The Search for a Second Star

[Dejounte]

I think a few things are clear:

-The Spurs are not going to have a losing season with Wemby on board, so relying on future drafts with their own picks to find the second guy is unlikely
-They are hitching their wagon on the current group of young guys. The young core might be here for a long time. I think the Spurs will want to show Wemby how different they are from the rest of the NBA, and keeping continuity or big parts of their roster intact is the “Spurs way” vs other teams where they’re constantly shifting things around. Wemby loves the Spurs for a reason, and it isn’t only because they won championships. Anyone who is a fan of the Spurs know the Spurs are the Spurs because of the unique things they do.


Tbh, the bar isn’t high anymore for a second guy to rise up. Jamal Murray isn’t a spectacular player compared to big time second fiddles like Shaq, Pippen, Paul Pierce. Who was second fiddle to Butler? Jalen Brown is about to be an overpaid player because he’s overrated. Anthony Davis is probably the only “second” star that qualifies as one who is better than or equal to the primary star on the Lakers (LeBron).

and finding the second star doesn’t always have to be through a top 5 pick in the lottery. There are a lot more ways a second star can be found, and most oftentimes, they can be homegrown. It’s not out of the question yet for most guys on the current roster. Someone may rise up and surprise us. Or it could be a guy we draft with the 20th pick in coming years.

There’s always an option of signing or trading for an established player, similar to what they did to get Aldridge. I’m sort of not a fan of this route because of what we could potentially give up and the chance they might bring their own ego to the team that the team wouldn’t be able to control. I think this path is more suited to when we have our 1 and 2 already.

[Dejounte]

I think it’s worth noting that the Grizzlies are heading into their 5th season with Ja Morant and still no second star to show for it. That’s how hard it is to find a second guy. However, no one is highlighting that lack of a second star yet because they make the playoffs year after year. After a few more years, it’s going to be painfully obvious that Ja needs a Robin (or he needs a Batman) in order to get a ring. That’s always how this cycle goes. I think the Spurs recognize it and will waste no time trying to find that second guy for Wemby, my example with Ja shows that it won’t be easy.

edit: Luka finally got his second star in his 5th season with the Mavericks, but that doesn’t look promising at all… this is actually what I meant in my original post where I don’t think it’s best to find that second guy via trade or free agency.

[Collins21]

I think a few things are clear:

-The Spurs are not going to have a losing season with Wemby on board, so relying on future drafts with their own picks to find the second guy is unlikely
-They are hitching their wagon on the current group of young guys. The young core might be here for a long time. I think the Spurs will want to show Wemby how different they are from the rest of the NBA, and keeping continuity or big parts of their roster intact is the “Spurs way” vs other teams where they’re constantly shifting things around. Wemby loves the Spurs for a reason, and it isn’t only because they won championships. Anyone who is a fan of the Spurs know the Spurs are the Spurs because of the unique things they do.


Tbh, the bar isn’t high anymore for a second guy to rise up. Jamal Murray isn’t a spectacular player compared to big time second fiddles like Shaq, Pippen, Paul Pierce. Who was second fiddle to Butler? Jalen Brown is about to be an overpaid player because he’s overrated. Anthony Davis is probably the only “second” star that qualifies as one who is better than or equal to the primary star on the Lakers (LeBron).

and finding the second star doesn’t always have to be through a top 5 pick in the lottery. There are a lot more ways a second star can be found, and most oftentimes, they can be homegrown. It’s not out of the question yet for most guys on the current roster. Someone may rise up and surprise us. Or it could be a guy we draft with the 20th pick in coming years.

There’s always an option of signing or trading for an established player, similar to what they did to get Aldridge. I’m sort of not a fan of this route because of what we could potentially give up and the chance they might bring their own ego to the team that the team wouldn’t be able to control. I think this path is more suited to when we have our 1 and 2 already.

[Collins21]

I think You're selling Jamal Murray way short. The dude was injured for a season and a half. If he would have had the opportunity to build on his performance from the bubble he would be thought of very differently by now. There's not to many players that can do what Murray does he's a special player in fact as good as Jokic is they don't get past the second round without Murray. Murray was the reason the Nuggets won. Thye couldn't advance in the playoffs without him the past few seasons.

[cutewizard]

Out of the bat thought >>>> Devin Vassell

[cutewizard]

[cutewizard]

[Dejounte]

I think You're selling Jamal Murray way short. The dude was injured for a season and a half. If he would have had the opportunity to build on his performance from the bubble he would be thought of very differently by now. There's not to many players that can do what Murray does he's a special player in fact as good as Jokic is they don't get past the second round without Murray. Murray was the reason the Nuggets won. Thye couldn't advance in the playoffs without him the past few seasons.

I’m not taking away any of Murray’s contributions in their championship run.

My point is that his level of talent (as a second star) isn’t one that we’ve grown accustomed to from past greats.

Would you build around Jamal Murray? No.

Could you build around Shaq? Yes. Replace Paul Pierce with Jamal Murray on that era of the Celtics and they are nowhere near as successful.

[JPB]

I think You're selling Jamal Murray way short. The dude was injured for a season and a half. If he would have had the opportunity to build on his performance from the bubble he would be thought of very differently by now. There's not to many players that can do what Murray does he's a special player in fact as good as Jokic is they don't get past the second round without Murray. Murray was the reason the Nuggets won. Thye couldn't advance in the playoffs without him the past few seasons.

nah, Murray might be a nice player but not even close to Jokic level.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Good thread.

It appears that there are two ways to build a winning team with the new CBA - having two stars and a carefully built cheap-ish team around them, or a single superstar + a number of very high level role players. The issue in terms of team building isn't even which players you're going to call stars or role players but who's going to be paid like one. Denver, for example, have 3 players on max contracts, but we don't think of them as a 3-star team like Phoenix. There is also the very important distinction between the fun max - 2nd contract max of players like Jamal Murray or Bam, which is in the 30s mil per (25% of the cap) and the 3rd contract star player max, which goes in the 50s (35% of the cap).

The Spurs have to get a clear sense of their timeline before committing hard to either strategy. Is Wemby going to be MVP level good within 2/3 years like Duncan (who was older) or 5/6 year like Jokic, for example. Obviously if he doesn't reach that level we can't talk about contending, so let's go with these 2 timelines. Point is, that they're very different in terms of how they should build the team. If it's the quick track one then they could use their stash of picks to trade for another star and rely on players like Vassell, Sochan, Keldon, Branham to be good role players before they have to be paid too much. However, if we're talking about contending 6 years down the line then it's unlikely you can rely on the current players and you can't blow your future picks on a star only for that star not to align with the Wemby timeline. In that case they'd have to carefully develop players, slowly assemble a team of the best talents they could have but with cost controlled contracts and trade those who wouldn't match the timeline, or who would be too expensive. Kicking picks and assets further back in time could also be helpful as you'd ideally want those just in time to trade them for that 2nd star or those importnat role players that you haven't produced yourself.

This is why they probably want to go very carefully in season one. They need a clearer perspective on where they stand and which plan they should act on. I'm sure they have plenty of scenarios and plans, as timvp has been suggesting for a long time. It'll be such a fun ride for us as fans.

[Spurs Homer]

Pretty sure Sochan will be that guy...


Now...how do the Spurs find a THIRD star?

[LeBowen]

Here I go again, but I still think Garland would be perfect.

Elite triple threat with the ball, 21/8 while playing with that chucker Mitc . Around 40% from deep on high volume while taking a lot of difficult ones.
Could easily be a 25/10 guy for us, is still just 23.

Obviously Cavs aren't trading him right now, but they have zero wings and playing two undersized guards who bad defensively just can't work.
I'm sure they'll eventually put Garland on the market.

Is his contract an overpay? Yes, it is.
Are there better players? Obviously.

But I think that out of all the point guards currently in the league he's the most realistic all-star caliber target that fits the timeline.
And his defense wouldn't be an issue with the projected core of Devin, Jeremy and Victor.

Anyhow, regardless of the name, we need an elite triple threat of pnr to pair with Victor.
Devin can develop into a 25ppg scorer, but he won't be the primary creator.
The beautiful game 2.0 would be nice, but again, we need a primary creator.

Maybe we get someone else, but my take that we need that type of point guard will remain the same.
I just keep mentioning Garland because other targets aren't realistic.

We're not getting Jamal, Luka, Ja, Edwards, SGA, Booker, Fox, Lamelo, Haliburton or Brunson.
Leaving Garland as the most relistic target that's not too old for the timeline.

Or another future prospect.

I don't think Spurs will be chasing trades in other positions unless some proven star is a good fit and asks out.

So it should be a Wemby-Jeremy-Devin core alongside an elite point guard.

[Spursfanfromafar]

The Spurs way was developing Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili into 2A/2B respectively. Can they do it with Vassell and Keldon. We will see. Only when they don't manage to develop relative to championship expectations in the medium term will the Spurs look for a FA second star. Build it organically as the Spurs themselves did around Duncan and later how the Nuggets did it around Jokic.

[Silverheart80]

I think a few things are clear:

-The Spurs are not going to have a losing season with Wemby on board, so relying on future drafts with their own picks to find the second guy is unlikely
-They are hitching their wagon on the current group of young guys. The young core might be here for a long time. I think the Spurs will want to show Wemby how different they are from the rest of the NBA, and keeping continuity or big parts of their roster intact is the “Spurs way” vs other teams where they’re constantly shifting things around. Wemby loves the Spurs for a reason, and it isn’t only because they won championships. Anyone who is a fan of the Spurs know the Spurs are the Spurs because of the unique things they do.


Tbh, the bar isn’t high anymore for a second guy to rise up. Jamal Murray isn’t a spectacular player compared to big time second fiddles like Shaq, Pippen, Paul Pierce. Who was second fiddle to Butler? Jalen Brown is about to be an overpaid player because he’s overrated. Anthony Davis is probably the only “second” star that qualifies as one who is better than or equal to the primary star on the Lakers (LeBron).

and finding the second star doesn’t always have to be through a top 5 pick in the lottery. There are a lot more ways a second star can be found, and most oftentimes, they can be homegrown. It’s not out of the question yet for most guys on the current roster. Someone may rise up and surprise us. Or it could be a guy we draft with the 20th pick in coming years.

There’s always an option of signing or trading for an established player, similar to what they did to get Aldridge. I’m sort of not a fan of this route because of what we could potentially give up and the chance they might bring their own ego to the team that the team wouldn’t be able to control. I think this path is more suited to when we have our 1 and 2 already.

There's a one-on-one conversation somewhere on YouTube between Gervin and Vassell. My favorite part is when Ice gently chastizes him for only being a 20ppg scorer on 15 shots (Devin's estimate, not mine). He says if he was more aggressive, he would get more free throws and because he doesn't, he's leaving points on the table. Even in a staged interview, you could tell that comment landed hard.

I think we'll know in the first 60 games if Devin is capable of being the Robin to VW's Batman. His arc so far has been spotty (injuries, DNPs via shadow-tanking), but if he's scoring 25ppg in that first 60 and his FT attempts escalate, we might have our answer.

[Big Empty]

Its whoever hires the best scouts with the new cba going foward. If they can spot solid role players, we can pay Wemby his 5 year $300 million extension in a few years if he is who he’s hyped up to be, and surround him with solid role players. Who know? Could be this current group. We have a ton draft picks to trade for solid players also if our current roster doesnt pan out. I think we all have a bit of Kawhi PTSD wanting the front office to be aggressive now to make sure Wemby stays happy and stays here.

[JPB]

spurs are clearly focusing on developing their young core they believe in. Keldon, Devin, Malaki, Jeremy... that's a very promising group there around Wemby who will make everyone better. I believe they'll chase a proven PG this summer but no major moves (probably no opportunities for that anyway).

that should be interesting to see how excited these guys will be to play with Wemby and vice and versa. I believe it's a perfect situation for Wemby, that will be his team from day one, even as a rookie and spurs will focus on making sure of that... Putting another star in his feet right away might not be the best idea... Let the kid show them, then only eventually bring a second star the following years year if you can and you believe you don't have it already.

[Extra Stout]

I think it’s worth noting that the Grizzlies are heading into their 5th season with Ja Morant and still no second star to show for it. That’s how hard it is to find a second guy. However, no one is highlighting that lack of a second star yet because they make the playoffs year after year. After a few more years, it’s going to be painfully obvious that Ja needs a Robin (or he needs a Batman) in order to get a ring. That’s always how this cycle goes. I think the Spurs recognize it and will waste no time trying to find that second guy for Wemby, my example with Ja shows that it won’t be easy.

edit: Luka finally got his second star in his 5th season with the Mavericks, but that doesn’t look promising at all… this is actually what I meant in my original post where I don’t think it’s best to find that second guy via trade or free agency.

Jaren Jackson Jr. made the All-Star team this past season. Also they have Desmond Bane who is close to that level.

The Spurs have a ton of draft capital and lots of swings at the ball to nab another elite player. They can help themselves by “being patient,” “seeing what they have,” and “finding out what works” in 2023-24, i.e. sandbagging the season to net a better draft pick. This does not mesh with your premise, but it’s what I predict will happen.

[rankingtear]

PNR guard. We have 2-3 years to find one. Someone would be available for a trade in that window. All star guards move all the time.

[dbestpro]

That player is on the team or will be drafted. What makes a star is not how many points they score but rather how much better they make everyone else.

[DAF86]

I'm having a really hard time seeing anyone on the current roster becoming that 2nd banana, tbh.

[BacktoBasics]

The Spurs are not going to “sandbag” this coming season for a high pick. I’m hoping they build a cohesive team with strong chemistry before seeking out a second star. Today’s stars are whiners, regularly injured with agents constantly working to move their player to a bigger market. I’d rather have a homegrown team of elite role player alongside Wemby.

[DAF86]

Also, if significant signings aren't made, the Spurs could easily have a losing record in the following season, tbh.

[exstatic]

Pretty sure Sochan will be that guy...


Now...how do the Spurs find a THIRD star?

Yup. He played 6 games in Feb, 6 games in March, and zero in Apr. They literally had to shut him down to keep from winning games.

[Dejounte]

Pop would sit this guy down after he’d score 10 straight in the first quarter. He would come back in the third quarter or something. High hopes for Sochan, tbh.

For someone with perceived lack of skill on the offensive end, he sure was showing a lot as the season went on.

[Larry O]

It appears that the immediate chemistry will be Sohan. There is history between the two, along with other mutual similarities. I think once Wemby gets aclamated with his teammates, other bondings will happen, ala Vassell, but I can see Sohan being Wemby's "Batman. " Sohan has Star and All Star potential. Granted, he will require to continue to work on his BB skills, but I believe that it will begin with these two. GSG!!!