There’s no denying that it was a brutal week for San Antonio Spurs followers.
A bizarre exhibiting in NBA All-Star Weekend—the place Spurs gamers Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama had been disqualified from the Expertise Problem—was nearly forgotten due to the unhealthy information that adopted.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Wembanyama, the second-year sensation from France, has been dominated out for the 12 months on account of blood clots in his shoulder.
It’s clearly very scary when blood clots come into play for athletes. Everybody within the NBA world remembers when Chris Bosh was identified with this and needed to step away from the game, and there have been a number of different examples since.
After a stable rookie 12 months, Wembanyama was in line to win his first of many Defensive Participant of the 12 months awards, however he’ll now be ineligible. His absence can even damage the Spurs on either side of the ball.
Including insult to damage, legendary coach Gregg Popovich will stay sidelined for the remainder of the season whereas he recovers from a stroke suffered in November. His return to the NBA is unknown.
Inside two days, Spurs Nation was handed a whirlwind of unhealthy information. It places the Spurs in a bizarre spot. Earlier than the NBA commerce deadline, they made an enormous splash by buying and selling for De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings, a commerce that was really working seamlessly earlier than all of this unhealthy information.
That commerce is not going to imply a lot for the rest of this season. The Spurs are the No. 12 seed, and it’s arduous to see them rallying a lot greater than that in a loaded Western Convention with out their finest participant.
Mitch Johnson has finished a pleasant job treading water for the Spurs because the interim head coach. But when Popovich’s future stays unsure, San Antonio might be pressured to look towards the longer term.
Subsequent season shall be a pivotal 12 months 3 for Wembanyama’s growth and restoration from this blood clot scare. The Spurs already made an enormous splash by buying Fox through commerce, and whereas that was not fairly an “all-in” transfer, there shall be expectations for them to a minimum of be a playoff crew subsequent season.
At 24-30, their finest guess might be to stay up for subsequent season. Hell, perhaps attempt to shut down Fox for a number of video games and jockey for NBA Draft lottery positioning. Bear in mind, the Spurs personal the Atlanta Hawks’ choose as properly from the Dejounte Murray commerce, so there’s an avenue for them so as to add much more younger expertise this offseason.
It’s not all unhealthy information for San Antonio. They’ve a pleasant younger core—they only want to verify they capitalize on it. Popovich and Wembanyama have reportedly been in shut communication after the massive man’s analysis, which is able to carry a slight smile to the faces of NBA followers in every single place.