Ominous Wembanyama warning is a surging opinion with merit for right reason

Michelle Beadle was on the Run It Back show with former NBA player Lou Williams, and they had an interesting conversation about Victor Wembanyama. It's not a new narrative, by any means, but the timing gives it the intrigue it previously lacked.

Even now, I peel something different from the notion that the Spurs shouldn't waste Wemby years than those on the outside sounding the 'he'll be a disgruntled star who wants to leave' alarm.

Lou Williams is right but not for the reason you think

When most people hear that, they believe the Spurs should operate out of a sense of fear of losing Vic if he became impatient with their process. Wembanyama has been a top-ten player in the NBA this season, even entering MVP conversations despite San Antonio's record (18-19). That last sentence tells you the others aren't pulling their weight, which can be a problem for some stars.

However, Wemby has repeatedly expressed that he's on board with the plan to build a strong team that can sustain success over time. He's always wanted to play for the Spurs, and he's not going anywhere.

Organizations shouldn't operate out of fear anyway. That's when irrational decisions are made that ultimately compromise the franchise in the long run.

In reality, they should be accelerating the process because Beadle is right. This team is ahead of where most predictions had them, as they're on pace for about 41 wins. We all expected Wembanyama to take a step forward, but nobody thought he'd be fourth on the MVP Ladder in January.

The nights when he has the most trouble are when he plays opponents that respect the rest of the team less and crowd him. He's somewhere between 7'3" and 7'5", depending on who you ask, but either way, the Alien needs space to do his thing. Too often, his number two doesn't come through, and there isn't enough firepower from the role players to force the opponent to play honestly.

If your star player is playing MVP-caliber ball in year two and you have a vault filled with assets, you should 100% tweak the roster a bit to start getting said star some playoff experience. He's already shown how quickly he can learn and adapt, so nobody can say with any certainty how much time he will take to win on the big stage. But he needs a solid cast around him to have a shot.

If De'Aaron Fox, Zach LaVine, or Brandon Ingram are on the floor, things change immediately. All three are dynamic players with the ball in their hands, and defenses must respect their presence. Spurs fans just saw what Lavine could do firsthand when he went berserk in the second half—scoring 22 of his 35 points—against the Silver and Black last week, leading the Bulls to an unlikely victory.

Fox averages 26.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. He's one of, if not the fastest, players in the league with the ball in his hands. The mere threat of his rim pressure creates space on the floor, and pairing him with Wemby would be deadly.

Ingram is an offensive Swiss army knife. He can knock down perimeter shots, operate in the midrange, and finish strong at the basket. His size makes him a nightmare to guard at 6'8" with a 7'3" wingspan. It forces defenses to play him tight, getting physical with him to make it difficult to score, but he averages 22.2 per game anyway. BI would be a great addition to the roster.

Of the players mentioned in the video, those are the ones I would be aiming for. Jimmy Butler is a great player, but the moment he gets unhappy, there's an issue the Spurs don't need to deal with. Bradley Beal is still a deadly offensive player, but he's had too many injury issues, and he's a turnstile on defense.

Scouts and analysts told us Wembanyama would be good on defense in his rookie season. Nobody thought he'd end up second in a controversial Defensive Player of the Year race. Everyone figured he'd be awesome in his sophomore season. But you'll be hard-pressed to find a soul who predicted he could be a top-five MVP candidate.

The time for doubt is over. The time to act and take advantage of the expanded window of opportunity a generational player grants you is now.