The Team Drafting Victor Wembanyama Will Need A Plan

There's no reason for me to get into the game of Victor Wembanyama, which has been thoroughly broken down on these pages. Long story short, he's the best prospect since LeBron James, so he commands our full attention.

Instead, I wish to discuss a subject that has not had a ton of attention, despite the pressing need for it.

The team that ends up drafting Wembanyama better be ready for his arrival.

When a generational talent comes along, it's beyond crucial that the team the player lands on is ready to commit. That doesn't mean just a financial commitment, but one of restructuring the entire team around their newfound star.

Far too often in the NBA have we seen stars waste years on rosters that management failed at improving, and where even fan bases are rooting for their star player to get out of Dodge.

(Minnesota Timberwolves fans are currently all nodding along as they think back to 2007 when Kevin Garnett was finally saved.)

Currently, you could make the argument that Luka Dončić is playing with a group of players that will always put a set ceiling on their collective potential. Reggie Bullock and Tim Hardaway Jr isn't going to lead him anywhere, but they have no choice but to roll the dice anyway, as their cupboard is bare.

And that is exactly what the team getting Wembanyama needs to avoid at all costs.

Within the first year, assuming he lives up to expectations, that team needs to have a plan in hand that focuses on getting in more draft selections, and more young players. Wembanyama will have little use of past-their-prime teammates unless they're specifically there to help out in the locker room. Think Garrett Temple and the like.

But pairing him with established All-Stars who are on the wrong side of 30? It's a bad idea for a multitude of reasons.

First, older stars earn a ton of money, which means salary cap cloggage. A young team building around a young player will need all the cash available to use either through trade or in free agency to draw in talent that's more aligned to their building block in age.

To that point, it makes little sense to pair a player who is about to ascend, with someone who is about to descend. Very quickly, the older player's regression will catch up to the final product, and that's just bad news all around as the team would have to start their search of a second star, while their primary player is growing impatient.

Secondly, a descending player is likely going to be on a contract that increases in value, as the 35% max system is a mess that makes no sense. Why pay the most possible under CBA rules for a player who's *at least* 10 years in, and thus on his way down? Those contracts become albatrosses, and they become impossible to move unless a team is willing to pay for the removal of that contract.

(Think Russell Westbrook in Los Angeles. He can't be given away these days.)

Wembanyama's new destination will have to be ready to adjust their plans to fit his age, and his development. That means clearing the books of talent with depreciating value, and it means putting the best foot forward to build something sustainable.

Wembanyama will be young for a while, as he'll be only 19 years old when he gets drafted. There's time to re-engage in the draft and find additional pieces, but that direction needs to be cemented the moment the Wembanyama lottery is won.

Also worth noting is a commitment to a proper development staff, and even coaching staff. If the people in place are less inclined to think about the future than the present, they have got to either commit to a change in approach, or be on their way out. There's not going to be room for something in the middle.

Some might think that all sounds harsh, and a lot of change to suit the need of one player. And that's fair. But given the utter importance of that specific player, and how he alone could bring a team closer to a championship down the line, this is a small price to pay.

Keep in mind, this isn't just about Wembanyama, but also the movement around him. This is an entire culture change, so adding him as just a compliment to the scenery is grotesquely underappreciating the situation.

Wembanyama might be the main piece of the puzzle, but he represents a chance to clean house and build something brand new from the ground up. That should be the focus.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.