Spurs' blueprint to title contention becomes crystal clear despite NBA Cup loss

Victor Wembanyama is the Spurs' superstar. That much has been obvious since the first time he took the court in San Antonio. He's immediately good enough to be tank-proof. But the biggest reason this rebuild looks so promising (and sustainable) is that the Spurs are not operating in a system of Wemby-plus-some other guys.

The roster around him already feels intentional, and it manifested in the Spurs' NBA Cup semis win over the Thunder; Wemby was one of four guys who scored 20-plus points for the team, along with Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell.

Of course, the Spurs weren't able to finish the job, losing to the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup championship. A bummer, surely, but the blueprint is there. Wemby is the No. 1 option of course, but it already feels like his teammates are learning to operate without him. That's an essential part of building something sustainable in this league.

Spurs have a superstar in Wemby, but aren't overly reliant on him

Look at teams around the league with a singular superstar; the Denver Nuggets, after many years of completely collapsing when Nikola Jokic wasn't on the court, have finally (sort of) figured out how to play without him. The Boston Celtics have been a surprise in the East as Jayson Tatum recovers from a serious injury. It is possible to craft a roster that doesn't sink when its buoy is no longer available.

If the Spurs can follow a similar blueprint for how to compete without Wemby, then the ceiling for this group is even higher than we thought. The team's run in the NBA Cup without him — then win in the semifinals with him — is a promising sign that Gregg Popovich and Brian Wright understand this fully.

We probably shouldn't expect the Spurs to be quite as dominant without Wemby as we've seen this year. The team's stunning 9-3 mark without its superstar is massively impressive, but maybe not sustainable. Staying competitive without him does feel sustainable though, because of how this team was built. Focus on backcourt depth, the addition Luke Kornet (who could probably start for most NBA teams), and making sure the team's defense can sustain a Wemby-sized hole have all worked out just as intended.

The San Antonio Spurs will only compete for NBA titles when Victor Wembanyama is on the court — that's the case with all teams and their superstars. But early signs are that San Antonio can stay competitive in the moments and games without Wemby, and that's a team trait that has become completely underrated in the league.