The Spurs are searching for answers after dropping their 14th straight game Friday night in New Orleans, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. A season that began with great optimism after winning the lottery and adding Victor Wembanyama has hit a major rough spot as San Antonio has fallen into the Western Conference basement with a 3-16 record.
“Nobody is going to feel sorry for us,” Keldon Johnson said. “We understand if we want to win, we have to go out there and do things it takes to win, make the right plays. The whole team understands that. We’ve just got to put it together.”
The Wembanyama era got off to a terrific start as the Spurs ended October and began November with a pair of victories at Phoenix that raised their record to 3-2. They haven’t won since then amid issues with fouling too much and not protecting the ball, which are common for young teams.
“I don’t know any ‘no turnover drills’ or any ‘no foul’ drills,” coach Gregg Popovich said after Friday’s loss. “It’s judgment. It’s decision-making. They’ve just got to figure it out.”
There’s more on the Spurs:
- San Antonio got a lift Friday from Charles Bassey, who saw extra playing time with Wembanyama sitting out the second night of a back-to-back, McDonald notes in a separate story. Although the third-year center put up eight points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 19 minutes, he understands those opportunities aren’t going to be frequent. “I know my role,” Bassey said. “Just go out there and bring energy to the team. I feel like I’m doing a good job of that.”
- Devin Vassell, the Spurs’ leading scorer, has been coming off the bench in the past four games, but Popovich indicated that will change soon, McDonald adds. Vassell has been on a minutes restriction since a groin issue forced him to miss three games. “It’s a minutes thing,” Popovich said. “If he starts, he doesn’t get enough minutes.”
- Julian Champagnie got off to a poor shooting start this season, missing 12 of his first 16 three-point attempts, but McDonald points out that he didn’t have to be concerned about his NBA future after signing a four-year contract this summer that includes a $3MM guarantee for 2023/24. Champagnie was 3-of-6 from long distance against New Orleans and has hit 11-of-20 in his last three games. “I just kept shooting, practicing, staying aggressive, getting in the gym and taking shots I know I can make,” Champagnie said. “Staying out of my own head has been the biggest thing for me.”
Think it’s obviously what the spurs need and its experience. There PG has never run point before, Zach Collins one of their most experienced starters has missed more games than games played through his career.
Here’s an out the box suggestion but ….
Evan Fouriner, Josh Hart and a protected first for Keldon Johnson and Cedi Osman
I’d start Fourienr at SG and Hart at SF to provide more experience and direction. Sochan can then share ball handling duties with these two easing the pressure on him. Wemby and Fournier have the French connection. Losing Keldon sucks but his 16 points a night is easily replaced while Hart gives you just as many assist and more rebounds.
Off the bench I think you stay with Jones and Vassell who have a good connection.
On top of that you get a first round pick.
For the Knicks it’s also sad to see Hart leave but Keldon is a real good pick up and round out the starters really well.
Brunson Barrett Johnson Randle and Robinson
Barrett I think is better served as the SG next to Brunson and Keldon is the perfect middle man between them and Randle. He helps the spacing, is another good scoring option, gets rebounds and can handle the ball. You’d lose some spark off the bench but have a solid set of 5 on the floor to start and close games better.
If from there you wanted to chase a big name you’d always be able to pair two guys together and maintain 3 stars. For example RJ and Keldon for idk Kawhi means your trio is Brunson Kawhi and Randle. Not that it’ll happen but 2 good players plus picks would beat out a lot of other teams if that’s the direction you want to take.
Clippers in said example would be happy to have RJ PG and Keldon with picks I’d think
Idk think it’s a good win win for the spurs and Knicks
By the time this team is ready to win Josh Hart would be past his prime and Fournier will be officially retired instead of semi-retired. Vassell is already a better player than Fournier ever was. Why would you bench him? They just need to stick it out and see it through. Let Sochan, Wemby, Vassell and Johnson develop. That’s as good as any young core in the league. That’s especially true because of Wemby. They’ve got McDermott and Osman for veteran presence.
You are responding as if this is a team that is interested in getting good enough to win 30 games instead of 15 or 20. They are not. They are quite happy with another high lottery pick to go with the 7 or 8 first round picks they have over the next 3 years. They are fine with incremental improvement this year and next, then they’ll start to make some moves. Their plan is to build championships not contenders.
They should send that dinosaur HC packing first and foremost.
And there you have it – it begins….LOL
Yup, the game has passed Pop by, he’s no longer a good coach, was he ever really good anyway?! Lol.
Anyone who thought that just adding Wemby would make the Spurs a 30+ win team didn’t see just how bad they were last year. 3-16 is rough, but would 5-14 or 6-13 really be that much better? Adding a vet or two would only be beneficial if this Spurs team was like last year’s Rockets where the coach had lost control and the players were infighting.
There’s not much to do here other than just accept that this is going to be a really bad team again this year. It’s about development only, and if Vassel becomes the borderline star he can be, Sochan grows into the distributor roll and Wemby shows continued growth, 23-24 would qualify as a success.
PS, the Sonics went 20-62 in Durant’s rookie year, the Wolves 26-56 in Garnet’s, and the Cavs 35-47 in LBJ’s debut. All three were more NBA ready than Wemby, everyone can calm down about the Spurs.
None of those 3 won a championship with the star they drafted either, until lebron went back to Cleveland after they got 3 out of 4 1st overall picks while he was in Miami.
Whining about fans booing a player who quit on your team and forced a trade earlier this year against kawhi has me done with pop. Him doing minutes restrictions still when the team is young and awful makes no sense at all too. He’s too old and done as a real contending coach, he’s just collecting checks at this point. Spurs aren’t a contending roster yet but if/when they get one it needs to be a younger new coach.
He’s on a minutes restriction.
Coach says….if he starts he doesn’t get enough minutes.
HUH?! Starters get less minutes? There’s fewer minutes in the game if you start? What in the hell does that mean?
I think they’ll move Keldon at some point, but they’ll ask for more than that package. Somewhere in between what they got for Murray and White. I do think they’re quietly listening on Keldon
Wemby is 19, I would want to have my five starters around the same exact age as Wemby. Veterans can come off the bench. I really don’t like Vassel’s contract at all(horrible contract). I know this trade wouldn’t happen but hear me out please. Trade Keldon Johnson, Vassel and Blake Wesley and a pick to the Hornets for Hayward, ish Smith and Brandon Miller. Then trade Hayward and Bassey to the 76s for Batum, M Morris, Mo Bamba and Furkan K. Then trade M Morris,Doug McDermott, Bamba and Furkan to Detroit for Wiseman and Hayes. Detroit will figure out there roster crunch. Then the Spurs release Sir Dominic Rice and Barlow, then sign Jazian Gortmen and Kai Jones to two ways.
Spurs team looks like this
PG. Hayes, Tre Jones, ish Smith two way. Jazian Gortmen SG. B Miller, M Branham, Cissoko SF. Sochan, Champagne, Osman PF. Wemby, Batum, Sando M C. Wiseman, Collins, C Bedioko two way. Kai Jones. Draft Collier next year and look at defensive centers if Wiseman is no good . All done with the rebuild.
Ish Smith to Detroit and Detroit trades Monte Morris in the trade above*
Time to get a new coach. He should have been fired when he told the fans to stop booing Leonard. What an absolute joke.
Delete the one above. Ish Smith to Philly, Monte Morris to the Spurs, Cissoko to the Hornets and the Spurs keep Furkan. Spurs team is PG. Hayes, Tre Jones, Monte Morris two way Jazian Gortmen. SG. Brandon Miller, Branham, Furkan. SF. Sochan, Champagne, Osman. PF. Wemby, Batum, Sando M. C. Wiseman, Z Collins, C Bedioko two way Kai Jones. Draft Collier next year and a defensive center