With the San Antonio Spurs having little to play for, we are beginning to see players who weren't in the rotation get more chances to prove themselves, and one player is doing just that.
After De'Aaron Fox was ruled out for the season, 2022 first-round pick Blake Wesley has suddenly re-emerged in the Spurs rotation. Wesley has collected 34 DNPs this season, but when his number was called, he played surprisingly well.
Wesley is arguably the fastest player on the Spurs and has used his athleticism and high energy level to be a menace on the defensive end. He consistently pressures the ball handler and has come up with plenty of turnovers since he has re-entered the rotation, averaging 1.7 steals in 20 minutes per game over the last 7 games.
The Spurs will have tough decisions to make in the offseason
------------------------------------------------------------
Being a defensive pest alone won't guarantee him a long career in the NBA, but it certainly increases the chances that he will be back playing for the Spurs next season. After all, if Chris Paul retires or heads elsewhere in free agency, then San Antonio would only have Fox, Stephon Castle, Wesley, and Malaki Branham (more on him in a minute) at guard.
Wesley is under contract for next season, which is the final season of his rookie-scale contract. Prior to his performance of late, it seemed likely that both [he and Branham would be waived.](https://airalamo.com/posts/malaki-branham-blake-wesley-approaching-crucial-crossroad)
Or for them to be traded to another team along with a second-round pick to clear out both roster space and keep from having to pay them. Now, Wesley seems worth keeping around, especially with the Spurs not having another true point guard on the roster next season outside of Fox.
Wesley has a chance to be the Spurs' backup point guard of the future
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Spurs will likely bring in another point guard [over the summer](https://airalamo.com/enlightening-advanced-stat-shows-spurs-spend-offseason-focus), but Wesley's defensive ability should give him a leg up on the competition. That should give him a chance to earn the backup point guard role. Considering how this season started for him, that is a surprising development.
With Wesley playing better of late, the Spurs should bring him back next season. While he was already under contract for next season, it was far from clear whether he'd return, but now Wesley seems worth keeping around. A little extra depth can only be a good thing.