NBA Power Rankings 2: Jordan Poole leads breakout candidates

The San Antonio Spurs have already done things a certain way, at least for the last 25 years. They rarely make trades, they develop their own talent, and they turn castoff veterans into reliable rotation pieces. This season they are pivoting, letting their veterans walk to embrace something of a youth movement.

That doesn’t mean tanking, as many of those young pieces are established and on their second contracts. It does mean more playing time for their young core to develop, however, and to see who is the best of the group. Dejounte Murray is one of the league’s best defensive guards but has a broken shot, while Derrick White can never stay healthy long enough to build something meaningful. Does Gregg Popovich have enough to push for the playoffs? Likely not, so the youth movement could get even more pronounced down the stretch.

Breakout Player: Keldon Johnson. I’m lukewarm on both Murray and White becoming more than they currently are, but in the frontcourt, the Spurs have a third-year player ready to shine. Keldon Johnson was a late first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft but has blossomed into a strong starter. This past summer he was picked to be a role player for the Team USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, and that experience often launches players ahead in their careers. Look for Johnson to improve this season and potentially be the best player on this roster at season’s end.