San Antonio Reporter Dismisses Trae Young Trade Rumors

By Riley Glenn

Reporting Texas

As the San Antonio Spurs enter the final quarter of their season, attention is increasingly turning towars the offseason.
Sitting on a mountain of assets, speculation continues to grow on how the Spurs plans to build around budding superstar rookie Victor Wembenyama.
Rumors of a potential trade involving the Spurs and Hawks star guard, Trae Young, surfaced around the All-Star break. Several reports broke of discussions between the two franchises prior to the 2024 NBA trade deadline.

Mike Finger, columnist at the San Antonio Express-News and host of the “Spurs Insider” podcast, downplayed the likelihood of a Young/Spurs pairing on the “Lone Star Sports Talk” podcast.
“I don’t think Trae Young is that guy for the Spurs. I think they believe they can shoot even higher than that,” said Finger, when asked about the rumor.Young, a two-time all-star, is averaging 26.4 points and 10.8 assists in his sixth season in the
NBA.
When discussing their opinions on the matter, both host Ronan Benford and lead reporter Riley Glenn of “Lone Star Sports Talk,” produced by Abigail Barkan, disagreed with Finger’s opinion on Young.
When posed the question on if they would trade for trade Young, they both had the same, resounding answer.
“I would,” said Benford and Glenn.
The 2023 NBA Draft lottery changed the trajectory of the Spurs franchise. They got the unicorn — the once-in-a-generation type player most teams spend decades waiting for a franchise player.
The Spurs had a cup of coffee before finding the replacement for their last franchise player, Tim Duncan, who retired in 2016.
The clock to build a contender around Wembenyama started the instant they won the lottery.
Wembenyama, a 7-foot-4 inch forward, is averaging 20.9 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He is the heavy favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award, while also having a chance to become the first rookie ever to win Defensive Player of the Year. He currently leads the league
in blocks, averaging 3.4 per game.
Wembenyama has exceeded the already massive expectations placed upon him. His versatility on both sides of the ball, as well as his ability to shoot, make him capable of being the
centerpiece of a true championship contender. Yet everything surrounding the phenom remains a question.
The Spurs are considered an afterthought in the NBA landscape. This is largely because of their dismal record. They currently sit in last place in the Western Conference, with a 13-48 record.
This year will mark their fifth consecutive season missing the playoffs.
They continue to have a revolving door at point guard. They rank last in the league in three-point percentage as a team. Their recently extended head coach Gregg Popovich just turned 75 years old.
Clearly, the infrastructure around Wembenyama remain murky and unresolved. Yet the urgency to find the right pieces remains.
For as great as Wembenyama is, the track record of longevity for players his size in the NBA is not ideal.Maybe Young is the piece the Spurs have been missing. Maybe, like Finger suggests, they can aim even higher. Who knows. Many teams miss their window waiting for the perfect fit. The thing about windows of opportunity—they don’t last forever.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Your move, San Antonio.