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The Spurs were thrilled to win the lottery and will have a chance to add generational talent Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Wembanyama, who we saw in an old photo rocking a Spurs jersey of French basketball star Tony Parker, also seemed very happy to head to San Antonio (and not the Rockets).
The Spurs have a young team and Wembanyama can be the primary focus of their offense. They already have an intriguing roster to support him next year. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson are very solid wings who are only getting better.
Jeremy Sochan, one of the most versatile and disruptive young players in the NBA, is an ideal counterpart in the frontcourt for Wembanyama.
Tre Jones has played well at point guard, but San Antonio would be wise to take their team to the next level by adding an All-Star-caliber floor general. Especially considering James Harden is expected to sign with the Rockets, the best on the market this offseason will likely be Toronto’s Fred VanVleet.
According to HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan, the Spurs project to have around $37 million in cap space this offseason.
San Antonio may have some competition, though. The Suns are expected to have interest in VanVleet and, depending on what they do in the draft, the Magic may register some intrigue as well.
VanVleet reportedly turned down a four-year, $114 million last offseason, so he likely expects to make more than $28.5 million average annual value. He can sign a max contract with a new team for up to $172.8 million over four years or $43.2 million average annual value. San Antonio can get up to $43 million in space if they renounce Zach Collins.
It is possible that VanVleet may not command the full max contract, and he could potentially have some incentive to take a slight discount to potentially play alongside a generational talent like Wembanyama.
San Antonio would be wise to consider such an addition so that the first year goes as smoothly as possible for the projected No. 1 overall pick.
The Tip-Off
NBA content from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
We ranked the prospects who improved their draft stock the most during the 2023 NBA Draft Combine. Here was one takeaway:
“Penn State’s Seth Lundy recorded 12 points (4-5 FG, 4-5 3P) and 4 assists in the first scrimmage. He followed that up with 18 points (6-9 FG, 4-6 3P), 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in the second scrimmage.
The consistency of his jump shot should earn him a chance to hear his name called on draft night.
Lundy, who averaged 14.2 points per game while shooting 40.0 percent on 3-pointers, had a great explanation for how he was able to improve his jumper as a senior.
Even more encouraging: He was 38-for-79 (48.1 percent) on 3-pointers from NBA distance last season, per Stats Perform. That ranked second-best among prospects with at least 50 attempts tracked from that distance.”
One to Watch
(All odds via Tipico.)
Celtics (-8.5, -425) vs. Heat (+8.5, +350), O/U 215.5, 8:30 PM ET
It doesn’t feel like there is any chance the Celtics go down 2-0 against the No. 8 seed Heat, but an 8.5-point spread feels like a lot for Boston to cover against Miami.
Shootaround
— Austin Reaves became a hilarious pop punk-inspired meme with his messy hair
— Kyle Lowry had the most shocked reaction to Bam Adebayo calling himself ‘a phenomenal passer’
— LeBron James epically whiffed on an easy dunk, and NBA fans couldn’t believe it
— Everyone is roasting Micah Parsons for being a bandwagon NBA fan after wearing multiple jerseys