The San Antonio Spurs came into the 2024 NBA Draft with two picks in the top eight. They eventually came away with new cornerstone point guard Stephon Castle and a myriad of future draft assets.
Instead of utilizing the eighth overall pick, the Spurs decided to send that pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap. The Wolves, in turn, scooped up Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, who is expected to slide in alongside Anthony Edwards in Minnesota.
Should Victor Wembanyama Be Worried?
San Antonio’s moves on Thursday night do not exactly indicate a win-now attitude. Victor Wembanyama is set to make even more waves in his sophomore campaign, which makes you wonder if the Spurs are already thinking about competing for a championship as soon as 2025.
NBA analyst Kevin Pelton of ESPN believes that this won’t be the case, and Wemby should not be concerned:
“Patient. I know Wembanyama is eager to win now, and his skills will prevent San Antonio from picking in the top 10 as soon as next season. Still, we’ve seen too many teams with high lottery picks put low ceilings on their development as a team by rushing the rebuilding process. The Spurs should heed those teams’ mistakes,” Pelton wrote.
Jeremy Woo, a fellow ESPN analyst, seconded Pelton’s thoughts on the matter. Woo argues that the Spurs are still thinking five years ahead, with Wembanyama still at the very core of their rebuild:
“Unconcerned. San Antonio is going to eventually put a contender around Wembanyama one way or another, and I felt the return it got from Minnesota was massive, particularly for a top-10 pick in what was considered a down draft who became a talented but divisive playmaker in Dillingham. I’ll bet the Spurs eventually take those picks and turn them into something much more useful when the time comes,” Woo wrote.
Wemby isn’t going to win a championship in the near future, but he’s just too good to not contend for the same in the coming years. The Spurs organization knows what they’re doing and Thursday’s moves are an indication of their forward-thinking approach with Wembanyama as their cornerstone superstar.
Be the first to comment