The Spurs have a chance to press their advantage in the West, and the path is pretty clear: reinforce the roster around Victor Wembanyama instead of waiting for the opportunity to shrink.
Anthony Edwards is expected to miss up to two months after a right knee procedure, and Jalen Williams is headed for surgery after fracturing his left fibula and dislocating his ankle, with no return timeline set. With the conference opening up, San Antonio can answer by adding the kind of help that makes the lineup sturdier without touching its core of Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
One move would send PJ Washington to San Antonio for Keldon Johnson and the Spurs’ 2029 first-round pick, protected in the top 10. If that pick doesn’t convey, it would turn into San Antonio’s own 2030 and 2031 second-round selections, with no first-round rollover.
Washington would give Wembanyama a tougher defensive running mate against physical forwards. He’d bring rebounding, plus the flexibility to switch across matchups, which would help the Spurs avoid leaning too heavily on smaller perimeter looks. His shooting is still uneven, so the appeal here is about fit and balance more than perimeter fireworks.
Dallas, meanwhile, would get a different kind of return. The Mavericks already have a deep group of forwards around Cooper Flagg, including Naji Marshall, Santi Aldama and Zaccharie Risacher.
Johnson would bring downhill scoring off the bench, while the first-round swing gives Dallas something real in exchange for giving up Washington’s defensive versatility. There’s also the money side of it: Johnson’s expiring deal would replace Washington’s four-year contract and give the Mavericks more flexibility around Flagg.
Washington is earning $19,813,044 against Johnson’s listed $18 million salary, so the deal fits the Spurs’ matching room. Washington signed his extension in September 2025, which means the original trade restriction tied to it has already expired. San Antonio would be giving up a useful scorer and a pick that could matter later, but that’s the price of chasing a forward whose value goes beyond this season’s injuries.
Another option would be a later-season move for Royce O’Neale, with Charlotte receiving Harrison Barnes and the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2028 and 2029 second-round picks. That deal can’t happen until December 15, when Barnes becomes trade-eligible, and it would also need Barnes’ approval if a trade-consent issue is in play.
O’Neale would give the Spurs another shooter who doesn’t need the offense built around him. He hit 40.8% from deep last season and can defend multiple perimeter spots, which matters when opponents try to pick at smaller guards. Charlotte would land two draft assets and an expiring contract while cutting salary, and with Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and Grayson Allen in the mix, the Hornets could hand more minutes to their younger perimeter pieces.
There’s a contract wrinkle here too. O’Neale is on $10.875 million in base salary, compared with Barnes’ $8 million, and his extra season under contract would keep a useful rotation piece in place for another playoff push. The timing means this is more of a move for the broader race than an immediate October fix, and O’Neale is only a proposed target, not someone confirmed to be on the market.
Taken together, the two deals would add about $4.69 million in listed salary before incentives, which fits within the Spurs’ current first-apron room. They also avoid reusing players or picks and keep Luke Kornet behind Wembanyama.
One move would harden the front line. The other would bring in shooting and defensive versatility.
Both would make San Antonio a better-balanced team without disturbing the centerpiece of its chase.
In Other News...
Spurs Suddenly Have A Tough Decision Behind Wembanyama
The Spurs are still sorting through the early-season edges of their rotation, and the center minutes behind Victor Wembanyama are already drawing attention after two home losses in the first three games. Mitch Johnson singled out rookie Tarris Reed Jr. for the energy and defense he brought against Dallas, a useful sign for a team trying to find steadier footing when Wembanyama rests.
Luke Kornet entered the season looking like part of that backup equation, but Reeds early showing gives San Antonio a different kind of option to consider. If the Spurs want more resistance and activity in those non-Wembanyama stretches, the frontcourt mix may not stay fixed for long, and that is the sort of decision that can shape not just a game, but the rhythm of an entire rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A New Frost Bank Center Feel Players Are Talking About
The Frost Bank Center has a different look these days, and it is the kind of arena tweak players tend to notice right away. San Antonio has installed a new lighting system that puts more emphasis on the court while dimming the seating areas, bringing the building in line with what many other NBA venues already do.
Luke Kornet has already picked up on the change and talked about how it alters the atmosphere inside the building, giving games a sharper focus once the lights go down. Coach Mitch Johnson, meanwhile, has not made much of the adjustment himself, which only adds to the sense that this is one of those subtle arena changes that matters more to the people on the floor than the people running the team. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Created Another Wild Spurs Moment In A Win Over Sacramento
Victor Wembanyama has already made the Spurs must-see television, and he added another odd little highlight in a win over Sacramento by helping a referee get a ball loose from the top of the backboard. With a stick and the kind of reach only he can offer, the rookie turned a dead-ball delay into one more reminder of just how different life looks when he is on the floor.
The moment fit the night, because San Antonio also left the arena with a victory and a clearer sense of where it stands after a strong showing against the Kings. Wembanyama spoke afterward about the teams progress, and for the Spurs that part may matter more than the viral sequence, even if both are becoming part of the growing Wembanyama experience. [Read more 🡒]