With superstar Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely due to a quad injury, the San Antonio Spurs are expected to make a move before the February 8 trade deadline to shore up their offense. The Spurs and coach Gregg Popovich aren’t a fan of midseason trades as their last one happened in 2014 when they swapped guard Nando de Colo to the Toronto Raptors for 6-foot-11 forward Austin Daye.
However, the Spurs could change this time as there’s no clear indication when, or if, Leonard will return this season. According to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, the Spurs could work a three-team trade with the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic to get shooting guard Avery Bradley and small forward Stanley Johnson.
Earlier, the Spurs announced that Leonard will be sidelined indefinitely as he continues recovering from quadriceps tendinopathy, which caused him to miss the early part of the season. According to Spurs general manager RC Buford, the move is the best approach as Leonard tries to return to his normal playing self. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, for his part, said Leonard will play again this season, per Jeff McDonald of San Antonio Express-News.
Three-team trade floated
In Bleacher Report's trade idea, the Pistons would get Spurs forward Kyle Anderson and Magic shooting guard Evan Fournier, power forward Mario Hezonja, and veteran power forward Marreese Speights. In turn, the Magic would acquire Pistons shooting guards Reggie Bullock and Langston Galloway, Spurs small forward Rudy Gay and the Spurs’ 2018 first-round pick.
Zach Lowe of ESPN reported that the Spurs have previously shown interest in Johnson, the eighth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Pistons. He has one year remaining on his rookie deal with the Pistons and could become a restricted free agent in 2019. Gay, for his part, has a player option in his contract with the Spurs and he could use it to test the market, while Anderson will be a restricted free agent in the summer.
LaMarcus Aldridge continues to carry Spurs
Despite the spate of injuries that the team has suffered, the Spurs remain one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Currently, they are third in the West with a 30-16 record, seven games behind the Golden State Warriors. This is mainly due to the outstanding play of power forward Lamarcus Aldridge, who scored 34 points in their 100-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday. Patty Mills added 25 points off the bench, making 7-of-8 shots from beyond the arc, while Pau Gasol tallied a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards for the Spurs.
