Breaking: Wembanyama's injury update less dire than anticipated

Everyone was excited when Victor Wembanyama was the prospect on the pedestal. Fans imagined him on their team and what the possibilities might be, but that's not the only thing fans imagined. A prevailing notion has been that Wembanyama, as excitement-inducing as a player could be, may get held out of too many games to load manage his thin frame.

The San Antonio Spurs have made it clear that would not be the case, and his recent absence from the second night of a back-to-back should not discourage fans hoping to see Wemby play through the majority of the season.

The Spurs should be back to full strength soon, with nothing lost but everything gained

This is not a murderer's row of opponents over the back-to-back stretches of January. Quite the opposite. Five of the six teams listed are some of the worst teams in the league, with the Minnesota Timberwolves being the exception. Fans just watched a Wemby-less performance against the Blazers last night. Despite a loss, the team is continuing to make strides and show improvements in key areas like spacing, shot selection, and decision-making.

A large part of this season has been about how to get Victor acclimated to the NBA. While he grows into the dominant force he is destined to be, the growth of the others will be crucial as well. These nights without the number one overall draft pick give those guys extra opportunities to flourish and continue to craft their game.

To blossom into the NBA veterans fans expect them to be, these moments are vital. You always want your go-to guy on the court, but when he is not, there need to be players that can step up. Guys are bound to get nicked up in a professional contact sport; it is inevitable. But if the Spurs can have a guy like Keldon Johnson drop 29 points on 50% shooting coming off the bench, they're in great shape.