San Antonio Spurs

DeMar DeRozan's rejuvenated play last season in Chicago transpired, at least in part, because of his return to the national spotlight.

The All-Star guard said he felt "irrelevant" during his time in San Antonio due to the team's mediocre roster and lack of national attention.

"I felt like I was wiped off the map. ... That took a toll, especially [after] every single year going to the conference finals, conference semifinals, competing, winning 50-plus games, to all the sudden, you don't exist," DeRozan said on the Old Man and the Three podcast. "It was like, 'Damn, what's this? Hey, I'm here.' That's what I felt like.

"Granted, I had great games. I developed in a lot of great ways as a basketball player, but in the same token, I just felt nonexistent for those years. It wasn't like we was on TV, we wasn't competing. There was so much to it that was a struggle. ... I just felt like I was irrelevant."

DeRozan spent three seasons in San Antonio after a 2018 trade from the Toronto Raptors, missing the playoffs in each of his final two years with the team. Rarely a national television darling even in their heyday, the Spurs did not have a single nationally broadcast game during DeRozan's final season with the franchise.

While the Bulls were far from a championship contender, DeRozan found himself on the national stage much more last season simply by proxy of being in a major market. He looked like a far more motivated player, averaging a career-high 27.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists while making his first All-Star team since leaving Toronto.

The return to form was a bit of a surprise for most observers, many of whom wrote DeRozan off during his San Antonio sojourn. His three-year, $81.9 million contract went from one of the most derided of the 2021 offseason to being clearly a steal for the Bulls, who got max-level production at a decidedly below-max cost.

The San Antonio Spurs will be without guard Keldon Johnson when training camp opens next week.

According to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, Johnson is also expected to miss at least the start of the Spurs' preseason schedule because of a dislocated right shoulder suffered during a recent scrimmage.

McDonald added that while the Spurs are likely to hold Johnson out for the entire preseason, the expectation is that he will be ready for the team's regular-season opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 19.

San Antonio will open training camp on Tuesday and begin its preseason slate on Oct. 2 when it travels to Houston for a meeting with the Rockets.

After head coach Gregg Popovich led the Spurs to the playoffs in 22 consecutive seasons, they have now missed the playoffs in each of the past three years, and expectations are low coming off a 34-48 record in 2021-22.

San Antonio's only All-Star last season was guard Dejounte Murray, and he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason, leaving the Spurs without a surefire star.

The closest thing Popovich has to a star now is Johnson, as he is coming off a career year and finished second on the team in scoring last season behind Murray with 17.0 points per game.

In addition to setting a career mark in scoring, Johnson had career highs with 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 three-pointers made as well. He also shot 46.6 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from beyond the arc.

The Spurs selected Johnson with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft out of Kentucky, and it is fair to say that he has already outplayed his draft position, as he has improved significantly in each of his first three NBA seasons.

If Johnson takes another step forward in 2022-23, he may have a chance to compete for an All-Star spot and establish himself as the next star in a long line of big-time players who have played under Popovich.

Even if Johnson is healthy and productive, however, it is difficult to envision the Spurs being in the mix for a playoff spot in the deep and talented Western Conference.

The San Antonio Spurs are reportedly hiring seven-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree as an assistant under coach Gregg Popovich.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the hiring of Dupree, who began her journey earlier this year as part of the NBA Assistant Coaches Program.

As part of the program, Dupree was able to get her first coaching experience at the Portsmouth Invitational and the NBA Draft Combine.

The 38-year-old last played in the WNBA during the 2021 season, capping off a career that began when she was a 2006 first-round draft pick of the Chicago Sky. She went on to play for five different WNBA franchises along with nine overseas teams, making seven All-Star teams and winning the 2014 WNBA championship in Phoenix and a 2019 title in Hungary.

There may be no better learning tree in basketball than joining Popovich's staff. The Spurs legend has the NBA's widest coaching tree, with six current head coaches (Mike Budenholzer, Ime Udoka, Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown, Will Hardy and Monty Williams) having been an assistant or intern under Popovich. Current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has also listed Popovich among his biggest influences after playing for the Spurs coach during his career.

Becky Hammon, who led the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces to a championship in her first season, also spent years on Popovich's bench. Hammon's ascent could serve as a blueprint for Dupree as she starts her coaching journey.

Although trading Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks in June cemented the San Antonio Spurs' rebuild, the franchise reportedly still intends to drive a hard bargain with its best assets.

LJ Ellis of SpursTalk reported Sunday that Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson "are the two Spurs players most commonly involved in trade talk" and that the price required to acquire them "remains high."

According to Ellis, the Spurs want a first-round pick for Richardson and two first-rounders for Poeltl.

The 29-year-old Richardson averaged 10.2 points and shot 41.5 percent from beyond the arc across his spells with the Spurs and Boston Celtics in 2021-22.

The 6'5" wing is on an expiring deal and will earn $12.2 million for the upcoming season. That might increase his value since there's no long-term financial risk in acquiring him.

A late first-round pick may be a reasonable demand for a player who can fit into the three-and-D archetype.

Ellis' newest reporting on Poeltl aligns with what Heavy's Steve Bulpett reported in July. Bulpett spoke to a general manager who said his impression is the Spurs "don't want to burn the thing to the ground and start from there." To that end, San Antonio isn't desperate to offload the veteran center.

Poeltl is also coming off a career year. The 26-year-old averaged 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, and he held opponents to 55.6 percent shooting inside six feet, 8.2 percentage points below their average, per NBA.com.

The 7'1" big man is a limited scorer, but his rim protection would be a prized commodity for a contender. Like Richardson, he's on an expiring deal, and his $9.4 million salary is a relatively modest sum.

With Poeltl, the Spurs are better positioned to demand a good return.

The San Antonio Spurs previously held talks with the Los Angeles Lakers about a trade for Russell Westbrook, and they could reignite discussions in the future, according to L.J. Ellis of Spurs Talk.

"According to a Western Conference scout, the Lakers are telling teams that they will take a wait and see approach to trading Westbrook as training camp approaches," Ellis wrote. "If the Lakers decide to trade Westbrook at some point down the line, the Spurs remain one of the few teams in the league open to such a deal."

In the initial trade discussions, the Spurs would reportedly receive multiple draft picks in exchange for taking on Westbrook's contract of $47.1 million in 2022-23. The Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz are also reportedly interested in a deal.

For now, Westbrook is heading into his second year with the Lakers after averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in 2021-22.

The nine-time All-Star struggled with efficiency, finishing with a career-low 1.7 win shares, per Basketball Reference. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis dealing with injuries throughout the season, the Lakers fell apart and finished just 33-49.

Los Angeles now has more options in the backcourt after adding veteran guards Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schröder this offseason.

The team is "strongly" considering bringing Westbrook off the bench, per The Athletic's Jovan Buha, a role he hasn't had since his rookie season.

Another option could be to trade the superstar and use savings to add more impact talent to the rotation.

San Antonio is headed toward a rebuild after trading All-Star Dejounte Murray for three first-round picks. Even adding Westbrook likely won't get the team toward playoff contention after finishing 34-48 last season.

The Spurs still could benefit with a trade if they add more future draft picks to key the rebuild. Westbrook also won't hurt the organization's cap flexibility going forward with just one more season on his contract.

Considering the team has the second-most cap space in the NBA at $24.9 million, San Antonio could be a perfect trade partner for Los Angeles.

The San Antonio Spurs "shopped" veteran wing Doug McDermott over the summer but "only received lukewarm interest" on the market, according to LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.

Per Ellis: "Rival scouts insist that McDermott has a negative trade value due to the two years and $27.5 million he has remaining on his contract. However, the Spurs aren't interested in attaching an asset to McDermott in order to move him."

The 30-year-old remains a dangerous three-point threat, shooting 42.2 percent from beyond the arc last season and 40.9 percent for his career.

While he averaged 11.3 points per game for the Spurs in 51 starts last season—a grade 3 ankle sprain cut his season short in March—he doesn't offer much beyond that perimeter shooting.

That has apparently made the $13.75 million he'll earn in each of the next two seasons a tough sell on the trade market as the Spurs continue their rebuild.

Those efforts started in June when the team traded star guard Dejounte Murray and Jock Landale to the Atlanta Hawks for Danilo Gallinari, first-round picks in 2023, 2025 and 2027, and a first-round pick swap in 2026.

The team promptly cut Gallinari, who went on to sign with the Boston Celtics.

The belief was that the Spurs would use any remaining veterans as trade chips to add younger players and draft assets, as well as use their cap space to take on big contracts in trades—think Russell Westbrook—in exchange for assets.

According to Ellis, Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson are "the two Spurs players most commonly involved in trade talk," and the Spurs are seeking a first-round pick for Richardson and two first-rounders for Poeltl.

Additional trades are yet to take place, though, and it appears McDermott isn't moving the needle.

Let the rebuild begin.

The San Antonio Spurs have fully committed to building around young players and the draft over the past year. Before last season's trade deadline, they dealt Derrick White, Thaddeus Young and Drew Eubanks in a pair of trades that netted them two first-round picks and a future pick swap, among other assets.

However, the big deal came this offseason, when star point guard Dejounte Murray was sent to the Atlanta Hawks for Danilo Gallinari (who was waived), first-round picks in 2023, 2025 and 2027 and a pick swap in 2026.

The Spurs even brought back former assistant coach Brett Brown, who was at the helm during the Philadelphia 76ers' controversial "Process" rebuild, to work under Gregg Popovich.

It's clear the team is building around a young core of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Josh Primo and Jeremy Sochan while compiling future draft assets.

Below, we'll take a look at the schedule the young Spurs will face this season in this new chapter for the organization.

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2022-23 Spurs Schedule Details

Season Opener: Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: 500-1, (via FanDuel)

Full Schedule: NBA.com

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Top Matchups

Atlanta Hawks (First Game: Feb. 11)

While it's hard to imagine Spurs fans will have much ill-will toward Murray, who was traded to a team better suited to his timeline as a player, there will still be some buzz in the air when he faces his former squad.

The Hawks will obviously be the heavy favorites in this contest—a backcourt of Trae Young and Murray won't be easy for any team to deal with, let alone the young Spurs—but Murray's former teammates won't want anything to come easy for him in these matchups.

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New Orleans Pelicans (First Game: Nov. 23)

The New Orleans Pelicans ended San Antonio's season last year, and the two teams have been taking a divergent path for about a year now.

The Pelicans would go on to give the Phoenix Suns everything they could handle in the playoffs and return a core group of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum—who they traded for at last season's deadline, while the Spurs sent out veterans of their own—among others. They might not be title contenders, but they'll be a tough matchup for any team.

And the Spurs, fresh off of losing in the play-in tournament two years in a row, decided to end their middle-of-the-road purgatory and start from scratch.

These games won't determine which franchise took the smarter path, but they will offer an interesting contrast in team-building and give the Spurs a chance to exact some revenge on the team that ended their season and, by proxy, Murray's time in San Antonio.

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Season Forecast

The Spurs aren't going to be good this year. A Popovich-led team will never admit to tanking, but trading your best player in the offseason and building around young, less-proven players is generally an attempt to do just that.

For the Spurs, improving their chances at landing Victor Wembanyama in next year's draft is worth a rough 2022-23 campaign.

For Spurs fans, the season will be about seeing which youngsters have breakout potential. Vassell and Johnson have already flashed upside. Can Primo take another step in year two? What will Sochan and fellow rookies Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley offer?

The Spurs will play hard under Popovich. They'll be scrappy. They should have moments of excitement, and the young players will gain valuable experience.

They just aren't going to win a ton of games.

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Record Prediction: 25-57

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Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari is reportedly set to sign with the Boston Celtics after he's released by the San Antonio Spurs and clears waivers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Gallinari's preference to join the Celtics. Brian Robb of MassLive added the 33-year-old Italian is expected to sign a two-year contract using the team's $6.5 million taxpayer mid-level exception.

The Spurs acquired Gallinari in the blockbuster Dejounte Murray trade with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Gallinari is an ideal fit for Boston on paper as a stretch 4 who can make an offensive impact without needing a ton of touches.

He averaged 12.4 points while attempting 9.4 shots per game across two seasons with the Hawks. His usage rate last season (18.4 percent) hit its lowest mark since his rookie year with the New York Knicks in 2008-09.

His career field-goal percentage (42.8) is subpar, but he's knocked down 38.2 percent of his threes and 87.7 percent of his free throws in 13 NBA seasons.

Although Gallinari is in his mid-30s, he said after the season that he came out of the campaign without any physical concerns.

"I felt great. My body felt great," he told reporters in April after the Miami Heat eliminated the Hawks from the playoffs. "I'm very happy with the way that I was able to play all these games and sustain the season."

The Celtics' starting lineup is locked in with Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Robert Williams III, so Gallinari is ticketed for a reserve role in Boston.

He could form a platoon with Grant Williams for reserve minutes at the 4. He'll handle a larger share of the minutes when Boston is seeking offense, and Williams will step in when it's more of a defensive situation.

The Celtics figure to remain among the NBA's championship contenders heading into the 2022-23 campaign, so proven depth will be important coming off a year where they played 106 games counting the playoffs.

Gallinari can take some offensive pressure off Tatum and Brown while stepping into the starting lineup if needed, giving a nice boost to the rotation.

Lonnie Walker IV agreed to a one-year $6.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday after the San Antonio Spurs pulled the qualifying offer they made him, according to The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania.

If the Spurs had kept the qualifying offer on the table, he would have been a restricted free agent, and San Antonio would have been allowed to match any offer opposing teams sent his way.

The 23-year-old had been a key cog off the bench for the Spurs since he was drafted 18th in 2018 and has improved every season since. During his rookie campaign, he averaged just 2.6 points per game in 17 contests.

During the 2021-22 season, Walker took a significant step forward, averaging 12.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent from deep in 70 games.

Walker took on a heavier role for the Spurs after they traded Derrick White to the Boston Celtics on Feb. 10, becoming the team's sixth man and assuming a larger scoring load.

Walker will now have an opportunity to join LeBron James and the Lakers, who are looking to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs this past season.