The San Antonio Spurs, since landing the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, have made it clear who their future will be centered around: Victor Wembanyama. The 7-foot-3 phenom just wrapped up his second year in the NBA and is already considered a top ten to 15 player by many.
In his sophomore season, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and a league-high 3.8 blocks per game, and was on his way to winning his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year award before suffering season-ending deep vein thrombosis.
🚨 The results are in for Defensive Play of the Year 🚨
Victor Wembanyama earns the 2024-25 NBA Fan Favorites Award for his two-handed rejection at the rim, as voted by YOU, the fans! pic.twitter.com/wcN2GHCRi2
— NBA (@NBA) August 10, 2025
Wembanyama, 21, is talented enough to lead the Spurs to become a contender now, but the team has shown that they are not rushing the process. If all goes according to plan, the Spurs will be a title contender for the next decade, at least, so there is no reason to throw away their future to go all-in now.
While the Spurs were hesitant to give away valuable assets to trade for superstar forward Kevin Durant this offseason, they still made a big push for a star at February's trade deadline. The Spurs traded for All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox to pair with Wembanyama, creating a dynamic duo around their young supporting cast.
The Spurs have now built a core group of Wembanyama, Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant. However, 27-year-old Fox is the oldest player of that group, meaning they are set for the future, especially with his new supermax contract extension.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard De'Aaron Fox (4)
Feb 10, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and guard De'Aaron Fox (4) react during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
However, there was a real scenario where the Spurs traded for a different star point guard to pair with Wembanyama.
While the addition of Fox could turn out to be a great choice, the Spurs had their options. A new report from NBA insider Jake Fischer on The Stein Line reveals that when Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young was represented by top agent Rich Paul, they were pushing for a move to San Antonio.
"There was a time, sources say, when Young's camp viewed him as an optimal potential playmaking partner for Victor Wembanyama. He has since moved to CAA but was repped at the time by Rich Paul, who appeared determined to place one of the All-Star guards then on the Klutch Sports roster — Young, Fox or Darius Garland— alongside Wembanyama," Fischer wrote.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11)
Apr 11, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) looks on after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Young, 26, is a four-time NBA All-Star and is arguably a more proven star than Fox, but the Spurs ultimately leaned toward the former Sacramento Kings point guard instead.
"Turns out that Fox's contract starting one year earlier than Young's, as a 2017 draftee, helped bring a sense of urgency to his future getting resolved before Young's," Fischer continued. "It became one of the factors -- along with Fox's well-known fondness for Texas — that helped get a deal done with the Spurs."
Due to Wembanyama's season-ending condition, the Spurs did not get enough of a sample size to see how well he and Fox play together, but the franchise will likely not regret passing up on Young in favor of their new star.