San Antonio Spurs’ position on trading Victor Wembanyama

The San Antonio Spurs will select Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wembanyama, 19, is widely considered a generational talent who offers whichever franchise lands him an opportunity to be set for the next decade.

Understandably, after building an entire dynasty around Tim Duncan, San Antonio envisions doing something similar with Wembanyama.

That said, the NBA offseason is rife with trade speculation, and the Spurs haven’t been immune to it.

This week the organization finally addressed whether there is any scenario where Wembanyama might be available for some sort of trade.

“We’re not picking up that phone,” a source told L.J. Ellis of SpursTalk. “[Wembanyama] is a chance to reorient the entire franchise and build upon the experiences and successes of the last 30 years. He’s that type of player and, more importantly, that type of person.”

Beyond being intent on keeping Wembanyama, the Spurs are already planning how to build around him.

According to Ellis, the team may also pursue a veteran point guard to pair with their talented new big man.

“When free agency opens, a scout for a Western Conference team believes the Spurs will make a hard push for either Chris Paul or Fred VanVleet,” Ellis wrote.

“He posits that the opportunity to pair Wembanyama with an experienced playmaker at point guard will ultimately be impossible for San Antonio to pass up.”

For what it’s worth there are currently two frontrunners to land Paul if he leaves the Phoenix Suns, and three favorites to wind up with VanVleet if he departs the Toronto Raptors.

San Antonio doesn’t make the cut for either.

That said, who knows how circumstances will change as free agency commences.

One thing is for certain, though: there is no way the Spurs are letting Wembanyama go no matter what sort of trade offer they are presented with.

For better or worse, San Antonio is riding with Wembanyama and putting the pieces in place to make him a Spur for life.