NBA Draft 2017: 5 targets for the San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are the best team that has a pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. They also have a lot of needs with aging stars at many positions. Who will San Antonio take at No. 29?

The Spurs never have high draft picks. They have been good for the last 20 years. So again, at pick No. 29, what will the Spurs do? Could they pull a George Hill to Indiana for Kawhi Leonard deal this year? First, we should look at San Antonio’s needs — a combo guard who can learn from aging stars and play some minutes.

The Spurs also need a young forward to play alongside Dewayne Dedmon, a budding young contributor. The Spurs are the third-oldest team in the league behind the Cavaliers and Clippers. That could change if Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli retire, but the Spurs still need people to replace them. So, here are five targets for San Antonio in the 2017 NBA Draft.

5. Isaiah Hartenstein, C, Germany

San Antonio has a great track record of international prospects that turn into contributors. The Spurs are the only team in the league without a traded player on its roster. I would not expect that to change in the draft. Someone who is a few years away but also worth a first-round pick is Isaiah Hartenstein. The 7-foot, 19-year old out of Germany is a perfect long-term replacement for Pau Gasol and/or LaMarcus Aldridge.

He’s a big guy with some muscle, a natural five at the NBA level. He is a stash pick because he has not grown into his body yet. Isaiah hunches a lot, and he does not use his combination of size and strength well enough yet. He would perform poorly against someone like Dwight Howard. Second, he turns the ball over too much, and he cannot hit a shot outside of ten feet (despite a willingness to shoot 3s and a promising shooting form). If Hartenstein gets a little more agile and starts knocking down 15-footers, he could to make a big impact in the NBA for the Spurs.