per game during the playoffs. Those numbers are problematic for a team with championship aspirations.
This could be the ideal situation for Porzingis. You could limit his workload with Kornet still under contract through 2029, then unleash him alongside Wembanyama during the playoffs as a mobile, shooting big who can step out and open up the floor for Wemby to operate.
Two seven-footers who can shoot, block shots, and play in space on one team? The Unicorn alongside the alien would be an absolute nightmare.
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