Coming off their first NBA Finals appearance in 12 years, the San Antonio Spurs are still tweaking their roster.
The top priority is building the best team possible around Victor Wembanyama. Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are crucial to that goal, and De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Julian Champagnie all have their roles, as well.
Even after winning Sixth Man of the Year, Keldon Johnson is on the outside looking in. He’s frequently been included in trade rumors throughout his career, but after a standout regular season, his role seemed to be cemented.
Then, in the postseason, he took a step back, reverting to his bad habits. In short, the Spurs were better without him in the Finals, and there seems to be a clear path forward to move on from him.
Spurs Expected to Part Ways With Keldon Johnson
If you fire up any NBA trade machine, chances are Johnson is included in any mock trade. In 2022, he signed a four-year extension, although the terms of that new contract made him easy to trade.
With only one year left on that deal, Johnson is extension eligible, although by not signing him, the Spurs will retain plenty of flexibility.
“Johnson, 26, is eligible for an extension this summer, scouts and front office personnel from around the league expressed doubt that he will receive one,” reported The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. “He is entering the final year of a four-year deal and will make $18 million next season.”
With only one year left and a middling salary, Johnson could be traded to a win-now team looking for a scoring and rebounding punch off the bench, or he could be moved to a rebuilding team looking to dump longer-term contracts.
Either way, the Spurs have options, and losing the reigning Sixth Man of the Year doesn’t exactly hurt their depth.
“The team has more competition at the wing than ever with Harris’ addition and Julian Champagnie’s extension,” Weiss added. “Johnson also struggled in the postseason; his shooting took a hit, and his barreling-to-the-rim driving style didn’t work against the tremendous frontcourt depth the Spurs faced.”
Tobias Harris, Julian Champagnie, Devin Vassell, and eventually Jayden Quaintance are all expected to be better players than Johnson long-term.
Johnson is a locker-room leader, but his on-court production has remained stagnant for the last several seasons. For a team looking to move forward, there’s no place for a player like that.
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