3 scenarios the San Antonio Spurs must avoid in 2023–24

3.) A lack of player development

Landing the number one pick in this year's draft and selecting Wembanyama has dramatically accelerated the Spurs' rebuild. Be that as it may, they are still rebuilding and the objective should continue to be player development. Wembanyama's development will be front and center this season, while last year's three first-round picks will all be closely monitored.

Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley were all first-round picks, and although all three players probably won't have a future in San Antonio, we won't know for sure until we've seen their progress. The same can be said for Charles Bassey, Julian Champagnie, and Sidy Cissoko. While that is still open-ended, the Spurs should be careful not to prioritize winning now by playing veterans at the cost of developing young players.

The Spurs have already taken steps to ensure that their young players get the opportunities they need to prove themselves. They cut Cam Payne and Reggie Bullock, clearing a path for Wesley and Branham, while Sochan may move into a new role off the bench. Even then, he would still see plenty of playing time, as would Branham and, to a lesser extent, Wesley.

Pop should also be sure to give other young players a shot during the season. At the moment, Sohan and Branham appear to be well on their way to establishing themselves as part of the team's future, though this season will help determine that.