Spurs already have a crystal-clear trade deadline plan

De'Aaron Fox | Katelyn Mulcahy/GettyImagesWith one-third of the NBA season in the books, we have a much better idea of how the San Antonio Spurs look, and the results have been impressive. They currently have the second-best record in the brutal West and have already beaten several of the conference's best teams.

That includes the Oklahoma City Thunder twice, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets.

That early success, especially with the Silver and Black dealing with early injuries, has minimized the need for a big trade. At one point, it seemed likely that the Spurs would enter the fray for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo or Utah Jazz sharpshooter…