NBA Trade Rumors: San Antonio Spurs seen as top destination for superstars with Victor Wembanyama projected to reach playoffs

With their youthful core, the San Antonio Spurs have a better future ahead of them. Additionally, the Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, a generational talent that most stars would want to share the floor with. Fans saw how having Wemby encouraged De'Aaron Fox to leave the Sacramento Kings to join forces with the French star last season.

Even experts like ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon know that San Antonio is a growing destination. This offseason, the Spurs were part of the preferred landing spots for All-Star forward Kevin Durant. The 6-foot-11 star took interest in joining Wemby's team before he was traded to the Houston Rockets by the Phoenix Suns.

On the latest episode of "The Hoop Collective," NBA insiders discussed how the Spurs are becoming one of the top destinations for stars.

"San Antonio has more going for it than people give it credit for. It's very much a growing city. The next superstar that becomes available will consider the Spurs," Windhorst said.

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His colleague, MacMahon, agreed and gave his take on the growing market in San Antonio.

“Since they got Wemby, you’ve been talking about it,” MacMahon added. “San Antonio’s going to be a destination for players. And they didn’t engage in the KD bidding, but they were in Kevin Durant’s list.”

In the past, the San Antonio Spurs weren't a top destination for stars. Most players and fans viewed the organization as boring, even when they were winning NBA championships with their Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

However, the Spurs could make the playoffs soon. With that, stars might rush in to join the organization and help Wembanyama.

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How much can the San Antonio Spurs give Wembanyama in his next contract?

Earlier this week, it was reported that the San Antonio Spurs signed De'Aaron Fox to a four-year, $229 million contract extension. Following the new contract for the team's starting point guard, there were questions about how much the Spurs will offer Wembanyama.

According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Wemby will be eligible to sign a five-year, $271 million contract extension. His current deal, which is a rookie-scale contract, will expire after the 2026-27 season.

However, Marks pointed out that if Wemby wins the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or gets named an All-NBA player in the final year, he'll earn more. The insider revealed that Wemby's new contract extension could reach $326 million.

Out of all the accolades that the San Antonio Spurs star could earn, he has the best chance for the Defensive Player of the Year. In his rookie season, he finished second behind Rudy Gobert. He was the leading candidate the previous season, but the organization shut him down because of his blood clots.

Edited by Parag Jain