Spurs just broke the West again after rivals' latest desperate moves

Every offseason, contenders convince themselves they've made the requisite moves to put them over the top, but sometimes that's nothing but desperation and empty optimism. Instead of making calculated moves, several of the Spurs' biggest rivals have spent the past week creating new problems for themselves rather than solving existing ones.

On the Silver and Black's end, they actually addressed critical weaknesses with a disciplined draft centered around their megastar, Victor Wembanyama. If this all plays out the way it appears on paper, San Antonio's road through the Western Conference may have gotten considerably easier before free agency has even begun.

Timberwolves' gambles could backfire spectacularly

The NBA as a whole decided the best way to defend Wemby was with physicality and by making him work on the other end with a stretch big. Well, Minnesota just traded Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Randle may have struggled in the series, but he was solid for them throughout the year. That's not one to cry about, honestly. Julius has always been a polarizing player.

But moving Reid for LaMelo Ball is a head-scratcher. Frontcourt depth has been a priority for most teams trying to combat the Silver and Black monster from France. Obviously, the offseason is just beginning, but the options for big men in free agency aren't moving any needles.

And Ball has some talent, but for someone who's been in the league for six years, it still feels raw. Because he hasn't taken the job seriously enough. At least that's the feeling I get from a distance. How else would you describe his incredible inefficiency and inability to defend despite having the physical attributes to do so?

So, San Antonio's 2026 second-round opponent may have gotten a little flashier with someone to take a little pressure off Anthony Edwards' ball-handling responsibility, but they still have gaping holes in their team composition. Meanwhile, the Lakers are somehow ignoring the biggest question they had entering the offseason.

Lakers still haven't solved the Luka problem

Luka Doncic needs a reliable center to maximize his skill set. He specifically asked the Lakers for an A-lister at the position, according to recent reports. Now, there is no big man of that caliber in free agency, so the brass will need to make a trade because they also didn't land that talent in the draft.

However, Wembanyama has elevated that spot. It's now a premium position that teams are stocking up on. Nobody is going to be very inclined to trade away an elite center at this point. There's not even that many. So, what have they done exactly? They added more offense by drafting Cameron Carr 25th when they could have snagged Tarris Reed Jr. before San Antonio had a chance.

They also signed Austin Reaves to a max contract. But Reaves still isn't a good defender, and he's struggled against the Spurs in games with Wemby in the lineup. That's nothing but food for the Silver and Black. Not to mention, they can't even decide what to do with a 41-year-old LeBron James. Instead of building a championship roster, they're still trying to figure out what direction to go.

Then there's OKC. Here's a team obviously thinking about Wembanyama, whose methods for addressing the Defensive Player of the Year are falling short.

The Thunder's draft moves aren't impressive

Oklahoma City, like much of their fan base, probably believes they would have won that Western Conference Finals series if Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell were healthy. They completely ignore the reality that Dylan Harper wasn't healthy for all seven games, and neither was De'Aaron Fox, who missed the first two on the road. Though that didn't stop the Spurs from winning Game One in OKC.

Still, an extra big there, another ball handler/shooter there, and I can see their brass believing they'd have enough. But they don't. The Thunder drafted Aday Mara with the 12th overall pick in the first round. The 7'3" center from UCLA is being billed as a "Wemby stopper," but when you listen to the kid talk about that expectation, does this sound like someone confident in that?

Mara is going to be a dessert for Wembanyama after he gets through devouring Chet Holmgren. The NBA must realize that putting a guy on Vic who can nearly match his height is a bad idea. He feasts on them in one-on-one situations, whether he starts from the elbow or the three-point line. Plus, the Spurs drafted a couple of additional frontcourt monsters to throw their weight around, too.

And don't get me started on Bennett Stirtz. The 17th overall pick is an undersized guard compared to San Antonio's backcourt. He'll be bullied and run off the floor. It's just not enough when talking about a team that was already better than you, will naturally get better because they're so young, and just added the perfect pieces to address their weaknesses.

The Spurs are chasing no headlines. They're holding their composure, refusing to make any flashy moves just because others are. They know what they have already. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are adding volatility, the Lakers don't know how to please Luka, and the Thunder are searching for answers in all the wrong places.

Sometimes, the quickest way to the Larry O'Brien has nothing to do with making the big splash. It's more about watching everyone else make mistakes.

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