The San Antonio Spurs could create the NBA’s best frontcourt in this trade proposal with the Miami Heat.
The San Antonio Spurs are looking to build their future around Victor Wembanyama, a 21-year-old superstar with unlimited potential. Many fans have set high expectations for Wembanyma, hoping that he can be one of the greatest of all time, but the 7-foot-3 French phenom needs some championships to be in that conversation.
The Spurs have a rare opportunity to build a championship contender around Wembanyama as soon as possible, but it seems like the franchise is taking its time, letting his young supporting cast grow around him.
Stephon Castle, last year’s fourth overall pick, is undoubtedly the Spurs’ top trade asset if they do decide to build an immediate title contender around Wembanyama. Of course, the Spurs could hold onto the 20-year-old guard after he won Rookie of the Year, but they could also capitalize on his value.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley created a trade proposal for San Antonio’s “best asset,” Stephon Castle, that would send him to the Miami Heat in exchange for one of the best defenders in the NBA.
Spurs receive: Bam Adebayo
Heat receive: Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, 2028 first-round pick (via SAS or BOS), 2030 first-round pick (via SAS, DAL or MIN)
Would Spurs Do This Trade?
This deal would create the best frontcourt in the NBA, pairing Wembanyama with Bam Adebayo, two of the best defensive big men in the league. The addition of Adebayo, a three-time All-Star, would maximize both his and Wembanyama’s talents, but the loss of Castle does sting.
However, after drafting Dylan Harper second overall this summer, the Spurs should be more comfortable with letting go of Castle, especially if it brings in a proven star like Adebayo.
“Adebayo isn’t quite a tier-one superstar, but he’s one of the NBA’s best defenders and a near-20-point scorer who can finish, handle and create,” Buckley wrote. “A frontcourt featuring him and Victor Wembanyama would cover all bases, since Adebayo could handle all of the interior banging while Wembanyama would punish defenses that don’t follow him out to the perimeter.”
The first time Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper met on the court, the former outshone the latter. Yet it was Harper who got the win.
“He had a good game,” Harper said of Flagg’s 31-point outing at NBA 2K26 Summer League. “I had a good game. We kind of just showed the NBA world what we’re about.”
The San Antonio Spurs’ rookie hadn’t played basketball in four months after Rutgers failed the make the NCAA Tournament, but it wasn’t long before he found a rhythm. The Spurs picked up the win over the Dallas Mavericks to start their Las Vegas slate 1-0.
Rookie of the Year wasn’t on either player’s mind. But with still a month until the beginning of training camp, several ESPN analysts put their heads together to predict how the race would unfold.
Harper Predicted Runner-Up to Flagg
Every member of ESPN’s Summer Forecast panel was asked to list their top three players of each of the league’s six major award categories: Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Coach of the Year.
Jeremy Woo was tasked with the write-up for Harper and Flagg’s category.
“Unsurprisingly, Flagg ran away with the voting,” he wrote. “He’s the best prospect in this class, brings NBA-ready versatility, and is stepping into what will likely be an important role on a team with playoff hopes and veteran talent. This award tends to be about the confluence of talent and circumstance, and Flagg enters the league with an optimal combination of both.”
