NBA mock draft: Spurs updated draft picks and who they'll take with Hawks selection

The San Antonio Spurs are going for it. A bold trade deadline move to acquire De'Aaron Fox accelerates San Antonio's timeline quite a bit. Victor Wembanyama is already one of the very best players in this league, and now he has a star running mate at what was previously the Spurs' biggest position of need.

The benefits of the Fox trade were on full display in a nail-baiting win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Fox dropped 24 points and 13 assists in his debut, creating endless advantages for the Spurs' offense with his breakneck downhill speed. Defenses are going to have a hard time helping on Fox drives with Wemby lurking on the weak side, ready to catch lobs or to crash the offensive glass.

It's too soon to dub the Spurs a contender, but Fox and Wemby will probably sneak into the playoffs, and San Antonio has a ton of flexibility to build out this roster. It will start in the 2025 NBA Draft, when the Spurs have two first-round picks. Their own and, as fate would have it, Atlanta's selection, which arrived as part of the ill-fated Dejounte Murray trade.

The Hawks are ninth in the East, occupying a strange team-building limbo. There's no point in "tanking" when their pick belongs to San Antonio, but the Hawks aren't good enough to win at a high level. Jalen Johnson is done for the season, while both De'Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic were shipped out at the deadline. Caris LeVert, Terance Mann, and the new Hawks arrivals should help keep the team afloat, but the Spurs are in a position to potentially crack the playoffs and pick in the lottery, courtesy of Atlanta.

If the season ended today, the Spurs would pick 10th and 11th, with Atlanta's pick landing in the No. 10 slot. This is a deep lottery class, so San Antonio could parlay the Hawks' struggles into a legitimate difference-maker.

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Spurs updated draft picks and mock draft: Kon Knueppel brings versatility on the wing

In addition to two lottery picks, the Spurs own their own second-round pick (No. 41).

Our latest NBA mock draft has San Antonio drafting Duke's Kon Knueppel with the 10th overall pick. Fox plugs the glaring hole at point guard, freeing up the Spurs front office to address ongoing concerns about the wing depth chart.

Fox and Wemby is a deadly combination, but this Spurs team really needs more volume shooters. Knueppel is one of the best 3-point marksmen in the draft, currently averaging 6.1 attempts in 29.5 minutes and converting at a 37.3 percent clip.

He has legitimate NBA range and feather-soft touch. Frankly, the numbers don't do justice to Knueppel's proficiency as a shooter. His 3-point volume alone figures to have a pronounced impact on the Spurs' offense, but Knueppel's skill set goes well beyond the jumper. He has been a dynamic contributor for red-hot Duke, finding ways to influence winning across the board.

Knueppel is an immensely underrated passer. He won't run the offense, but he's comfortable handling out of pick-and-rolls and firing live-dribble dimes. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 217 pounds, his creativity and footwork on drives is mighty impressive. The 19-year-old isn't a great athlete by NBA standards, but Knueppel leverages his strength and does a nice job of finding angles to exploit the defense. He won't create his own offense at a high clip, but he will get downhill off of screens or attack errant closeouts, generally processing the floor quickly and making the right decisions.

The Spurs need a complementary wing in Knueppel's vein. His shooting and secondary playmaking would fit hand-in-glove next to Wemby and Fox, opening up the floor and giving the Spurs another snappy passer to grease the wheels on what should quickly emerge as a potent offensive unit. He isn't a great defender, but Knueppel understands his assignments and competes hard. With Wemby patrolling the paint, he would have plenty of protection in San Antonio's scheme.