Grades: Spurs @ Heat - Oct. 12, 2023

[timvp]

https://www.spurstalk.com/grades-spurs-heat-preseason-2/

WTF :lol

We Spurs fans are a lucky bunch, tbh.

[T Park]

really hope the mins wise go up and Sochan at point gets even more minutes.

People ready to shut down Sochan at point are way too eager. the starting 5, the bench, the whole rotations fit way better with Sochan at point, Keldon in there with Devin and Collins.

Tre being the backup, feasting on benches, being a steadying force when the other team makes a run. I really really like Osman and can see why RC has wanted him for a long long time. Hes the absolute perfect bench rotation wing, and him mixed with mcDermott will work great.

Defense when Wemby is on the bench is an issue obviously, but we'll see when everyone is playing and how they play together before its known if a rotation adjustment can fix it, or, its time to shop for a guy.

Cissoko if he just had a capable 3 point jump shot, could at least be a young Bruce Bowen. Get the jumper fixed, and hes a rotation guy immediately.

[heyheymymy]

Wemby is 15-18 on 2fg in two preseason games

Including 11-11 in the paint espn claims!

[onechance87]

We gotta figure who runs the offence better,Sochan or tre...Personally think tre runs the offence better...But who ever shoot the 3 better will fit and help wemby
offence going helping spread the floor....There both average at playmaking

[polandprzem]

Highlights made me smirk tbh. The season will start so I can watch some games. Wemby looks fun but those rebounds for such a big guy? hmmm

I like when LJ gives Wemby A's no matter if he has 5pt game or 25 pt game :lol Legit :tu

[Fireball]

When other people would watch me watch Wemby play they must think I am watching comedy. I could not stop laughing because of the ridicolous things Wemby does on the court. His 2 point shots really already look as smooth as KD's. And he is dunking the ball when he can! Love it.

Sochan did not show anything offensively which pointed in the direction of improvement, but first real game after a long tíme ... so no sweat.

[Obstructed_View]

Good home opener. They hung with Miami's second and third team. Hope they keep improving from here. Vic looks as good as advertised. Can't wait to see Sochan once he's gotten his game legs back.

[Arcadian]

When other people would watch me watch Wemby play they must think I am watching comedy. I could not stop laughing because of the ridicolous things Wemby does on the court. His 2 point shots really already look as smooth as KD's. And he is dunking the ball when he can! Love it.

Sochan did not show anything offensively which pointed in the direction of improvement, but first real game after a long tíme ... so no sweat.

It is indeed comical watching Victor play. At one point he caught an inbounds pass and got trapped by a defender. In this situation, most big men would pick up the ball and throw it away. Instead, Victor spun around his defender and dribbled by him. This would be a routine play for any point guard, but watching a 7'4 guy do it is funny. Despite his size, not everything he does actually depends on his size. In situations like that, his size could actually work against him - yet he still has the skill to pull it off.

[Obstructed_View]

He's so fucking quick for being so tall. You expect a guy that size to be plodding. He's so fluid.

[polandprzem]

He got better agility wise. Bt I would like to see him that be active for 30+minutes all game.

[Bruno]

Wembanyama has clearly improved while practicing in SA during the couple of months between SL and preseason.
Body wise, the 10-15lbs added is making quite a big difference. He is still a thin player but he is stronger and more explosive than before. His game is also cleaner, more mature and assertive.

I'm skeptical about the Sochan at PG experiment in the long term. Spurs priority is to develop their most promising young players, like Sochan, by playing them at their best spot. Is Sochan future really to be a PG or is it to be a forward?
I know the whole "positionless new NBA" talk but there are only one Ben Simmons in the NBA and there are reasons behind it.

[Dejounte]

I’m glad Graham is currently on the deep bench and I hope he stays there. I was worried he would be one of the main backups

[Dejounte]

Sochan was clearly hesitating a lot last night and not his usual assertive self. It was evident when most of his jump shots were short. He will be more aggressive next game and he does add another layer to the team as a PG. Wemby has clear chemistry with him. Sochan excelled when he was posting up with the ball and looking to decide to shoot or pass. As a full court PG, there’s a lot of room for improvement but as a half court one, you could see why they want him there as the PG.

[RC_Drunkford]

nice game. Sochan was rusty, which had to be expected in his first game. The rebounding worries me, especially cause we played a line up with a lot of size. They will have to fix that and maybe Bassey might be the better fit next to Wemby to do the dirty work. Of course we'd need a lot more tape to know if it's Zach or Bassey. Also the perimeter defense doesn't look to good. Devin and Wemby are already finding ways to play off each other, I'm curious to see how it looks once Keldon's playing next to them.

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/AmkcB1xhHeE?feature=shared

When asked about how Wemby did at the 5: Pop answered, “he did fine, he’s going to play both positions (4 and 5)….”

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/_j2d6LU7rys?feature=shared

When asked about Sochan at PG, Vassell says, “we have to get used to it and adapt to it. He has to get used to that role and get us into our sets. I think he did a good job in that role and we have to help him when he’s being pressured…”

[CGD]

There were times Wemby looks like Durant out there on offense. It was wild to see. And then on top of that add the defensive tools, wow. Kinda think the spurs should accelerate their rebuild to be honest

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/XO5XFUZwftI?feature=shared


when asked about Sochan at PG— Wemby says, “it’s more trouble for the opponents. Hes comfortable with this position. Everybody trusts him. Hes got a good future at that position for sure.”

[Chinook]

I'll be pretty annoyed if the Spurs had Sochan focus on playing PG rather than shoring up his off-ball game. I firmly believe the Spurs PGotF isn't on the team right now, and I think the Spurs should be preparing their team to take advantage of that rather than trying to make everyone a play-maker. That can come in time, but being able to score reliably against real NBA defenses is a bigger concern. One of the main consequences of playing Sochan at PG is that whoever that fifth starter is will have to be able to win against the opposing PG. Teams are going to guard Jeremy with a forward, and Sochan isn't Ben Simmons -- he doesn't have guard agility and burst. A team will be able to get away with putting their SF on him, their PF and C on Collins and Wemby and their guards on Vassell and (I assume) Johnson. Finding that balance between attacking the opposing PG and not falling in the trap of doing that at to the exclusion of the stars is not easy. But the Spurs wouldn't get the full benefit of playing a 6-8 guy at the one unless they force the other team to seed an advantage there. Even if the Sochan plays well enough to be the "PG", it would still make sense to play him with two guards and two front-court players.

I do like how Sochan eventually started using his size and tenacity to hit the boards for putbacks. He had a fine all-around game outside of his shooting. I'm not worried about his ability to play with Wemby and the right big. I just think Jeremy will be the SF with some play-making rather than a PG with size.

Wemby did seem to put more effort in for the boards. There were a couple of times that he ran out of the play trying to leak out, but he stopped doing it pretty early on. I think he should've been credited with more rebounds than he got. Some of the taps he did to his teammates would've been counted on his total by other stat teams. Him staying near the rim also helped put him in position to contest shots, and he altered more possessions than his block total suggests. He still reaches way more than a guy his size should. Not only does that negate his height, but it's also a ton of horizontal space that can be used to draw fouls for the other team. He's also still trying to learn how far back his size allows him to stand away from his man. A few players made shots over him, and the elite shooters will be able to do that once they know he's not close enough to actually block them. I can't fault him for trying to remain closer to the paint ot help out there. As I said after last game, that's where he's more useful. But I think eventually he'll be able to do both, especially after he figures out what kinds of things he does or does not need to help on.

Offensively, I think it's clear he doesn't need to cherry pick to get his points. He could space in normal transition and just as easily in half-court sets. I think he's a little shoot-happy when he catches the ball beyond the arc. But if he can hit those shots at a decent rate, it'll help him fit in with all kinds of stars. Contrary conventional assumption, Wemby's height limits his effectiveness in low-post situations. It's going to be way too easy to root him out of his spots. The good news is that Wemby can apparently dunk the ball from almost the mid-post. He should have no issues catch the ball eight to 10 feet from the basket, turning around and immediately finishing. He's going to have to be quick on that timer, though, because NBA teams defend post-ups with digs and doubles at a rate I don't think they do in Europe. He got his pocket picked at least once last night, though he avoided trouble with some good passes and a spin-jumper on other occasions as well. It's going to be interesting to see what well-coached teams with talented defensive bigs can do to slow him down. While this is the NBA, Wemby hasn't faced a real defensive challenge yet.

Vassell made a number of shots that at least used to be thought of as bad or low percentage. I like that he's looking to convert good looks into points, and it's not his fault that some of the passes he's been getting haven't been perfect. But he probably needs to tone down his aggression or at least vary his method of attack if he wants to be a more consistent threat. I do think he worked on what he needed to, which was to focus on being a better shooter from three. If he's going to be a second or third star, he needs to do more than spotting up, but his contract is open enough to where Devin doesn't have to go that far to be useful.

[ginobilized]

Wemby is such a mind-blowing player.

He has elements of Kareem, KD, Dirk, even the Iceman. Yet, he is so completely himself.
There is still a long way to go, but, I've never seen a 19yr old, nor an 7footer (let alone a 7'4" player!!!) with his skill, poise, smoothness and character.

My gut tells me an elite center who is a defender/enforcer/rebounder would put everyone in their natural spots. Collins would be a great backup. Wemby roaming the perimeter and rotating on help defense with a rim protector would be pretty special.

[Chinook]

My gut tells me an elite center who is a defender/enforcer/rebounder would put everyone in their natural spots. Collins would be a great backup. Wemby roaming the perimeter and rotating on help defense with a rim protector would be pretty special.

Honestly I think an elite rebounding center who can guard hold up against big-man position but also hit the three might make more sense than worrying too much about defensive chops or attitude. I'm not a huge believer in Bassey, but I do agree with folks who think he played in a way that complimented Wemby better than how Collins played in the first game. I think ultimately Wemby will be able to play with anyone, from Brook Lopez to DeJuan Blair, to KAT to Poeltl and so on. But it feels like the team needs energy on that end the most right now.

[John B]

It’s great to see Wemby enjoying the game A LOT. He looks like a kid out there at Christmas, even running at full speed to play defense. Good times

[rankingtear]

There is one or several mismatches when Sochan plays the point as long as they can get the ball pass half court. This is where several ball handlers and leaking out alien comes in.

[DPG21920]

Insane what I just saw last night.

[MultiTroll]

Also the perimeter defense doesn't look to good.
That's being kind.
Too often pathetic.
Some real simple passing and screens left Miami shooters wide open.

Myself I'm only sold on Vassell and Sochan as teammates for Super Wemby moving fwd.
But, the roster is what it is at this point.

[CGD]

^ lots of assumptions here about Sochan in one game at PG after being out 6 months. It looked rough yesterday but I can see a path forward to him at PG this season.

Things that will help: team defense concept, exploiting the hell out of the offensive glass to punish smaller defenders, and select bursts on D on small guards. I agreed the last is not sustainable the whole game, but I recall a game last year when he shutdown Dame for a stretch.

[hater]

Dont care if we go 0-82.

Wemby dude is fun to watch :wow

[Mr. Body]

Rebounds! Miami grabbed 19 offensive boards and won the rebounding battle by 15. Sure, they shot a wild 47 threes and shots from distance can be hard to gather, but that needs to be fixed. Of the starters Osman and Vassell only had one board each. Sochan isn't a strong rebounder and Vic started trying to tap caroms away because he lacks the strength right now to sometimes rebound in crowds. Branham, coming on later, got only one.

I'm not totally in love with Sochan as the point. Bringing the ball up, sure, and he'll improve, and it's possible he's the best solution right now, but I don't think he has the handles at this point and it gets him out of areas where he's most effective. I'm willing to try Vassell-Keldon-Sochan-Wembyanama-Collins.

These first few months are going to be fantastic to watch.

Bassey - Seeing what we all liked last year. Love how he blocks shots with springy anticipation. He gets guys who think they can shoot over him.

Champagnie - Struggling right now with his shot. It's hard to downscale from 'shoot anything you want' to being productive opportunistically not knowing when your shots will come.

Wesley - Loving him right now, so much better than the mess at times during Summer League. Still more to go, but I'm officially back in to the Intrigued category.

Champ/Osman - Both games so far the starting SF-role hasn't been too productive. May just be happenstance and figuring things out.

Wembanyama - A single play called for him, apparently. As the team gets more familiar this will get crazy. I don't think we'll see the 'beautiful game' as much when he's in, the cutting and slashing and kicking, because of how he warps the game on offense.

[exstatic]

Wemby is, in fact, an alien. There was a play where a heat player was attacking the rim on the left side, and Bassey went up for the block and didn’t get it. Wemby was two feet behind him, further from the play, and swatted it with ease. Basseyis no slouch at shot blocking, either.

[PrimeMinister]

Sochan will be fine as an initiator and giving him the opportunity to grow that side of his game is a key for him to unlock his full potential as a player.

He's easy money as a cutter and connecting piece. That comes very naturally for him. Getting reps as the lead ball handler is where we need him to grow long term for the entire team to operate at its best.

Saw the flashes in his first game back, clearly didn't have the rhythm yet coming up short on several looks point blank. He will only get better.

[dbreiden83080]

This dudes length and skill is sick.. Like crazy sick..

[sfernald]

Honestly I think an elite rebounding center who can guard hold up against big-man position but also hit the three might make more sense than worrying too much about defensive chops or attitude. I'm not a huge believer in Bassey, but I do agree with folks who think he played in a way that complimented Wemby better than how Collins played in the first game. I think ultimately Wemby will be able to play with anyone, from Brook Lopez to DeJuan Blair, to KAT to Poeltl and so on. But it feels like the team needs energy on that end the most right now.

The one thing that doesn't seem likely is that he's gonna become an elite rebounder. I sort of doubt he gets 10 rebounds in a single game all season the way he abhors being anywhere near the basket.

[sfernald]

That's being kind.
Too often pathetic.
Some real simple passing and screens left Miami shooters wide open.

Myself I'm only sold on Vassell and Sochan as teammates for Super Wemby moving fwd.
But, the roster is what it is at this point.

I expect only Wemby, Sochan, Vassell and Branham will be on the team in five years.

[Russ]

The one thing that doesn't seem likely is that he's gonna become an elite rebounder. I sort of doubt he gets 10 rebounds in a single game all season the way he abhors being anywhere near the basket.

They may need Wemby near the basket and not just for rebounding.

If they're going to have an elite defense, he's going to have to be the anchor that drivers get funneled into.

Fly-swatting shots from the weakside won't do it.

Pop probably doesn't want to force that too soon because he wants Wemby to get his feet wet on an NBA court before he places him in a vulnerable (injury-wise) position.

Let Wemby do his thing, ease him in, get used to the pace and flow of the NBA then (maybe) tie him down a bit.

No rush, let him get comfortable just being out there before you ask him to do anything too directed.

Don't skip any steps and possibly risk injury (i.e., coaching malpractice) with this once-in-a-lifetime guy.

[hater]

Looks like Wemby also goes to his spots for shooting. IMO he could become automatic on those prefered spots. And with his legth he could terrorize the league on plain jumpshots.

[John B]

Watching Wemby play last night, I’m thinking Pop is not about a win now. Sure he’ll get them competing. But it’s more about playing out there, getting comfortable with each other. Pop will let Wemby experiment, get him the feel for the NBA game. Pop has mentioned before that they are just watching Wemby, observing where he can most be effective, posting up, driving down the lane, fastbreaks, etc. So Wemby I think will be putting up numbers and I wouldn’t be surprised if Pop would help get the ROY in the process, to add to his eventually long list of accolades as one of the greatest, and possibly ultimately the GOAT, who was a Spur. Coz I’vevseen discussions on who will be the ROY. Chet because he had one year with OKC and already ahead, Scoot because he has the most opportunity with Lillard’s departure. But I think it’s going to be Wemby because Pop will just let him play out there, will create opportunities for him. Because watching Wemby play, his attitude, his athleticism. The camera loves him. Boy it’s fun to be a Spurs fan again. :bobo

[itzsoweezee]

They may need Wemby near the basket and not just for rebounding.

If they're going to have an elite defense, he's going to have to be the anchor that drivers get funneled into.

Fly-swatting shots from the weakside won't do it.

Pop probably doesn't want to force that too soon because he wants Wemby to get his feet wet on an NBA court before he places him in a vulnerable (injury-wise) position.

Let Wemby do his thing, ease him in, get used to the pace and flow of the NBA then (maybe) tie him down a bit.

No rush, let him get comfortable just being out there before you ask him to do anything too directed.

Don't skip any steps and possibly risk injury (i.e., coaching malpractice) with this once-in-a-lifetime guy.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a roaming, weakside shot blocker. In fact, the best defender in the NBA is just that.

Wemby is a one man zone. It’d be a complete waste to plant him under the basket. This isn’t 2008

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Watching Wemby play last night, I’m thinking Pop is not about a win now. Sure he’ll get them competing. But it’s more about playing out there, getting comfortable with each other. Pop will let Wemby experiment, get him the feel for the NBA game. Pop has mentioned before that they are just watching Wemby, observing where he can most be effective, posting up, driving down the lane, fastbreaks, etc. So Wemby I think will be putting up numbers and I wouldn’t be surprised if Pop would help get the ROY in the process, to add to his eventually long list of accolades as one of the greatest, and possibly ultimately the GOAT, who was a Spur. Coz I’vevseen discussions on who will be the ROY. Chet because he had one year with OKC and already ahead, Scoot because he has the most opportunity with Lillard’s departure. But I think it’s going to be Wemby because Pop will just let him play out there, will create opportunities for him. Because watching Wemby play, his attitude, his athleticism. The camera loves him. Boy it’s fun to be a Spurs fan again. :bobo

He certainly was not trying to win the preseason game.

[daslicer]

Dont care if we go 0-82.

Wemby dude is fun to watch :wow


Agreed. For me this year isn't about the wins and losses it's just about watching what Wemby does. He's a highlight reel every game.

[BackHome]

On point - RUSS - I think Pop has basically said that he wants Wemby to do a little bit of everything he wants to do and he will just watch and see what works and doesn't. So I don't think Pop is keyed on making playoffs I think he is keyed on helping remove any roadblocks Wemby might have and developing him and the other high young draft picks we have had. I also think that Pop is going to do the same with Vassell and Sochan in that he is going to be really pushing these guys to make the jump to a higher level.

For me I don't care if they win I just want to see them play as a team see them grow and see them get closer to there true potential. And I am not risking Wemby or one of my starters long term health by playing them hurt no matter what.....

[GB20]

If Wemby keeps playing like this, I can see other stars players around the league what to play with Victor.

[Raven]

we'll see how he does on defensive rotations, overall winning mentality and injuries, but otherwise i don't even know what is there to talk about. One thing to note, is it seems like he has a fairly early release.

[RC_Drunkford]

I been on record saying the Spurs will be around 0.500. With Wemby playing like this, I don't see how that couldn't be the case.

[GAustex]

The big guy looked good passing out of double team
Something LaMarcus never learned to do

[The Truth #6]

Great moments. Part of the reason to let Wemby figure it out is to let Pop figure out Wemby. Hard to say how long that may take. It would be hard for every coach. It's like Wemby is creating a whole new type of hybrid player. He's sort of in the midrange but can be on the perimeter or under the rim in a blink.

[TrainOfThought5]

There were times Wemby looks like Durant out there on offense. It was wild to see. And then on top of that add the defensive tools, wow. Kinda think the spurs should accelerate their rebuild to be honest

with a couple moves we could be contenders this time next year.

[Mr. Body]

I been on record saying the Spurs will be around 0.500. With Wemby playing like this, I don't see how that couldn't be the case.

Same. It's like people forgot we drafted Victor Wembanyama. And/or convinced themselves he sucked.

[Cry Havoc]

Wemby is such a mind-blowing player.

He has elements of Kareem, KD, Dirk, even the Iceman. Yet, he is so completely himself.
There is still a long way to go, but, I've never seen a 19yr old, nor an 7footer (let alone a 7'4" player!!!) with his skill, poise, smoothness and character.

My gut tells me an elite center who is a defender/enforcer/rebounder would put everyone in their natural spots. Collins would be a great backup. Wemby roaming the perimeter and rotating on help defense with a rim protector would be pretty special.

You could take away a good portion of Wemby's athleticism and he's still an NBA caliber player.

Similarly, I think he'd still be an NBA player if he were 6'9". His handles and feel for the game are absolutely legit.

Imagine the amount of wisdom Tim and David are going to impart on this dude... And imagine them watching Wemby's absurd skillset and size. In my headcannon they're going out to eat together and laughing at the hilarity of nba defenses attempting to guard a 7'4" player with range, handles, perimeter and post moves who also passes like a guard and has incredible reflexes, anticipation, and court vision.

He's 1 of 1. And his ceiling is simply off the charts.

[sfernald]

They may need Wemby near the basket and not just for rebounding.

If they're going to have an elite defense, he's going to have to be the anchor that drivers get funneled into.

Fly-swatting shots from the weakside won't do it.

Pop probably doesn't want to force that too soon because he wants Wemby to get his feet wet on an NBA court before he places him in a vulnerable (injury-wise) position.

Let Wemby do his thing, ease him in, get used to the pace and flow of the NBA then (maybe) tie him down a bit.

No rush, let him get comfortable just being out there before you ask him to do anything too directed.

Don't skip any steps and possibly risk injury (i.e., coaching malpractice) with this once-in-a-lifetime guy.

Totally agree. He will let Wemby explore everything and he will slowly guide him to what he needs to do to win championships. It will be the opposite of a dictatorship tho. Pop wants Wemby to make the choice not order him. Pop is such a good coach.

[polandprzem]

I do not like te idea o playing Sohan at PG ll time. These days PG position is not what it use to be but still that's rather temporary and I think him playing off ball close to te basket is better for the team along with his rebounding skills

[Arcadian]

The camera loves him.


The camera loves him, but he doesn't love the camera (meaning he's not an attention whore). The perfect combination.

[CGD]

I been on record saying the Spurs will be around 0.500. With Wemby playing like this, I don't see how that couldn't be the case.

I’m still skeptical, but definitely think we’ll be far better than the Portland and Detroits of the world. It’ll be more of a “learning to play together” thing (especially on D) than anything else. There a good pieces on this team.

[Fireball]

The Spurs still do not defend the 3point line and are not rebounding. Wemby is awesome, but this team is not sniffing .500. Its just not happening with super young teams like this.
Still I will not miss one game this season :flag:

[Dejounte]

The Spurs still do not defend the 3point line and are not rebounding. Wemby is awesome, but this team is not sniffing .500. Its just not happening with super young teams like this.
Still I will not miss one game this season :flag:

Miami made 15 3pts and was held to 31.9% 3pt as a team.

Lakers made 16 3pts and shot 44.4 against the warriors

warriors made 17 3pts on 41.5%

Pelicans made 15 3pts and shot 38.5% against the hawks, they did hold the Hawks to just 9 3pts but still lost showing that defending 3’s isnt everything

Twolves made 21 3pts on 41.7% against the knicks

Knicks made 13 on 36.1%

Portland made 16 on 38.1 against jazz

Jazz made 15 on 51.7%


Seems to me they were a top 2 team in defending 3’s these last two nights… so it doesn’t appear your assessment is correct.

[slick'81]

Wemby is good:bobo

[Fireball]

Seems to me they were a top 2 team in defending 3’s these last two nights… so it doesn’t appear your assessment is correct.

I appreciate you for bringing up numbers - thanks for that. But for playing against a bunch of scrubs who have a hell of a pressure to make a team, I am not fully convinced we can call this top defense.

[Dejounte]

I appreciate you for bringing up numbers - thanks for that. But for playing against a bunch of scrubs who have a hell of a pressure to make a team, I am not fully convinced we can call this top defense.

I expected a response like that. You can turn that logic around and say to yourself that if I presented to you data that supported your original assumption as correct, if you would say in your response here the same thing— that since the team the Spurs were facing was not the ordinary team, would you say it proves your point the that the team is bad? Do you catch my drift here? You’re saying right now that the data is unreliable because of the competition… would you say the same thing if you were originally right?

[gilmor2002]

Miami made 15 3pts and was held to 31.9% 3pt as a team.

Lakers made 16 3pts and shot 44.4 against the warriors

warriors made 17 3pts on 41.5%

Pelicans made 15 3pts and shot 38.5% against the hawks, they did hold the Hawks to just 9 3pts but still lost showing that defending 3’s isnt everything

Twolves made 21 3pts on 41.7% against the knicks

Knicks made 13 on 36.1%

Portland made 16 on 38.1 against jazz

Jazz made 15 on 51.7%


Seems to me they were a top 2 team in defending 3’s these last two nights… so it doesn’t appear your assessment is correct.

This is a grade-2 Miami Heat team; bring in Butler and the team that romped into 22-23 Finals; the percentage will be much higher.

[baseline bum]

We Spurs fans are a lucky bunch, tbh.

For sure. I still remember watching the lottery thinking the only outcome that wouldn't be soul crushing as a Spurs fan was getting #1. And they got fucking #1.

[rjv]

bassey just looks healthier so far and angry. i think sochan was just very rusty, tre was nice off the bench. wesley is trying. i sure would love to see the rotation get in one game together before the season starts. and wemby haters have to be besides themselves right now. lol

[exstatic]

This is a grade-2 Miami Heat team; bring in Butler and the team that romped into 22-23 Finals; the percentage will be much higher.

Butler is a shitty 3 point shooter. Bad argument.

[spurraider21]

For sure. I still remember watching the lottery thinking the only outcome that wouldn't be soul crushing as a Spurs fan was getting #1. And they got fucking #1.
imagine having gotten Scoot or Thompson, thinking wow this guy is showing some glimpses, considering the nice long term fits alongside vassell, keldon, sochan, etc

and then flipping the channel and seeing wemby do this shit for the pistons or something

[rjv]

imagine having gotten Scoot or Thompson, thinking wow this guy is showing some glimpses, considering the nice long term fits alongside vassell, keldon, sochan, etc

and then flipping the channel and seeing wemby do this shit for the pistons or something

some rockets fan are still trying to pretend that thompson is the better of the two and hoping against all hope that wemby will get injured. other rockets fans are just accepting the fact that they spent an entire year praying for wemby and wound up with an amen.

[Mugen]

some rockets fan are still trying to pretend that thompson is the better of the two and hoping against all hope that wemby will get injured. other rockets fans are just accepting the fact that they spent an entire year praying for wemby and wound up with an amen.

there is not a single person in the world that thinks Amen is better than Wemby at this point. You don't even have to be a basketball fan to realize that, literally just look at the 7'5" freak of nature doing basketball things and you're going be like "yeah, that guy is better" :lol

[Mugen]

And I'm pretty fucking high on Amen Thompson :lol

[Dejounte]

Rockets fans are praying like hell for wemby to get injured in five years. Its fascinating

[Mr. Body]

some rockets fan are still trying to pretend that thompson is the better of the two and hoping against all hope that wemby will get injured. other rockets fans are just accepting the fact that they spent an entire year praying for wemby and wound up with an amen.

I'm curious to see how the Thompson twins go. I've been down on them, or at least thinking they'll take a long time to develop, but I believe they may be more at heart true basketball players than a Jalen Green type who is out there only trying to score. They both have good coaches -- Udoka, Monty Williams -- but kind of misfit teammates. I can see them get forgotten about other than some highlight plays and then pop onto the radar again in 3-4 years. I don't think OTE did them any favors.

Scoot will have all the run he wants in Portland; he's barely the only worthwhile player on that roster. Jerami Grant is empty stats, Brodgan should get traded, Simons is empty stats. Sharpe is a supreme offensive talent who will fill the stat sheet but will be... empty stats. He's also the laziest, worst defender I've seen since those videos of Harden. Swipe lazily at a fast break and just watch as the player blows by. Anyway, Scoot is a fighter and will be good, but not the generational talent some were saying and this roster -- and coach Billips -- won't be scaring anyone for a long time.

[rjv]

there is not a single person in the world that thinks Amen is better than Wemby at this point. You don't even have to be a basketball fan to realize that, literally just look at the 7'5" freak of nature doing basketball things and you're going be like "yeah, that guy is better" :lol


there are a few on the thread posted below, including one buffoon who claims he would take amen over wemby any day of the week :lmao but most rockets fans acknowledge that they lost out.

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/official-victor-wembanyama-as-a-spurs-thread.320168/page-20

[Mugen]

Nah I take Amen all day everyday, swear to God if Spurs offered me Wemby for Amen straight up I'd still take Amen . Amen is as much of a unicorn at the pg spot as Wemby at the PF spot, except he doesn't come with injury concerns. Wemby is 7'3 so what? Amen is 6'7 pg with top 5% athleticism. Just look at that photo of Amen vs Scoot tell me Amen is a poor consolation prize lmao.

:lmao

[Gagnrath]

Teams are going to guard Jeremy with a forward, and Sochan isn't Ben Simmons -- he doesn't have guard agility and burst. A team will be able to get away with putting their SF on him, their PF and C on Collins and Wemby and their guards on Vassell and (I assume) Johnson.

Johnson has the strength to abuse most guards in the post.... With sochan and wemby being adept distribution options having Johnson posting a guard is a quick two point with a high chance for an &1.

Which guard on most teams is going to check keldon if you put their better defender on vassal?

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Teams are going to guard Jeremy with a forward, and Sochan isn't Ben Simmons -- he doesn't have guard agility and burst. A team will be able to get away with putting their SF on him, their PF and C on Collins and Wemby and their guards on Vassell and (I assume) Johnson.

Johnson has the strength to abuse most guards in the post.... With sochan and wemby being adept distribution options having Johnson posting a guard is a quick two point with a high chance for an &1.

Which guard on most teams is going to check keldon if you put their better defender on vassal?

Great he can get his shot whenever he wants.

[EricB]

The Spurs still do not defend the 3point line and are not rebounding. Wemby is awesome, but this team is not sniffing .500. Its just not happening with super young teams like this.
Still I will not miss one game this season :flag:


they haven’t played 1 game yet together with their full rotation, so none of what you say is founded.

[EricB]

This is a grade-2 Miami Heat team; bring in Butler and the team that romped into 22-23 Finals; the percentage will be much higher.

the guy who shoots in the low 30%? Uh ok

[gilmor2002]

the guy who shoots in the low 30%? Uh ok

Butler and Adebayo in the team will easily beat this Wemby's Spurs..

[Mr. Body]

Butler and Adebayo in the team will easily beat this Wemby's Spurs..

Spurs without Wemby split with the Heat last year and now with him you think they'll automatically lose both?