San Antonio Spurs stock up, stock down

The Spurs haven't sniffed the postseason since the 2018-19 campaign. However, the expected arrival of generational prospect Victor Wembanyama has fans buzzing in San Antonio. Here are four members of the Spurs organization whose stock is trending either up or down:.

Stock Up 

Gregg Popovich, coach - Retirement speculation had been swirling for Popovich entering the offseason following San Antonio's fourth consecutive losing season. Yet, according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the five-time NBA champion is widely expected to return to the Spurs in 2023-24 after winning the NBA Draft lottery. 

Owning the rights to select Wembanyama gives the Spurs a legitimate chance to build a title-contending squad and Popovich the opportunity to further buff up his Hall of Fame resume. 

Keldon Johnson, F: Operating as the team's defacto go-to scorer in 2022-23, Johnson averaged a career-best 22.0 points per game. His shooting efficacy did dip in conjunction with the 17.7 field goal attempts he averaged per game — 5.9 more attempts than he averaged over the two seasons prior. 

While Spurs fans may question Johnson's viability as a No. 1 option, the projected selection of Wembanyama in June's draft greatly dampens those concerns. At 23 years old, Johnson has the chance this season to either solidify himself as a long-term running partner for Wembanyama or serve as a key trade chip for San Antonio to find a player they believe is better suited for the role. Either way, Johnson's value is on the rise.

Stock Down 

Zach Collins, C:  During an April press conference, Popovich appeared to preemptively name Collins the team's starting center for next season, via the San Antonio Express-News. Of course, that was before the Spurs knew they'd be selecting No. 1 in June's draft. 

There's a lot to like about Collins, who enjoyed a career revival after the Spurs dealt Jakob Poeltl to Toronto in a trade deadline move. Stepping in for Poeltl, Collins enjoyed a 19-game run where he averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and shot 39.2 percent from deep. Still, Wembanyama's expected presence in the frontcourt will greatly eat into Collins' minutes, usage and potentially even make the 25-year-old expendable.