Vic-and-Roll Mailbag: Standouts, Letdowns, NBA Draft Targets, and Ending the Minutes Restriction

The Spurs have several questions left to answer before the season comes to a close.

Welcome to another edition of our weekly mailbag! Our readers submitted their Spurs questions on Substack, Twitter, and Threads during the All-Star Break, and we picked our favorites and cranked out some answers to those thoughtful inquiries!

Thank you for supporting our publication! Chime in with your opinions and hot takes in the comment section, and let us know what other hoops topics are on your mind as we prepare for the homestretch of the regular season for San Antonio!

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1.) As Victor Wembanyama gets more minutes, what are you looking for in his post-All-Star play? - @Pindown.NBA (Threads)

In his latest pre-game press conference on Wednesday, Gregg Popovich told reporters that San Antonio will ease Victor Wembanyama off his minutes restriction during the last leg of the season. Spurs fans celebrated this news as the team headed into the All-Star Break, and we will finally have an opportunity to see what the generational seven-footer can achieve with his longest leash since rolling his ankle in December.

While seeing the rookie phenom suit up for extended stretches and back-to-backs will be a silver lining to what has been an otherwise aggravating campaign from the young Spurs, there are several things we want to see from Victor. First and foremost, he must clean up his shot selection. Does this mean cutting step-back jumpers and behind-the-back layups out of the equation? No, but please forgo heat checks from the logo.

Sometimes, the 20-year-old has no choice but to fire a contested fadeaway as the clock expires, and no one should blame him for his inefficiency on those looks. However, his off-balance leaners early in possessions only bail opponents out of exerting the energy necessary to defend him for a full 24 seconds. Instead of chucking up a prayer because he is taller than everyone else, it would be nice to see him work on a go-to move.

More than anything, Wembanyama should focus on ball security, and that begins with simplifying his process off the bounce. He has committed a league-worst 60 turnovers over the last month, with a fair share of his giveaways coming on mindless drives into traffic where multiple helpers can dig at his dribble and dislodge the ball. As for all of the off-target passes, he often has the right idea. We can live with those mistakes.

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2.) If the Spurs are seriously considering a Trae Young deal, what type of effect will that have on their plans for the NBA Draft? - Emmanuel Cortez (Substack)

We have discussed the idea of San Antonio trading for Trae Young this offseason, and with how much we saw them yuck it up together on the sidelines at All-Star Weekend, it sure seems like there is enough smoke to speculate that a trade could be well within the realm of possibility. However, pulling off a blockbuster for the superstar facilitator would immediately expedite how the front office tackles the competitive timeline.

If the Spurs somehow maintain their first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, they may not be interested in taking prospects that require patience, long-term development, or even an extended stint in Austin to earn minutes in the 2-1-0. As much upside as Cody Williams and Alexandre Sarr have demonstrated, Brian Wright will likely value a more polished youngster like Zaccharie Risacher, who can contribute from day one.

Even in the event that the Spurs only retain the Toronto pick in this class, the strategy of drafting high-floor players rather than gambling on potential makes the most sense for them, especially with playoff aspirations moving front and center. Kyle Filipowski, Reed Sheppard, and Kevin McCullar are some names that fit the bill as plug-and-plays who could still be on the board in the mid-to-late lottery range come June 27th.

Even if San Antonio sends the Hawks their picks back from the Dejounte Murray deal that went down in 2022, their front office might want more ammunition for an all-out rebuild. Utah received the equivalent of five first-rounders from the Timberwolves for Rudy Gobert two years ago, and that could be the price for Trae Young. Should that be the case, the Spurs will probably lean on free agency and scour the second round.

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3.) Which player stands out the most in their improvement this season? Conversely, who hasn’t lived up to expectations? - ScroogeMcD (Substack)

A handful of players have made tremendous strides in San Antonio this season, but no one has grown as much as Blake Wesley. Though he was a net negative throughout his rookie go-round, the second-year guard has become a staple of the bench rotation and an impactful defensive contributor. Despite our earlier skepticism, he could be a long-term piece as the front office endeavors to construct a contender around Wemby.

Lousy finishing around the rim was one of the most concerning issues for Wesley, but he has done a 180 in that department. He has converted 65% of his attempts inside the restricted area this season, an astounding 21.6% uptick from a year ago. The speedster has also learned how to use change of pace on drives to keep his man off balance. Best of all, he has been disruptive as a point-of-attack defender for the young Spurs.

On the other end of the spectrum, Zach Collins is the no-brainer choice for the player who has been the greatest disappointment for the Silver and Black. Fresh off signing a two-year, $35 million contract extension last summer, the 26-year-old center has failed to meet expectations on almost every front. He lost his starting gig alongside Victor in 21 games, and injuries and inconsistency have continued plaguing his career.

Collins was a serviceable floor spacer during his first five seasons in the league, but he has regressed into a complete non-threat from the perimeter. In fact, he is shooting an abysmal 26.7% from beyond the arc, the worst mark among the 194 players attempting at least three three-pointers per game. Factor in his rough execution in drop coverage, and it is difficult to find many positive things to say about the expensive enforcer.

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4.) What do you need to see from Devin Vassell during this final stretch to cement his status as a building block for the Spurs? - Spursian Dynasty (Substack)

The front office showed their faith in Devin Vassell when they inked him to a massive five-year, $146 million contract extension last offseason. And truth be told, the fourth-year swingman has already earned my trust as a building block for this franchise. That assertion might sound premature, but his combination of self-creation and movement shooting could make him a lethal third option once the Spurs find their second fiddle.

Nonetheless, Vassell is far from perfect, and there are numerous areas he can improve as San Antonio closes out the second season of their rebuild. Though he has become a fantastic finisher, making 70.8% of his shots directly at the rim, we would be thrilled if the 23-year-old made a concerted effort to attack the tin and get to the free-throw line more often instead of settling for low-percentage jumpers with a hand in his face.

Vassell has also become a more productive passer, and the coaching staff should be all in on letting him manufacture as much chemistry as possible with Wembanyama. You may scoff at this take, but hear me out. Squint your eyes hard enough, and you can see the blueprint of the bedrock that the Milwaukee Bucks built upon Kris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Give us more two-man actions and inverted pick-and-rolls.

Despite the undeniable progress the former lottery selection has made as a three-level scorer since entering the NBA, his defense has slipped as the Spurs have asked him to assume more offensive responsibilities. His deflection and steal rate has dropped each of the last three seasons, and opponents have caught him ball-watching and slinked to the basket for backdoor cuts. More attention to detail on this end would be excellent.

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5.) Who is your favorite draft target for San Antonio come June? And why? - Jacob Sutton (Substack)

First off, shoutout to Jacob Sutton for this question, and please check out his Substack for witty and wide-ranging basketball coverage. Scouting prospects for the NBA Draft is one of my favorite parts of covering a lottery-bound team. After spending 99% of my time writing pieces about Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, and their supporting cast, watching other leagues is a breath of fresh air.

We have covered Nikola Topic and Zaccharie Risacher on the Vic-and-Roll. And while there are more in-depth scouting reports in the pipeline, Alexandre Sarr is my favorite target in what most experts think is one of the weakest draft classes in recent memory. The 18-year-old stands 7-foot-1 and weighs 217 pounds, with unique mobility that has earned him the number one spot on several Big Boards from national media outlets.

Sarr has only averaged 9.8 points, 4.6 boards, and 1.4 blocks per game on .503/.286/.710 shooting splits during his debut season with the Perth Wildcats in the NBL. However, it is easy to look beyond the numbers when watching his tape. He runs the floor like a guard, has the handle to push the pace off rebounds, and flashes fascinating short-roll playmaking chops. The Frenchman also soars through the air for blocks and slams.

With that said, Spurs fans may have concerns about how he fits next to Wembanyama, which is fair considering his erratic results from the three. After all, Collins fell out of the starting lineup because he shrunk the floor. Regardless, San Antonio is not exactly in a position to draft for fit over upside. If they luck into the first overall pick, it might be impossible for them to pass on a switchable rim protector with budding ball skills.