The San Antonio Spurs have a decisive match of the season. The 9th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft will be the central focus of their efforts. However, their cover space can come in handy in free agency.
With the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, there are different avenues Spurs could go. Are they taking the long-term path by taking a development perspective while remaining patient? Or are they making a deal for an already well-established player to add to the kernel?
What is already clear is that Spurs have an all-star Dejounte Murray to focus their team building effort around. With developing talents like Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell who have already shown progress in their development, and the right moves, this can make all the difference.
A former league executive told NBA Analysis Network that it would be unrealistic for the Los Angeles Lakers to be a potential Sexton brand. Between the strict effects and unattractive commercial assets, this just doesn’t seem viable.
“That would be very difficult to achieve for a number of big reasons. The Lakers are already close to $150 million in payroll, so a hard cap would be an issue in most scenarios. Regardless, Tallinn Horton Tucker and Kendrick Noone are their biggest salaries from Other than the stars are commensurate with the salary in commerce, and they do not attract their own merchandising salaries.”
Naturally, teams with a lot of space are a more realistic potential suitor for a free agent. The hard cap complicates many potential signing and trading scenarios for teams already spending large amounts of money on players.
The Detroit Pistons were marked as a particularly logical landing site for the Sexton as they sought the ballpark minors to pair up with Cade Cunningham. Indiana Pacers and Tottenham are more realistic than the Lakers.
“Sexton could potentially be a target for some team that needs to guard points with cover space like the Pistons. Even teams like the Pacers or Tottenham that have the flexibility to make a move and can use a shot generator are more realistic for Sexton than the Lakers.”
It remains to be seen what specific direction Spurs will take in the off-season, including Sexton. Some lofty goals have been linked to free agency speculation, such as Zach LaVine and Deandre Ayton, and some achievable business goals such as OG Anunoby.
Sexton could be an interesting option for Spurs to consider a free agency, depending on how the market performs. It’s not without “flaws”, considering he’s a smaller goalkeeper and has occasionally received complaints from his teammates about his desire to pass.
Sexton’s peak posting averages of 24.3 points and 4.4 assists with solid efficiency in 2020-2021 shouldn’t be overlooked for a team that needs scoring. Again, as long as the price is opportunistic or fair, the possibility of adding a useful player is well worth a look, even if the price is not right.
Teams like the Washington Wizards that aren’t major free agency destinations can be motivated to get it. In contrast, organizations like the New York Knicks can set their sights on other targets like Galen Bronson.
The No. 9 pick in general isn’t often expected to have many threats in range for Spurs to consider. Instead, there are often players with maximum player limits, some of which require patience to develop into what they have the potential to become.
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