Spurs' rebuild trade tree reaches into next cap squeeze

DeRozan and White deals still echo in the asset pile

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 44m2 min read

What happened: San Antonio turned earlier exits for DeMar DeRozan and Derrick White into a chain of picks, swaps and follow-on moves that still touch the roster. Those branches now run through Malaki Branham, Harrison Ingram and Ja'Kobi Gillespie, even as the franchise's rise back toward contention centers on Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and De'Aaron Fox.

Why it matters: That matters because the Spurs are approaching the stage where cheap rotation pieces and leftover draft value can soften a tighter payroll. Next summer's cap decisions around Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs give added weight to every smaller win from the rebuild.

By the numbers: Among the returns cited: Toronto's 2022 first became Malaki Branham at No. 20, Chicago's 2022 second was rerouted into Harrison Ingram at No. 48 in 2024, and a 2026 second from New Orleans became Ja'Kobi Gillespie at No. 42. The DeRozan deal also included a protected first that was top-10 in 2025 and top-8 in 2026 and 2027 before being returned to Chicago, which used No. 12 on Noa Essengue in 2025.

What to watch: Watch whether San Antonio cashes in remaining seconds or keeps stacking low-cost depth before the 2026-27 season. If Branham, Ingram or Gillespie claim bigger roles, the quieter trades from the rebuild will look more central than they did at the time.

Sources

Yahoo NBA 2026-10-02T20:16:42.041357+00:00

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NBAAnalysisSan Antonio SpursChicago BullsDenver NuggetsDe'Aaron FoxDemar Derozan

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