Spurs mailbag: Wemby's role, starting lineup conundrum, and relitigating the Thad Young 'drama'
Plus, analyzing the swing skills of San Antonio's young role players, as well as a brief travel guide for the out-of-towners who will finally be making a visit
All’s quiet on the NBA front at the moment, so it’s the perfect time to throw this mailbag on your internet porch. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and don’t worry if you don’t see yours here because we got to the rest of them on the latest Small Market Bias podcast episode (dropping soon). There were a bunch of fun questions, so again, I appreciate you all for helping the cause.
How much of the offense do you think will end up running through Wemby? Or... How much does having Wemby on the floor improve last year’s historically bad defense? Whichever you think is a more interesting question. — Tyler
They’re both interesting, but one is significantly easier to answer. His defense is going to be life-altering for this team. If tomorrow we took a time machine to 2043 and looked back on Wemby’s career, it’s almost impossible to think he wouldn’t have racked up a ton of accolades and built a Hall-of-Fame-type career even if his offense only developed at an average rate. And that’s because, if he stays healthy, he’s going to be one of the greatest rim-protectors we’ve ever seen.
Wemby is going to change the geometry of the court simply by being in the game, and he’s going to force rookies and vets alike to alter the way they play offense, make them question their shot selections when he’s in the vicinity, and cause everyone to start seeing ghosts every time they even think about putting a shot up near the rim. It’ll take a little while before he’s ready to body up some of the stronger players, but as long as he’s working in space defensively, his timing, wingspan and standing reach are going to be military-grade weapons.
As for what they’ll do with him offensively? I think it’s difficult to tell at this point. We’ve seen his skill set, and there’s no question he has the talent to do almost anything on the floor, but he’s going to have to be reined in a little bit. With Mets 92 he was free to do just about anything he wanted in order to prepare for the NBA, but he’s just not an efficient on-ball perimeter player at this point. I thought Summer League offered an interesting case study.
During the first game, the Spurs kind of let him go in what was something of a showcase, but they had more of a gameplan ahead of the second game. There was much more of an inside-out approach, as San Antonio was freeing him up with cross screens and flashes to the post, working him off pin-downs, putting him in pick-and-pops and pick-and-rolls, and planting him near the free-throw line when the Blazers went zone. And by the end of the game, teammates were looking for his spot-ups after the Portland defense had spent much of the night getting sucked inside. I think that’ll be the progression until he gets stronger and more balanced, and is able to handle on-ball perimeter defenders more effectively — get going inside and at the mid-post before popping outside for good looks from the 3-point line.
Just a quick side note: I do wonder how they’ll use him in the pick-and-rolls and pops, because when he sets screens, he’s so tall that defenders are literally running into his knees. It’s inevitable he’s going to be used in this capacity, I’m just curious how often it’ll be Zach Collins doing most of that bumping on the perimeter instead.
I'm particularly interested in these 3 forwards: Julian Champagnie, Dominick Barlow and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Three fun young players who possess different and unique skillsets. What's the swing skill for each of them to develop into a solid contributor (or even more) for the next competitive Spurs squad? — Tommaso Di Nicola
I like this question, because that swing skill is so important for role players who have to find a way to stand out in such a competitive league if they want to find longevity.
For Champagnie, it’s the 3-point shot. It has to remain consistent. I was really impressed by the understanding of his role from the first day he arrived in San Antonio, as he knew exactly who and what he was and what was expected of him. He’s very smart, he’s an excellent cutter, and he showed some solid defensive instincts, but it was the shot that really stood out. The thing is, that hasn’t always been the case with him even going back to his college days. He showed potential from the outside, but he was never the flamethrower we saw in bursts with the Spurs. If he can lock in at around 38 percent or better and avoid the cold streaks, he’s gonna have a real NBA career.
Mamu is another guy who needs to find and maintain a consistent outside shot, but his whole skill set presents so many interesting outcomes. Defensively he’s got to find an identity, as he isn’t big enough to bang with the NBA’s most physical bigs, and he’s not quite quick and long enough to hang with wings and the athletic fours of the league. He’s kind of a tweener. A lot of that will be on the coaching staff finding the right spots to play him, and roster fit is going to be super important. As for the offensive end, he’s got to sloooooooow dooooooown. Maybe that’s not necessarily a skill, but adjusting his pace so that he’s able to more efficiently utilize the skills he does possess will go a long way in allowing him to stick. Mamu is talented, but he’s got to learn to play with a little more control. That stuff usually comes with time, though.
Dom had an excellent Summer League, but I still don’t know exactly what he is quite yet. It’s difficult to analyze anyone in that setting. After all, only a few months ago he was just trying to figure out what the hell he was supposed to be doing on the court. But there were clear signs of improvement in Vegas. He put on weight, he was flashing ball-handling skills, that mid-range jumper was falling, he was getting out in transition and doing stuff in the pick-and-roll — it was cool to see a kid that raw showing some real tools. How that translates to the NBA court remains to be seen, but the glimpses were there. At the very least, if he continues to develop, he looks like someone who will be able to contribute in a number of ways offensively, but where it has to happen first is on the defensive end. If you want to stick in San Antonio as a young kid, and if you want to impress Gregg Popovich, that has to be your top priority. It’s a tough adjustment to make as a young big, but he’s got the physical attributes to do it.
Matt, the current discussion seems to be on who is starting and who is going to the bench, but it seems predicated on Point Forward Jeremy Sochan. Is that a thing, or are we all getting ahead of ourselves? — Quan
Oh it’s definitely a thing, but I’m not sure if it’ll necessarily be a staple in the starting lineup when they open the season.
First of all, while teams have been moving away from traditional positional responsibilities and instead focusing on simply putting the ball in their best players’ hands in advantageous positions, we don’t know if Sochan has reached the point yet where he’s capable of consistently getting it to teammates in their best spots. He’s a good ball-handler and a very smart passer, but running an offense is a different beast. It’s going to be interesting to talk to people as training camp nears to see what’s going on behind the scenes, and I do expect we’ll see it at different points, but I’m not sold that’s going to be the opening-night lineup.
Secondly, a Sochan-Keldon-Devin-Wemby-Collins starting lineup would set up a potentially very small second-unit backcourt regardless of who’s in the rotation. Tre Jones, Devonte’ Graham, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and Cam Payne (if he’s still around) round out a crowded guard group, and it’s likely we’re going to see some of these guys get spot minutes anyway, but it makes for something of an awkward rotation nevertheless.
Lastly, the Spurs still have moves or cuts to make, and I doubt they have a starting lineup locked down yet themselves. So let’s circle back during training camp, because regardless of what decision they make I’m sure it’ll be a talking point. They’re either going to be adventurous with a big lineup, or an incumbent starter is going to be coming off the bench. Can’t wait for those arguments!
A couple years ago, the Spurs traded for Thad Young, a playoff-tested veteran who had no role on a rebuilding team. Still, the team kept him on the roster with an eye on trading him at the deadline. The result: Malaki Branham! But I'm guessing there's a cost to the awkwardness of having a guy on the roster who everyone knows is just waiting to be traded. I'm wondering if you have any insight: Looking back, how does the team view the Thad Young experience? Do you think they're prepared to do it again with Reggie Bullock? — Steve Miranda
If they need to, sure. Or I should say, if he makes the team and it actually comes down to that. Bullock is a solid player with decent value, whether that’s for the Spurs or someone else. So if he survives cuts or isn’t traded before the season, he’ll certainly be a candidate to be moved by the deadline.
I know Thad went on a few podcasts during the months he was in San Antonio, but I never got the sense it was ever some sort of toxic situation. Young is a pro who knows exactly how the business works, and for his part he was keeping the pressure on when he felt he needed to do so. Had his presence actually been detrimental to the team and locker room, the Spurs would’ve cut him or just sent him home. So while it seemed uncomfortable from the outside looking in, his continued presence on the bench and the effort he gave when he actually got minutes suggested it wasn’t all that bad. Again, these guys know it’s a business, and everyone spoke highly of Thad during his brief stint as a Spur.
Note: Young was in town while there were still heavy media restrictions in place during COVID, which kept us out of the locker room. So this is based on observation and what the players and coaches were saying.
What advice would you give folks coming from abroad to see the Spurs play in San Antonio? Places to stay, eat, how to get there, how to get tickets, what to be mindful of when you visit, that sort of thing. — Martin Krøger
To get the full San Antonio experience I’ll always recommend a hotel on or near the River Walk. There are a million of them, one for every budget. For eats, while there are many great restaurants around the city, staying downtown near your hotel is just the easiest thing to do. And while I do not mean to offend any of the fine establishments directly on the River Walk (seriously), my favorite spots in the area are in Southtown and around the Pearl District.
Since folks abroad don’t get many chances to see the team, I’d recommend getting to the arena early. Grab an Uber or Lyft from the hotel, beat the bad traffic (most folks get there closer to tip), and watch the players warm up. And while I’m not totally sure how to respond to the “mindful” question, I’d just say give yourself a little time to hang out in San Antonio. It’s a chill city with good food and nice people. It’s safe for visitors, especially downtown, and there are great museums, historical sites and cultural districts. So just leave some room to enjoy yourself — maybe head down to Mission Road, check out the zoo or go to Fiesta Texas with the family, head up to Fredericksburg for some German food and a day-long wine tour? I dunno, just some random thoughts.
Do you think the trimming of the roster limit will come via offsetting in a trade or cuts at training camp? — John Lugo
I’m sure the Spurs would love to find a trade partner or two, but at this juncture the likeliest path toward that wish being granted would probably be injury. You never know what could happen during summer workouts, or even the FIBA World Cup, so there’s a small chance a player from a contending team has something unfortunate happen along the way. If that’s the case, San Antonio has a number of affordable veterans on short or expiring deals that could help fill a void. But if I’m betting on it, I’d say cuts are most likely unless the Spurs can wiggle their way into helping facilitate a Damian Lillard or James Harden trade.
And frankly, that’s fine. It’s pretty clear one of San Antonio’s missions over the offseason was to create a competitive environment in camp. It isn’t commonplace to go out and overload your roster with solid, experienced, established NBA role players. Typically speaking those extra spots are reserved for young players looking for a shot, or you’re doing an agent a favor by giving their guy some preseason exposure. This is different. I stop short of saying I could see some of the incumbents being replaced outside of Khem Birch (who never played for the team) at this point, but hey… it’s not crazy for anyone to say they could see Osman, Bullock or Payne as a Spur.
It’s going to be an interesting leadup to camp. Most of the league is largely finished with business for now, but San Antonio will keep its lines open just in case.
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Btw, if anyone has advice for Martin or anyone else who might be visiting, by all means let it fly. I only threw out a few random easy suggestions for things to do.