Editor’s note: This was written well before that butt whipping from Wednesday.
The southwest division looked to be a juggernaut for years to come just a few short years ago. The Mavericks were Luka Doncic’s
team, San Antonio had just drafted Victor Wembanyama, Ja Morant and the Grizzlies looked very solid, Zion Williamson was still considered to be a franchise guy and the Rockets were coming out of a rebuild. Turn the page to the here and now, and this division is no longer held in the regard that it once was.
On those very San Antonio Spurs, this is now year three of the Wembanyama experience, and being a lottery team is not acceptable when you have a player of that caliber on your team. The Mavericks made the playoffs in Luka Doncic’s second season. Last year’s Spurs didn’t sniff the postseason. There is no doubting Victor Wembanyama’s talent. However, it’s fair to wonder if the Spurs, long seen as a model organization, have done enough around him to actually win ball games. I’m willing to give them a pass on last year, as the Gregg Popovich situation early on in the season clearly threw things for a loop. However, if similar results come in this season, no such excuses will be available for the Spurs.
San Antonio Spurs: Over/Under 43.5 wins (-110/-110)
Last season: 34-48
Additions: Dylan Harper (second pick), Carter Bryant (14th pick), Luke Kornet, Bismack Biyombo
Losses: Zach Collins (Chicago), Tre Jones (Chicago), Sandro Mamukelashvili (Toronto), Chris Paul (LA Clippers)
The Spurs guard room still makes no sense to me. What is the need to have all of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper? Well, the short answer is they didn’t expect to have Dylan Harper whenever they made the Fox deal. Now that they have all three, where do they go from here? I think Fox is likely the odd man out. If so, can the two young guards lead this team to a postseason berth? I can’t get there. Expect another disappointment on the Riverwalk.
