Three free-agent targets for Spurs to kick off the Victor Wembanyama era

The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery for the third time in franchise history, earning the right to select 7-foot-5 French phenom Victor Wembanyama.

As the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, Wembanyama has the potential to change the franchise's direction, but he can't do it alone. 

While San Antonio boasts some promising young talent, it would benefit from adding more experienced players. Luckily, the team has the third-most projected cap space this summer to bolster its roster.

San Antonio hasn't been an appealing destination for free agents, and it'll take time before top options flock there to team up with Wembanyama. With that, here are three players the Spurs could target as they begin their new era:

Nikola Vučević, Chicago Bulls

Although it might seem odd to pursue a center, Wembanyama has voiced frustration in the past about having to play the five as it limits his offensive opportunities. Considering this while also factoring in his slender frame, he might be better suited to begin his career as a power forward.  

The Spurs traded away Jakob Poeltl midseason to increase their chances of landing Wembanyama. They'd get an excellent Poeltl replacement if they signed Vučević, the best free-agent center available. 

While Vučević lacks the defensive expertise of Poeltl, he's a more polished scorer that can stretch the floor, which would give San Antonio a versatile and intriguing lineup.

Vučević appeared in every game for Chicago this season, averaging 17.6 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field. 

After Miami eliminated the Bulls from the play-in tournament, the two-time All-Star said Chicago "will have priority" to re-sign him. Even so, with the team possibly headed toward a rebuild, it may opt to go in a different direction. 

Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets

Johnson spent his first three and a half seasons with Phoenix before being traded to Brooklyn in February as part of the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns. 

Much like Mikal Bridges, the 27-year-old thrived in an expanded role with the Nets, averaging 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 25 games, all above his career averages.

With a career three-point percentage of 39.3%, Johnson would provide a much-needed element to the Spurs' roster as they were the fifth-worst shooting team in that department this season (34.5%).

It's not a guarantee that the Spurs can sign Johnson since he'll be a restricted free agent, giving the Nets the option of matching whatever offer sheet he signs. 

However, with limited high-end players on the market and San Antonio having plenty of cap space, it could present an offer to Johnson that Brooklyn might be unwilling to pay.

Grant Williams, Boston Celtics

By no means is Williams the driving force behind the Celtics' success, but he does the small things that contribute to wins. The 24-year-old posted career highs in points (8.1), rebounds (4.6) and assists (1.7) this season and will become a restricted free agent this offseason.

Given that he's a young player with extensive postseason experience, he'll be in high demand this offseason, especially from an organization that emphasizes smart, cohesive play like the Spurs. 

San Antonio may already have Williams on their offseason target list, as Heavy Sports' Sean Deveney reported back in November that it is among the teams linked to the forward. 

Williams and his camp held extension talks with the Celtics during the season, reportedly asking for around $15-16M annually, which they couldn't afford to hand out.

According to Deveney, San Antonio could offer Williams a front-loaded deal of $17-18M per season to "scare off" Boston from matching its offer. 

Williams hasn't had a particularly productive postseason, averaging just 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds, so perhaps San Antonio can sign Williams to the contract he initially sought.