Poeltl is an elite defender, great rim protector, and he's becoming a reliable offensive player. He's 26 years old in Year 2 of a 3/$26 contract. Who would be worth trading him for?
LaMelo is untouchable. Hayward and Plumlee are too old for the Spurs timeline. The Spurs already have a glut of guards. PJ Washington is solid but an undersized big. Bridges is about it. He has a high ceiling and he'd fit with the roster. Problem is the Spurs already have a guy like him.
What package would the Hornets have for Poeltl? The Spurs want a good player and a 1st for him. I'll think about Miles Bridges and a pick but Keldon Johnson should be at that level soon enough anyway.
The Spurs are a long way from contending, but they do have elite defenders at PG and C and both are scoring more now that they can't rely on DeRozan and Aldridge.
Bridges: 23 years old, 6-6, 225
Johnson: 22 years old, 6-5, 220
Bridges last season: 12.7 pts, 6.0 reb, 2.2 ast, .503 fg, .400 3pt
Bridges this season: 19.8 pts, 6.0 reb, 3.5 ast, .486 fg, .312 fg
Johnson last season: 12.8 pts, 6.0 reb, 1.8 ast, .479 fg, .331 fg
Johnson this season: 15.4 pts, 6.1 reb, 1.8 ast, .471 fg, .431 3pt
I made that post before I looked at the stats and saw Keldon is on Bridges' trajectory. Why give up a very good C for a duplicate player?
There's nobody on the Hornets worth trading Poeltl for. Again, the Spurs have a good starting point for playoff contention with Dejounte and Poeltl, elite defensive PG and C. They just need to get a legit PF, trim the roster, and need very young players to develop in Primo (19), Vassell (21), and Johnson (22). If one of them can become a better player than Murray and the other two can be quality rotation guys, that's a solid playoff team.
Now if the Hornets want Derrick White for PJ Washington, we can talk.