Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis trade rumors, Wemby minutes restriction, injury return, Spurs Knicks NBA Cup Final
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The Spurs were atop a list of teams that could trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but recent news before the NBA Cup could signal otherwise.
Intheir first gamegettingVictor Wembanyama back from a multi-week absence due to a calf strain, the San Antonio Spurs took a marquee victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to advance to the NBA Cup Finalto play the New York Knicks.
Wembanyama remains the franchise star for the Spurs, but even while he was out, the team was thriving with their strong supporting cast featuring rising stars in the backcourt and on the wings.While the team has seen somemajor success even without the French center,they were recently urged to make abrutal decisionon recent Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors.
Speaking on the Zach Lowe Show, NBA analysts Zach Lowe and Michael Pina discussed SanAntonio’s standing in a potential Antetokounmpo trade.Both believed it is best for the Spurs togo ahead with their current roster formation,and nottoshake up what has been their strong start to the year, currently holding an 18-7 record, despite their star missingmajor time.
“I suspect the Spurs at this point are like, ‘We got to see what we have, before we even entertain the idea of, as great a player as [Giannis] is, the type of roster upheaval that indicates for this season,’“ Lowe said. “That’s my best educated guess on their stance.”
NBA insider Marc Stein also recently reported the Spurs are likely to bow out of the Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes for a similar reason, considering their recent success.
Spurs Urged To Not Make Blockbuster Giannis Trade Amid Rumors
San Antoniowas initially rumored to be near the top of the market in terms of an Antetokounmpo trade, considering both the young players and draft assets they could send back to the Milwaukee Bucks,and the star pairing they could create byputting the Greek Freaknext to Wembanyama on the courttogether.
Yet still, with how strong of performancesthey’ve seen fromDe’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson, trading at least a few of those players to add Antetokounmpo might be too big a risk.
“I would also sit this one out if I was the San Antonio Spurs,”Pina said of a potential Spurs trade for Antetokounmpo. “Be super patient with the nucleus I have; I would let it grow organically.”
Run It Back
Giannis playing next to Wemby would be awesome, but the Spurs’ future might be brighter without making the trade with the Bucks 🤩
“Too much potential and production to not let this core continue to grow and really contend.” – @ChandlerParsons @boogiecousins | @TeamLou23
“I just love the young talent, I love howit’s coalescing around Victor. If I was the Spurs, thatdoesn’t mean Iwouldn’t be aggressive…No disrespect to Giannis at all, if I was the Spurs,that’s kind of what would be my goal here in trying to improve my team in the short and long-term.”
Lowe andPina’s comments came shortly after Stein reported that teams like the Spurs, Rockets, and Thunderare expected to ‘bow out‘of the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, considering how much potentialthey’ve each shown with their current rosters.
“There is a growing belief among trade trackers that San Antonio and Houston, like Oklahoma City, do not plan to join the chase for Antetokounmpo even if the Bucks ultimately do decide to consider in-season proposals for their two-time MVP,”he wrote on his Substack, The Stein Line. “All three of those teams, as you can imagine, like what they have going.”
Victor Wembanyama’s Status For NBA Cup Final
At the same time thatthe Spurs were urged by multiple insiders and analysts to close the book on a potential Antetokounmpo trade, they find themselves in the NBA Cup Final set to face off against the Knicks in what will be the first time either team can take home the hardware for the midseason tournament.
Wembanyama was on a minutes restriction against Oklahoma City, and despite remaining super impactful, there is the expectation that his minutes will once againbe closely monitored by the team against New York.
“It’s hard.He wants to play. He wants to start,”Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said ofWembanyama’s minutes restriction. “We still have to think aboutwhat’s best for the team, unfortunately…We still have to make sure it fits with the other rollout ofwho’s playing with who and how that affects others.”
NBA insider Brett Siegel also reported the day before the NBA Cup Final that Johnsondidn’t commit to putting Wembanyama back in the starting lineup. He played in 21 minutes in the semifinal anddidn’t take the floor until the second quarter, a trend that could continue against the Knicks.
“We’re not at a stage where we will be unintentional with his minutes, whetherthat’s volume over time [or] long stints,”Johnson added. ”But wedon’t just say, ‘Oh, nowwe’re back,‘or whatever. We are still learning and want to be very mindful of that.”
Wembanyama himself said that though he feels ready to play more minutes, he knows theSpurs’ staff has the final say on how longhe’ll play.