Hornets: San Antonio Spurs players to target in free agency

As a part of our ongoing series detailing which players the Charlotte Hornets should target during free agency, our attention shifts to the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs finished with a 34-48 record, which earned them a 10th-place finish in the Western Conference. Despite making the 9-10 play-in game, the Spurs lost to the New Orleans Pelicans in the win-or-go-home game.

With Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, and Devin Vassell as the potential core of the future, San Antonio may not have the dynasty they once had, but they certainly have a few key pieces to build around. Particularly, Murray emerged this season as a max-level player of the future.

Unfortunately for the Hornets and the rest of the league, Murray is not a free agent this offseason. In fact, the Spurs have hardly any free agents to speak of in 2022.

Having zero player options, team options, or unrestricted free agents, San Antonio’s front office will simply have to decide whether to bring back their restricted free agents or not. Of their five free agents, only one cracked the rotation in 2021-22.

DJ Steward, Robert Woodard, Joe Wieskamp, and Devontae Cacok are all restricted free agents that could come or go. If the Spurs want to match any offers made for these players, they could or they could save their salary cap to ensure that they re-sign Murray when the time comes. For the Hornets, none of these players should pop up on the offseason radar.

Lonnie Walker, however, is the big-name free agent that could leave San Antonio. While Walker is not a “big name” per se, he is the only rotation player entering free agency on the Spurs’ roster.

As a team needing defense, frontcourt players, and more defense, the Hornets should not be too interested in Walker. With the backcourt solidified in LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, Walker would fill in as a backup guard, which Charlotte can find in the open market as opposed to the restricted market.