A little more than a month has passed since the San Antonio Spurs traded Derrick White to the Boston Celtics for Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, and a protected 2022 first-round pick as part of the busiest deadline day in franchise history.
None of their moves significantly altered their season trajectory, though there was a clear intention to remain competitive amid what remained of the first year of their rebuild.
Competitiveness and rebuilding usually don’t go hand in hand. Rebuilding basketball teams are generally satisfied to improve their lottery odds at the expense of giving their young unpolished prospects a long leash, thereby relenting wins. Competitive organizations typically have set rotations with structure and aspirations of making deep playoff runs.
San Antonio is somewhere in the middle of that spectrum as they balance player development while fostering good habits they hope eventually lead to winning basketball.
The abovementioned Josh Richardson didn’t seem to figure into any plans this season. He sat out five contests during his first month with the Silver and Black, logged less than 15 minutes in three of his first four games for head coach Gregg Popovich, and scored a total of 13 points throughout a rather forgettable stretch of hoops.
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Despite looking like a complete afterthought following a DNP against the Charlotte Hornets, injuries to Doug McDermott, Devin Vassell, Josh Primo, and Lonnie Walker IV opened the door for Richardson to earn a role. And he has capitalized on this newfound opportunity, averaging 13.1 points per game on .437./.500/.944 shooting splits while making five starts in his last seven outings.
The 28-year-old swingman has been a substantial cog in the oxymoron of a process that is San Antonio’s competitive rebuild. He isn’t a carbon copy of Derrick White on the defensive end, but comparable switchability and a relentless motor have made his incorporation into the system painless. On the other side of the floor, differences from his predecessor have allowed Richardson to flourish in the 2-1-0.
Three-point shooting is his most valuable asset, and Richardson has been on another level since arriving in San Antonio. He has nailed an incredible 48.5% of his long-distance attempts, good for the eighth-best clip in the league over that span. Although being a somewhat low-volume stationary shooter lends itself towards better percentages, the ninth-year guard has shown more versatility than your traditional spot-up specialist.
A whopping 96.9% of his shots from beyond the arc with the Spurs have come off catch-and-shoot chances, but Richardson rarely stands still or looms in the corners. He isn’t a movement or off-screen shooter like Doug McDermott or Bryn Forbes, but his subtle relocation on the perimeter and quick release have punished defenders that lose track of him.
The six-five wing also has a knack for identifying holes on the perimeter in transition, adding another dynamic to an offense that loves to push the pace. Richardson fills lanes to near-perfection for the modern fastbreak, knocking down lightly contested trifectas as a trailer or running ahead of the pack to draw defenders away from the paint.
Josh Richardson draining catch-and-shoot threes in transition has been a nice bonus for San Antonio: pic.twitter.com/4pT2QKcvuM
Opponents will chase you off the three-point line when you’re an efficient marksman like Richardson. They can’t afford to leave him uncovered for a wide-open shot, and he takes advantage of closeouts with drives into the paint and midrange jumpers. In the event help defenders rotate to cut him off, Josh has the awareness to hit the open man.
Josh Richardson using head and shot fakes before attacking closeouts has also been neat: pic.twitter.com/c7KLdjZD44
While any sensible coaching staff would never ask the Tennessee alumnus to run an offense full-time, Richardson has displayed enough court vision and ball-handling chops to get a team into their sets in spurts. He routinely makes simple reads out of the pick-and-roll, hits teammates in transition, finds shooters from one pass away, and rarely turns the ball over.
Pleased with how Josh Richardson keeps the ball moving with basic reads in transition and the half-court: pic.twitter.com/QmCjeznpg6
The seven-year veteran is a more consistent facilitator than higher-ceiling prospects like Keldon Johnson, Lonnie Walker IV, Devin Vassell, and Josh Primo. And that probably explains why Josh has played nearly 30 minutes a night while San Antonio battles towards the play-in tournament. Despite the uptick in court time, his 17.2% Usage Rate and 34.7 touches per game have allowed the young core enough wiggle room to get their reps in.
Josh Richardson has shown some proficiency as a PNR facilitator and scorer with the Spurs: pic.twitter.com/9PizZn4j0g
The added spacing has undoubtedly benefited Dejounte Murray and crew, but his defense has been almost as impactful for the Silver and Black. BBall Index labels Richardson as a wing stopper, and he places in the 63rd percentile and 60th percentile in their matchup difficulty and positional versatility ratings. Though he can’t replace Derrick White, he plugs some of the gaps left in his wake.
The seventh-year professional has covered All-Star guards like Donovan Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Mike Conley, and Fred VanVleet and blanketed All-Star forwards like Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler. He even spent several possessions on six-nine center Chris Boucher. And his workload only looks more impressive when you consider Richardson has held his assignments to a combined 35-of-84 (41.7%) shooting, the best defensive field goal percentage on the roster during his tenure with the Spurs.
Gotta appreciate the positional versatility from Josh Richardson and the different ways he can impact the game defensively: pic.twitter.com/o2GAdxFQs0
The former Volunteer does the little things that often go unappreciated on a standard box score. He denies entry passes and dribble-handoffs with a passion, crowds the airspace of ball handlers, battles through ball screens to recover on plays, and stands his ground against post players. Although his seven steals and five blocks are fantastic, Josh is proof event creation isn’t the only way to leave your fingerprints on a game.
Josh Richardson has been a picture-perfect 3&D wing for the San Antonio Spurs. And his 25-point eruption against the Golden State Warriors serves as a reminder that the front office will have another monumental decision on their hands this summer since he’ll be under contract next season.
His seamless midseason integration makes his upcoming $12.2M salary palatable, and it could give the organization a backup plan should they let Lonnie Walker IV walk in free agency. With contenders always looking for players of his archetype, general manager Brian Wright might have a few lucrative offers to consider. Whatever happens, the Silver and Black seem positioned for a win-win situation.
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