Spurs Starter, June 4, 2024: Devin Vassell, Victor Wembanyama Considered 'Untouchable'

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft & more.
Jan 15, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) talks to teammate guard Devin Vassell (24) in the game against Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena.
Jan 15, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) talks to teammate guard Devin Vassell (24) in the game against Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. / Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
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Happy Tuesday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your afternoon Spurs starter.

As the San Antonio Spurs' offseason continues to march toward the draft, where the youngest team in the NBA will either add two more rookies or deal for an older roster-changer, there remains a large question at hand, especially in regards to the latter:

Who would San Antonio give away in a trade, if it were to happen?

READ MORE:Β Spurs-Ex Myck Kabongo Recounts Humorous Gregg Popovich Story

It isn't hard to believe that Devin Vassell is off the table. He just signed a five-year, $135 million contract extension and is set to become one of the Spurs' young stars next to Victor Wembanyama, who is certainly untouchable. A recent report just confirmed that.

"Everything I hear is that (the Spurs) want to be competitive next year, they want to be in the playoffs. They’re not looking to make this a two-to-three-year process," ESPN's Jonathan Givony said of the situation. "I've heard nobody on the roster is untouchable except for Wembanyama and (Devin Vassell)."

That duo certainly has a long way to go in development, but are going to be crucial in San Antonio's future development, so it's a smart decision to reserve both of those stars from transactions.

What transactions those might be are still unknown, however.

So, until then, here are some headlines:

THE NEWS

1. READ:Β WHY NBA'S NEW TV DEAL ACTUALLY BENEFITS VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

Despite the obvious pushback associated with the NBA's decision to leave behind TNT in light of new TV deals, there is a method to the madness β€” one fans would be quick to ignore β€” that could monetarily benefit San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama.

Read the full story above.

Apr 14, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) prepares to throw a ball to fans after the final game of the season against the Detroit Pistons at Frost Bank Center.
Apr 14, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) prepares to throw a ball to fans after the final game of the season against the Detroit Pistons at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

2. WATCH: THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS MINUTE, JUNE 3

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are set to play two games in Paris next January, marking the rising sophomore's big return. But what makes the trip so unique?

Watch the full video at the link above.

3. READ: BLAKE WESLEY'S STEADY IMPROVEMENT AHEAD OF YEAR 3

San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley didn't stuff the score sheet by any means, but he did commit to learning in a year reserved for team growth. That earned him his chance, which he's ready to make the most of moving forward.

Read the full story above.

THE DRAFT

The 2024 NBA Draft is 22 days away, and set to take place over the course of two days β€” a new format β€” from Wednesday, June 26 to Thursday, June 27.

According toΒ The Ringer's big board, San Antonio is projected to select Kentucky's Rob Dillingham with the No. 4 overall pick to headline its 2024 draft class and Colorado's Cody Williams with No. 8 overall pick, should it elect to keep both.

The Spurs aren't locked into their decision as of now, so a deal could still come to fruition, but only time will tell how the team decides to use their two top-10 picks.

THE PLAYOFFS

The NBA Finals are officially set.

After the Dallas Mavericks' dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving notched their fourth double-30-point performance of the playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves were sent home packing. Anthony Edwards made it a point to declare his presence for next year's postseason, but until then, it's all about "Luka Magic," as Mavericks coach Jason Kidd put it.

"It was Luka magic mode," the coach said of his team's Finals-clinching Game 5 victory. "He set the tone, and then he made it easier for everyone else. Everybody else stepped up."

Now, Dallas is set to face the Boston Celtics, who are now welcoming back Kristaps Porzingis for the seven-game series.

Mar 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) in the second half at TD Garden.
Mar 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) in the second half at TD Garden. / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1 is set for 5:30 p.m. CST Thursday.

THE CLOSER

Make sure to check out our homepage for more news β€” including full coverage of the NBA Finals beginning Thursday, June 6 β€” and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Tuesday.


Published
Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.