San Antonio Spurs: 5 Burning Summer League questions
SACRAMENTO — From the time the Spurs won the NBA draft lottery and especially since the day of the June draft, visions of Victor Wembanyama in silver and black have danced in the heads of San Antonio faithful everywhere.
The wait to see Wemby in Spurs colors is almost over. Emphasis on “almost.”
When the Spurs tip off summer league with the California Classic on Monday in Sacramento — with a game against Charlotte at the Golden1 Center — the most famous 7-foot-3 Frenchman on the planet will be M.I.A.
The Spurs have opted to keep Wembanyama home from the Sacramento portion of the summer proceedings, preferring to wait to unveil him when the games shift to Las Vegas later in the week.
“I’m going to play at least one or two games (in Las Vegas),” Wembanyama said. “I don’t know how it works yet, how many minutes I’m going to play … I can’t wait to wear that Spurs jersey for the first time.”
Wembanyama’s Spurs debut will come soon enough.
In the meantime, here are five burning questions worth monitoring as the Spurs begin summer league play, with Wemby and without him:
1. How much bubble wrap should Wembanyama pack for Vegas exactly?
We already know the Spurs’ prized No. 1 draft choice will not be present for the first two summer games in Sacramento.
Once Wembymania hits Las Vegas, odds are good it will be mostly for only a cameo.
Expect Wembanyama to suit up for the Spurs’ opener in Sin City, July 7 against Charlotte. He is also likely to play in the team’s second game, July 9 against Portland.
After that, all bets are off.
Even in the games Wembanyama plays in Las Vegas, expect his minutes to be tightly managed.
The object is to allow Wemby to get a brief taste of NBA action, then pack him away in a Lucite case for safe keeping until the start of training camp.
2. In there an NBA point guard on the summer roster?
The Spurs’ biggest free agency move so far has been to bring back Tre Jones on a two-year, $20 million contract.
That might ensconce Jones as the Spurs’ point guard of the present. The mantle of “point guard of the future” remains up for grabs.
Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley both manned the point position at various times during their rookie seasons.
Branham averaged 10.2 points per game and unveiled one of the NBA’s most reliable floaters. An off-guard by trade at Ohio State, Branham will be looking to display a more honed floor game during the summer.
Wesley, meanwhile, was arguably the team’s fastest downhill player last season.
The Notre Dame product showed little difficulty beating his man off the dribble and getting into the paint. Finishing once he got there, however, often proved problematic for Wesley.
Having put on 10 pounds of muscle, Wesley aims to show improvement in that area.
Even with Jones back, point guard is the Spurs’ thinnest position.
Once the NBA season begins, there will be bench minutes to be had for both Branham and Wesley. Perhaps, with a strong summer showing, one or both of them could seize an even greater role.
3. Will all the money go to Champagnie’s head?
Julian Champagnie parlayed a 15-game cup of coffee with the Spurs as rookie into a four-year, $12 million contract this offseason.
It is not a ton of money by NBA standards, but represents quite a vote of confidence in the 6-foot-8 swingman from St. John’s.
The 22-year-old Champagnie was on a two-way deal with the Spurs when he averaged 11 points and shot 40.7-percent from 3 over those 15 contests. Spurs coaches are also intrigued with what his size and length might mean from a defensive perspective.
Champagnie’s main goal during the summer slate will be to prove those 15 games were no fluke.
4. Will the Spurs’ youngsters shine or wilt in the Wemby-inspired spotlight?
In years past, the Spurs summer league squad might have been able to fly under the radar, especially in Las Vegas.
Often devoid of star power, the Spurs typically could bet on a slate of afternoon matinee games in the Cox Pavilion, as opposed to the more spacious Thomas & Mack Arena.
Thanks to the Wembanyama effect, no more.
All four of the Spurs’ scheduled games in Las Vegas are prime-time affairs at Thomas & Mack.
Wembanyama’s prospective first game is scheduled against second overall pick Brandon Miller and the Hornets. The second game will be against Scoot Henderson and the Trail Blazers.
The place is likely to be loud and packed.
If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how the Spurs’ youngsters rise to as big of an occasion as can exist in July.
5. Can the less famous French rookie hold his own?
Wembanyama was not the only Frenchman to become a Spur on draft night. The club used its second-round pick, No. 44 overall, to select 19-year-old forward Sidy Cissoko.
Cissoko spent last season with the G League Ignite, the basketball alma mater of Portland’s Henderson.
A raw 6-8, Cissoko is something of a project. He is expected to join the Spurs on a two-way contract, meaning more minutes in the G League are likely in his near future.
As of yet, there is no such thing as Cissokomania.
Still, Spurs scouts are intrigued by Cissoko’s defensive versatility, and he should have ample chance to showcase it in the two Summer Leagues.
The Spurs’ slate features matchups against a host of highly touted rookie guards to test Cissoko’s mettle — Miller, Henderson and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson among them.
Cissoko does not have Wembanyama’s upside. No 19-year-old on the planet does.
Summer League will provide Cissoko a chance to show prove himself worthy of the Spurs’ investment.
