Getty Victor Wembanyama
The San Antonio Spurs are steadily becoming a destination for high-caliber players, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, thanks to the quick ascent to superstardom of Victor Wembanyama.
“Having spent this weekend here [in San Antonio], I’m gonna say there’s going to be a player or two who is going to be forward-thinking and want to get himself to San Antonio,” Windhorst said on the April 2 episode of his “The Hoop Collective” podcast.
The 20-year-old Wembanyama has destroyed all kinds of expectations placed on him by NBA analysts, scouts and fans in his rookie campaign, averaging 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game for the last-place Spurs (20-60).
Windhorst said the Frenchman’s rapid transformation into a bona fide star has blown away NBA teams and that he single-handedly put the Spurs on the map for elite talents.
“Somebody is going to see this opportunity and say I can get myself to San Antonio,” Windhorst said. “I can be this guy’s running mate. I got to do it and there’s wide open space to do it.”
The San Antonio Spurs Find Themselves in New Territory
The Spurs, the winningest team of the 21st century, are in a new position: having to rebuild from the ground up.
According to Isaac Levy-Rubinett of The Ringer, chasing free agents has never been the team’s path toward success.
“Win-now blockbusters and tectonic free-agent signings have never been core to the team’s DNA, but then again, the Spurs have never had a player like Wembanyama,” Levy-Rubinett wrote in a story published April 12. “But given Wemby’s undeniable talent level and the league’s byzantine collective bargaining agreement, when to hit the proverbial button may be a more consequential decision than how.”
The Wemby Effect in the NBA
Jeff Garcia of the “Locked on Spurs” podcast highlighted how “the Wemby Effect” will drive top players to San Antonio through trade or free agency, particularly this summer, when major names such as Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and LeBron James are expected to test the market.
Although bringing an All-Star caliber talent to San Antonio will shorten the team’s path to title contention, Garcia and his guest Raul Rodriguez feel that the Spurs would be better off building talent around Wembanyama through the draft rather than spending seven-figure contracts on free agents.
The Spurs have a plethora of draft picks, including this year’s first-round pick, which they can use to add a talented young player to Wembanyama.
Garcia said he believed the only way the Spurs will acquire a big-time superstar is through trades.
“The only way they’ll get top names is if they hit gold in the draft or make a trade. “I believe that’s their best bet for bringing in a top name to play alongside Wemby,” Garcia emphasized.
The Spurs could target plenty of names if they take a proactive approach to talent acquisition. Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks superstar, has emerged as an attractive target since many observers believe he complements Wembanyama’s game with his infinite shooting range and playmaking ability.
Savvy veterans such as Jrue Holiday and Paul George are also appealing choices because they can offer stability and tutelage to the French prodigy.