Windhorst: Wembanyama Not Thrilled With Where Spurs Are; Doesn't Think Spurs Can Get Away With Slow Build

[get_mills_out]

Jeff mcdonald was on 94.1 and made it sound like PATFO are s shocked at how bad the supporting cast has been. Whether they clean house from a playerdev standpoint or take a serious look at the BB ops braintrust that thought this season was going to be about “learning how to win” remains to be seen, but he said to expect some serious offseason roster movement with an eye toward winning

[tbdog]

Don't compare Pop last two years coaching as a catalyst for his career. I do think Pop has purposely experimented to much with a poor roster to begin with. I think next season would give a better indication if Pop is still worthy of a Head Coaching label.

I do think the Spurs will accelerate the rebuild. But we won't be le contenders until Wemby is a top 10 player, which could be as early as year 3. Hence why I think the rebuild get accelerated.

Getting a high 1st round pick was always ideal. The fact we could have 2 is even better.

Going after trae is my ideal situation but I think Spurs will stay conservative by bringing in talented stop gaps. Like Fultz, Tyrus Jones, Monk. Valanciunas. Or trade for one of those teams shredding salary for a decent player.

And I to think Johnson is the odd man out once you got a little more talent around you.

[CGD]

Jeff mcdonald was on 94.1 and made it sound like PATFO are s shocked at how bad the supporting cast has been. Whether they clean house from a playerdev standpoint or take a serious look at the BB ops braintrust that thought this season was going to be about “learning how to win” remains to be seen, but he said to expect some serious offseason roster movement with an eye toward winning

Interesting, will have to look for that. I can’t help put wonder if they’re most disappointed that Vassell didn’t take more of a leap. Keldon and Tre have also stalled, but they’re also more limited players to start.

[get_mills_out]

Doesn’t really need to be said tbh. I think PATFO are attached to a lot of incorrect priors about the modern NBA, but I don’t think they are fools. Vic is already good enough that you’d be foolish to try and do anything but put the best team around him.

You can’t really begrudge them for going into 23/24 with the goal of “seeing what we have”, but now that we know vic is a top 15 player at his age you need to be hitting the phones this summer turning Vassell/Norbit Johnson and all of these protected FRPs into players who win basketball games.

The crazy part is how many of your FRPs from the past few years aren’t on the roster or have basically no trade value. If I’m another GM I’d rather have two SRPs and cash considerations that Branham or Wesley

[z0sa]

Jeff mcdonald was on 94.1 and made it sound like PATFO are s shocked at how bad the supporting cast has been. Whether they clean house from a playerdev standpoint or take a serious look at the BB ops braintrust that thought this season was going to be about “learning how to win” remains to be seen, but he said to expect some serious offseason roster movement with an eye toward winning

Thanks for posting this. I hope it's true. It would make sense, and if major moves do occur (which are smart), it will accomplish a great deal towards restoring (my) faith in the FO.

[get_mills_out]

Interesting, will have to look for that. I can’t help put wonder if they’re most disappointed that Vassell didn’t take more of a leap. Keldon and Tre have also stalled, but they’re also more limited players to start.

I believe his exact wording was that if they stood pat this summer he’d pick up a pitchfork and lead the charge to the frost bank center. Which, for the officially anointed Popsucker who is well connected within the team, are strong words

[tbdog]

Branham and Wesley still have a shot of being NBA regular rotational players. Giving up on youth this early takes a toll. But getting one starter material guard, especially a pg should be a priority. The next two draftees, Spurs and Tor pick, would be the next prospects. Hopefully one is at least a legit size swing player. So the spurs don't necessarily need to upgrade across the board or even swing for an allstar. But replacing champagnie and Jones into starting material players would go a long way in improving this team.

Hopefully Wemby and Vassell progression is significant. I think Wemby would be. Sochan will take more time.

Upgrading Zach would be nice to. I don't see that happening. Depends on the draft.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

A professional sports coach is expected to pull out more wins post #1 draft pick than the season before getting the aforementioned #1 pick, true or false?

You mean is a professional coach expected to do what you want? No, of course not.

I expect they should build a O'Brien winning team. Your extra X wins in year 1 for jollies is meaningless in that context.

I am fine with the tank.

[z0sa]

You mean is a professional coach expected to do what you want? No, of course not.

I expect they should build a O'Brien winning team. Your extra X wins in year 1 for jollies is meaningless in that context.

I am fine with the tank.

I'm noticing you couldn't answer a simple question.

I'm also noticing you, like everyone else on the shadow tank crew, are lacking anything resembling hard evidence a tank was actually planned or is being executed.

There's actually hard evidence to the contrary. Therefore, the only person making unrealistic deductions - and avoiding questions - is you.

[SpursFan86]

I don’t know, this seems like a non-event tbh. Victor is obviously a hyper-compe ive guy - no he’s “not thrilled” with where the team is right now. Everything he’s said over the past ~9 months has been overwhelmingly positive regarding the Spurs. I don’t think he’s “losing faith” or anything like that…the guy just hates losing and is understandably frustrated.

That being said, I do agree with the notion that the Spurs shouldn’t sit around and take their sweet time with this rebuild. We know what we have in Victor now, and he’s probably further along already than most thought. This isn’t a situation where Victor is 3-4 years away from being “the guy”.

[get_mills_out]

I don’t know, this seems like a non-event tbh. Victor is obviously a hyper-compe ive guy - no he’s “not thrilled” with where the team is right now. Everything he’s said over the past ~9 months has been overwhelmingly positive regarding the Spurs. I don’t think he’s “losing faith” or anything like that…the guy just hates losing and is understandably frustrated.

That being said, I do agree with the notion that the Spurs shouldn’t sit around and take their sweet time with this rebuild. We know what we have in Victor now, and he’s probably further along already than most thought. This isn’t a situation where Victor is 3-4 years away from being “the guy”.

The major media guys stirring the pot about Wemby wanting to go to LA/NY should be no surprise. Of course Wemby hates having to play 82 games with close to no chance of winning. All I would read into this is that Windhorst has zero sources within the spurs that he cares about burning

[scott]

Jeff mcdonald was on 94.1 and made it sound like PATFO are s shocked at how bad the supporting cast has been. Whether they clean house from a playerdev standpoint or take a serious look at the BB ops braintrust that thought this season was going to be about “learning how to win” remains to be seen, but he said to expect some serious offseason roster movement with an eye toward winning

This is an encouraging level of self-awareness.

[ambchang]

The same guys who said wemby would be a great fit for LA before he was drafted.

I would say it’s reasonable for wemby to be frustrated with what is going on. The question is whether he has any trust in PATFO to move the team to the right direction.

[TheGreatYacht]

I'd rather go Naz Reid since TWolves will have to get rid of someone due to their cap situation and then one of Trey Murphy or Herb Jones because both want to start and NOLA needs to improve some other areas.
Trae/Devin/Herb/Naz/Wemby would be a legit team and Spurs would still have some assets left.

A couple of veterans for the bench. Clean house from these charity cases and scrubs with no fundamentals.
Tre can stay, others not so much. Maybe Sidy develops.

That’s literally an A+ off-season. Love Naz Reid. Made a thread about wanting him years ago but the search engine stopped working here, so I couldn’t bump it the other night

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I'm noticing you couldn't answer a simple question.

I'm also noticing you, like everyone else on the shadow tank crew, are lacking anything resembling hard evidence a tank was actually planned or is being executed.

There's actually hard evidence to the contrary. Therefore, the only person making unrealistic deductions - and avoiding questions - is you.

I answered your question. I was just pointing out that your expectation was really only what you wanted and that either way you put it the answer is no. I even presented an alternate expectation. Frankly your question is just self important nonsense.

I do not think they came in tanking. I take them at their word when they said they wanted to win coming in. I also take them at their word when they leak they ed up their self scout and then trade their best shooter, start benching players like Wemby and KJ for teaching moments, and a whole bunch of other things that indicate that they do not give a about winning.

[tbdog]

Also to note, these narratives will continue if Wemby stays in a small market.

[SpursFan86]

Victor seemed pretty happy in that post game interview on home court just now

[scott]

It’s important not to confuse wanting better with wanting out. I think there are plenty of signs that Wemby wants to be a champion as a career Spur. Wemby is an incredibly mature and professional person, and it’s entirely possible for him to exert pressure on the FO without being a diva about it.

[DAF86]

I guess tonight's game is more in line with what PATFO had in mind coming into the season.

-Vassell as a dynamic scorer that can also playmake for others.
-Sochan, the best perimiter defender of the team but that can also contribute on the other side of the floor.
-Tre the floor general.
-Collins not sucking complete ass.
-And Wemby being Wemby.

I guess Keldon could have provided a bit more offensive punch.

[DesignatedT]

Highest usage rate means nothing when it isn't being utilized correctly... He doesn't have an offense built around him... He often scores on difficult shots and doesn't get the ball in schemes that take advantage of his versatility.... Many times he ends up just forcing difficult shots because we don't have a real offensive structure

That’s not the point. This season is a glorified practice for Wemby to see what he can and cannot do… one legged threes and all. He wouldn’t be able to improve his game this much this quickly if it wasn’t for all the freedom they are giving him.

[z0sa]

I answered your question. I was just pointing out that your expectation was really only what you wanted and that either way you put it the answer is no. I even presented an alternate expectation. Frankly your question is just self important nonsense.

I do not think they came in tanking. I take them at their word when they said they wanted to win coming in. I also take them at their word when they leak they ed up their self scout and then trade their best shooter, start benching players like Wemby and KJ for teaching moments, and a whole bunch of other things that indicate that they do not give a about winning.

Being a fan of a professional sports team is a self indulgence both of us are engaged in, dude. I disagree, strongly, that tanking is or was the goal - furthermore, you've yet to prove I made any sort of deduction at all. The players' - and coaching staff's - literal jobs are to win basketball games. You're the one with the burden of proof, not me.

You want to bring up a trade at the trade deadline as proof we're suddenly tanking, that's cir stantial at best. Or benching players to teach them a lesson? That could go down on a contender just the same as it does any other team. There's plenty of player interviews - from recently, including from Wemby - indicating that winning IS the goal right now, not tanking. Just take a look at our win tonight. This is NOT a team that's tanking on purpose. This is a bad team, whose coaching has been subpar. There's plenty of non-cir stantial evidence for this. And again, Pop BEFORE the season said it's about winning. Just because we're losing now doesn't give you carte blanche to act like that disposition has changed.

Also, I'm missing where you answered whether a coach is expected to win ball-games after being given a #1 pick. I haven't brought up the fact it's a generational talent with 55+ games to prove as much.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It’s important not to confuse wanting better with wanting out. I think there are plenty of signs that Wemby wants to be a champion as a career Spur. Wemby is an incredibly mature and professional person, and it’s entirely possible for him to exert pressure on the FO without being a diva about it.

Spurs have a long history of excellent symbiotic relationships with their stars. You make it seem like Wemby is going to have to have some sort of confrontation or sit down to get his views heard. I think that premise is completely false and at best it is unfounded.

[get_mills_out]

Branham and Wesley still have a shot of being NBA regular rotational players. Giving up on youth this early takes a toll.

I don’t disagree per se, but I think the league is so talent-rich right now that I think the days of rostering 21 year olds who might be rotation players by their second contract are over. You see it with guys like Poku. Unless your express intent is to lose games on purpose, there really isn’t a reason to carry project players whose ceiling is “league average 8th man”. I think this is a very recent thing and don’t fault Wright for drafting a dozen 18 year olds over the last few years.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Being a fan of a professional sports team is a self indulgence both of us are engaged in, dude. I disagree, strongly, that tanking is or was the goal - furthermore, you've yet to prove I made any sort of deduction at all. The players' - and coaching staff's - literal jobs are to win basketball games. You're the one with the burden of proof, not me.

You want to bring up a trade at the trade deadline as proof we're suddenly tanking, that's cir stantial at best. Or benching players to teach them a lesson? That could go down on a contender just the same as it does any other team. There's plenty of player interviews - from recently, including from Wemby - indicating that winning IS the goal right now, not tanking. Just take a look at our win tonight. This is NOT a team that's tanking on purpose. This is a bad team, whose coaching has been subpar. There's plenty of non-cir stantial evidence for this. And again, Pop BEFORE the season said it's about winning. Just because we're losing now doesn't give you carte blanche to act like that disposition has changed.

Also, I'm missing where you answered whether a coach is expected to win ball-games after being given a #1 pick. I haven't brought up the fact it's a generational talent with 55+ games to prove as much.

I know you have not performed a deduction. As I said you fall far short oof one. Your logic is just asserting a possibility and claiming it is true.

I said the answer was no. This is three times now. I am sorry that your rhetorical gotcha question is not working out for you.

Hey if you want to think that they are doing everything they can to win then you go right ahead. Either way were in line for equal best shot at #1. I am okay with the outcome.

[poopbox]

Jeff mcdonald was on 94.1 and made it sound like PATFO are s shocked at how bad the supporting cast has been. Whether they clean house from a playerdev standpoint or take a serious look at the BB ops braintrust that thought this season was going to be about “learning how to win” remains to be seen, but he said to expect some serious offseason roster movement with an eye toward winning

Being "shocked" at how bad the supporting cast is, is the exact type of thing that happens when you got a 72 year old running the show who has lost the plot.