It no one denies that it was a brutal week for San Antonio Spurs fans.
A strange show in the NBA All-Star Weekend-where the spurs players Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama were disqualified from Skills Challenge-was just forgotten because of the bad news that followed.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Wembanyama, the second -year experience from France, has been excluded during the year due to blood clots in the shoulder.
It is obviously very scary when blood clots record for athletes. Everyone in the NBA world remembers when Chris Bosh was diagnosed with this and had to leave the sport, and there have been some other examples since.
After a solid rookie year, Wembanyama was in line to win his first of many defensive Player of the Year Awards, but he will now be unjustified. His absence will also damage the spurs on both sides of the ball.
Addition for insult to injury will legend Gregg Popovich will remain on the site for the rest of the season as he recovers from a stroke suffered in November. His return to the NBA is unknown.
Within two days, Spurs Nation received a whirlwind of bad news. It puts spurs in a strange place. Before the NBA trade deadline, they made a huge splash by shopping for de’aaron Fox from Sacramento Kings, a trade that actually worked seamlessly before all these bad news.
This trade will not mean much for the rest of this season. The spurs is the No. 12 seed, and it is difficult to see them gather much higher than in a charged Western conference without their best player.
Mitch Johnson has done a nice job of pedaling water for Spurs as Interim’s head coach. But if Popovich’s future remains uncertain, San Antonio may be forced to see the future.
Next season will be an important year 3 for Wembanyama’s development and recovery from this blood clot. The spurs already made a big splash by acquiring Fox through trade, and although it was not really an “all -in” movement, there will be expectations that they would at least be a playoffs next season.
At 24-30, their best option is probably to look forward to next season. Hell, maybe try to turn off Fox for some games and jockey for the NBA Draft Lottery positioning. Remember that the spurs owns Atlanta Hawk’s choice also from Dej decimate Murray trade, so there is a way for them to add even more young talents this season.
Not all bad news for San Antonio. They have a nice young core – they just need to make sure they use it. Popovich and Wembanyama have reportedly been in close communication after the great man’s diagnosis, which will give a small smile to the faces of NBA fans everywhere.
