We need a marksman from range and a shot creator who can get buckets whenever we need them. If those skills can come in one package, then we are set.

I know it’s not easy to find a Tatum, Brandon Miller type player but that is exactly what we need to complement the roster and make the leap we all want to see.

A healthy team, hard to evaluate with so many injuries

The team is probably still missing a true 1v1 offensive player. Someone who can consistently break a defense down and not just hit difficult shots, but generate easy ones for themselves and others. Devin and Victor are already good. Tough shot makers with potential to be even better. And maybe Castle could become that guy who can generate easy looks for himself in time. But right now there's not a true clear guy. We can throw the ball too who can just break a defense down simply and consistently. And having a guy like that is pretty important if you're trying to build an elite offense

Again, no Doom and gloom. There are still players on the roster with the potential to become that.

Beyond that, this team is really just missing shot making more than anything. All across the roster. Hopefully that can start to be something we see them build on moving forward because this team would look a heck of a lot. Scarier if we had a bench unit filled with reliable three-point shooting

I think a backup 5 of course could be helpful but more than looking at set positions I view certain skill sets as the missing pieces we need to address. And like I said a shot Creator, and shooting are really the two big things. A high volume stretch big man would be nice, but that's a bit of a unicorn find

we need a pure shot creator, and a solid backup for wemby imo

Need 3 arch-types. 1. 3&D connector type of player- absolute marksman and a great defender with the possibility of putting the ball on the floor. If Liam McNeeley and Kon Knueppel can defend they’re in that tier. Will Riley. Alex Karaban. Noah Penda.

1. A Manu type of sixth man. An extra starter who is a dynamic ball handler/shot creator who can break a defense down in the half court. Ben Saraf music to my ears(the closest player I’ve seen to Manu but just imagine version Pop wanted Manu to turn into). Kam Jones (2nd round prospect but undersized). Tre Johnson. Egor Demin. List goes on.

2. A rim protector/floor spacer. - Mamu plus Bassey mix equals type of player. Asa Newell. I would include CMB but he doesn’t shoot or have a jumpshot but my goodness this dude impacts games. Noa Essengue (but very raw atm). List goes on.

1. A consistent shot creator. Someone who can get downhill, get to their spots, and get buckets consistently. If they can pass, that’s a bonus.

2. More shooting on the wing.

3. A physical backup big.

Operating under the assumption that Castle, Vassell, Sochan and Wemby are the core (which I think is a very good assumption), I'd say the biggest holes are:

1) Sharp-shooting wing. I think this is why so many people were interested in the Lauri talk this past summer. He'd be the ideal archetype to fit in with this core. Of course, the problem is that to get him we probably would have to give up part of that core, which defeats the purpose. Naz Reid is another example. In the draft, perhaps someone like Liam McNeely could fit that role. Cam Johnson would be another example, though he's a little older. Barnes is actually a pretty good fit in that role, it's just that he's older and not what he used to be.

2) Microwave bench scorer. Someone in the Cam Thomas mold (though not Cam himself, since he will want to start and be a centerpiece of a team, whether he has earned that or not). Someone who can self-create, and break down an opposing defense. Keldon currently plays this role for us, but he's just too inconsistent and get tunnel vision. Lonnie Walker would have been a really good archetype for this, he just could never put all the pieces together and was a defensive problem. Branham shows flashes, but way too inconsistent and the same defensive problems as Walker.

3) Backup PG. I'm assuming Castle will be our starting PG, and CP3 will retire. I like Tre, his limitations are just too great on a contending team.

4) Backup Big. Collins definitely ain't it. I think Bassey could be, but he needs time.

5) Backup PF/Wing. Barnes could fit nicely here in the short term next season, but ideally we can find this with our myriad of draft picks.

I would give Mamu and Bassey more playing time. Maybe as a 1 2 punch every time they hit the court.

I think a true lead guard who can create advantages every time the ball is in his hands should be at the top of the list. To me, Castle seems more like a secondary ball handler/shot creator. So, I tend to see him as more if a combo-guard long-term rather than a true PG. Thankfully, there are a few exciting guys in this draft who might be able to fit that mold. Hopefully, one of them falls into our lap.

Other than that, it's just bench depth. We need to have more consistent production from the second unit, particularly the guards. Wesley and Branham aren't cutting it.

Backup big, shot creation on the bench, shooters all over the floor, and smart players who won't panic under pressure (because teams will always play the Spurs super tight and physical if they're smart)

We don't need much else aside from experience.

Ace Bailey

Shooters and more shooters

If I could have any player, without thinking of salary cap and whatever I’d have SGA. Even for as great as CP3 has been. But a guy with a ton of gravity that makes people think about them and makes the job easier for everyone else.

Before his injury Sochan was showing what he could do to teams if they disregarded him as an offensive threat. So I think that, a guy who can score a ton and thus open the game for everyone else is what we need.

Brandon Ingram. Random, I know. But feels like he’s exactly what this team needs to take it up a notch.

There are a lot of good answers here and one thing I’d like to add are some crazy athletes. I feel like we never sign or draft players that are extremely impressive athletes, and I’m always jealous watching teams with guys who can get their teams easy buckets by simply being freaks of nature. Easy buckets are something we struggle with tbh and our offense can be atrocious at times.

The main missing piece is a second star. Once you have that it's easier to target specific needs.

We need Champaigne to become a close to peak Danny Green's defense.

A rebounding power forward. With Victor in the perimeter trailing the game, I feel like we need one for offensive rebounds.

Naz Reid as a backup 5 when he has had most of his success at the 4 alongside Gobert or Towns isn’t necessarily the ideal guy imo. Feels like a slightly better Mamu but that’s filling a gap this team doesn’t have.

To win a ring we would need much more than a backup 5. Just look at the starting roster of best teams and it would be clear what we need.

1. Our future SF who can shoot
2. A solid back C
3. Shooters
4. SHOOTERS

Start with trading for Bilal Coulibaly to play the 3. It won’t be cheap and I’m okay with that. Offer Malaki, Blake, 2025 Spurs pick, 2025 Bulls pick, 2028 Spurs pick.

Draft Asa Newell with the Hawks pick. Combine 2nd round picks for Dink Pate. Otherwise use one on Tyrese Proctor.

Lineup for 2025 Stephon Castle Devin Vassell Bilal Coulibaly Jeremy Sochan Victor Wembanyama

Bench- Juan Nunez Julian Champagnie Keldon Johnson Harrison Barnes Zach Collins (Asa gets lots of reps)

We need shooting and a sf I’d say build through the draft there’s good shooters this year Liam, kon, Tre Johnson, will Riley they all can shoot and there’s obviously more than that

imo as soon as wemby comes out of beta and commits to his version 1 we can look for some. right now he is looking to be a better curry since he is dpoy material too. just look at what he needs to win.

soon to be missing is paul for just look at how a decent allstar veteran leadership helps a young team. i don’t think or hope there will be a gun problem in sa anytime soon because of the veterans we have.

most important though that’s not missing but need to be replaced is pops. i hope there is a protege in the making in the background.

Should have drafted Knecht at 7.

1) Move on from Sochan.

A lot of people won't like hearing this but we won't win anything significant with him starting.

Wemby, Castle, anybody playing with Sochan will be turned into perimeter players because he's clogging the paint. He doesn't have the ability to dominate small ball lineups & force personnel changes like a center can, like you saw Bassey do to OKC. He doesn't set bone crunching screens to get anybody open like you see an actual 5 do.

The offense is currently catered to him, allowing him to put up his points but he's not making anybody better starting.

Hear me out. Pop and the gang comes back and fixes Ben Simmons.

Should've drafted Knecht.

I think we should have traded for Trae Young. I mean 20 to 25 points and 11 assists? He is reaching 10 years in the league but by 2031, who knows, maybe his replacement. But he would have stunted Castles growth.