The jdeleonpsn1's Podcast

In Spurscast episode 684, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and Project Spurs Editor Jonas Clark discuss: 

• Another 4-Game Losing Streak
• Trade rumors involving Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson, and Doug McDermott
• Jeremy Sochan’s Shooting Improvement

Another 4-Game Losing Streak

The San Antonio Spurs are in the midst of their fourth four-game losing streak of the season, after suffering two losses to the Los Angeles Clippers, a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, and a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in their last four games.

Through 49 games, the Spurs are 14-35 overall, with the 28th-ranked offense and 30th-ranked defense. The Spurs have the fourth-worst record in the league still when looking at lottery odds for the number one overall pick.

Trade rumors involving Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson, and Doug McDermott

Earlier this week Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com provided some trade rumors surrounding Poeltl, Richardson, and McDermott.

As has been reported before, the Spurs reportedly are trying to acquire two first-round picks for Poeltl. In the event Richardson or McDermott are moved, the Spurs are likely getting back second-round picks in a potential deal.

The trade deadline is getting closer with the calendar flipping to February soon, with the date officially set for February 9,.

Jeremy Sochan’s Shooting Improvement

Prior to December 18, Sochan was shooting 41% from the free throw line according to CleaningTheGlass.com. His three-point accuracy was struggling during that period as well.

Since Sochan switched to shooting one-handed free throws, his accuracy from the charity stripe has improved to 75% since December 19. Sochan's two-handed shot from the three-point line has started to improve as well during that stretch.

In Spurscast episode 683, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and Project Spurs writer Benjamin Bornstein discuss: 

• The Spurs in their last two games
• More Jakob Poeltl trade rumors
• A check-in on projected top players in the draft lottery

The Spurs in their last two games

The San Antonio Spurs went 1-1 in their last two games, with a loss to the Sacramento Kings, and then a win against the Brooklyn Nets. Keldon Johnson finished with a career-high 36 points in the win against the Nets and a career-high four steals.

Through 45 games, the Spurs have the 28th-ranked offense, 30th ranked defense, and they haven't moved in either direction in the overall standings. They're still 14th in the Western Conference standings, and they've got the 4th worst record in the league when looking toward the draft lottery.

More Jakob Poeltl trade rumors

Tuesday and Wednesday this week TheAthletic.com had two trade rumor articles that mentioned Spurs starting center Jakob Poeltl. The two known teams with interest in Poeltl are the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors per the articles.

The Spurs are asking for two first-round picks for Poeltl according to Jared Weiss of the Athletic.

A check-in on projected top players in the draft lottery

What if the Spurs don't end up with the number 1 or number 2 overall pick? If they can't draft Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson, here are some other draft prospects on different mock drafts projected in the 3-5 range:

At number 3: Amen Thompson, Brandon Miller, Nick Smith Jr.

At number 4: Amen T, Smith Jr., Miller, Cam Whitmore, Anthony Black

At number 5: Miller, Smith Jr., Whitmore, Ausar Thompson, Jarace Walker, Gradey Dick

In Spurscast episode 682, Spurscast host Paul Garcia discusses: 

• The Spurs going 0-3 in their last three games
• The Spurs through 43 games
• Another Jakob Poeltl trade rumor
• Tre Jones’ increased scoring

The Spurs going 0-3 in their last three games

This past week the Spurs went 0-3 with two losses on the road in Memphis and they got blown out in their attendance record setting game Friday against the Golden State Warriors.

While the Spurs were underdogs in all three games, they did push the games in Memphis into crunch time and in all three games, Tre Jones was the standout player for San Antonio.

The Spurs through 43 games

Through 43 games, the Spurs are 13-30 with the 27th ranked offense and 30th ranked defense. The team has the 4th worst record in the league when looking toward lottery projections and they're in the midst of a 4-game losing streak for a third time this season.

Another Jakob Poeltl trade rumor

Friday before the Spurs and Warriors game, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com said on ESPN that the Spurs are likely to see significant trade offers for center Jakob Poeltl with the NBA trade deadline approaching in early February.

Wojnarowski said while the Spurs wouldn't mind re-signing Poeltl for the future, if they were sent an offer they can't refuse like with the Dejounte Murray trade, they may end up moving Poeltl.

Tre Jones’ increased scoring

In the last six games Tre Jones has become close to a 20-point per game scorer for San Antonio, while he's still collecting assists with his ball movement to his teammates. With Devin Vassell out due to a left knee procedure, Jones has become more aggressive on the offensive end, adding almost five more shots per game in the last six games.

For Jones, this shows his ability to be adaptable in not just being a balanced point guard who scores and moves the ball when Vassell and Keldon Johnson are in the lineup, but also how he can be an aggressive scorer when the team needs more scoring.

In Spurscast episode 681, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and Project Spurs writer Collin Reid discuss: 

• The Spurs going 2-4 in their last 6 games
• The Spurs through 40 games
• Roster moves this past week
• Trade Rumors

The Spurs going 2-4 in their last 6 games

The San Antonio Spurs went 2-4 in their last 6 games, defeating the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, but falling to the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Knicks, and Boston Celtics.

During this stretch, the Spurs also announced Devin Vassell will undergo a left knee procedure, which will keep him on the injured list with no timetable of when he'll return.

The team will provide updates as appropriate, but Head Coach Gregg Popovich mentioned to the media he thinks Vassell could return after the All-Star break.

The Spurs through 40 games

Through 40 games, the Spurs have the 27th-ranked offense and the 30th-ranked defense. The team is 14th out West in the standings and they have the 4th worst record in the league when looking at lottery odds for June.

Roster moves this past week

The Spurs made multiple roster moves this past week with the team waiving Gorgui Dieng Thursday, then the team trading for and waiving Noah Vonleh from the Boston Celtics. Along with Vonleh, the Spurs acquired cash considerations from the Celtics and San Antonio traded a 2024 second-round pick that is protected 31-54 according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.com.

Saturday Stanley Johnson's contract is fully guaranteed for the rest of the season, which means the Spurs have 14 players on guaranteed contracts. Lastly, on Sunday, the Spurs re-signed Dieng to a 10-day contract.

The Spurs now have $27.7 million in cap space and they're $15.9 million from reaching the salary floor with the trade deadline arriving in the next month on February 9, 2023.

Trade Rumors

Saturday Eric Pincus of BleacherReport.com wrote about the latest trade rumors he's been hearing about the Spurs. Those trade rumors are discussed in the episode.

In Spurscast episode 680, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and Project Spurs director of digital content Joe Garcia discuss: 

• The Spurs in their last 6 games
• The Spurs through 34 games
• Malaki Branham in his last 6 games
• Jeremy Sochan in his last 5 games
• Stanley Johnson getting rotation minutes

The Spurs in their last 6 games

The San Antonio Spurs went 2-4 in their last six games, with wins against the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz, while they suffered losses to the Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs through 34 games

Through 34 games, the Spurs are 11-23 overall, with the 28th-ranked offense and 30th-ranked defense. The Spurs have the 4th worst record in the league, meaning if the lottery were held today, they'd have a 12.5% chance at the number one overall pick in the NBA draft.

Malaki Branham in his last 6 games

In his last six games, rookie Malaki Branham has been productive off the bench, averaging 12 points on seven shot attempts, with two assists, and two turnovers in 21 minutes (stats rounded).

The coaching staff has put the ball in his hands more often, having him run the backup point guard role and he's displayed his 3-level scoring ability.

With Branham playing well, could the chances increase for Josh Richardson to be traded before the February trade deadline?

Jeremy Sochan in his last 5 games

Sochan has been more aggressive on offense in his last five games, where he's averaging 14 points on 12 shot attempts, with four assists and two turnovers in 28 minutes per game (stats rounded).

Sochan has also begun to rebuild his jump shot by attempting free throws with just one hand.

Stanley Johnson getting rotation minutes

Unlike former Spurs, Jordan Hall and Alize Johnson, who mainly played in garbage time when they were on the Spurs, recent addition Stanley Johnson have been getting rotation minutes off the bench at the wing position.

In his seven games, the veteran Johnson is averaging six points on four shot attempts, with two assists, one turnover, two rebounds, one foul, one steal, and one block in 13 minutes per night (stats rounded).

Johnson has earned early minutes by being physical on defense and setting the tone on that end of the court for the team.

Spurscast: Trade Rumors and Keldon Johnson Attacking the Paint

In Spurscast episode 679, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and the NBA Editorial Director for Fansided, Josh Paredes discuss: 

• The Spurs in their last four games
• Jakob Poeltl trade rumors
• Keldon Johnson Attacking the Paint
• Spurs signing Stanley Johnson

The Spurs in their last four games

The San Antonio Spurs were underdogs in all four of their last four games, but by the time the four games were completed, the Spurs finished with a 3-1 record. The Spurs ended their 11-game losing streak with a win over the Houston Rockets, then they went on the road and defeated the Heat in Miami, followed by a home win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Being on a 3-game win streak going into Wednesday, the Spurs were without both Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Spurs struggled defensively against Portland and their 3-game win streak was snapped.

The Spurs are now 9-19 through 28 games, with the 29th-ranked offense and 30th-ranked defense.

Jakob Poeltl Trade Rumors

With December 15 arriving Thursday, 74 players who signed free-agent deals across the NBA are eligible to be traded. This means trade rumors and activity will likely start being mentioned more frequently until the February trade deadline.

Jakob Poeltl's name came up in a recent Yahoo! Sports article. Other players to watch in trade rumors going forward are Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott.

Keldon Johnson Attacking the Paint

After struggling with his outside shot toward the end of November, Keldon Johnson has made a new decision in his shot selection by attacking more often.

Through six December games, Johnson has scored 10 or more paint points with his new emphasis on attacking the rim multiple times instead of shooting from outside first.

Spurs signing Stanley Johnson

This week the Spurs waived Alize Johnson and signed veteran Stanley Johnson.

Spurscast: Injuries, Losing Streak, 3-Point Shooting Struggles

In Spurscast episode 678, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and Project Spurs director of digital content Joe Garcia discuss: 

• The Spurs in their last 3 games
• The Spurs through 24 games
• Keldon Johnson before and after mid-November
• The Spurs’ 3-point shooting

The Spurs in their last 3 games

In their last three games, the San Antonio Spurs fell on the road in Oklahoma City, then lost to the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns in the AT&T Center. 

According to Vegas, the Spurs were expected to go 0-3 in those last three games, but, in that game against the Thunder, the Spurs had their best chance to end their 11-game losing streak when they built a 17-point lead. 

The Spurs through 24 games

Through 24 games, the Spurs are 6-18, 15th out West, and with the second-worst record in the league. If they lose three games in a row, they'll have a new franchise record 14-game losing streak. The Spurs rank 29th offensively and 30th defensively through 24 games. 

Keldon Johnson before and after mid-November

Digging through the data, after November 18 is when Keldon Johnson began to struggle in multiple games. There could be a culmination of factors for why Johnson began to struggle with defenses keying in on him as a go-to player, and with multiple rotation players starting to miss games due to injury. One major factor in Johnson's drop in scoring efficiency has been his struggles from the outside. 

The Spurs’ 3-point shooting

With Johnson struggling from three and Doug McDermott and Josh Richardson being on the injured list, the Spurs have been struggling from the 3-point line as a team. Lately, they're having difficulty getting over a point per shot on their wide-open three-point attempts, and defenses have started allowing more wide-open threes for San Antonio. 

Spurscast: Looking At The Spurs Eight Game Losing Streak

In Spurscast episode 677, Spurscast host Paul Garcia and Project Spurs director of digital content Joe Garcia discuss: 

• The Spurs in their last 5 games
• The Spurs are a quarter of the way through the season
• Alize Johnson signing again with San Antonio
• Isaiah Roby off the bench

The Spurs in their last 5 games

In the midst of an eight-game losing streak, the San Antonio Spurs went 0-5 in their last five games. The Spurs had four double-digit losses to the Clippers, Lakers, and Pelicans, and a close loss to the Lakers in their most recent game.

In their final game against the Lakers Saturday, Jakob Poeltl and Jeremy Sochan both left the game early due to injuries.

The Spurs are a quarter of the way through the season

Through 21 games of the season, the Spurs have a 6-15 record, sit 14th out West, and have the fourth-worst record in the league. San Antonio's offense ranks 28th and their defense ranks 30th.

The Spurs are trying to end their 8-game losing streak, with their next chance coming Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

Alize Johnson signing again with San Antonio

Tuesday the Spurs waived guard Jordan Hall in order to sign forward Alize Johnson. Johnson was previously on the team during training camp and the preseason, but he was eventually waived before the regular season roster was set.

Johnson will provide more frontcourt depth off the bench for the team after the recent injuries to Poeltl and Sochan, as well as Keita Bates-Diop being questionable with an ankle injury for the game Wednesday against the Thunder.

Isaiah Roby off the bench

In 16 games, Isaiah Roby has averaged 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 13 minutes per game. In his limited minutes, Roby has shown the ability to spread the floor with his outside shooting both from the corners and the above the break three.

In this episode of the Spurs Cast, Paul Garcia speaks with Project Spurs' director of digital content, Joe Garcia. Jakob Poeltl trade rumors? Jakob Poeltl's name has come up in some trade rumors with the Boston Celtics. We will discuss if the Spurs should keep Poeltl and extend his contract or consider trading him rather than losing him in free agency. We will discuss the Spurs through 16 games. The team is young and inexperienced, which has led to some struggles, particularly in crunch-time situations. Both Joe and Paul will talk about what the team needs to do to get back in the win column.  How has Jeremy Sochan performed early in his rookie season?  We will discuss how rookie Jeremy Sochan has performed and share some observations that we have liked about his game. The Spurs recently announced that they have reached a settlement with Dr. Hillary Cauthen in the Josh Primo lawsuit. Paul Garcia will provide an update on what this means for the Spurs organization moving forward. 

 Spurscast Ep. 676 Time Stamps 

00:00 - Introduction 

00:46 - The Spurs through their last 4 games. 

02:52 - Discussing the young Spurs team's inexperience.    

07:23 - Jakob Poeltl Trade Rumors 

14:29 - Jeremy Sochan's rookie start by the numbers 

25:44 - Spurs reach a settlement in the Primo lawsuit 

27:29 - End Show

Follow Paul Garcia on Twitter @PaulGarciaNBA

Follow Joe Garcia on Twitter @twoshotspodcast

On today's episode of the Spurscast, Paul Garcia is joined by NBA editorial director for Fan Sided, Josh Paredes. They will discuss the Spurs in their last two games, including Charles Bassey coming off the bench, Tre Jones running the point, and Zach Collins heading to the injury list. They will also discuss the team's most recent loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Spurs despite the losses have been playing well. The team's effort has been there and the young players are showing a lot of promise. Both Paul Garcia and Josh Paredes agree that a big reason for the loss was Ja Morant and the fact that the Spurs don't have a good roster to handle him. They also discuss how Devin Vassell stepped up and took shots without hesitation, which is something that they want to see more from him. The Spurs are currently on a five-game losing streak, but they are still working to improve their game.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction

01:10 Spurs Loss To Denver & The Team's Losing Streak

02:33 The Team Establishing Good Habits

03:14 Recapping The Team's Loss To The Grizzlies

04:29 The Spurs played Ja Morant better than is past seasons

05:52 Where do the Spurs currently stand in the West?

06:30 Spurs injury report

08:53 Coach Pop has trimmed the rotation down

09:27 Charles Bassey off the bench

12:38 Tre Jones running the point

19:11 Ending the show

Follow Paul Garcia on Twitter @PaulGarciaNBA

Follow Josh Paredes on Twitter @Josh810