Complete grades for all 30 teams in the 2019 NBA Draft

San Antonio Spurs

Luka Samanic (No. 19), Keldon Johnson (No. 29), Quinndary Weatherspoon (No. 49)

In what seems to have become a yearly tradition at the NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs began their night by selecting a non-hyped European mystery in Luka Samancic. Coming out of Croatia, the big man showed good instincts around the rim, able to maneuver around defenders in getting open looks.

There’s a lack of foot speed that will hamper him in guarding smaller players, while the foundation for a potential 3-point shot doesn’t appear to be present. San Antonio may have drawn some questions with guys like Brandon Clarke and Nassir Little still on the board, but it’s hard not to give the front office a long rope given their success on past selections.

Their next selection would be a bit more familiar to the general NBA public. Keldon Johnson was a high-effort guard at Kentucky last season, grabbing 5.9 rebounds per game, crashing the glass among the trees with little to nor fear of what may come from it.

His shooting form may not be the prettiest, but with a 38.1 percent conversion rate from distance, it’s hard to argue with the results he’s gotten. Johnson struggles in creating looks for himself, but in a Spurs offense predicated on both ball and player movement, those deficiencies should be somewhat mitigated.

San Antonio would then take another guard, Quinndary Weatherspoon, at 49th overall. With so many guards already on the roster, it’s hard to see what use Gregg Popovich would have for the four-year player out of Mississippi State.

The Spurs rarely seem to make headlines on draft night. After years of making the NBA world look foolish, it’s best to just trust their process and wait a few years before passing along judgment on a franchise that thinks three steps ahead than everyone else.

Grade: B-