The San Antonio Spurs have managed to assemble a solid young core over the offseason. They already have Victor Wembanyama, but the Spurs took things up a notch since last season, as they went on to acquire De’Aaron Fox, making it one of their most highly anticipated seasons in a while. However, the celebration took a notch higher when San Antonio drafted Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant. But despite stacking up so much talent over the past few months, there’s still a major gap in the franchise’s roster. So who’s next?

Although the Spurs have plenty of talent across the board, they lack shooting and need a solid two-way player to lead the line alongside Wembanyama. That’s exactly why the Silver and Black have emerged as favorites to land Utah Jazz’s Finnish ace, Lauri Markkanen. According to A.M. Hoops’ Casey Kerinan, the Spurs are one of the top contenders to land Markkanen, who has also been a Golden State Warriors target for the longest.

During the latest episode of his podcast, Kerinan revealed why San Antonio is the perfect fit for Lauri Markkanen. “The Spurs have got a problem with De’Aaron Fox and Wemby. Oh, they’re good, but capped without shooting around them,” he said. “Spurs had no choice but to take Dylan Harper at number two in the draft. We all know, though, he’s not what they need. That’s marketing. Elite shooting, on and off-ball movement, and passing. His fit is undeniable, but what about the money? Well, they haven’t paid Wemby yet, which really helps.”

The Finnish forward has shot around 37.1 percent in his career. Even though the number already is quite impressive, it would be even better if you put aside Lauri Markkanen’s shooting numbers from the last campaign, where he managed to shoot just 34.6 percent from deep. So, it’s safe to say that the 28-year-old will be a match made in heaven for the Spurs. More so, given the fact that San Antonio is loaded with assets and can afford the Utah Jazz star without much financial trouble.

Adding him makes even more sense because Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox lack shooting from deep. Despite the small sample size, last season in the 17 games Fox played for his new team, he managed to score just 27.4 percent of his three-pointer attempts. On the other hand, Wembanyama shot a solid 35.2 percent from beyond the arc last season (& 33.9% in his career), which is still nowhere near Markkanen’s elite shooting abilities. This is something that makes them the clear-cut favorites to land Markkanen.

While other teams, such as the Golden State Warriors, have been monitoring the $238 million Jazz forward, they do not have enough assets or even cap space to accommodate his massive salary. Nonetheless, this should make you think of what the Spurs would have to give up if they really go all in to team up the Finnish sensation with Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio.

What will it take for the Spurs to land Lauri Markkanen?

Well, there’s no doubt that the San Antonio Spurs will benefit if Lauri Markkanen comes. However, getting a deal through, especially given that the Silver and Black will have to deal with Danny Ainge, will be a bit tricky. That’s because the Utah Jazz CEO has developed a notoriously well-known reputation around the league of being a tough nut to crack when it comes to trades.

So, it’s hard to think that Ainge will let go of his franchise player without asking for a fortune. In fact, not too long ago, when the Warriors, who have been admirers of the seven-footer, inquired about Markkanen’s asking price, they were left stunned.

Reportedly, Ainge asked for multiple first-round picks along with other assets. That’s why Casey Kerinan believes that the Spurs will have to sacrifice not just their draft stock but also a potential future superstar to land Lauri Markkanen. “So, the Spurs get Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz get Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Dylan Harper. That’s it. By far the best young player,” he said.

“I mean, Rob Dillingham, Jaden Ivy, or Dylan Harper. Keldon Johnson’s great at 26. Also, the Spurs may want to wait for someone like Giannis to cash in these ships, but there were rumors that they like Markkanen already,” Kerinan further added. The reporter suggested that, along with picking San Antonio, it could send this year’s No. 2 draft pick, Dylan Harper, to Utah as a sweetener to get Danny Ainge to sell his superstar forward.

Well, this does seem to be a decent deal from the Spurs’ perspective. While many might argue that giving up Dylan Harper might be too much, let’s not forget that they will be receiving an All-NBA caliber forward.

Just last season, despite struggling with injuries, Markkanen managed to average 19 points along with 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Then there’s his EuroBasket stats, where he was the 4th best, averaging 23.1 points per game. So, there’s no doubt about the 28-year-old’s potential. Now, the only thing the front has to worry about is whether giving up Harper will be worth it or not.