2015 NBA Draft Prospects the San Antonio Spurs Should Already Be Considering
For the first time in seemingly forever, it appears as though the NBA draft has become more to the San Antonio Spurs than just an outlet to stash international prospects overseas.
Last year, the team took Kyle Anderson with the final pick in the first round. This season, San Antonio has put plenty of effort into expediting Anderson's development, yo-yoing him between its NBA D-League affiliate in Austin and the pro squad.
This year, with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili's contracts set to expire and their retirements looming, the team will be in need of long-term options to fill their roles, either immediately or after a year, depending on when the two veterans decide to hang it up.
While the Spurs won't be in the market for a superstar—the end of the first round isn't exactly filled with Rookie of the Year candidates—they'll have the opportunity to fill gaps that both exist currently and ones that will exist in the post-Duncan era.
Justin Anderson, Virginia
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As San Antonio has consistently shown, it is in dire need of a third swingman with a defensive flair to spell Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
Justin Anderson, a 6'6'' off guard with a 6'11'' wingspan and a tremendous defensive motor, is a perfect fit.
Anderson, who is currently the best prospect on one of the nation's best teams in Virginia, saw his draft stock fall after missing an eight-game stretch with a fractured finger. As the Cavaliers prepare to make a tournament run, Anderson will still be looking to assimilate back into the offense—something that might further damage his stock.
However, San Antonio should open its arms to any increased opportunity of snatching a unique prospect like Anderson.
Though he's the frontman along the perimeter for one of college's best defenses, he has emerged as a legitimate offensive contributor as well. Averaging more than 13 points in less than 30 minutes of action, Anderson won't take over a game, but he can contribute to a team's scoring output.
Shooting an incredible 48.4 percent from long range, he'd integrate easily into the Spurs system that has helped three-and-D prospects like Green and Leonard grow their respective games.
Anderson's lengthy wingspan and respectable athleticism give him the physical tools necessary to survive in this league. Having shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season on a team that demands a lot from its players, Anderson could be a steal wherever he goes.
San Antonio, however, seems like an ideal fit.
Caris LeVert, Michigan
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Michigan junior Caris LeVert has the talent necessary to be a draft-day steal. However, injury concerns have likely sparked doubt from prospective suitors.
"With Caris LeVert out for the year after fracturing his foot back in January, it still seems up in the air as to whether he declares or returns to school.
Before the injury, he looked like a top-25 prospect and virtual lock to leave for the pros. But after breaking the same bone twice in two years, there's also the possibility scouts would want to see LeVert put in another full season.
"
LeVert, the virtual opposite of Anderson, has big-time scoring potential. One of his two NBADraft.net player comparisons is professional scorer Jamal Crawford—not a bad ceiling, making him well worth a look for a San Antonio team that will eventually be without Manu Ginobili, its primary bench spark.
He's long, with a 7'1'' wingspan, and athletic. Comfortable firing from anywhere on the court or putting the ball on the floor, he has the offensive versatility necessary to be an impact scorer, especially under the right tutelage.
Defensively, he has the quickness and length to be a pesky defender but weighs in at just 200 pounds, limiting the scope of players he'll be able to cover.
Still, LeVert has lottery talent. Whether or not a team can get past his injury history, though, remains to be seen.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona
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Like Anderson, Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is an elite wing defender who is capable of guarding various positions thanks to elite length.
Though he stands two inches shorter than Anderson at 6'7'', his wingspan is measured at a whopping 7'1''. Throw in his superior quickness and athleticism, and Hollis-Jefferson is a bit more refined on the defensive end.
However, unlike Anderson, the Arizona forward is extremely limited on offense. His three-point shot is nonexistent, as he has hit a combined seven in his two years at the school. With three-point shooting such an important part of the game today, Hollis-Jefferson isn't the hottest commodity despite being one of the best defenders in the draft.
Nonetheless, he has managed to score double digits in the vast majority of his games this season, doing it while shooting 53 percent from the floor. Though he relies on his natural athleticism to score, the capacity to do so is there, even if he can't shoot from deep.
Still, Hollis-Jefferson offers the Spurs an elite defensive option and someone who can help save the team's perimeter defensive effort should either Green or Leonard miss extended time.
He's a project offensively, but toward the end of the first round, he's well worth the gamble.
Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
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There's a strong chance that Wisconsin's Sam Dekker falls to the Spurs, wherever it is in the first round that they find themselves. And given the team's need for a player with his skill set, the 6'9'' swingman seems like an ideal fit.
Dekker, a junior, isn't primed to be the next NBA superstar. However, as a versatile system player in college, his strong foundation would translate well to a team like the Spurs—who were described as the NBA equivalent to Wisconsin in Brett Koremenos' spotlight on the collegiate squad for Grantland.
On the offensive end, Dekker's ideal size—230 pounds and a 6'10'' wingspan—makes him a strong finisher who is capable of scoring through contact. His athleticism, though not elite, isn't lacking either. Combined with a strong basketball IQ, Dekker has potential as a slasher who can flourish in a well-spaced, high-speed offense like San Antonio's.
He also has shown a strong foundation as a shooter, having shot a 39 percent clip from long range in his freshman campaign. With the help of Spurs' shooting coach Chip Engelland, Dekker could become a lethal floor-spacing option as well as a force around the rim much like Kawhi Leonard.
He isn't lauded as a top-notch defensive prospect, but his length, size and respectable athleticism give him the tools to improve on that end.
And while he is green in some aspects, Dekker is polished as a whole. He's a smart player with a natural feel for the game. In the right system and under the right tutelage, he'd thrive—not to the extent of superstardom but as a versatile role player much like many current Spurs prospects.
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
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He isn't without his weaknesses, but Frank Kaminsky—Wisconsin's 7'0'' sensation—is beginning to look like a long shot to fall out of the lottery.
NBADraft.net's latest mock has him selected just prior to the Spurs' pick. Days earlier, he was actually forecast to fall past them at their current projection at No. 20.
However, Kaminsky stock is soaring, with the Wisconsin big man's stellar senior campaign making him the Wooden Award, or at the very least, one of the race's two distinguished leaders—the other being top prospect Jahlil Okafor.
Of course, it's Kaminsky's rising stock—the very one that might potentially doom any potential marriage between the center and San Antonio—that makes him such an intriguing prospect to begin with.
Averaging 18.4 points and 8.1 rebounds for the best team in the Big Ten, he has proved himself capable against some of the nation's most elite teams.
His limited quickness, strength and athleticism are offset by his polished and versatile offensive game and his proven fundamentals. He is a dynamic scorer in every which way, capable of posting up, finishing with either hand, attacking the rim and shooting with range.
He matches his skill set with off-the-charts basketball IQ and a natural feel for the game.
There is a reason that draft buffs have been hesitant to throw him too far up their big boards. As mentioned, Kaminsky—despite his size—lacks many of the physical tools that have become staples of the NBA's top big men. His lack of strength and athleticism has hurt him defensively in the NCAA—an issue that will only be exacerbated in the pros.
That, alongside the fact that he is a senior, leaves him little room to grow.
He's a system player who will thrive in the right offense—one that San Antonio certainly boasts. His fundamental style of play and his high IQ make him an ideal candidate to strengthen the Spurs' frontcourt depth and carry them into the next era.
However, it would take a miracle—and a large number of suitors turned off by his limited ceiling and physical tools—for Kaminsky to end up in San Antonio.
All stats, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of ESPN.com. All measurements are courtesy of NBADraft.net.
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