Oddsmaker Projects Spurs to Finish With NBA's Worst Win Total
The San Antonio Spurs are committed to rebuilding after deciding to trade NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray to the Atlanta Hawks. The return featured a lot of future draft capital, and now, they have a roster filled with young players.
Given the circumstances, the Spurs are expected to finish with one of the worst records in the NBA during the upcoming season. Instead, their measure for success will be in the strides the young players on their talent achieve in their development.
From odds released by PointsBet USA, the Spurs' win total projection for the 2022-23 season is currently 23.5. There is no team projected to finish with fewer wins. The next lowest projected win totals include the Indiana Pacers (25.5), Oklahoma City Thunder (25.5), Detroit Pistons (26.5), Houston Rockets (27.5) and Orlando Magic (27.5).
Keldon Johnson is expected to shoulder a larger role next season after having just a 21.0 percent usage rate last season. The Spurs wasted no time locking him into a long-term deal by reaching an agreement on a four-year, $80.0 million contract.
Johnson, 22, is coming off a 2021-22 campaign that featured being the Spurs' second leading scorer with averages of 17.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. Further progression in his development will be a key storyline to keep tabs on.
There are still some talented veteran players remaining on the Spurs' roster, including Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson, and Doug McDermott. It just remains to be seen how long those names will be on the roster as the front office works to acquire more assets.
Even if young players like Josh Primo, Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, or Blake Wesley all were to exceed expectations, the Spurs are likely to be among the NBA's lowest win percentage teams during the upcoming season.
The focus for the Spurs right now is on the future. They have many players who will thrive alongside a future franchise cornerstone or two. However, losing games and adding talent through the draft will likely be required to do so.
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