Secret Tobias Harris weapon could supercharge Victor Wembanyama's MVP case

Veteran power forward Tobias Harris could help the San Antonio Spurs in unexpected ways, especially star Victor Wembanyama and his case for MVP. We all know he's a terrific 3-point shooter, an underrated mid-range scorer, and can attack mismatches in the post.

However, he also has an underrated skill in his arsenal. As Spurs analyst Paul Garcia points out, most of Harris' assists last season were to Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren.

That, in and of itself, wouldn't be a big deal, but Harris has proven adept at throwing lobs. Even when attacking closeouts. If he could get Duren easy looks, then he should have no problem feeding Wembanyama for alley-oops.

Tobias Harris' passing may help unlock Victor Wembanyama MVP potential

San Antonio has come a long way since Wembanyama's rookie season, when Tre Jones was the only player who could consistently feed him the ball.

Now, the Silver and Black features several players capable of getting him the ball in the paint, namely Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell. Adding Harris to that growing list will only make Wembanyama better offensively.

Having a shooter who can knock down open threes or drive and toss lobs is a useful player to have. Better spacing and more passers around Wembanyama is a recipe for success for the Spurs.

Despite calls for him to be more of a back-to-the-basket player, Wembanyama is at his best when he is out of the post. Taking open threes, attacking closeouts, or being the roll man in pick-and-rolls is when he is at his best offensively.

Victor Wembanyama is dangerously close to cracking his offensive code

Doing those three things early and often could unlock Wemby's potential. Sometimes, it's just that simple. He already ranks among the best catch-and-shoot centers in the NBA, and the spacing he provides forces opposing big men away from the paint.

If they are slow to close out, he can attack the paint and find shooters such as Harris. The same goes for him rolling to the basket. He often draws two defenders when he dives into the paint, freeing up a shooter in the corner.

Even if defenses close out on that shooter, it forces a chain reaction that could lead to Harris being open from three. His ability to put the ball on the floor could cause Wembanyama's defender to slide over, freeing Harris up to throw him a lob.

That's a skill that Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes don't have. Pairing Wemby with a player who can should result in more easy baskets for him next season. Last season, he saw his scoring jump to 25 points per game, thanks to him catching 89 lobs and plenty more pinpoint passes near the rim.

Adding Harris to the mix will only help Wembanyama take the next step offensively, possibly even to MVP status.

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