Player The unfortunately low-ceilinged Shaolin monastery of Victor Wembanyama

[scott]

Hate to be the "debbie downer" but I'm far from being satisfied with this roster as many of you seem to be.

We lack shooting and wings, we only have one decent big man to pair with Wemby when we know from.... ever that putting him with another inside/out big is the path to go because of Vic's perimeter and positionless game.

We have too many PG to the point that at least one of them will pay a heavy price for it. Maybe 2 of them.

We're in a way better place for sure and we've some amazing talents for the future (Castle Harper Carter are super exciting tbf) but short term I can only see us reach the POs if Wemby go crazy or opp have a lot of key injuries.

Too many things don't make sense with this roster. We need to surround Wemby with shooting and high passing IQ. We're far from it.

I think there is a difference between being happy with the progress the Spurs have made with the roster and "being satisfied" with the roster.

I agree, there is still work to be done (though I don't share the too many PGs concern. We really have two PGs, one of them is a rookie who is also just as capable of being a SG. I don't see Castle as a PG at all).

But... we only have 4 players left from the Pre-Wemby Spurs (3 Amigos plus Champ). Those are also the only 4 guys left from Wemby's rookie year. Completely turning over the rest of the roster is good work.

 

[Exstatic]

I was only 9 years old at the time and just a year into my Spurs fandom, but I think Sean was pretty much the consensus #3 pick. He was the reigning Wooden Award winner and also NABC and AP player of the year and two-time All-American First team and led Arizona to their first Final Four.

Glen Rice, one of my favorite non-Spurs from the 90s, was picked right behind Sean so I'm not sure we could have fucked that pick up one way or another (but there is an argument that many would have made in the 90s that the Spurs missed by picking Sean over Rice). Funny enough, 2 of the other top 5 picks in that draft eventually became teammates of Sean on the Spurs anyway! Danny Ferry and JR Reid.

Actually, Sean was the Wooden Award winner and consensus #2 pick, but the Clippers being the Clippers, they took Danny Ferry.

 

[spurraider21]

KG is one of my favorite old heads who still talks ball and its clear he absolutely loves the game, and he is one of the few NBA media guys who constantly gives props to the current generation instead of Paul Pierce saying shit like he's the best offensive player ever or whatever or shaq's constant need to express his insecurity

but pretty wild to hear that Timmy and Wemby aren't working together/getting along

 

[scott]

Actually, Sean was the Wooden Award winner and consensus #2 pick, but the Clippers being the Clippers, they took Danny Ferry.

Everything I've ever read on the topic suggests that Danny Ferry was considered worthy of being picked that high... there was just one big problem... Ferry refused to play for the Clippers (which is the kind of think you'd think you'd figure out before the draft) and went to Italy instead. Sounds like the kind of things the Kings would do.

 

[ambchang]

Actually, Sean was the Wooden Award winner and consensus #2 pick, but the Clippers being the Clippers, they took Danny Ferry.

Ferry was holding out on the clips and they just flipped him to the cavs. But ferry was plenty hyped going into the draft as he was dominating college. Laettner actually had to “prove” he’s not the next ferry because he’s white and a Dukie.

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1980762154711011422

 

[PanameSpur]

I think there is a difference between being happy with the progress the Spurs have made with the roster and "being satisfied" with the roster.

I agree, there is still work to be done (though I don't share the too many PGs concern. We really have two PGs, one of them is a rookie who is also just as capable of being a SG. I don't see Castle as a PG at all).

But... we only have 4 players left from the Pre-Wemby Spurs (3 Amigos plus Champ). Those are also the only 4 guys left from Wemby's rookie year. Completely turning over the rest of the roster is good work.

My phrasing wasn't the best indeed, there re never too many talents.

I'm among those who like Castle as a PG a lot, he's a mismatch and pain in the ass bc of his built, his play making is underrated and getting better, he sets up players very well and he seems to have the "charisma" for the job.

I'm a little bit frustrated to see us probably abandon this project to use him in many positions by default bc we have Fox who's unquestioned starter and Harper who's less versatile than Castle and seems to be the backup PG.

Hence the "too many". Whatevr silver linning we can find I think he's going to get cucked in the story.

 

[scott]

My phrasing wasn't the best indeed, there re never too many talents.

I'm among those who like Castle as a PG a lot, he's a mismatch and pain in the ass bc of his built, his play making is underrated and getting better, he sets up players very well and he seems to have the "charisma" for the job.

I'm a little bit frustrated to see us probably abandon this project to use him in many positions by default bc we have Fox who's unquestioned starter and Harper who's less versatile than Castle and seems to be the backup PG.

Hence the "too many". Whatevr silver linning we can find I think he's going to get cucked in the story.

All good, I understood what you were saying. All good points, but put in the perspective of where we were just a few seasons ago I consider it to be some really nice progress. Moreso than the glut at PG, I'm more concerned with the glut of mid wing players (Champ, Devin, Keldon, HB, CB, Sochan). These guys are obviously at various points in their development cycle, and I don't even mind that there isn't a stud amongst them but rather a bunch of mid guys... but three of those mid guys make $17MM/yr and up. This is going to be our 4th or 5th option on the floor so it isn't a huge deal... but if they are going to be just role players then we should pay them role player salaries to free up some capital for upgrades elsewhere. Ideally we'd consolidate some of these guys to a better starter (ideally at PF)

 

[drpill]

I don't like to hear about Wemby and Timmy not getting along, I could see Timmy being somewhat aloof or just his usual private self who doesn't really want to get involved with Victor's basketball development, but otherwise it seems weird/impossible to not like Wemby. Anyway, KG is a known shit talker who has been known to talk shit to and about Timmy so it's probably exaggerated if not total BS.

 

[mikec]

Didn't Timmy not talk to Tony and Rob Horry for like a year or 2 when they first joined the team? Maybe Wemby got the same treatment and he doesn't like that.

 

[spurraider21]

I don't like to hear about Wemby and Timmy not getting along, I could see Timmy being somewhat aloof or just his usual private self who doesn't really want to get involved with Victor's basketball development, but otherwise it seems weird/impossible to not like Wemby. Anyway, KG is a known shit talker who has been known to talk shit to and about Timmy so it's probably exaggerated if not total BS.

KG respects the hell out of timmy

 

[Neuromancer]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1980762154711011422

KG is hilarious man, just the way he talks is funny as hell

 

[spurraider21]

KG is hilarious man, just the way he talks is funny as hell

yeah, he's not made for TV, but he's one of the legit good guys in the NBA media space

 

[dn0774]

I don't like to hear about Wemby and Timmy not getting along, I could see Timmy being somewhat aloof or just his usual private self who doesn't really want to get involved with Victor's basketball development, but otherwise it seems weird/impossible to not like Wemby. Anyway, KG is a known shit talker who has been known to talk shit to and about Timmy so it's probably exaggerated if not total BS.

Didn't Timmy not talk to Tony and Rob Horry for like a year or 2 when they first joined the team? Maybe Wemby got the same treatment and he doesn't like that.

I'm guessing Tim just isn't very involved in anything Spurs related these days (which is fine) and just enjoying life and his kids which is most likely what KG is referring to. Not that there is actual strife between Tim and Vic, just not as much of a relationship as we would like to think exists.

 

[Ice009]

i highly doubt duncan wants to mentor anyone. dude just is too chilled out. Robinson is pretty old and not really a basketball lifer. Bring in LMA and lets be real LMA has plenty to teach and may have energy in the tank since he did not get his multi championships he shot for.

I can't remember, but at ST I mentioned that he should work with LMA and didn't get much response. I think LMA was willing to/wanted to work with Victor, but he said they never reached out to him. People told me he's got TD, D-Rob and all those guys, but looks like KG just said Victor hasn't worked with them. I'm not sure what TD could teach Victor on offense, though. Just some footwork I guess, but other than that, TD didn't have his handles or athleticism. Maybe the don't have much in common? Also, if Tim hasn't spoken to him much like he's known to do (going off of what Horry recently said and what TP said ages ago), maybe Victor doesn't like that and doesn't want to talk to him if TD isn't reaching out to him? I don't know what is going on. I would have thought TD would have worked with him a lot. Maybe he's just too busy with his own stuff.

Man, KG is hyped telling Paul Pierce that he's seeing a cross of Shaq and KD (PP hasn't watched any preseason games). Looks like KG has been following Victor as he mentioned the Miami and Utah games. It sounds like he'll work with Victor at some point, but they just talked for a couple of hours when they met up. Doesn't sound like they did an on court stuff.

 

[drpill]

I'm guessing Tim just isn't very involved in anything Spurs related these days (which is fine) and just enjoying life and his kids which is most likely what KG is referring to. Not that there is actual strife between Tim and Vic, just not as much of a relationship as we would like to think exists.

This is what I'm thinking as well. It's not exactly how KG phrased it but this is most likely the real story.

 

[drpill]

Didn't Timmy not talk to Tony and Rob Horry for like a year or 2 when they first joined the team? Maybe Wemby got the same treatment and he doesn't like that.

He was definitely cold to Tony for his first year, I was thinking the same because of this. But I doubt it's even that, seems more likely they just don't have much of a relationship.

 

[brazil]

Victor has always praised Tim and recognized Tim legacy for the franchise.. there was this story about Victor picking Kobe over Tim but I don't believe one sec that Tim would care about that. The problem with those podcasts is that they run out of material and starts making shit up based on nothing... Tim is not that much involved with the team, Victor probably told KG that he has not a lot of contacts with Tim and KG just interpreted that as they don't get along.

Victor was with David and Tim recently for the ROTY award of Castle, I don't see that they don't get along story. Saying that there is a generational gap between them so they don't probably hang around or talk often and it is fine. As far as I understand he also does not have a close relation with Tony for instance... He is 20 y/o dudes are 45+, at 20 y/o I did not had 45 y/o friends and was calling those guys sir.

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1981042095814062278

 

[DAF86]

Well, it seems like playing closer to the basket, instead of taking 15 3's per game was indeed the way to go.

 

[brazil]

Well, it seems like playing closer to the basket, instead of taking 15 3's per game was indeed the way to go.

 

[sKiN20]

Well, it seems like playing closer to the basket, instead of taking 15 3's per game was indeed the way to go.

Thats what im saying 2seasons ago.lmao.. wemby should get to the freethrow line more often like this one against the mavs

 

[The_Second_Coming_of_VY65]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1981215155523637757

 

[ace3g]

 

[Exstatic]

Wudan Wemby, apparently.