The San Antonio Spurs are among the most successful teams in the NBA, as they are perennial top contenders in basketball odds to win a championship. They are also the fifth-winningest NBA franchise in history with five titles. Thanks to their eye for talent, the Spurs were able to select great players in the draft to help them build their success in the league.
Alongside this ability to draft young talent, San Antonio was also able to make the correct moves in the trade market to bring in players that significantly helped their cause in the stacked Western Conference. Here’s a list of the top-four biggest trades in San Antonio Spurs team history.
George Gervin
Because of the bankruptcy of the Virginia Squires before the ABA-NBA merger, George Gervin was traded to San Antonio for cash worth $225,000. His arrival to the Spurs made him the franchise’s first bona fide superstar who led them offensively and carried them to multiple playoff campaigns, including three Western Conference Finals appearances.
The “Iceman” suited up for nine seasons in San Antonio and played in 709 games, averaging 27.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. The 6-foot-7 guard was also selected to be an All-Star throughout his tenure with the Texas-based team. Furthermore, he was part of the All-NBA first team five times before he got traded to Chicago.