NBA Insider Explores Spurs' Timeline Concerns Around Victor Wembanyama

As Wembanyama and the Spurs enter this pivotal season not only in his career but also in the team's ascension to becoming championship level, ESPN's Brian Windhorst laid out how the Spurs could do so in a timely manner before they begin to sacrifice the early years of their young star's prime.

“I would say that they need experience,” Windhorst said. “Because they've kind of got two different teams. They've got some veterans on their roster. But with Dylan Harper, who is their No. 2 overall pick, he's already got a wrist injury. 

“Unfortunately, he's going to miss some time. Maybe almost all the preseason. With him and Stephon Castle, you're looking at committing to playing two very young guards. If you think about the recipe for winning in the NBA, it's not playing young guards. Now, De'Aaron Fox, obviously, they committed to him hugely.”

Pushing The Process

As a solution, Windhorst suggested that the Spurs employ an approach not unlike the controversial "two timelines" approach used in Golden State after the Warriors acquired top two picks in consecutive years while Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson battled their respective injury demons.

"They do have other veterans on their roster, like Devin Vassell and Harrison Barnes,” Windhorst added. “But to me, they're going to maybe have to walk the line a little bit between developing their young guys who they drafted to put next to Victor and whether they want to actually win in a very highly competitive Western Conference.”

While it's always tempting to surround young talent with veterans and vice versa, Windhorst more than anyone should know that Golden State's approach was largely unsuccessful and has only avoided ridicule because of the continued magic of Stephen Curry.

The situation is different in that the young players are the backbone in San Antonio where as the veterans were the backbone in Golden State, so perhaps the Spurs could do better with a similar strategy if they found the right ceiling-raising veteran star.

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