
2nd-Round Prospects San Antonio Spurs Could Reach for in Round 1 of NBA Draft
Delon Wright, Justin Anderson and R.J. Hunter have emerged as popular selections for the San Antonio Spurs at No. 26 in the 2015 NBA draft, but what happens if each player has already been picked?
While San Antonio could then focus on a pair of international targets in Cedi Osman or Guillermo Hernangomez, the franchise might be forced to reach for a prospect considered a second-rounder.
The Spurs probably won't find the league's next superstar should that situation arise. However, some intriguing low-risk options would remain on the board.
To be eligible for the list, the prospect must not be included on Bleacher Report NBA Lead Writer Jonathan Wasserman's latest Big Board:
Jarell Martin, PF, LSU
The buzzword "potential" perfectly characterizes Jarell Martin. As a sophomore at LSU, he averaged 16.9 points and 9.2 rebounds—a perfectly frustrating stat line for a wonderfully unpredictable prospect.
Five years from now, Martin could be a flat-out steal. The power forward can create for himself, knock down outside shots and use a combination of aggressiveness and explosiveness to finish at the rim.
Five years from now, Martin might be a massive bust. His shooting stroke is inconsistent, he's rarely a threat with his back to the basket and he isn't much of a passer or defender.
Regardless of which future scenario occurs, it's practically a foregone conclusion that analysts will scream, "The signs were right in front of us!"
San Antonio could attempt to develop Martin into a stretch-4, though that would likely be a painstaking process. Martin is good at nearly everything, but he's great at nothing.
The NBA is evolving into a small-ball league, and the 6'9", 230-pound project certainly has the potential to fit the desired stretch-4 mold. But if he fails to develop as needed, Martin will be yet another disappointing example of a player who didn't reach his ceiling.
Arturas Gudaitis, PF, Lithuania
Save for Aron Baynes, San Antonio lacked an energetic body in the frontcourt last season. To say Arturas Gudaitis would help change that is an understatement.
Gudaitis isn't exactly a prime draft-and-stash candidate since he turns 22 on June 19, but the Spurs typically don't rush over an international prospect. For example, Tiago Splitter debuted when he was 25—three years after San Antonio picked him.
The 6'10", 253-pound Gudaitis displays a physical nature that borders on the edge of reckless, but that's not necessarily a bad attribute. He must develop a better feel around the rim to properly utilize that aggressiveness, though.
Gudaitis averaged a respectable 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.9 blocks during 15.4 minutes per game for Zalgiris Kaunas, who have won five straight Lithuanian Basketball League championships.
Michael Frazier, SG, Florida
If San Antonio is prepared to move on from Marco Belinelli, the front office needs to acquire a sharpshooter—even more so if Danny Green eventually leaves in free agency.
Michael Frazier is definitely not comparable to Green, but the Spurs would only need the shooting guard to be like Belinelli. Considering Frazier buried 227 of his 526 triples (43.2 percent) throughout three seasons at Florida, he can replicate Belinelli's offensive contributions.
Frazier's form is gorgeous. It's magnificent. It's perfect. And apparently, San Antonio has noticed.
Granted, Frazier is similar to Belinelli on the defensive side, too—which isn't a good thing. The 6'4", 200-pounder is undersized for his position and hasn't shown an NBA-level ability to defend both guard spots.
The 21-year-old provides consistent effort, though, so some of Frazier's most glaring weakness can be hidden if he rotates properly and doesn't overcommit.
Frazier won't overpower his opponents, but he'd offer the Spurs a much-appreciated three-point spark off the bench.
Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR





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