Spurs are rapidly approaching the Devin Vassell reality they always hoped for

They say that teams sign players to contracts because of what they will accomplish, not what they already have. That was the case with Devin Vassell and the San Antonio Spurs. When the team inked Vassell to a 5-year, $135 million deal, there wasn't outrage, but there was a little trepidation to embrace the deal, as Vassell had proven to be a capable scorer and occasional playmaker — but was doing it on Spurs teams that weren't close to contention.

This year, in the second year of that deal, Vassell's volume is actually down a bit. He's averaging 15.7 points per game, which would be his lowest scoring output in four seasons. But everything else is at or near a career-best for Vassell — including his actual EPM (a stat that ranks a player's impact on both ends), which is in the 81st percentile in the league.

His effective field goal percentage is at a career-high mark too, and his 3-point shooting is flirting with the 40% mark. Quickly, the Spurs have proven exactly why they extended Vassell; he still hasn't reached his ceiling, and he's already showing that he can contribute on a winning team.

In short, Vassell has quickly dismissed any concerns that his production wouldn't translate when the Spurs became a real competitor in the Western Conference. He is playing like the ideal scoring wing that every contending team needs.

Devin Vassell is contributing in a big way for the Spurs

Vassell likely won't ever turn into an All-NBA caliber wing, but that's fine. This Spurs team is built a little differently than typical contenders, anyway. The 25 year-old probably shouldn't be a guy with a huge usage rate or an expectation to score 25 points every night.

Knowing he can do that on occasion is a great feeling for Spurs fans, but with Wemby, De'Aaron Fox, and the emergence of Dylan Harper, Vassell consistently providing an efficient 15 to 20 is the ideal role for him.

Finding a wing in the NBA is a real Goldilocks situation. Sometimes a team wants more from a guy who can't provide it. Sometimes they want less from a guy who is insistent on chucking up shots every night. The balance between what a team needs and what a wing scorer provides is an essential balance to strike, and it appears the Spurs have found it with Devin Vassell.