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The San Antonio Spurs have signed second-round rookie Sidy Cissoko to a three-year contract, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Drafted with the 44th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Cissoko spent this past season with the G League Ignite. However, Cissoko is from France, giving him a connection to Victor Wembanyama.
Cissoko put together an impressive showing in Summer League. While he didn’t shoot particularly well from the field, he was great in every other facet of the game. In five Summer League appearances, Cissoko averaged 5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. He shot 36.0% from the field and 22.2% from behind the three-point line.
The rookie’s mix of ball-handling, playmaking, and crafty finishing was earning him early comparisons to Spurs legend Manu Ginobili.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed No. 44 overall pick Sidy Cissoko to a three-year deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Cissoko is represented by @_tandemse and @YouFirstBasket.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 27, 2023
He was also a force on the defensive side of the ball. Cissoko’s strong frame at 6-foot-7 allowed him to body smaller opponents and act as a wall on that end of the floor.
Adding him to the current Spurs core on a guaranteed deal is a huge win for San Antonio, but it comes at a cost.
With Cissoko’s standard deal and Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract, the Spurs now need to release or trade three players by Opening Night.
The Spurs currently have 18 players on the roster, and the slew of veterans they employ seem most likely to get the axe. Guys like Khem Birch and Devonte Graham could be waived, and even a youngster like Charles Bassey might find himself on the chopping block with Wembanyama, Zach Collins, and Sandro Mamukelashvili firmly in place.
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