Devin Vassell is exactly who the Spurs need him to be right now

As Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox have moved into the spotlight in San Antonio, Devin Vassell has fallen out of it. The longtime Spur is a bit like Woody in Toy Story, being thrown aside in favor of the shiny new toy, Buzz Lightyear. 

But Vassell is still worthy of your attention and respect. He may not be featured in the offense like he was a couple seasons ago, but he’s giving the Spurs exactly what they need from him as they gun for a deep playoff run.

Devin Vassell’s skillset makes him indispensable for the Spurs

Did you know Vassell is fourth all-time in three-point makes in Spurs history? He is, and at his current pace (well over 100 triples made per year), he’ll pass Danny Green for third in the near future, assuming he sticks around in San Antonio.

Vassell is a certified shooter. Yes, he’s streaky, and 35.8% from deep doesn’t look great on paper. That doesn’t matter when defenses still treat him like a sniper, which is exactly how they should treat him.

Unlike guys who only take two wide-open threes per game and post fraudulent efficiency numbers (hi, Luke Kennard), Vassell is a dynamic shot maker in every sense of the term. He gets up north of six 3PAs per game. He’s comfortable taking and making all kinds of shots. When he has the hot hand, he can be an absolute flamethrower, forcing defenders to be aware of him at all times. 

Vassell’s shooting capabilities are crucial for this Spurs team. They need his services. Most of their rotation players are average shooters at best. Come playoff time, Stephon Castle, Keldon Johnson, Dylan Harper and maybe even De’Aaron Fox are going to be dared to take threes. If that starts hurting the offense, Mitch Johnson will always be able to count on Devin to turn the tide.

The rangy wing’s impact goes well beyond his three-point shooting. He’s a mid-range assassin, and he can finish at the rim as well. Defenses can’t just run him off the line and call it a day. They have to worry about the threat of him scoring at all times.

Vassell can guard his yard, too. He’s not the same level of wing stopper as Castle or Carter Bryant, but he plays his part in the team’s scheme. BBall Index grades Devin as an 86th percentile perimeter isolation defender and a 91st percentile ball screen navigator.

All in all, Devin Vassell is still a core piece for San Antonio. He’s instrumental to this machine, even when he’s playing his role from the shadows.