But taking even more of a look at the Zollins timeline, under that contract:
2021-22, medical recovery. Even if the recovery goes as well as everyone hopes, he isn’t going to be significant this season. He’ll still have to get back in shape, knock off the (thick) rust and rehone his skill, learn to fit into how the Spurs play, etc. Maybe he could get a little garbage time late in the season. More than that should not be expected.
‘22-23, see if he can still play. If all the above goes well, and also training camp and preseason, slot him into the rotation for a serious look. At backup center or pf. Even if everything has gone fabulously, the Spurs wouldn’t start him from the beginning of the season. Maybe at some point in the latter half of the season, if he sparkles irresistibly, they’d tentatively start him, while making sure somebody else is on hand to start instead, just in case. [add sound effect of a bone breaking]
‘23-24, he’s good. Alakazam, magic has happened. The Spurs make him a starter for sure, and he plays well. *And everybody in the NBA sees it.*
2024, he’s UFA. The Spurs find themselves bidding against a dozen other teams for him. And he’s gone.
Oh well, one good season from him. Maybe, possibly, could be. In the best case.
Then, the Spurs find themselves shopping for another center who’s any good. Or perhaps, they outbid everyone else, to keep Zollins. So the Spurs are then overpaying him, and it no longer looks like he was ever any bargain at all.
Again, that’s best case, where he has a delightful recovery. Worst case is, total failure, and the Spurs have wasted an opportunity to try somebody else, who could at least run and jump when they signed him.
How is this a good gamble?