How recent Spurs trade emphasizes team's long-term plan
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In trading for a 2031 second round pick from the Sacramento Kings while also taking in a player they immediately released, the San Antonio Spurs showed they’re still very much on course to continue a track that’s been in place with Victor Wembanyama in the mix. After acquiring Jalen McDaniels and cash considerations in the same deal in exchange for a protected 2025 second round pick via Chicago, the Spurs waived McDaniels.
The Silver and Black continue to stockpile draft picks well into the future.
Spurs’ other moves leading up to regular season
The Spurs also waived Brandon Boston Jr. and Malachi Flynn to finalize their opening night roster. They had added both Boston Jr. and Fynn late in the summer leading up to training camp.
On the other end, San Antonio exercised their fourth-year team option on Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley — all of whom were taken in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft — as well as their third-year option on Wembanyama for the 2025-26 season.
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟒-𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐨 𝐒𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬 pic.twitter.com/LpWgwkQkr4
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 19, 2024
A 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward whom the team played at point guard to start last season, Jeremy Sochan appeared in 74 games during his sophomore season, averaging 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists. The 2024 NBA Rising Star scored in double digits in 40 games, including nine 20-point games and two 30-point outings. In seven of those games, he grabbed 10-or-more boards, leading to seven double-doubles. Defensively, Sochan led the Spurs in steals in 12 games and in blocks seven times. For his career, he averages 11.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.6 minutes across 130 games (126 starts).
Branham, a perimeter player, averaged 9.2. points, 2.1 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 21.3 minutes across 75 games (29 starts) last season. He scored in double figures 35 times, including five 20-point games on his way to surpassing 1,000 career points. During the 2023-24 season, he joined Gary Neal as the only Spurs to have 100+ made threes through his first 90 career games. In his two seasons with the Spurs, Branham has averaged 9.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.3 minutes through 141 games (61 starts).
A point guard, Wesley, is entering his third NBA season after averaging 4.4 points, 2.7 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 14.4 minutes in 61 games (three starts) last season, including a career-high 17 points and 7 rebounds vs. Detroit on April 14. In 12 games assigned to Austin, Wesley averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.33 steals in 31.3 minutes. He holds career averages of 4.6 points, 2.7 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 98 total games with San Antonio.
The Spurs also signed Riley Minix to a two-way contract. The 6-foot-7 forward appeared in three preseason games for the Spurs, averaging 7.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes while shooting 70.0% from the floor. In three NBA 2K25 Summer League games, he posted 12.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.8 minutes for the Silver and Black.
Prior to joining the Spurs, Minix played four seasons at Southeastern State University before transferring to Morehead State for the 2023-24 season. In one season at Morehead, he started all 28 games, averaging 22.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34.9 minutes, earning Ohio Valley Conference Male Athlete of the Year as well as Lou Henson Mid Major All-American while leading MSU to the OVC regular season co-championship and tournament title. At Southeastern State, he played in 99 total games (83 starts) and averaged 20.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on his way to being named NAIA and NABC All-American, two-time Sun Conference Player of the Year (2020, 2022) and First-Team All TSC honors as a freshman
The Spurs’ opening night roster stands at 18 players. They tip off the regular season on October 24 at the Dallas Mavericks.
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