Happy Thursday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your morning Spurs Starter.
As the San Antonio Spurs continue to rest and practice this offseason, the names surrounding their team, both incoming and outgoing, keep swirling.
Figuring out the best pieces to put around Victor Wembanyama isn’t the easiest task in the world. While it’s true that many of the league’s stars would both benefit from a 7-foot-4 rookie at their side and allow him to thrive in a scheme that he can settle into, financial decisions need to be factored in.
Some of the best names in the NBA for the Spurs — namely players like Darius Garland and Lauri Markkanen — won’t come free. Both players still have contractual obligations, meaning the Spurs would have to deal for them, which would involve parting ways with some key pieces from their current roster.
Keldon Johnson, despite “wanting to stay” in San Antonio is one of those names who could potentilly be dealt at the right opportunity, though that’s not for certain. All the Spurs can do is speculate about how much Garland, Markkanen or any other stars could help them. That is, unless a deal is made.
Nothing has come to light yet, however, so until then, here are some headlines:
THE NEWS
1. READ: ROCA & MARTILLO OPENS AT SPURS’ LA CANTERA CAMPUS
On top of gathering for road watch-parties, San Antonio Spurs fans can now enjoy a new take on Tuscan-Italian Cuisine at The Rock at La Cantera with the grand opening of Roca & Martillo.
2. LOOK: POP STAR JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE PERFORMS AT FROST BANK CENTER
As his “Forget Tomorrow” World Tour rages on, Justin Timberlake made sure to make a stop in San Antonio to see the stomping grounds of Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs.
📽 | justintimberlake via instagram: San Antonio 📍Santo Antonio Spurs pic.twitter.com/7s1ON4lefu
— 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙮 (@jtimberlakepics) May 30, 2024
3. READ: THE CASE FOR UTAH JAZZ RISING STAR LAURI MARKKANEN
Adding talent around Victor Wembanyama is priority No. 1 for the San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz power forward Lauri Markkanen not only has a sky-high upside, but also a mix of youth and experience, making him a potentially strong fit next to the rookie.
Read the full story above.
THE DRAFT
The 2024 NBA Draft is 27 days away, and set to take place over the course of two days — a new format — from Wednesday, June 26 to Thursday, June 27.
According to The Ringer’s big board, San Antonio is projected to select Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham with the No. 4 overall pick to headline its 2024 draft class and Colorado’s Cody Williams with No. 8 overall pick, should it elect to keep both.
The Spurs aren’t locked into their decision as of now, so a deal could still come to fruition, but only time will tell how the team decides to use their two top-10 picks.
THE PLAYOFFS
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and company might not be suiting up this postseason, but here are how the rest of the NBA Playoffs are shaking out so far:
West: #3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. #5 Dallas Mavericks
Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves went down to the Dallas Mavericks 3-0, and at that point, it seemed their time in the postseason was just about finished. Luckily for them, Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns put together a solid Game 4 to buy their team some time on the road, taking a 105-100 victory to improve the series to 3-1.
Now, they remain against the wall as Game 5 is set to commence Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. CST.
East: #1 Boston Celtics vs. #6 Indiana Pacers
After Tyrese Haliburton went down with an injury during Game 2 of his Indiana Pacers’ series against the Boston Celtics, it seemed that a trip to the NBA Finals was the favorite’s to lose. Boston entered the series being favored — as it was for the two matchups prior — and was given an even easier task of knocking off the Pacers without their best player.
And, as was expected, that’s what happened. The Celtics cleared the Pacers with ease in a 4-0 sweep after a 105-102 victory sealed the series and sent them to the NBA Finals. Now, Boston awaits the winner of the MIN-DAL series.
Game 1 of the Finals is set for 7:30 p.m. CST June 6.
THE CLOSER
Athletes are people, too.
And the organizations they come from? The same.
Make sure to check out our homepage for more news, and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Thursday.
Be kind to you mind, Spurs Fam 🫶
All month long we have been learning about well-being and how small steps can lead to big progress in mental health. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/D6QAKoPgmU
— Spurs Way (@spurs_way) May 29, 2024
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