How’d We Get Here?

The Spurs quietly embraced their fate as a team in need of a rebuild. They decided to start Dejounte Murray and Derrick White side by side after the two had their minutes staggered in previous seasons, just letting the young guys figure it out. San Antonio bought out LaMarcus Aldridge to elevate Jakob Poeltl, who responded with a few excellent months. Keldon Johnson held onto a starting spot all year and parlayed it into a spot on the Olympic team. Lonnie Walker and Devin Vassell got opportunities to play. The Spurs missed the playoffs but their new goal was obvious: let the kids play.

San Antonio let DeMar DeRozan go in free agency but made some surprising moves considering their expected behavior. Adding Doug McDermott, Thad Young, Zach Collins and Bryn Forbes is good in a vacuum, but none of those beyond Collins really fit the rebuild timeline. We’ll see how the Spurs integrate those older guys into a young roster, and how long it takes for the youngsters to take over. It figures to be another year without postseason hoops in San Antonio but the Spurs are so well run and have just enough young talent that they could most certainly stay in the race.

Offseason Moves

Arrivals: Doug McDermott, Thaddeus Young, Bryn Forbes, Zach Collins, Al-Farouq Aminu
Rookie Arrivals: No. 12 Joshua Primo, No. 41 Joe Wieskamp (2W)
Departures: DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Patty Mills, Gorgui Dieng, Trey Lyles, DaQuan Jeffries, Keita Bates-Diop
Retained: Keita Bates-Diop

Depth Chart and Minutes Per Game

PG: Dejounte Murray (32-33) / Bryn Forbes (20-24) / Tre Jones (0, 8-16)
SG: Derrick White (28-31) / Lonnie Walker (25-29) / Joshua Primo (0, 7-14)
SF: Devin Vassell (20-26) / Doug McDermott (25-30) / Keita Bates-Diop (0, 9-18) / DaQuan Jeffries (0, 8-16)
PF: Keldon Johnson (30-33, 29-32) / Al-Farouq Aminu (0, 16-20) / Luka Samanic (0, 10-20) / Zach Collins (GM: 60-82)
C: Jakob Poeltl (26-30) / Thaddeus Young (24-28) / Drew Eubanks (0, 8-16) / Jock Landale (0, 7-14)

Position Battles

Point Guard: Dejounte Murray and Derrick White will account for most of the minutes at PG and figure to start next to each other so there’s no real competition between the two. Tre Jones might be ready for a few minutes at the back of the rotation, while lottery pick Joshua Primo is probably too raw to earn a spot right away.

Shooting Guard: White should start here and the Spurs have a few different options to fill in the bench minutes. Bryn Forbes is back and can offer dependable spacing while Lonnie Walker offers a little more pure scoring upside. Expect the two to be situational weapons whose minutes change night-to-night.

Small Forward: The first real rotation change comes here as the Spurs will be trying to replace DeMar DeRozan. They don’t have anyone who can make up for the scoring and playmaking that DeRozan took with him out the door, but they signed Doug McDermott to a big contract and could certainly use his spacing. He and Devin Vassell look to be the top two candidates for the role but both will get healthy roles this year as the Spurs look to the future.

Power Forward: Keldon Johnson started last year and despite fading hard in fantasy, he didn’t do anything to lose the role, especially as the Spurs tilt the scales towards their youth. Thad Young is also a capable option, and Zach Collins should be able to get on the floor as long as he’s healthy as well. Vassell and McDermott will also be able to play the four in small-ball groups, so this is a pretty packed spot.

Center: Jakob Poeltl flourished in a starting role last season and will get a chance to run with it full-time this year. It’s not a lock that he gets the 30 mpg that other starters around the league get, however, as there are still some limitations he has to work around. Young is a good small center option while Drew Eubanks will be the nominal backup. Young can get time at center with newcomer Jock Landale also milling about.

Outlook

Al-Farouq Aminu, PF

Per-Game Value: 287 / 311 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 359 / 366 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 23

2020-21 Review: Aminu saw his first action on February 9, 2021, marking his first appearance since November 29, 2019 after a long road back from a meniscus tear. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in December 2020 to alleviate swelling but eventually made his way back to the court and even started in 14 of his 17 games for the Magic, as his return coincided with injuries to Orlando's other forward options. He was traded to Chicago at the deadline and only made six appearances with the Bulls.

This Year: Aminu was traded to the Spurs in the DeMar DeRozan deal and will be competing for minutes with the likes of Thad Young, Keldon Johnson, Doug McDermott, Devin Vassell and Luka Samanic. We don't like his chances but Aminu's veteran game might hold a certain appeal for Gregg Popovich, who doesn't usually let young players sink or swim without some kind of safety net.

Injury History: Aminu missed nearly two years after suffering a right meniscus tear 18 games into his Magic career and then undergoing arthroscopic surgery before the start of the season, with his recovery and the associated load management accounting for all of his non-DNP-CD absences this past year. In 2017-18 he missed 13 games with a right ankle sprain and the year before that he missed 12 games with a sore calf, five with a sore back and two with a knee sprain.

Outlook: Aminu is unlikely to play much with a youth-oriented Spurs team, though an unsettled depth chart at forward certainly leaves the door open for him to stick in the rotation. He'll be a top-250 candidate on modest 3-and-D numbers if that ends up being the case.

Keita Bates-Diop, SF

Per-Game Value: 450 / 442 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 426 / 418 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 30

2020-21 Review: Bates-Diop signed a two-way deal with the Spurs and didn't see much action, largely because San Antonio didn't deal with a ton of frontcourt injuries and also managed to stay in the playoff hunt all year. The third-year man was just a depth option who couldn't parlay his spurts of energy into more playing time.

This Year: Bates-Diop hung around on the open market for a while but eventually re-signed with the Spurs. While they did lose Trey Lyles, and neither Thad Young nor Al-Farouq Aminu look to be in the long-term plans, it's tough to see the Spurs suddenly deploying KBD as a major piece up front.

Injury History: Bates-Diop's big absence last year was a 15-gamer because of a right hamstring strain. It was his first serious stint on the injury list since suffering a leg stress fracture as a junior in college.

Outlook: Bates-Diop is highly unlikely to make waves in anything other than 30-team leagues, and even then you can probably do better with your final selections.

Zach Collins, C

Per-Game Value: / (8/9Cat)

Total Value: / (8/9Cat)

Games Played:

2020-21 Review: Collins missed the entire season while recovering from a foot injury that led to a pair of ankle surgeries and a foot re-fracture. The Blazers opted not to extend Collins early in the year, with the team wanting him to prove himself and Collins likely hoping to do the same in order to earn more money. He was never able to get right, however, and it was time for the oft-injured big man to move on.

This Year: Collins signed a three-year deal with the Spurs, who have a definite need for long-term help in the frontcourt. Despite all the injury troubles there is a reason why Collins was a lottery selection in Portland, and his mobility and ability to hit threes makes him a worthwhile developmental gamble for the Spurs. If they hit on this one and Collins gets healthy, the Spurs will have locked up a versatile young player for under-market value. The power forward rotation is pretty empty in San Antonio right now, and it's not like Jakob Poeltl is unimpeachable at center.

Injury History: The issues started ahead of the 2019-20 season, when Collins suffered a Grade 2 right ankle sprain and ligament tear in the offseason. It didn’t affect his availability at all but was a sign of things to come. He then dislocated his left shoulder in the third game of the year, eventually requiring surgery. A left ankle injury sustained in the bubble was revealed to be a stress fracture in his malleolus, which also required surgery. He wasn't expected to return to the court until January 2021 but underwent another surgery in late December 2020, wiping the regular season off the board. He then re-fractured his left foot at the end of June. For a guy this young, Collins is as risky as it gets.

Outlook: The uncertainty surrounding Collins' health will make him tough to trust, even as a flier option, but there is a reason that he was shaping up as a sleeper target heading into last year. It would not be surprising to see Collins grab hold of a starting spot at some point in the year, and if the Spurs let him play through mistakes he could have enough of a workload to support late-round value. To start out, though, Collins must prove that he can enter the season at full strength before he's viewed as more than a deep-league dart.

Drew Eubanks, C

Per-Game Value: 296 / 295 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 257 / 254 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 54

2020-21 Review: Eubanks took a step forward even if it didn't result in fantasy value of note. He ended up as the team's backup center and had a few flashes of upside, with a traditional center stat set that gave him a quick avenue to low-end appeal when the playing time was there. Lacking athleticism and quickness prevented him from putting a big dent in Jakob Poeltl's playing time, however, so Eubanks mostly topped out as a streamer on certain nights. He probably would've caught some more attention in deeper formats if the Spurs didn't go and sign Gorgui Dieng.

This Year: The Spurs haven't done much to add to their center group, though the additions of Thad Young and Doug McDermott will give Gregg Popovich some pathways to small-ball lineups if he wants to go that route. Eubanks should line up as Poeltl's backup once more, and while Poeltl isn't a player above criticism, his problematic areas are basically the same as Eubanks', only smaller. He could push up towards 20 mpg and might have a strong finish to the year if the Spurs tank it, however.

Injury History: Eubanks missed one game with a migraine and a few in the health and safety protocols. He's been injury-free otherwise through his three seasons.

Outlook: Eubanks is someone to consider as an upside shot for boards, blocks and FG% if you're flipping coins at the end of 20-team drafts. Other than that he'll be a Poeltl handcuff with limited utility when the Spurs are healthy.

Bryn Forbes, SG

Per-Game Value: 319 / 313 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 215 / 205 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 70

2020-21 Review: Forbes gave Milwaukee some quality 3-point shooting off the bench, hitting a career-high .473 from the field and hitting over two triples per game for the third season in a row. He wasn't asked for much beyond that and fell out of the rotation in the postseason, however, so his season ended on a bit of a down note. We're sure he won't mind once the ring comes in the mail.

This Year: One year apart was too much to bear as Forbes opted out and signed back with the Spurs. He should have a more regular role than he did with the Bucks as a backup SG and reliable floor-spacer. San Antonio's rebuilding roster is light on shooting so Forbes fits a definite need.

Injury History: Forbes' lone absence was a two-gamer resulting from a right toe sprain. He missed the NBA restart due to right quad soreness in 2019-20 but doesn't have anything else worth mentioning in his past.

Outlook: Forbes' stat set is very thin but he'll have a role to play for the Spurs, even as the losses stack up. He's on the board as a 3-point specialist in 18-team formats.

Keldon Johnson, SF

Per-Game Value: 198 / 195 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 128 / 134 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 69

2020-21 Review: Johnson was able to build on his strong performance in the Disney bubble and stormed out of the gates with middle-round numbers, quickly putting himself in contention for Pickup of the Year after going undrafted basically everywhere. It unraveled quickly, however, as Johnson became dead weight in fantasy after about a month of quality play. To pick a fairly arbitrary cutoff date, From opening night to February 1, Johnson was a top-80 player. From February 1 onward he was barely in the top-250. His early output in steals and blocks basically evaporated, causing a freefall in the fantasy rankings. Johnson had 40 steals and 24 blocks on the year and posted 18 and 12 of those, respectively, in the first 20 games of the season. Despite the rough end to the year, Johnson made the leap and became an NBA starter, setting new career-highs in all the counting stats. He even earned a spot on the US Olympic team thanks to his motor and rebounding ability.

This Year: Johnson should once again draw all the starts at power forward, though he may find himself facing a little pressure from newcomers Doug McDermott and Thad Young. He can score efficiently and rebound like crazy but lower playing time would be bad news for Johnson in general considering the way that his defensive output completely broke his fantasy appeal.

Injury History: Johnson missed training camp with a foot/toe sprain but obviously hit the ground running, and his only absences during the season were because of the health and safety protocols. He also dealt with a minor ankle injury in college but that shouldn't be considered an issue.

Outlook: We saw Johnson at his ceiling and floor last season, and the chasm was so huge that it's hard to consider the youngster as more than a lottery ticket. The Spurs do look prepared to let the young core do the heavy lifting, and Johnson is an improving player, so we think that he'll be closer to the ceiling if he ends up splitting the difference. He's not a must-draft guy in 12-team leagues but you could find worse shots in the dark with your final pick.

Tre Jones, PG

Per-Game Value: 477 / 477 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 422 / 427 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 38

2020-21 Review: Jones wasn't a big contributor for the Spurs last season, though he did make 38 appearances over the course of the campaign. He's a strong defender who managed 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game at the G League, however, so he doesn't have much left to prove below the NBA level. The Spurs were too deep at PG for him to get much action.

This Year: With the Spurs moving out DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills, there should be some chances for Jones to get into the mix as a primary ball-handler. He'll still be behind Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, but Jones should be able to get in front of lottery pick Josh Primo. We're expecting him to be second on the PG depth chart even though he'll be third in terms of actual playing time.

Injury History: Jones missed a pair of games in college with a mild left foot sprain.

Outlook: Jones' defense should play and he can rack up assists and steals if given enough time. There's some deep-league appeal here and Jones might sneak up on people because of how little he did last year. He's a dart throw in 20-team leagues if you need traditional PG numbers.

Jock Landale, C

Per-Game Value: / (8/9Cat)

Total Value: / (8/9Cat)

Games Played:

2020-21 Review: Landale went undrafted out of St. Mary's in 2018 and has since spent time in the Adriatic and Lithuanian leagues, with brief Summer League pit stops. Last season, playing in his native Australia, he averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 38.0 percent from behind the arc, leading Melbourne to the NBL championship and winning NBL Grand Final MVP. Landale is a polished offensive big who can play with non-shooters, as well as a capable rim protector with good lateral quickness.

This Year: Landale signed with San Antonio, who have a pretty open frontcourt beyond Jakob Poeltl. The big Aussie will be competing for minutes behind Poeltl and Thad Young (presumably) with the likes of Zach Collins, Drew Eubanks and Luka Samanic.

Injury History: Landale battled a right knee injury last year but shouldn't be considered an injury risk heading into his first NBA season.

Outlook: Landale is a fun late-round target in extremely deep formats, and it's not out of the question that he carves out a role for himself as the year goes on.

Doug McDermott, SF

Per-Game Value: 213 / 190 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 146 / 136 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 66

2020-21 Review: McDermott timed his career year just right, shooting .532 from the field, scoring 13.6 points and knocking down 1.7 triples per game right as he entered free agency. He was able to benefit from Indiana's constant injury troubles, carving out a steady role as a floor-spacer and spot-up threat out of the forward spots.

This Year: McDermott turned his big season into a three-year, $42 million contract with the Spurs, who have a starting forward spot up for grabs. It's a little surprising that San Antonio spent that kind of money on a guy entering his 30s as the team embarks on a rebuild, but it's not our cash to throw around. He'll be earmarked for a stable role and will be competing with Keldon Johnson, Thad Young, Devin Vassell and Zach Collins for minutes across the 3/4 spots. The Spurs need shooting so McDermott will be fine no matter how everyone lines up.

Injury History: McDermott's six absences last year were comprised of a sore right knee (one game), a right ankle sprain (one game) and a left ankle sprain (four games). In 2019-20 McDermott missed three games with a sore right big toe and one with a sore right knee. Par for the course for his career, with lots of nicks and bumps (knee, a sprained finger, elbow, concussion, shin) but nothing that’s forced a significant absence.

Outlook: McDermott has developed from a gunner into a quality role player who is a little more versatile than you think. While he won't benefit from injuries to star-level offensive players this year, he has enough in the tank to hit the top-200 on his own merit. Draft accordingly.

Dejounte Murray, SG

Per-Game Value: 67 / 69 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 43 / 39 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 67

2020-21 Review: Murray set new personal bests with 15.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game and was his usual elite self on defense. He also set a new career-high in triples despite shooting just .317 from distance, so there's still room for improvement, but Murray fared quite well in his first real year as a focal point of San Antonio's immediate and long-term future.

This Year: Murray has been somewhat sheltered from a true PG workload in the past but that shouldn't be the case anymore as DeMar DeRozan is no longer around to handle the primary playmaking work. There should be bumps in the road as Murray adjusts to life as a player that the team needs to score and create but his defense allows for an extremely solid floor.

Injury History: Murray was mostly healthy in 2020-21, sitting out for knee and back issues but getting most of his absences as rest days in back-to-back sets. It was a nice change of pace for him as Murray went down with a calf strain right before the league’s hiatus in 2019-20, getting away with only a single-game absence as a result. His other absences that season were for personal reasons and rest in SEGABABA situations. There’s obviously the right ACL tear from 2018 as his most major injury on record. In 2017-18 Murray missed just one game with a sprained left ankle, and as a rookie he sat out two games with a sprained ankle and then 16 after sustaining a groin injury.

Outlook: Murray's going to be a fantastic source of steals and rebounds and blocks for a guard, and increased shot volume should lead to new career-highs in points and triples too. The counting stats won't be a problem and should give him a top-90 floor, though life as a primary scorer could have a notable impact on Murray's efficiency. He remains a middle-round option but may have a little more downside to his game than usual. Of course, if he continues to score at a good clip, Murray has legit top-50 upside.

Jakob Poeltl, C

Per-Game Value: 107 / 94 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 69 / 59 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 69

2020-21 Review: Anyone looking at Poeltl's full-season numbers will be missing the point, as top-110 standing hides long stretches of top-50 value after the Spurs waived LaMarcus Aldridge. His 26.7 mpg was eight minutes more than his previous career-high, and the only complaint is Poeltl's punt-worthy .512 free throw mark (though he got up to around .620 after the All-Star break). A few of his underlying stats put Poeltl in the same rim-protecting stratosphere as Rudy Gobert, Clint Capela and Myles Turner. There were still some limitations to his game as a defender in space but Poeltl is a solid athlete who can run the floor, which made him a nice fit as the Spurs trended younger.

This Year: Poeltl should be a full-time starter for the first time in his career with no obvious threat to his playing time. Drew Eubanks and Thad Young are the likely candidates to be his backups but Poeltl's got a sizable contract and certainly didn't do anything last year that would lead to a reduced workload. He's a young center on the rise and while his one-lane offensive game will cap him from having a massive ceiling, Poeltl's stat set is bankable and the playing time is at a nice floor.

Injury History: Poeltl sat out three games last year, all as a part of back-to-back situations from mid-April onward. In the 2019-20 campaign Poeltl went down with a right MCL sprain before the pandemic but was able to escape with just five absences thanks to the league’s shutdown. It was the first serious injury of his career, as prior to that he missed just a pair of games in 2018-19 with left hamstring soreness and a sprained right ankle after.

Outlook: Poeltl is going to be a solid value pick as more casual managers will lose sight of his true floor and ceiling given the splits of last season. Feel free to take him at his ADP and ride the wave from there, though if you're trying to put numbers on it he's a solid top-75 guy with room for a few rounds of improvement. You'll probably need to punt free throws, though.

Joshua Primo, SG

Per-Game Value: / (8/9Cat)

Total Value: / (8/9Cat)

Games Played:

2020-21 Review: Want to feel old? Primo was born in 2002. Anyway, he's one of the youngest players in the class and is coming off a season at Alabama where he wasn't asked to do much beyond space the floor. He excelled in that area thanks to his sweet shooting stroke, but a 6'4" frame and 6'9" wingspan speaks to the upside he could have as his game fills out.

This Year: The Spurs shocked draftniks by taking Primo at No. 12. It's a big upside swing on a player who doesn't have a ton of good tape, mainly because of the role he was asked to play in college. He's got a lot of development to do so while the Spurs did make some space in the backcourt, we'd be surprised if Primo was the one taking advantage of it.

Injury History: Primo suffered a left MCL sprain in his year at Alabama.

Outlook: Primo's shooting could get him on the floor right now and he had a strong Summer League, but will need to foster his playmaking abilities and continue to add strength. He's not a redraft consideration this year, especially considering how slow the Spurs usually take it with their rookies.

Luka Samanic, PF

Per-Game Value: 456 / 468 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 420 / 433 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 33

2020-21 Review: After playing in three games as a rookie, Samanic made 33 appearances last season, though the bulk of those came when the Spurs were either getting throttled or missing a bunch of players. He shot .279 from deep, continuing a trend of lackluster shooting that started in the G League. Samanic was able to take a little step forward in his career but didn't do anything noteworthy for fantasy purposes.

This Year: San Antonio's rebuild should help young guys like Samanic but the Spurs have loaded up a little bit at the PF spot, signing Doug McDermott and then getting Thaddeus Young and Al-Farouq Aminu in a trade. With Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell also logging minutes at forward, it's tough to envision Samanic making much heady.

Injury History: Samanic suffered a left hand fracture in May, knocking him out of the last three games of the season.

Outlook: Samanic can be left alone outside of 30-team leagues and even in those he's probably just a watch list candidate.

Devin Vassell, SG

Per-Game Value: 326 / 300 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 253 / 223 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 62

2020-21 Review: Vassell's rookie year was a solid one as he made 62 appearances, though the Spurs didn't ask him to do a ton outside the scope of a 3-and-D role player. That makes sense given his long-term outlook in the league. A well-rounded player with a strong basketball IQ, Vassell didn't have many overly impressive games but showed a good feel for the game and could hang enough to play in a vast majority of the team's contests.

This Year: The Spurs went young in the offseason and now have minutes available, particularly at the small forward spot. Vassell isn't bulletproof because Doug McDermott, Keldon Johnson and Thad Young can all handle forward minutes, but he has to be considered a rotation lock and someone who should improve upon last year's modest playing time. How well he hits threes, and how hard San Antonio leans into development, will be swing factors for him, but it's not out of the question that Vassell emerges from training camp as a starter.

Injury History: Vassell played through a right ankle sprain and his only absences were for the health and safety protocols (six games) and healthy DNPs.

Outlook: Vassell will need to get his shooting numbers in line with his output in college, but he's right on the cusp of becoming a 2.5 cash counter guy. That might be a crossable threshold by virtue of extra minutes, which is going to make Vassell someone to consider as a flier in 16-team formats. He could be a 12-team option if everything goes his way but there's no need to spend a pick on Vassell in standard leagues following a muted but encouraging rookie campaign.

Lonnie Walker IV, SG

Per-Game Value: 284 / 293 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 226 / 234 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 60

2020-21 Review: Walker did set new bests in minutes, points, rebounds, assists and 3-pointers, but it didn't yield much in the way of fantasy appeal due to poor marks from the field. He moved in and out of the starting lineup, filling in for Derrick White at times and becoming a sixth man at others. Walker's scoring pop did help the second unit but consistency was an issue and his stat set just wasn't good enough for more than streaming appeal.

This Year: The departure of DeMar DeRozan should continue to open things up for Walker, though the improvement of Devin Vassell and the return of Bryn Forbes should impact his role a little bit. The Spurs don't have many natural scorers, however, so Walker's game is needed on this particular roster. We'll see if he can become a more consistent night-to-night player with a more well-rounded game.

Injury History: Walker missed two games because of an illness, one for an unspecified injury (it was the front end of a B2B and he played 33 minutes the next night) and nine contests with right wrist soreness. Walker tore his right meniscus back in college and suffered the same injury prior to his first NBA season before missing a couple games during that year with a right ankle sprain. In 2019-20 he missed the final two games of the shortened season with a left shin contusion.

Outlook: Walker is a deep-league option for points and threes as his role should continue to expand but we're approaching a ceiling on his playing time unless he becomes a more complete player. His stat set has too many holes to seriously consider him until your league gets to 250 deep.

Derrick White, SG

Per-Game Value: 108 / 96 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 212 / 198 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 36

2020-21 Review: How you feel about White's campaign will depend on how you look at it. On one hand, he was a top-100 guy with career-bests in points, blocks and 3-pointers, finally running with a chance to start full-time next to the team's other top young guard. On the other, White saw his efficiency drop significantly and somehow lost a touch on his rebounds, assists and steals despite an increase in playing time. He also missed about half the season due to various injuries.

This Year: The Spurs are going with a full youth movement and White should be locked in for a starting spot next to Dejounte Murray. Even as things will get tougher as defenses can divert extra attention to White, we'd expect his percentages to get back in line with career norms, and new bests in the counting stats seems like a given. White has always been more of a defensive-minded guard so we'll see how he handles more work as a distributor.

Injury History: Offseason surgery on a left toe forced White to miss the first four games of the year, and he suffered a minor toe fracture in his first game of the year that would lead to a 14-game absence. A stint in the health and safety protocols cost him five games but the biggest injury was undoubtedly the right ankle sprain that White suffered on April 26, which forced him to miss the final 13 games of the campaign. In 2019-20 White missed two games with left foot soreness though his offseason surgery obviously had an impact on last year. In 2018-19 he dealt with a partial tear in his right plantar fascia that forced him to miss the first nine games of the year, and he would later miss six games with right heel soreness.

Outlook: Even with all of the drawbacks to White's 2020-21 season, he was still a middle-round guy. His stat set as a shot-blocking combo guard creates a solid floor and White is a solid selection in round seven and beyond, with an ADP that figures to leave a nice profit margin.

Joe Wieskamp, SG

Per-Game Value: / (8/9Cat)

Total Value: / (8/9Cat)

Games Played:

2020-21 Review: Wieskamp was an elite shooter in college, averaging 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 46.2 percent on 3-pointers in his junior season at Iowa. It's a skill that gives him a solid floor and it's most certainly one that's in demand. He did himself a ton of favors at the combine and is also a decent rebounder, even though his game is fairly limited overall.

This Year: The Spurs selected Wieksamp at No. 41 and signed him to a two-way contract. If the team needs spacing they can plug him in but Wieskamp won't be asked to do too much, and would probably benefit from further skill development in the G League.

Injury History: Wieskamp dealt with right leg and ankle injuries last season but they weren't anything serious.

Outlook: If Wieskamp can hit threes on positive percentages and grab a handful of rebounds, he has a chance at being fantasy-relevant. That intel is better for dynasty managers, however, as it's unlikely that Wieskamp bucks the trend of Spurs rookies getting limited action with the big club.

Thaddeus Young, PF

Per-Game Value: 98 / 105 (8/9Cat)

Total Value: 60 / 71 (8/9Cat)

Games Played: 67

2020-21 Review: Young was supposed to be a veteran backstop who could continue to mentor Lauri Markkanen, Patrick Williams and Wendell Carter Jr., but injuries to Markkanen and Carter opened the door for more. Young stepped in and never looked back, basically holding down a full-time starting spot from mid-March to the end of the year. The arrival of Nikola Vucevic did slow him down (top-150/175 value in 8/9-cat from the trade deadline onward) but the middle of the campaign made Young a must-start option and he wrapped things up as one of the best values of the year considering how widely he went undrafted. Young set new career-highs in FG% and assists, with a steady, versatile game that Billy Donovan could lean on with just about any set of teammates.

This Year: Young was traded to the Spurs where he'll have a similar role, albeit for a team with less depth up front. Jakob Poeltl will start at center but there are lots of questions elsewhere. Keldon Johnson and Doug McDermott are locked into minutes while Luka Samanic is in the running, but Young's stability and playmaking chops will appeal to Gregg Popovich, and he's got a chance at being the backup at both PF and C. Young is on an expiring deal and is a prime trade candidate as well, but for as long as he's in San Antonio we'd anticipate mid-20s minutes. The Spurs are too well run to orchestrate an all-out tank which means Young's going to play.

Injury History: Young's season started off on precarious ground as he was diagnosed with a MRSA infection in his left leg. Luckily he was okay and only missed the first four games of the campaign; his only absences of the season. He sprained a wrist five years ago but that's the only real injury of note in his recent history aside from the leg infection.

Outlook: Young's run of standard-league appeal should keep him on draft boards, and while his age and the team's timeline don't mesh, he should play enough to at least maintain some late-round value. Young once again looks like a nice roster-filler for builds that prioritize rebounds, field goal percentage and steals.

*Originally published August 18, 2021