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Today β€” 24 June 2026Channel-Sport

NBA Draft: Spurs waste little time addressing some Finals issues

The San Antonio Spurs wanted to acquire size in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, and they certainly got it.

With the 20th selection, they selected injured Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance. The 6-foot-10 big man has a 7-5 wingspan, is ridiculously athletic and has significant upside as a two-way prospect.

Complications from a catastrophic knee injury limited him to four games this season, and that's why the Spurs unquestionably will bring him along slowly. They will make sure his recovery is optimal, and he's mentally ready to produce.

Quaintance, who is just 18 years old, is a long-term upside play, unlike Connecticut big man Tarris Reed Jr., whom San Antonio selected 26th after trading back into the first round.

San Antonio relinquished the 35th selection and two additional second-rounders to move up to take Reed.

The 22-year-old senior is a physical specimen at 6-10 and over 264 pounds. He has a 7-4 wingspan and posted a 31-point, 27-rebound game in the NCAA tournament.

Reed will likely crack the rotation earlier than Quaintance, but that's going to be by design.

The Spurs saw a drastic need for rebounding and interior play during their Finals loss to the New York Knicks, so they wasted little time pursuing potential solutions.

Furthermore, the choice to opt for size allows them to free up Luke Kornet in trade talks. Given his salary of over $10 million, he could make for an interesting salary-matching chip, especially if they can find a big wing to add for next season.

NBA Draft: Hawks prioritize long-term playmaking with Kingston Flemings at No. 8

Atlanta did something a little surprising Tuesday night in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Many figured the Hawks would go with size and choose 7-foot-3 Aday Mara out of Michigan at No. 8 overall to get a jumbo center in the fold.

Instead, they opted for 6-foot-3 lead guard Kingston Flemings from Houston.

It's not a bad pick, but with CJ McCollum re-signing for next season, it made sense that Atlanta would opt for size to shore up their frontline to complement Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga.

Flemings, however, is the long-term solution at point guard for this young team, meaning the organization put a larger emphasis on additional playmaking.

This suggests the Hawks wanted more on-ball help for Johnson so they don't overtax their All-Star forward, prioritized lineup symmetry and will possibly look to add size later in the draft or in free agency.

Regardless, Atlanta is a team to track next season.

Flemings is a ridiculously intriguing young lead guard who can score at three levels, has strong court vision and reliable decision-making, even at such a young age.

Will he have a huge impact on the Hawks in Year 1? Probably not, but that's not the play here. This is a long-term vision the Hawks are initiating and rightfully so.

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