History suggests that the San Antonio Spurs prefer developing their stars instead of trading for them. Some of that boils down to the fact that only a certain breed of player thrives in the Spurs culture, which encourages selflessness and a team-first attitude over individual fanfare.
Perhaps that would explain why the Spurs steered clear of a trade for Trae Young last summer.
That said, one particular All-Star, Brandon Ingram, could fit hand and glove with Spurs culture due to his demeanor and playing style. Ingram, who is reportedly available in trades, would be “the perfect fit” with the Spurs, reckons ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
“Ingram, 27, has averaged 22 points or more in six straight seasons,” Marks wrote. “Finding an interested trade partner should not be difficult, even with him sidelined indefinitely because of an ankle sprain. The San Antonio Spurs would be a perfect fit because of their finances now and into the future. Victor Wembanyama is in Year 2 of his rookie contract, so San Antonio would have a runway to extend Ingram at near maximum money and still have flexibility to improve the roster.”
To Marks’ point, the Spurs have only one player — Devin Vassell — making over $25M next season, and have a host of team-friendly contracts that would be easy to trade. Furthermore, Wemby and Stephon Castle — their two best youngsters — are on rookie-scale contracts for the foreseeable future, giving the Spurs a lot of flexibility to pay Ingram and remain under the luxury tax.
If the Spurs heed Marks’ advice, it would be an experiment worth pursuing. For one, Ingram is on an expiring contract, meaning the Spurs could just let him walk in 2025 free agency if he proves to be a bad fit. From an X’s and O’s standpoint, Ingram could be a seamless fit due to his ability to drive to the rim and pull up on a dime — a skillset sorely missing on the current Spurs roster.
As an example, during the Spurs’ loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday, their offense stagnated a lot in the fourth quarter, and it was evident they needed a reliable go-to option. Ingram, one of the best clutch scorers in the league, could fill that hole immediately. And most importantly, he has the unassuming quality the Spurs seek in a star.
Besides Ingram, Jimmy Butler, Zion Williamson and Zach LaVine are reportedly the other All-Stars available ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. Among that crop, Ingram seems like the best fit in San Antonio.
