We’re months away from the heart of trade season, but potential targets are dropping like flies. Bradley Beal’s extension in Washington took one highly coveted piece out of play until June, a series of rookie-contract extensions effectively took several others out of play … and now, a low-key contract move this week may have quietly removed another trade candidate.



For those monitoring the trading game, San Antonio is one of the most interesting teams to watch this season. On paper, it’s a fringe playoff contender with two juicy high-scoring veterans that could be in play later this year in LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan … but the Spurs could also turn and go all-in with their multitude of promising young players and draft picks.



The way San Antonio played its cards in the offseason makes the former scenario seem unlikely, and this week we moved another step further away when the Spurs changed the guarantee date on Aldridge’s...