San Antonio Spurs: Targeting Stanley Johnson would be a smart move
If the San Antonio Spurs are indeed interested in adding wing help, they should look no further than Stanley Johnson, who is in dire need of a fresh start
The San Antonio Spurs, after somewhat of a slow start to the season, are currently 27-21 and sitting as the 6th seed in the Western Conference. They’re only two games back of the current third seed, and will need to make a strong push to finish in the top 5 ahead of the playoffs.
One option for the team is to make a move at the NBA Trade Deadline, something that the Spurs don’t necessarily do much of. However, this is a different team than years past, and could very much benefit from some added depth as the trade deadline approaches.
And according to The Athletic’s Jabari Young (subscription required), the Spurs could be in the market for help along the wing. One name that has been tossed around as a potential target for San Antonio is Stanley Johnson.
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After having a strong showing during the playoffs of his rookie season, Johnson has fallen short of expectations since. He hasn’t played up to the ability that a top 10 pick should, and he has struggled mightily with his shot throughout his short tenure in the NBA.
He hasn’t shot above 40 percent from the field or 31 percent from 3-point range at any moment during his career. In the new NBA, where a consistent jump shot is as important as any other skill, it’s been tough for Johnson to carve out a consistent role.
Quite frankly, he would benefit greatly from a new start. Considering that he could become a restricted free agent after the season, and that the Detroit Pistons are absolutely cap-strapped, there is some reasoning in the Pistons trying to move Johnson ahead of the trade deadline.
Plus, it’s not like Stanley has this great role on the Pistons at the moment. Since the start of the year, he’s seen a dip in minutes per game in every month. During the month of January, he’s only averaging 15 per contest.
At the same time, keep in mind that Johnson is still only 22 years old. If there’s a team out there that can potentially get the most out of him, you’d have to consider the Spurs as one of those teams. They seem to get the best out of every player on their roster, and that remains true as long as Gregg Popovich is still the head coach.
Adding a player like Stanley Johnson would be such a Spurs move, and could end up paying dividends if they can find a way to get his career back on the right track. Johnson has all the measurable and has the look of a productive NBA player. He simply hasn’t been able to put it all together.
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If the Spurs believe they can be that team, they should no question take a closer look at this possibility.