Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs’ center, not only met but surpassed the lofty expectations set for his rookie season, establishing himself as one of the NBA’s standout players towards the end of the year.
However, Wembanyama’s brilliance wasn’t enough to lift the Spurs as a whole, with the team finishing the season at a disappointing 22-60. Despite having a young roster with potential talents like Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Keldon Johnson, the Spurs need more firepower to avoid wasting another year of Wembanyama’s career.
Looking ahead, the Spurs have assets, including draft picks and promising young players, which they could potentially use to attract a high-caliber star to pair with Wembanyama. The allure of playing alongside a 7-foot-4 “cyborg” who enhances the play of those around him is strong, and Wembanyama himself has mentioned that fellow NBA players have expressed interest in teaming up with him.
RELATED: Victor Wembanyama ‘American Women’ Tweet Goes Viral As NBA Star’s Rookie Season Comes to an End
Potential trade targets could include Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, who led his team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 but might be looking for a change as the Hawks consider rebuilding. Another possibility is Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose partnership with Darius Garland hasn’t lived up to expectations. With one year left on his contract and a player option following, Mitchell might see a move to San Antonio as a fresh start with a lucrative extension.
Ultimately, it seems likely the Spurs will strive to complement Wembanyama’s talents with another star, aiming to leverage his rookie season averages of 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 blocks per game into a more competitive team framework.
