Inside the Spurs’ Draft Strategy: Will They Shock the NBA by Holding Onto the No. 2 Pick in 2025?

Every year, when the NBA Draft Combine lands in Chicago, it feels like we’re kicking off an unofficial carnival of whispers, dreams, and heart-stopping possibilities. This year was no different. The 2025 Draft looms large on the horizon—the Barclays Center in Brooklyn will soon become the epicenter of basketball’s future stars June 25-26—and the buzz surrounding prospects and front office moves is reaching a fever pitch. We’ve seen intriguing workouts, positional chess plays, and some downright tantalizing rumors that have folks around the league buzzing non-stop.

Among the chatter, the San Antonio Spurs’ decision on the No. 2 pick is shaping up as a plotline to watch closely. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers appear ready to shake things up, entertaining offers for their No. 3 selection, keeping the trade market aflame. And as for the players themselves? The Combine didn’t disappoint, showcasing a host of athletes whose talents might just rewrite draft boards across the country.

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That said, Vecenie reports Philadelphia will listen to offers for the No. 3 pick and the right to draft V.J. Edgecombe or Ace Bailey, most likely. This is the smart move by Morey. For Philly, Edgecombe is another smaller guard who would become part of an already small backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, a good fit but not a need. Ace Bailey has upside but is a little more of a project and the Sixers are as win-now as it gets — and considering the Jayson Tatum injury, the 76ers should be aggressive about going for it next season.

Spurs likely keep No. 2 pick

• Lachlan Olbrich, forward/center, Illawarra Hawks. He was a standout in Australia’s NBL and came to the G-League showcase to show he belonged in the NBA, and did well enough there to get a call-up to the main combine. He showed good rim protection skills plus the ability to stretch the floor, and while he’s more of a second-round pick — maybe more of a two-way guy — he is on team’s radar now. It’s unclear who it might be, but keep an eye on the No. 3 spot as a potential trade.• Khaman Maluach, center, Duke. In an NBA where more and more teams are looking for big men who can protect the rim and are a vertical threat on pick-and-rolls, Maluach helped himself. He measured at 7’1″ barefoot and had a 7’7″ wingspan and a 9’6″ standing reach — those are the kind of big man numbers NBA teams are looking for, and Maluach fit the role with his combine tests. There are rumors he got a promise from the Raptors at No. 9.

Second, the Spurs are leaning toward holding on to the No. 2 pick. Here is what Sam Vecenie of The Athletic wrote about the Combine in Chicago.• Maxime Raynaud, center, Stanford. The senior big man was the only player to play in the first day of scrimmages, realize how well he played (and helped his cause) and opted out of Day 2. A bubble late-first/early second kind of talent, he showed the shooting and physicality around the rim that might get him to the first round.

76ers will listen to offers for No. 3

Most of the sources I talk to around the league think the most likely outcome is that the Spurs do just that: Stand pat and pick at No. 2.• Tahaad Pettiford, guard, Auburn. He turned heads with a 42-inch vertical leap and then put up big numbers in the first scrimmage. That caught many people’s eyes, but then he struggled in his next scrimmage, tempering the excitement. Still, strong Combine for him.If the Spurs keep the pick, they should draft the best player on the board regardless of position. Meaning, take Harper. It’s better to have too much talent at one position (a player can always be traded) rather than saying you don’t need to draft Michael Jordan because you already have Clyde Drexler. Harper is the clear No. 2 in this class, make him a Spur.

Standouts at NBA Draft Combine

This week saw the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, the unofficial start of draft season around the NBA (even if that is almost as year-round as the league itself). Here are the latest news, notes and rumors around the 2025 NBA Draft, taking place June 25-26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.• VJ Edgecombe, guard, Baylor. Edgecombe didn’t need much help, he was already projected as a top-four pick on most boards, but his athleticism and two-way potential stood out, and he may have put himself solidly above Ace Bailey for the No. 3 spot on a lot of boards.Daryl Morey is open to a trade. Shocking.The minute the Spurs landed with the No. 2 pick — well, a few minutes after, once everyone got over the shock of the Mavericks getting the top pick — people started drawing a line between Giannis Antetokounmpo and San Antonio. The logic is simple: The Spurs already have De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle at guards so they don’t need projected No. 2 pick Dylan Harper out of Rutgers, Antetokounmpo next to Victor Wembanyama make the Spurs instant title contenders, and San Antonio has the additional picks and players to match salary to make a trade that Milwaukee would like.From people in Chicago, here are a handful of players who helped their cause.Just a couple of problems with that. First, Antetokounmpo has yet to ask for a trade out of Milwaukee and may not. His choosing to stay may be the best bet.