Who Makes Biggest Leap for Spurs this Season?
Almost two weeks removed from the 2022 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs have a completely different roster outlook headed into the fall.
After trading Dejounte Murray, there's a handful of players on the team that could rise to become major contributors next season - and they don't have much a choice. Losing Murray via trade and Lonnie Walker IV in free agency opens up opportunities, particular in the backcourt and on the wing.
The Spurs inked Atlanta Hawks big man and former Spur Gorgui Dieng to a one-year deal Tuesday to help add frontcourt depth. There's no telling who else San Antonio will attempt to acquire before the start of next season.
So as it stands, here's three players that can make gigantic leaps for the Spurs next season:
Devin Vassell
With or without Murray, Vassell was already primed to become one of the team's leading-scorers next season. Now he's a clear choice to potentially be the go-to scoring option for coach Gregg Popovich after finishing as San Antonio's fifth-leading scorer (12.3) last season.
Vassell has polished touch as a shooter from seemingly any spot on the floor. Unorthodox length combined with a guard-like feel as a ball-handler, finisher, and attacker with a quick first step makes him one of the more intriguing young scorers in a Southwest Division that is loaded with youthful talent.
This length comes into play for him in multiple facets on both ends of the court. As a shooter, his shot is nearly unblockable from midrange, 3-point territory, or when he occasionally puts his back to the basket for turnarounds from the post, something that will make him a legitimate No. 1 scoring option for the Spurs once developed.
Vassell's 6-10 wingspan is also a scary sight to behold for defenders once he gets attacking downhill. He displays great intent and motor off dribble handoffs or straight drives to the rim and delivers some ferocious dunks as a result.
And on defense, Vassell's ability to play and anticipate open passing lanes effectively helped him finish second on the teams behind Murray in total steals (76).
In the play-in loss to the Pelicans, Vassell finished with a season-high 23 points on an impressive 7-13 shooting from 3-point range, also a season-best.
The one thing limiting his potential breakout season next year is sharing time on the wing with Keldon Johnson, who is arguably the Spurs' best overall player entering 2022-23. Both have the proven ability to space the floor well, but could cancel out each other's individual production next season.
Josh Primo
All eyes will be on Primo next season, though the idea that he'll be able to take over as the primary ball-handler should be held off until he's shown what he can do with more consistent playing time.
But with averages of 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, the young 19-year-old has quickly become a fan favorite in San Antonio after showing impressive potential during 50 appearances this past season.
The Spurs threw the Toronto native into the ringer rather than going the franchise's traditional route of holding draft talent out for a year to give them time with the San Antonio's G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. The team likely wanted to develop Primo in the G League to begin the season, but his natural offensive skillset and 3-point shooting ability off the catch proved too valuable to stow away.
The scoring started coming in bunches headed into January, as Primo had four double-digit scoring efforts during the month in 11 appearances.
He carved out a consistent role off the bench late in the year, as San Antonio made a push toward the play-in game. In the month of March, Primo appeared in 12 of 14 games and never played less than 15 minutes, averaging 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 25.2 minutes per game.
In his only season at Alabama, Primo primarily served as a catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist that excelled at getting his hands and feet set prior to the catch. He averaged 8.1 points on a solid 43 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep.
So when he started pulling out behind-the-back step-backs and nifty finishes in the paint this season, Spurs fans took notice. And though it was in short supply, his flashes of elite one-on-one scoring ability could reach new heights next season with an increased role.
There's no question about it - Primo will soon become one of the stars in San Antonio if last season was any indication. But it's best to hinder expectations for the young guard, as he'll likely serve as a primary piece off the bench to begin the season. He'll also need to develop consistently in pick-and-roll actions as a lead ball-handler if he wants to fight for starting backcourt minutes.
Tre Jones
Jones averaged six points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 16.6 minutes last season. He might not be the guard fans want to see take away minutes from Primo this upcoming season, but with with 69 appearances and 11 starts last season, he's a likely candidate to get the starting nod to begin the year.
The Duke product's strength lies in his overall efficiency, intelligent decision-making, and the quickness in the open floor and in half-court sets. He's on the smaller side at 6-1, 185, but appears bigger due to his fearless finishes at the rim and underrated athleticism to avoid the shot-blocker.
Jones got most of his minutes throughout the year against opposing bench players, but showed he can blow by defenders with limited dribbles in order to get to the rim. He falls in love with getting the defender on his hip to eliminate him from the action, but it's an intelligent, yet simple strategy. If he draws help defense because of this, he's quick to make a kick-out, or dish it down to the big man. Not being intent on scoring opportunities for himself is a prime reason why Jones has managed to fall into favor with Popovich.
Despite having an increased workload to end the regular season, Jones' turnover numbers didn't shoot up. This is quite a promising sign for his ability to run the offense effectively for the foreseeable future. In the final seven regular-season games, Jones never played less than 17 minutes and even had five-straight games of 30 minutes or more. And still, he only committed five total turnovers in that span and had zero turnovers in five of those contests.
He also scored in double figures in the final six games of the regular season and proved he can do it at an efficient rate. He led all qualified Spurs guards in field-goal percentage (49 percent).
The drawback to starting Jones is that he doesn't have a consistent jumper right now, something that has become almost necessary to be a starting point guard in the NBA. Sure, he's capable of making them when open, but that's just not his game. He went just 10-51 from 3-point range last season, as he prefers to swing to the open man or drive to the cup to get his points.
But as long as he continues to be a pest on defense and make the right play on offense, it's hard to say he won't be the starting point guard next season barring an unexpected free agency signing.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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