It is rare when a player who is perceived to be generational exceeds expectations, but that is exactly what we are getting with Victor Wembanyama. The French big man has delivered on the statistical projections every scout had for him, but last season he added winning to the resume.
With Wembanyama at the helm, the Spurs surprised many by not only winning 62 games in the regular season, but also by representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. The only things left to achieve for Wembanyama and San Antonio are winning a championship and, perhaps, an MVP. The Spurs are rolling it back with a young core, and why not? Will the run to the Finals steel them for another, or will it take its toll and cause a regression for a young team not used to playing so much physical basketball?
BURNING QUESTIONS
Is this finally the MVP season for Wembanyama?
Outside of a Finals title, this is the only other achievement left for Wembanyama. Wembanyama finished third in MVP voting last season behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. He received just five first-place votes and did not come close to the award. This was despite averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks while leading the Spurs to the second seed in the Western Conference. Wembanyama has improved his scoring output every season in the league, and his efficiency jumped to 51.2% from the floor this last season. He has every indicator of an MVP, except for his workload. The former top overall pick played in just 64 games and averaged 29.2 minutes per contest. That will not be enough to win MVP over the likes of Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic. After a deep run to the NBA Finals, will the Spurs elect to be cautious with his workload once again, or will they increase his minutes total and thrust him into contention for the highest individual honor the league offers?
How do the backcourt minutes between De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper shake out?
Harper was a revelation for San Antonio in the postseason. After a strong rookie year in which Harper averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 50.5% shooting, the rookie took his play to another level. He averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in the run to the Finals and shot 51.5%. Harper improved the Spurs’ offensive efficiency by 2.1 points per 100 possessions on the floor last season. He is clearly due for a bump in playing time, but will it come at Fox’s cost? Fox’s play in the postseason declined last year. He averaged only 15.6 points on 41.4% shooting. He was a non-threat from beyond the arc for San Antonio. Harper is obviously much younger and appears to show an insane amount of promise. Could we eventually see a shift in the pecking order at guard by the time the end of the season comes around?
Is Tobias Harris the missing piece for San Antonio?
Harris is a great pro, but there are few realities in which he is the final piece of a championship roster. Still, the Spurs elected to go this route in the offseason. In fact, the addition of Harris was really the only addition of the offseason for the reigning Western Conference champions. Wembanyama clearly became fatigued as the postseason dragged on, and his production suffered. In the Finals, Wembanyama shot just 41.2% from the floor, and the Spurs were desperate to find another scoring valve outside of their franchise big man. That is where Harris comes in. Even ignoring Harris’ extremely strong postseason for Detroit — he averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Pistons last season — he just gives San Antonio a potential scoring outlet outside of Wembanyama in crunch time.
WIN TOTAL RECOMMENDATION: Over 59.5
