3 Adjustments the young Spurs must make for Wembanyama

The San Antonio Spurs have had a shockingly poor start to the 2023–24 season with wildly inconsistent play. Early on, they managed to win two close games against the Phoenix Suns but have been blown out several times in their first dozen games, resulting in a league-worst point differential.

That has led to concerns that the Spurs' season might be quickly going off the rails. Compounding that concern is the play of number one pick Victor Wembanyama, who looks like a superstar in the team's wins and has mostly struggled in their losses. Inconsistency is to be expected from a rookie, though the Spurs could do things to help him get more consistent results.

That could be something as simple as a starting lineup change or pairing him with different players to take pressure off their future superstar. Or, it could involve more drastic changes with the goal of helping Wembanyama succeed while also taking the pressure off him. Next, we'll take a look at several adjustments Coach Gregg Popovich can make to help Wembanyama.

3.) More play calls for Wembanyama

Popovich has chosen to let Wembanyama get acclimated to the NBA without running much for him as he figures out how best to use him. That may be working against him since one of the Spurs' biggest issues thus far this season is their inconsistency in getting Wembanyama the ball. Some of that is due to several players not being able to throw entry passes to Wembanyama, while he also tends to get pushed off the block or fronted in the post.

With opposing teams making it harder for the Spurs to get their best player the ball, they should look to get more creative. One option is to run him off screens, much like the Spurs already do with Doug McDermott. That would free up Wembanyama for open shots on the perimeter and inside the arc.

While he is only shooting 31.3% from three, he has taken a lot of tough shots from outside, hurting his efficiency and possibly his confidence. Getting him easier shots should get him going earlier, helping him avoid those slow starts.

The Spurs could also use more cross screens where Zach Collins or Charles Bassey sets screens while he's in the post, allowing him to flash across the lane for an easy pass and finish. The goal is to free him up for several easy baskets to offset some of the more difficult shots he takes.

2.) Start Tre Jones

One of the biggest adjustments the Spurs can make to help Wembanyama is also the most obvious. After almost a dozen games of experimenting with having power forward Jeremy Sohan play point guard, it's clear that the Spurs need Tre Jones in the starting lineup if they hope to turn their season around. The stats back up the eye test, with the Spurs having a plus 4.1 net rating with Jones on the floor compared to the -20.5 with Sochan.

Swapping both players' places in the rotation, with Jones starting and Sochan playing with the second unit, could help make the Spurs more competitive. After all, the team needs a playmaker in the starting lineup that can get Wembanyama the ball in the pick and roll by throwing lobs or pinpoint passes in the paint or can hit him when he pops out for an open three.

Meanwhile, Sochan can still play with the ball in his hands off the bench without playing fewer minutes since he can play several positions. That small change to the starting lineup could pay big dividends for the Spurs since it would make life easier for Wembanyama and Sochan, hopefully leading to better and more consistent play from both players.

1.) More Wembanyama at center

Given San Antonio's struggles on both ends of the floor, they could use a jolt, and playing Wembanyama at the five more often might do the trick. Surprisingly, Popovich has only played Wembanyama 19% of his minutes at center so far this season. While starting him at power forward makes sense, given his thin frame, having Wembanyama play center at times with the second unit or to close certain games seems like an obvious thing to try.

Historically, Pop has favored two big-man lineups, so it's not surprising that Collins or Bassey often share the floor with Wemby. But with little working on either end of the floor, it's worth it to see how the Spurs play with Wembanyama at the five. Given how impactful he's been as a rim protector, the Spurs likely couldn't be worse playing him at center alongside Jones, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Sochan.

Offensively, the Spurs would likely play faster, with Jones looking to push the pace, and that would hopefully lead to open threes or easy transition buckets for Wembanyama. We've seen those lineups have success against the Suns, but the Spurs have gone away from that, and they should try it again.