Grade: Devin Vassell Signs $135 Million Contract Extension with Spurs

[John B]

I know it sounds silly. But I hope to goodness that Vassell doesn’t lead the team in shots per game. Same with KJ. They don’t need to improve much. Just hit open shots and defend. Let Wemby cook. If Vassell is a little worse stats wise but better efficiency, then this is a win.

Also I am really looking forward to a Sochan/Wemby pick n roll. This might be an unstoppable combination with Vassell getting so many open looks.

On the contrary having Devin playing aggressive would take some pressure off Wemby and allow him for an easier transition. I expect Devin leading the offense and Wemby getting more and more as the season progresses.

[Bruno]

It looks like he is using a very low estimation of future cap to calculate "% of cap". If the new TV deal is as good as planed, Vassell's "% of cap" will be around 13% in his last two years.

Without trying to over-analyze it, I think you can draw two conclusions of it:

First, Spurs aren't looking to maximize cap space for next summer. Spurs could have saved as much $6M in cap space by structuring Vassell's contract differently. It doesn't necessarily mean Spurs won't go after a big FA this summer but it means they think they don't need to optimize their cap space to execute next summer plan.

Second, Spurs are damn high on Wembanyama. To me, the 4th year drop is about avoiding luxury tax when his extension will kick in. In 26/27, Wemby will earn $17M and a supermax extension will raise his 27-28 salary close to $60M. Spurs had him in their building practicing for 2 months and they are already structuring the team salary to fit his max extension in 4 years. It gives you an idea on how they view him.

[Bruno]

Vassel's stats bonuses are quite high but doable.

Offensively they want him not only to be a good 3 point shooter but also to go to the basket. I like that they use blocks as a defensive stat. Steals are such a bad stat to evaluate a player defensive quality.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Most of these bonuses will be very difficult for Vassell to hit. The only one he’s come close to is the blocks per 36 one. If he could earn any of these he’d have done damn well.

[exstatic]

Most of these bonuses will be very difficult for Vassell to hit. The only one he’s come close to is the blocks per 36 one. If he could earn any of these he’d have done damn well.

Hopefully, Wemby makes #4 pretty regular for him to collect on the back half of the deal.

[KobesAchilles]

i mean yeah, if he shows he can handle more, give him more. but he's also 19, will be adjusting to the nba. not just the compe ion level and different rules/game, but the 82 game schedule, the longer travel, the bigger media frenzy that we have here compared to france. going to be a lot going on for him.

It’s a lot to take on for sure. A new country, high expectations, new teammates and coach, living in a city far different than the one he grew up in. But I’m expecting Wemby to handle all of it.

I haven’t been this high on a rookie since Lebron.

As a side note, I don’t think Vassell has the capacity to be a number one option on a good team. He’s a fine shooter, can hit tough midrange shots, but his driving game is weak. He doesn’t get to the line very often and he isn’t really a creator for anybody else. He also has to work extremely hard for his shots.

I think Wemby opens up some better shots for Vassell. I can see him setting some good screens for him. But the reality is that Wemby can do way more on offense than Vassell can simply due to his size. His shot is unblockable. Who is going to stop a jump hook from Wemby? Or a turn around? His roll game should be elite (and will be even better when we get a real freaking starting PG). He’s going to get put backs and transition buckets. He’s going to have face up shots and post up shots, he’s going to pick n pop. And Pop is going to put him in the corner three as well. There’s just more you can do with Wemby than you can Devin.

I expect Devin to be 17 ppg on about 14 fga per game. I expect KJ to be about the same. And I expect Wemby to be right at 22 averaging about 18 fga. The faster, imo and I’m not as smart as Pop, we establish Wemby as the number one, the better I think it is for our team in the future

[tbdog]

I do Wemby will be our number 1 unless his offensive game doesn't translate. I think he'll be hard to ref actually and I'm expecting a lot of under cutting.

[poopbox]

Devin can shoot the three and get his spots and shots in the midrange but I haven't seen him be a threat off the dribble as far as getting to the rim consistently. So I'm curious if he's added whole new elements to his game or improved on what he was already doing. Maybe his bulk is helping him back people down. It will all be interesting to see.

It's possible the next two years Devin will get the most touches he will ever get before Sochan and VW fully come into their own and take over the team. To me, Sochan will eventually be the second banana. He scores so easily and randomly and makes it seem natural, at least when he's on a roll, whereas before DV had to work hard to get his fadeaways to go down.


But we'll see.

Well he didn't get to the rim because he had a big giant Austrian pussy standing around it who was a threat to do absolutely nothing so any player on the spurs going to the rim is instantly having a 6 10 or taller human coming out the meet them at the freethrow line cause it aint like Poeltl was ever going to catch a lob. That will change with Wemby, who will be threat to actually dunk a basketball that someone passes to him. So Devin, and everyone else driving and inside scoring game, is going to see a sharp increase, simply due to the personnel change of replacing a big giant pussy with an actual young talented nba player.

[The Truth #6]

Well he didn't get to the rim because he had a big giant Austrian pussy standing around it who was a threat to do absolutely nothing so any player on the spurs going to the rim is instantly having a 6 10 or taller human coming out the meet them at the freethrow line cause it aint like Poeltl was ever going to catch a lob. That will change with Wemby, who will be threat to actually dunk a basketball that someone passes to him. So Devin, and everyone else driving and inside scoring game, is going to see a sharp increase, simply due to the personnel change of replacing a big giant pussy with an actual young talented nba player.

That could be a factor, sure, less vaginas near the rim, absolutely, but my comment is more about Devin's ability to actually get separation with his dribble starting on the perimeter.

[Cry Havoc]

Just pointing out the similarities in production. One is clearly a SF the other is a SG. But Anunoby is consistently projected as worth multiple picks.

Anunoby is already on a 19mil/year deal. His reup is going to make DV's contract look like a ensian street urchin's. Okay it won't be that bad but OG is about to get a 230+ million dollar bag and I'm not entirely sure he's worth it as a player who's yet to post a PER of 15. Meanwhile Vassell's PER last year was 15.5. Dude is a huge asset and great get for the Spurs, and that contract won't hurt us with the new cap in a few years.

[Cry Havoc]

Does any team in the league have a pair of 20 ppg scorers cheaper than the Spurs have?

I know they're not "Elite" scorers, but it's just more fuel to the excitement fire for this upcoming season. Some fans are expecting not much, but I just feel this team will take a bigger leap forward without Wemby, who is just gravy on top of everything else.

Regardless, ing STOKED for this season.

It wouldn't shock me to see the Spurs make a run at a near 500 record this season. I think 38-46 is absolutely within reach of this team and next year it'll vault them into mid range contender status in the West, somewhere in the 4-7 seed range with all the potential in the world in the next 2-5 years.

[Mr. Body]

It wouldn't shock me to see the Spurs make a run at a near 500 record this season. I think 38-46 is absolutely within reach of this team and next year it'll vault them into mid range contender status in the West, somewhere in the 4-7 seed range with all the potential in the world in the next 2-5 years.

I'm with you brother. I think the Spurs improve by sixteen games or so and too many people will be shocked. Even if they're on the low end, in the next years they're going to be rising while a lot of teams in the West will be catering. There are four playoff teams in the West this past year who will be dunzo in Warriors, Suns, Lakers, and Clippers.

[Cry Havoc]

I'm with you brother. I think the Spurs improve by sixteen games or so and too many people will be shocked. Even if they're on the low end, in the next years they're going to be rising while a lot of teams in the West will be catering. There are four playoff teams in the West this past year who will be dunzo in Warriors, Suns, Lakers, and Clippers.

Dunno about the Dubs, they seem to have a pretty solid organization there. Clippers Lakers and Suns are going to flatline though and it'll be glorious for all involved. xD

[Mr. Body]

Dunno about the Dubs, they seem to have a pretty solid organization there. Clippers Lakers and Suns are going to flatline though and it'll be glorious for all involved. xD

The Warriors' great org isn't there anymore and their core is decaying. Maybe they make good decisions, but they could be floundering for a while. Once Curry slows down, they won't be relevant for the rest of the decade. They had a chance to get good youth with three lotto picks, two of them very high, and utterly blew it.

[CGD]

I find it helpful that they’re now breaking these salary figures down by % of the cap. These new cap projections are so dizzying that I don’t know what to make of them. 17% of cap for Dev as Vic is coming into his own seems damn good.

[spurraider21]

I find it helpful that they’re now breaking these salary figures down by % of the cap. These new cap projections are so dizzying that I don’t know what to make of them. 17% of cap for Dev as Vic is coming into his own seems damn good.

and those are based on estimates of what the cap will be in future years, and they dont appear to be very ambitious estimates

[CGD]

^ makes Keldon’s deal that much better

[JPB]

5-most-intriguing-nba-players-2023-24


https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/sto...layers-2023-24

Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs

It's already easy to picture Vassell fitting into a Victor Wembanyama-centered team as an elite 3-and-D player. The intrigue lies in how good Vassell can get at the core skills of that role, and whether he can stretch the boundaries of it -- becoming the 3-and-D type who can work as a secondary ball handler in playoff-level games.

In inking Vassell to a five-year, $146 million extension, the Spurs made an emphatic bet on Vassell becoming that sort of well-rounded two-way wing. "San Antonio is home," Vassell told ESPN about a week before signing the deal. "I love it here. Getting feedback from Pop [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] is huge. It's a great culture."

Vassell was watching the NBA draft lottery at his house. "There was such an excitement," he said. "Victor is gonna help us out right away. We have more national [TV games], which means more chances to put everyone on notice."



Vassell drew little national attention even as he bumped his scoring average by six full points -- to 18.5 per game. His catch-and-shoot 3 is proven; Vassell hit 40% on such shots over the past two seasons combined -- including a sizzling 43% last season. (He appeared in only 38 games before undergoing knee surgery midseason; Vassell said his knee was sore during most of those games.)

He tripled his pick-and-roll volume -- from about 7 per 100 possessions to nearly 23, per Second Spectrum -- and managed well on a rebuilding team. He defaults to his pet midrange shot, though that's not a major problem; Vassell hit a tidy 47% on long 2s, and that's an important tool for him and Spurs late in the shot clock. (He has a high release that is tough to disrupt, and can move the ball to either side of his head in mid-air to find a clear line to the rim.)

Still, some early-clock mid-rangers come at the expense of more profitable stuff -- rim attacks, pocket passes, pull-up 3s when Vassell's man gets caught on picks.

Vassell attempted only 20 pull-up 3s all season. He didn't get to the rim or the line much. He vowed to do more of all of that this season. "I'm going to go up and test some big men," Vassell said. "I'm trying to catch more bodies."

He showed flashes of a more nuanced paint game -- changing pace, keeping his dribble alive, fooling defenders with eye fakes and shoulder shakes:

He thrived sling-shotting into sideline handoffs -- after an initial action had bent the defense:

It's easy to say Vassell won't get to control the offense so often on a winning team. Maybe so. But the best teams have lots of secondary handlers capable of keeping the offense moving on plays exactly like that handoff. Improving on those also bodes well for Vassell's catch-and-go driving game -- the bread-and-butter of any 3-and-D wing. Tre Jones -- San Antonio's starting point guard -- has made huge strides, but he's still more of a game manager; the Spurs need dynamic ball handling.

"I have a big opportunity," Vassell said. "There's definitely more to my game than just 3-and-D."

Vassell averaged 3.6 dimes last season, easily a career high, but he has to level up as a playmaker. He often carves deep into the paint with eyes on the rim, only to change course at the last second and heave lollipop bailouts -- soft, high passes the defense can track in flight. He leaves pocket passes on the table.

In fairness, the Spurs' spacing last season was cramped. Passing lanes were tight, and closed fast. Vassell did not have a rolling threat anything like what Wembanyama could be. "Having a screener like that -- it's gonna change everything," Vassell said.

The "D" part of the Vassell 3-and-D equation has lagged behind expectations -- typical of young players with ambitions of scoring. Vassell is slithery, with a 6-10 wingspan, and has the look of someone who can switch from point guards to power forwards. In some matchups, he can. But bigger wings have bullied him some. Vassell's attention to detail can wane. He's a so-so rebounder.

But the tools are there. Vassell has also put on weight -- he said he's up to 205 pounds -- with an eye on becoming a more versatile defender.

He should get there. If the right parts of his game pop, Vassell could be a core starter on the next great San Antonio team.

[exstatic]

Dunno about the Dubs, they seem to have a pretty solid organization there. Clippers Lakers and Suns are going to flatline though and it'll be glorious for all involved. xD

They are old and made two catastrophic lottery picks in Wiseman and Kuminga. They could have picked Lamelo, or frankly Vassell, and Franz Wagner.

[poopbox]

I'm with you brother. I think the Spurs improve by sixteen games or so and too many people will be shocked. Even if they're on the low end, in the next years they're going to be rising while a lot of teams in the West will be catering. There are four playoff teams in the West this past year who will be dunzo in Warriors, Suns, Lakers, and Clippers.

The problem with this is that all the teams that have been tanking lately are not trying to tank anymore.

OKC is trying to make the playoffs now.
Rockets literally signed a new team and new coaching staff. They not trying to tank anymore.
Orlando has to show some growth or they coaching staff on the hot seat. THey not trying to tank now.
Detroit signed Monty and he don't do that tanking . They trying to win now.
The mavs do not have an incentive to be bad and screw the knicks out of a 1st round pick. They trying to win now.
Indiana cashed out Haliburton. Nobody is going to be tanking while paying someone that kind of money.

Lol I say that and the Hornets cashed out Lamelo and they will absolutely try to tank if thinks start off slow to keep they pick.
Portland will try to tank for obvious reasons.

So I mean yeah, Hornets and Blazers might try to be bad. But the Wemby sweepstakes are over. The Spurs won it. For mostly everyone else, back to your regularly scheduled program.

What western conference team are the spurs better than, than maybe Portland? Who are the 3 or 4 western conference team we will play 4 times and we can say yep pencil at least 2 wins against them easy?

[ismael-robert]

I'm liking the parity in nba now. The plan they put in place with cbas is working n most teams have multiple potential all stars n u can't really take any nights off...even without new rest rules

[Mr. Body]

The problem with this is that all the teams that have been tanking lately are not trying to tank anymore.

OKC is trying to make the playoffs now.
Rockets literally signed a new team and new coaching staff. They not trying to tank anymore.
Orlando has to show some growth or they coaching staff on the hot seat. THey not trying to tank now.
Detroit signed Monty and he don't do that tanking . They trying to win now.
The mavs do not have an incentive to be bad and screw the knicks out of a 1st round pick. They trying to win now.
Indiana cashed out Haliburton. Nobody is going to be tanking while paying someone that kind of money.

Lol I say that and the Hornets cashed out Lamelo and they will absolutely try to tank if thinks start off slow to keep they pick.
Portland will try to tank for obvious reasons.

So I mean yeah, Hornets and Blazers might try to be bad. But the Wemby sweepstakes are over. The Spurs won it. For mostly everyone else, back to your regularly scheduled program.

What western conference team are the spurs better than, than maybe Portland? Who are the 3 or 4 western conference team we will play 4 times and we can say yep pencil at least 2 wins against them easy?

I really don't know how many times I have to answer the question of how many teams I think the Spurs can be better than in the WC this year. Let's say I think they can make the playoffs, okay?

As for the rest, I don't really care about the EC right now. Orlando looks pretty nice, but I don't know if they have the horses to become a contender. We'll see. Detroit? Whatever. I never expect much from Indiana.

The only team I see as a contendor among those is OKC. I've called them a top 3 team in the West this year. Houston is probably going to be pretty bad once again this year. It's a mess of a roster.

[MultiTroll]

Lakers are going to flatline though and it'll be glorious for all involved. xD

Lakers bread and butter has and always will be
1. Scam trades
2. Entertainment industry promises.

Mixed in with some solid draft picks, lets give them their due.

As long as the last name Buss is ownership, the scams will continue. Now as the weakening of Hollywood, sure it's going down hill. But still very powerful.
See Snaq Oneal wanting to become a rap fool.
Lebron bombing with that movie. Regardless, got em both the Smell-A.

Would not count out some future Laker stuff. They aint getting Wemby tho. Never.

[poopbox]

I really don't know how many times I have to answer the question of how many teams I think the Spurs can be better than in the WC this year. Let's say I think they can make the playoffs, okay?

As for the rest, I don't really care about the EC right now. Orlando looks pretty nice, but I don't know if they have the horses to become a contender. We'll see. Detroit? Whatever. I never expect much from Indiana.

The only team I see as a contendor among those is OKC. I've called them a top 3 team in the West this year. Houston is probably going to be pretty bad once again this year. It's a mess of a roster.

Well you should care about the east. Because you play each eastern conference team twice. That's 30 games. Lose to many of those games...now you got to beat the Lakers 3 out of 3 times. Beat the clippers 3 out of 4 times. Beat the Nuggets 3 out of 4 times, to make up the difference. So if you think the spurs can actually make the playoffs, then yeah, the eastern conference is critical. It's critical that between the pistons, hornets, wizards, and magic the spurs go probably AT LEAST 6 - 2

As far as the Rockets, they got multiple veteran players who have played in the playoffs, they didn't have to sacrifice any of their young lottery talent to get said veterans, and got a coach who literally made the nba finals his first time being a head coach. I think the rockets are going to be much improved.

[Mr. Body]

Well you should care about the east. Because you play each eastern conference team twice. That's 30 games. Lose to many of those games...now you got to beat the Lakers 3 out of 3 times. Beat the clippers 3 out of 4 times. Beat the Nuggets 3 out of 4 times, to make up the difference. So if you think the spurs can actually make the playoffs, then yeah, the eastern conference is critical. It's critical that between the pistons, hornets, wizards, and magic the spurs go probably AT LEAST 6 - 2

The conversation is about the western conference. I'm sticking to the subject.