Fierce superstar flips teams with Jeremy Sochan in proposed mega-deal

With less than a month to go before the 2024 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs sit in front of a world of options. Speculation over what they should do with their picks continues to be a major topic of conversation in the sports world and for good reason. Victor Wembanyama has captured the attention of basketball observers worldwide, making it feel like there is a major emotional investment in the direction of San Antonio from people outside the fan base.

But if you have been paying attention to the tide of the conversation, there has been a shift as analysts have begun suggesting the Spurs take a more aggressive approach.

Why is the NBA media shifting their tone?

The simple answer is that the media realizes how special Victor Wembanyama is. Ordinarily, it would be smart money to take a slow approach. You would develop the young talent and allow him a chance to learn the ropes but the Rookie of the Year is anything but ordinary. There is nothing normal about what was witnessed. An alien arrived as backup for the Silver and Black to put on the most dominant display from a rookie in decades.

There were legitimate discussions about whether Wembanyama was already a top-20 player in the NBA during his inaugural season. That does not happen. Over the past two weeks, analysts have expressed an expectation of top-10 status next season, while Damian Lillard believes Wembanyama may be considered the best overall player.

Housing a top-10 player automatically opens your window to compete for a playoff spot, perhaps one that doesn't require an NBA Play-In Tournament appearance. The proposals popping up lately reflect that expectation.