ESPN insider points out the hidden danger of Wembanyama's extension

"Just because Wemby did this, it's not fair to expect his teammates to do the same thing," Tim MacMahon told his colleagues this week on the set of GetUp on ESPN. It's a fair point that warrants consideration.

Did Victor Wembanyama set an unfair expectation for Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper?

Cooler heads won't put that burden on either of the Slash Bros., and I'd like to believe that I have one of those frosty noggins, so let's get ahead of this conversation now.

Wembanyama is an exception—not a blueprint

Wemby is not like others, and I'm not just talking physically. That's obvious. We knew he was different in his rookie year, when the always-thoughtful 7'4" Frenchman called Las Vegas the most dystopian place on the planet.

We knew his mindset was unique when he trained with monks in the offseason. But Vic has also told us exactly who he is along the way.

All we had to do was listen when he said, "Money is kinda unhealthy, isn't it?" Or during the NBA Cup, when he told reporters, "Just stacking money hasn't really been any goal of mine in my life."

In the grand scheme of things, the Alien cares about winning, and to do that at the highest level imaginable, the team needs continuity. He's aware of how important it is to have talented teammates. Fortunately, they're already on the roster.

However, if we want them to keep wearing silver and black, the Spurs might have to pay them accordingly. There's nothing wrong with maximizing your earning power, and the Slash Bros. shouldn't be pressured into doing otherwise if that's what they truly want.

The current CBA puts stars in a bind but there's hope for the Spurs

Both Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper look like max players in the making to me. Even if you were to combine Wembanyama's pay cut with the very real possibility that the Spurs move De'Aaron Fox in another year or two, we're talking about a potential 75% of the cap being paid out to three players.

That's when owners can sometimes start getting a little nervous. Not many are too excited about paying the penalties associated with going into the first and second aprons.

That's the very reason the Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to the Celtics in free agency. New York's owner, James Dolan, refused to make that financial commitment.

Could Mitch have taken less? Sure, but why should he? It's a bad deal for the players. Most of these owners have billions. Are they taking less?

Still, there's a timing benefit being missed here. The NBPA has already suggested the possibility of opting out of the CBA when that option becomes available to them in October 2028 for this very reason.

If the player's association can get the league to soften the penalties for teams, relief could come just in time for Castle's and Harper's contracts. But if not, nobody should begrudge them for taking full advantage of the dollars coming their way.

Don't think of MacMahon's warning as pessimistic, though. It's simply a reminder that Victor Wembanyamas don't come around very often. We're sure glad he did, though.

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